So you left Christmas shopping until the last minute. Again. Will you ever learn? (Ultramarathon training is no excuse!
But worry not! Here is a list of some of my favourite gifts for the special runner in your life. I either gifted or received most of the listed items. Thanks to Amazon they will arrive in time for you to wrap and sneak them under the tree. If you are reading this on Christmas day, scroll right down for e-gifts ideas and perhaps consider being more organised next year.
Here we go:
- Beanie with a light. Pure genius! Excellent for those miserable cold dark runs of winter.
- A book about running. There are sooo many to choose from – I don’t even know where to start. Amongst my favourite would have to be Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins (stay hard!), Science of Running for those looking to improve and stay injury-free, or Epic Runs of the World for the adventurous types.
- Electric shoe dryer. We have this exact one and it’s honestly a life changer! No more stuffing old papers into your wet shoes, no more trying to position wet shoes on the heater without leaving muddy marks on the wall…
- Run Pack nutrition from High 5. A selection of gels, electrolyte tabs, a recovery shake and a bottle. High 5 is my go-to brand for gels because they taste nice (non-artificial) and are easy on stomach.
- It wouldn’t be Christmas without the gift of socks! My all times favourite socks are Balega Enduro that got me through countless ultramarathons and long training runs. They are super comfy and cuddle your feet in soft cushioning.
- Running gloves. Because everyone needs a pair. My favourite are Ronhill gloves – they are light yet warm. I discovered there is a matching hat and gloves set and I’m telling you that your running lady needs it!
- And of course – a medal holder because it’s time stop storing those precious medals in an old shoe box.
If you for some silly reason left Christmas shopping till too late and are reading this on Christmas Eve, I still have your back. You can buy your much-loved runner a Strava subscription, a RunThrough race voucher (I got one last Christmas and loved it) or an Xmiles gift card (they stock a plethora of running nutrition and gear). Also, check out my shop for a PDF printable run tracker. Finally, a voucher for a running analysis can be a hit – I previously used My Vital Metrics for a VO2 Max test and The Running Lab for an in-depth gait analysis. Both companies are London based, but I can imagine there will be similar ones in all big cities.
I hope my ideas were helpful. Please let me know below what were your favourite running gifts you’ve received or gifted. Wishing you a merry Christmas filled with peaceful long runs and many recovery mince pies.
