Thoughtful Gifts for the Runner in Your Life

1. RunnerBox Monthly Subscription

A subscription box is a gift that just keeps on giving. It’s an excellent idea for runners who love surprises, and their happiness and excitement will go on for an entire year.

RunnerBox’s offerings are thoughtfully designed and curated to include items that are not only useful, but also fun. Their boxes are surprisingly comprehensive, containing a variety of items from different running-related companies.

They’re constantly on the search for new businesses to partner with, so you can expect something new and different in every box.

Here’s some of the things your runner can expect to see across the months:

• Healthy snacks: Energy bars, gels, or chews; electrolyte supplements, recovery drinks, protein snacks, and even gum.
• Care products: Anti-chafing products, sunscreen, lip balm, deodorant, lotions, and other skin and body care products.
• Running-specific gear: Apparel, gadgets, and gear for convenience, safety, and to improve your running experience.

A carefully put-together, practical running box delivered every second month. That gives you more than enough time to put your new items to good use. What more could the runner in your life want?

For the one doing the buying, they also offer multiple payment options, which is a huge bonus. You can choose to pay upfront for a year, or split that into two payments for 6 months at a time.

Or, you can pay bimonthly as each box is shipped. Obviously, the yearly option comes with some savings, but offering options is much appreciated.

2. Runner’s World Magazine Subscription

Runners who love to read and keep up with the latest running news will appreciate this as a gift.

It also keeps on giving for a year from when they receive it, and it’s packed full of useful training, recovery, and nutrition info as well as news.

Runner’s World is one of the most well-known and loved running magazines you’ll find. An issue is released every second month, so if you choose to give this to another runner, they’ll receive a copy every two months for a year.

It’s a great mix of traditional how-to guidance, as well as journalistic stories that bring a real-world feel to it. Real-life runners share their stories, which is highly motivating. Others share tips and tricks that helped them to boost their performance. Other articles discuss how running influences the world around us, and vice versa.

It’s packed with excellent information, despite being slightly different from the traditional “blog-in-a-book” style magazine. Runners of all levels will find valuable information, tips, tricks, and training advice in it.

3. Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow.: Quick-Fix Recipes for Hangry Athletes

Let’s not forget that nutrition goes hand-in-hand with excellent running performance!

With that in mind, if you know a runner who’s a whiz in the kitchen or who loves fiddling with the nutrition numbers to get the most out of their training, this gift would be a great one.

Written by a golden duo of an Olympic runner and a talented chef, you can expect this book to satisfy your food cravings in a healthy and sustainable way.

Those who love food as much as running will be pleased to see that there’s no such thing as eliminating certain food groups. The authors focus on real, wholesome food… Yes, including carbs!

Their recipes are designed to be nutritious, chock-full of flavor, and keep you fuller for longer. They’re also fast and easy, so there’s really not a steep learning curve with this book. It’s great for experienced cooks and bakers but equally good for those who are just starting out in the kitchen.

Take note that the measurements are in US Imperial, so those receiving the book in a different country will need to convert on the go. But that’s a small price to pay for the goodness you’ll be getting out of this book!

4. FULLLIGHT TECH Bluetooth Beanie

Know someone who runs a lot in cold weather and loves their music? This handy beanie brings together two important things: warmth and good audio.

Firstly, the beanie is double-knit to keep the wind out and keep your head warm in cold weather. Note that it’s not waterproof, especially considering it’s got some electronics in it, so it won’t be suitable for rainy weather.

But having this on your head in cold or windy weather is a joy. Not only does the wooly beanie keep you toasty, but it’s got two built-in speakers so you don’t have to worry about earphones falling out or getting tangled in cables.

These little speakers can hit 110db at top volume, so they’re pretty effective. They can also last up to 20 hours on a single charge! As a bonus, they also support hands-free calling, although the wearer needs to be prepared to look like they’re talking to themselves.

As long as your device can connect via Bluetooth, you’ll be good to go with this beanie. The controls are pretty straightforward and touch-activated, although they may be slightly more difficult to operate when wearing thick gloves.

All in all, this knitted beanie serves its purpose well as a head protector, and the clear, loud music it provides is a lovely bonus. Make sure you’re wearing the speakers in the right place!

5. goodr OG Sunglasses

Few things are more annoying than a pair of sunglasses that won’t stay put on your face when you’re moving or sweating (or both).

The goodr OG sunglasses put all others to shame with their stability, and they’re an excellent choice of gift for runners who need eye protection (which is actually all of us!).

The ear grips feature a unique coating that stays put no matter how you sweat or bounce during your run. They also have a pretty snug fit, which contributes to them just staying right where you place them.

The goodr OG sunglasses are lightweight and come at a very affordable price. You’ll get UV 400 protection on the lenses, which blocks all UVA and UVB rays for comprehensive coverage.

Also, the lenses are polarized and come in a variety of different tints. They’re made up of five layers for the highest durability. The inner and outer layers are scratch-resistant, sandwiching the UV400 layer, the polarized layer, and a mirror layer.

All around, these sunglasses are excellent quality for the price and you won’t need to be buying new ones any time soon because they’ve fallen off and shattered or been stepped on!

6. Personal Race Mugs or Race Route Bottles

We all need to drink. Whether that’s a coffee after the race or staying hydrated mid-race, why not get them something to remind them of their favorite race or a run that was special to them?

For the coffee or tea lovers, we recommend a mug featuring the Strava route of their special run. All you need to do is grab a screenshot of the route, and they’ll get a memorable mug to remind them of that race every time they make a hot beverage.

If a water bottle is more their thing, the Marathon Map Hydration Bottle is a great choice. This is a little less personal than the mug, as there’s a limited number of race routes you can choose from.

But it’s a great choice if your runner friend or family member has recently completed a big race, like the Boston, Chicago, or London marathon.

7. Runner’s World How to Make Yourself Poop: And 999 Other Tips All Runners Should Know

There’s not much that isn’t covered in this handy and hilarious little book.

Written by an ex-Runner’s World editor, you know there’s a bunch of useful info in here that you’re not likely to find anywhere else. Because not all writers are comfy talking about poop and stuff.

It’s handily split into sections and each hint or tip is short and to the point. Be aware that you may need to sift through some stuff that’s not relevant to you (at least, not yet). But in between the stuff that isn’t for you, you’ll find stuff that definitely is.

It’s useful but amusing at the same time. This certainly isn’t meant to be a serious guide, but it’s fun and offers some tips from an in-the-know runner that could end up saving you in a race someday!

8. The Complete Runner’s Day-by-Day Log 2022 Planner

Some of us like to plan our training in advance, or at least track it day by day. This spiral-bound journal is easy to fit into a backpack so you can track everything on the go.

Every month has a month-at-a-glance page, and a dedicated section for jotting down your training info every day. It’s got space for notes about where you ran, how far you went, and comments about the race, as well as some free space to write whatever you feel like.

It’s also packed with useful tips and tricks throughout, which will help you gain some insight into your own body, your training, and your gear.

Each month begins with a running-related essay, and you’ll also find handy visual graphs to help you see your data at a glance. There’s also a section to track your race times, so you can monitor that as well as your training.

For runners who like their data and love to plan things in advance, this would be a great gift!

9. Whoop Membership

For a fitness tracker with a difference, try the Whoop. It’s a little different to others, but if you have an important runner in your life who loves tracking data, is into cross-training, and monitors their calories, it’s an excellent and well-loved health monitor.

First off, there’s no screen on this tracker, so the wearer won’t be able to tell the time on the Whoop! But it’s compact, hardly noticeable, can be worn on the wrist or bicep, can be worn in compatible clothing garments, and is super lightweight.

Some of the features on the Whoop 4.0 include heart rate, blood oxygen levels, skin temperature, robust sleep tracking, accurate recovery metrics, strain level, automatic activity tracking, a haptic alarm system, and close to 80 different, specific activity algorithms.

You can also use it while charging it, thanks to the compact, portable charger! This is a huge pro for those who do a lot of exercise and get frustrated with how often they need to charge a smartwatch.

The Whoop is a subscription service. When you sign up for a 6, 12, or 18-month plan, you’ll get the device, a battery charger, and a strap. Be aware, though, that it comes at premium price, although it’s well worth it!

10. OMKHE Rechargeable LED Armband

You can never be too visible on the road. Give the runner you care about the gift of safety! They’ll look good and feel safer on the road, too, with these Rechargeable LED Armbands.

Choose from blue, green, orange, and pink LEDs to suit the person you’re giving them to. In fact, at its affordable price point, you could get them one of each!

It fits around most wrists, and can also be used on the ankle or biceps (minimum size 11 inches, maximum size 16 inches). The wearer can also choose from three different lighting modes: steady, quick flash, or slow flash.

The only downside is the charging time. It takes around 2 hours to charge fully, and you can get 3 to 5 hours of light out of it off of that charge. It’s ideal for runners who don’t necessarily run in low light conditions every day, but may need this kind of accessory here and there.

11. YOUTHINK Hands-Free Dog Walking Belt

Everything’s better when there’s a wagging tail involved! Those who enjoy running with their dogs would appreciate the convenience and safety of the YOUTHINK Hands-Free Dog Walking Belt.

There are two parts to it: the belt and the leash. The easy-clip belt features an easy-to-adjust clip for a comfortable, custom fit.

Two attachable pouches allow you to carry water, snacks, and of course, dog treats with you as you go. Simply snap the attached carabiner hook to your belt and the other one to your dog’s collar, and head off for your run together.

There’s an extra loop near the collar to allow you to grab and control your dog if necessary. Take note that the leash is most likely too long to prevent your dog from running into the road if you’re running on the sidewalk!

12. LifeStraw Personal Water Filter

Running out of water on the trail can be a life-threatening emergency. Give your loved one (and yourself) peace of mind with this handy, compact filtration straw. No matter where they are, they’ll be able to get a drink of clean water.

This nifty little gadget allows the user to take a sip of water from almost any source, filtering out 99.99% of bacteria, parasites, and microplastics.

It weighs less than 2 ounces and is small enough to fit into a belt, backpack, or pocket quite easily. If you know a runner who spends time out in the wilderness, this is the ideal survival tool.

The only potential problem some people may have is that you’ll need to lie or kneel on the ground in order to use this straw, which could be inconvenient or difficult for some.