It’s that time of year! December 1st is here, and for many of us, that means it’s time to launch into full panic mode as we haven’t even started our holiday shopping. For me personally, Black Friday left me a little meh. I bought one gift item online but most of what I saw that day didn’t seem like that much of a deal. Cyber Monday came and went without much luster for me either. And so begins my annual trek to stores both physical and virtual, trying to find just the right gift in just the right size at just the right price. I pride myself on being a procrastinator. Sometimes it works to my advantage, but sometimes…not so much.
If you are a runner, you have some ideas of your own for the gift-givers in your life. Perhaps this post will spark a few more ideas for those who are asking or need a little nudge. For those of you who are not runners, I hope you will find something here that will not only fit the bill for the runner (or other fitness enthusiast) in your life, but will also fit your budget. The items range in price from inexpensive to a little more pricey. I am happy to be able to offer discount codes for a number of them.
Momentum Jewelry I have been seeing these on the wrists and shoes of many runners/Instagrammers/bloggers in the past year or so, and I wanted in! What a fun way to express yourself as a runner, as well as to give yourself some added motivation during a tough run or workout. I had the opportunity to check out their product a couple of weeks ago. There were so many great choices, it was hard to pick just one! I picked the Oval Motivate Wrap with the words Strength • Courage • Wisdom in Navy Peony. The day it arrived I was wearing my 2017 Chicago Marathon finisher’s shirt, and the color was a perfect match. I absolutely love it, and especially that the wrap can be washed. It came in a cute little package and it really did feel like a special gift. I’ve already added a few more to my own Christmas wish list! You can check out their products using this link, and be sure to use the promo code sharetheSPARK for 15% off of your order through December 31st!
Bottle Band I always carry a water bottle with me when I run–usually a 1 liter capacity bottle that will last me about 5 miles. I’m used to holding the bottle and it’s never a problem…except during races. I have yet to run a race where the bottle wasn’t knocked out of my hand by at least one (rude!) runner bumping into me. I saw a post about this product on another blog recently, and thought I would try it out. Coincidentally, they were being given out at the Marine Corps Marathon expo, and I was lucky to snag one for myself. Since getting my freebie at the expo, I have never run without it. As you see in the picture here, they can stretch to fit most any sized bottle. I hear you can buy them at retail stores, but you can also get them on Amazon. You can easily slip them on and off of different bottles, but at less than $8 each, I’d just buy a few in a some different fun colors!
SPIBelt The year I started running, my husband bought me all kinds of running-related products for Christmas, one of which was The Original SpiBelt. I had originally spotted it in a store in an airport when we were traveling and since I had not been involved in the sport before, I knew nothing about these products. I love this belt and run with it all the time. They come in all sorts of fun colors. The one I have now is red, but I have my eye on the turquoise one. You can check them out here. While navigating the site recently, I found out they have all kinds of products, including medical waist belts for diabetic supplies, insulin pumps, etc. They even have smaller sizes with fun patterns on them for kids. So cool!
Body Glide Okay, okay, maybe this seems like too much of a personal gift. But trust me, your runner will love it, and it makes a great stocking stuffer! I recently ran a Ragnar Relay Race in Florida and it was brutally hot and humid and during the late-morning and afternoon runs with rain in and out throughout the race. The folks at Body Glide were kind enough to supply our team with some of their product and we were ever so glad we had it. I don’t generally have a problem with chafing, but with that much moisture in the air none of us was taking any chances. They sell all types of products, several of which provide sun protection. You can check them out here and here and here!
Lily Trotters Compression Socks There are two brands of compression socks that I love, love, love, the first of which is Lily Trotters. These are the first compression socks I tried and as you know, you never forget your first love! I won two pairs in an Instagram giveaway this past year. Prior to that, I had never worn compression socks, though many of my work colleagues do, as we are on our feet for 12 hours at a time. Runners have known for a long time the value of compression. There are some who run in them, and some who recover in them (and of course, some who do both). I have run a few distance races in them and have worn them for recovery as well. They come in lots of fun patterns and colors, and if you head on over to their website throughout the month of December, you can save 20% on your order using my promo code Accidental.
Legend Compression Wear Legend Compression Wear is my other love when it comes to compression. They offer compression socks not just for runners, but for all types of activities, including things like golfing and hiking. As the mom of three Eagle Scouts with a passion for high-adventure hiking, you can guess what will be in these guys’ stockings this year! Legend has a wide variety of products to choose from, including leg compression sleeves and even sheer hosiery for women. My favorite product (so far!) is the Legend Compression Recovery Socks. I wore these on my flight home from Florida after my recent Ragnar race, and my legs felt like they were getting a much-needed hug all the way home. I travel for business about once a month, and I always have a pair tucked in my bag for my long flights. If you would like to check out their products, head to the website using this specific link and you will receive a coupon code for $15 off of your first order!
Zelus Insoles As every runner knows, the single most important thing they can invest in is a good pair of running shoes. But did you know you can up your game with a better pair of insoles? I reviewed this product in a previous post. Two months, two marathons, and a Ragnar Relay later, I am still rocking my runs with my Zelus Insoles. Using patented SmartCells Cushioning Technology (which is used in things like floor mats for anti-fatigue and fall protection, not only in industry, but also in homes and places like playgrounds and volleyball courts), Zelus insoles help prevent fatigue and absorb impact to help prevent injury during all types of activities. They also offer a 30-day money back guarantee! The first 20 people to head on over to their website and use my promo code AM25EXTRA will receive 25% off of their purchase!
Oofos Recovery Shoes Just as it’s important to take care of your feet during a run, it’s equally (if not more) important to take care of them after! One of the several benefits of having someone come and cheer a runner on during a race is having them waiting at the finish with big smile on their face and a pair of Oofos sandals in their hands! I recently had the opportunity to try these, and they definitely live up to the hype. Touted as shoes that make your feet feel like they are walking on marshmallows, these shoes would make an excellent gift for the runner in your life. They come in several styles including the thong style pictured here, as well as slides, clogs, and even a more traditional loafer-style. They even have commemorative limited-edition sandals for some of the big marathons like New York, Chicago, and Boston. Why not buy a pair for a loved one who ran one of these races in 2017 before they are gone? I especially love that they have a Project Pink collection, where $10 of each sale from that line will go towards breast cancer research. How cool is that? It’s like gifting more than just the person you are shopping for. The original flip flop style comes in lots of fun colors. You can check them out here.
Allied Medals Medal Hangers And once your loved one has completed his or her race, why not give them a cool way to display their medal? I was more than happy to display my medals on a men’s tie rack until I stumbled upon this website. They have a wide variety of products not just for runners, but for the many athletes you are shopping for this year! These beautiful hangers are made in the U.S.A., forged in the State of Washington and shipped directly to you or your gift recipient’s home. I was given the chance to sample this product and since I’ve run five consecutive Chicago Marathons, I chose the Chicago Cityscape medal hanger to display those particular medals. I can’t tell you how much I love this product! When it arrived I was struck by how solid and well-made it is. It is absolutely stunning. Now that I have this one for my Chicago-specific medals, I have my eye on several of their products and cannot wait to replace my men’s tie rack with these awesome themed medal hangers. I urge you to buy directly from the company. Right now they are offering a 10% discount if you buy directly from their site. Use discount code Holidays17 at checkout. Now, who needs a used men’s tie rack?
Jaybird Wireless Headphones And what holiday gift list wouldn’t be complete without mentioning these awesome headphones? I had the opportunity to test both the Jaybird Freedom 2 and the Jaybird RUN and can I just say, I love them both? It’s amazing what pristine sound can come from such small devices. When I texted my kids to brag to tell them about this awesome opportunity, they all texted pictures of themselves with the ones they already own. Who knew? Each of them owns a pair of the Freedom 2s. My middle son Michael said they are the best headphones he’s ever owned (and trust me, over the years I bought these now 20-somethings many, many expensive sets of headphones). The Freedom 2 is not completely wireless in that they have a wire connecting the two different earpieces, but they connect wirelessly to your phone.
The RUNs are completely wireless and fit snugly and securely into your ears. I worried they would come loose or get lost during my runs, but with several attachments to customize the fit, they stayed in place over several long runs. I also worried about losing the bluetooth connection, but that never happened–even on my long rungs. I prefer the Freedom 2s while strength training. That way between sets I can loosely hang them around the back of my neck. That is the very reason my kids say the chose this model over the RUNs–they like the option of taking them out but not having to put them in their pocket and risk losing them.
How about paying the entry fee for an upcoming race? There are lots of local races throughout the country, so it will be easy to find one close to your runner’s home. If your budget and their ability to travel allows, what about a destination race? My favorite (since it combines two of my favorite things–running and wine!) is the Destination Races Wine Country Half Marathon series, a beautiful series of half marathons that run through vineyards and finish with a wine and music festival! Use my promo code DRAMBJUR for $10 off of all but the Napa to Sonoma race (which sells out quickly), or if you really want to send your runner out on an adventure, go for the Los Cabos Half Marathon and use promo code LINDA10 for $10 off!
Sunny Health Indoor Cycling Bike And for the cyclist in your life, or maybe the runner who is looking to do a little cross-training, check out this indoor cycling bike from Sunny Health! I love its sturdy features and the fact that it doesn’t take up too much space. The seat and handlebars are fully adjustable, which makes it easy for my 6′ 2″ husband and me to switch back and forth as users. The 40-pound flywheel makes for a smooth ride, and its nice and quite which I love for those days when I’m up early and don’t want to wake the entire house with my early-morning workout!
I don’t want this post to get too long (too late, I know!) but I do want to briefly mention a few other things. If you’ve read some of my previous posts, you know I am all about safety on my runs. I almost always run alone and unfortunately I had a terrifying experience, so I take more precautions than your average Joe. Or Jane. Clipped to my SPIbelt I always have two items with me when I run: My Storm Whistle and my pepper spray. The Storm Whistle is touted as the loudest world’s loudest whistle, and can be purchased on Amazon for less than $10.
The pepper spray I purchased is said to be ‘Police Strength’. Also available on Amazon, it gives me a little extra peace of mind. And if these two weren’t enough, last year my youngest son purchased this nifty set of kubatons for me. What can I say? I’d rather be safe than sorry.
Alright, just a brief list of a few more items, just in case someone I know and love is looking for ideas for me here:
Hand-held or Waist-pack Water Bottle, Hydration Backpack or Vest
Lighted Gloves, Reflective or Lighted Safety Vest, Headlamp for nighttime running
Headband/Hat/Mittens/Gloves/Face Mask for cold-weather running
Subscription to Runners World or Women’s Running Magazine
Gift Cards for iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, or a Local Running Store
Foam Roller or (and!) a Gift Card for a Massage
Running Clothes or a Gift Card for their favorite running clothes brand. Check out my favorite, Rabbit. They have lots of great sales going on right now, and of course you can always purchase a gift card so they can pick what they like!
I hope some of these items will help you as you weed through the commercials, catalogs, and online ads trying to find the perfect gift for the runner or fitness enthusiast in your life. What other ideas do you have? I’d love to hear from you!
Full Disclosure: I received a few free products from some of these companies in exchange for my honest review and the inclusion of their product(s) in this post. As always, all opinions are my own. I also have added affiliate links for some of the products, meaning if you purchase any product through a direct link in this post, I will receive a small percentage of the purchase price from Amazon. This will not change the cost to you at all, but it can help support the ongoing costs of maintenance and upkeep of this blog. Several of the companies offered discount codes for me to pass on to you. I will not receive extra compensation or a percentage of any of these sales; I am just passing on the savings to you. In addition, I am an ambassador for a couple of these companies, which allows me to pass on a savings or promo code. Last, there are a few items listed here that I did not receive any compensation for listing, nor do I have any affiliation with the company or the products themselves. I just love these items and wanted to share my love for them with you! Now…let’s do a little shopping, shall we?
I love love love my bottlebands and if you look at my race photos, that’s what is lassoed around my hand. I’ve used them for years! Great list and very practical.
It was actually your blog where I first saw the Bottle Bands. I couldn’t find them at my local Whole Foods so I was thrilled to pick up the freebie at the MCM expo!
I runfess that I fashioned my own bottle band out of a coozie! It’s been amazing. Haha.
What a good idea! I never thought of that!
I love my Oofos!! Such great recovery shoes
They are so awesome, and I love that they come in such fun colors!
I absolutely love my spibelt and body glide always gets me through summer running!
I had not used Body Glide before this trip, but it was a life-saver. I am hooked!
Great list! I love my Oofos and SPIbelt.
I just found out SPIbelt sells medical waist packs for insulin pumps–both for kids and adults. How cool is that???
I’ve heard so much about Jaybird headphones. I might need to grab some. Lately, I’ve been running without headphones, just playing the music on my phone. My neighbors are probably annoyed by me lol.
I really love the Jaybird headphones–I can’t decide which I like better! I had gotten away from running with music, but these have gotten me back into it!
I LOVE my Oofos!!! I was given them a few years ago, and they feel like magic!
They are so comfy, aren’t they? They sell clogs that I want to check out for work.
Lost of great gift items to check out! I love body glide and the momentum wraps!
There are sooo many great gift ideas on my wish list this year!!!
The bottle band is a very interesting idea. I have a handheld that has a strap on it, but the band would certainly be convenient for whatever drink I might want to take on my run with me.
I like the Bottle Band so much! I can’t tell you how many times people have knocked my handheld out of my hand while blasting past me in a race.