Gifts for the runner in your life

Given the astronomical rise in the number of running enthusiasts, it is likely that you will soon be faced with the challenge of what to give a runner in your life — be it partner, sibling, friend, child, or parent — as a Christmas gift.

Fortunately, runners, whose brains are usually flooded with endorphins, are an easy lot to please. This article hopes to make the process of thinking of the perfect gift a lot easier.

We go from the very high end to the most affordable ones.

1. At the top of the list would be a running watch, and here you can’t go wrong with a Garmin Fenix 8.

The Fenix is Garmin’s premium multisports watch since runners are rarely just runners and are often engaged in other sports too such as swimming, cycling etc. The eighth iteration of the Fenix has amoled touchscreen displays and is now diveproof for up to 40 meters.

Runners use these watches for recording their runs, measuring various metrics such as pace, cadence, heart rate and VO2max. For some, it is a very stylish stopwatch.

While running metrics are built in in all the Garmin models, there are Garmins for those who are also engaged in other specific sports. Thus, the Descent is for scuba diving, the Enduro and Instrinct, for trail running and the Approach, for runners who also enjoy Golf.

There are also other brands of watch that are challenging Garmin’s dominance such as Coros, Polar and Suunto. Any of these will make for a good surprise for your runner this Christmas.

2. Running shoes. A runner will never not appreciate running shoes, be they daily trainers, racers, long run shoes, or even athleisure shoes.

You will probably make the runner in your life cry if you get him/her the coveted Adidas Adios Pro Evo but even the ultra stylish Adios Pro 4 or the Evo SL are sure to sweep your runner off his/her feet. Nike’s Zoom Fly 6, Hoka’s Mach X2, New Balance’s SuperComp Trainer, and Asics’s Superblast 2 figure at the top of every runner’s list. Beware though, since fake running shoes are being sold everywhere.

3. A race entry. With prices of race registrations going up, getting your runner a race registration in that race he/she has been pining for will give you plenty of brownie points.

4. Other gear. The runner in your life can never have enough gear — from running caps, Goodr/Rudy Project sunglasses, singlets, shorts, running belts, socks, and even recovery slides. Good compression gear such as shorts and tights are hard to find and will surely be much appreciated.

5. Nutrition and supplements. One thing that runners obsess about is fueling for that physically demanding lifestyle. Your runner will have go-to supplements, gels, electrolytes, and protein powders. Replenishing his/her stocks of these will be a nice thought.

6. Running related books. There are tons. Among those I have enjoyed are Endure by Alexander Hutchinson, 26 Marathons by Meb Keflezighi, Marathon Woman by Kathrine Switzer, The Sports Gene by David Epstein, The Maffetone Method by Dr. Philip Maffetone, Do Hard Things by Steve Magness, 50/50 by Dean Karnazes, Never Finished by David Goggins, Your Pace or Mine? What Running Taught Me About Life, Laughter and Coming Last by Lisa Jackson, Pain & Performance by Matt Fitzgerald, and Up To Speed by Christine Yu.

Apart from the material stuff, it is important to note that the best gift the runner in your life can get is moral support. Encouragement, understanding, a good massage after a long run, greeting him/her at the finish line, taking those IG worthy photos and videos, are the non-tangibles that matter even more than the most expensive Garmin — and that’s saying a lot.