A list of running gifts to give.
Are you trying to find a good gift idea for a runner? Then check out this list of the best gifts for runners that they’ll love. From practical running gadgets and running equipment to more fun and original presents. Most of these gifts are available on Amazon, though some are finds from Etsy. So, scroll down to find some great running gift ideas for their birthday or as a fun Christmas present.
(Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links for which I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase)
1. Foldable Water Bottles
Everyone knows that staying hydrated while running is key, though carrying water with you can be pretty challenging. These collapsable water flasks are the perfect solution. Whether you stow them in your small backpack or stuff them in your belt, these are really easy to use and won’t take up any room once empty. There are a couple of different sets you can get and they’re really affordable gifts for runners that they’ll actually use, so a great gadget to get.
2. Customizable Marathon Cufflinks
These cufflinks are great running gift ideas for men who wear a suit from time to time. You can pick from a couple of different distances and you can even add a date to it for a small fee. These are great presents that aren’t running gear, yet very clearly running-inspired. So, if you’re looking for something original and unique, then these cufflinks are a great option. If they never wear a suit, however, you should probably keep scrolling down.
3. A Pair of Cute Shoe Deodorizers
A set of shoe deodorizers would be a great gift idea for a runnes, though these ones shaped like bananas are so much better because of their fun design. They even come wrapped as a bunch of bananas, so just wrap it up in a bit of wrapping paper and you’re good to go. If you don’t think they’ll appreciate the bananas, then these neutral ones are also a nice gift to get. I think looking for more novelty presents like this is a great idea if you want to give something they’ll use, but you don’t want it to be too practical and utilitarian.
4. Reflective Leggings for Running at Night
These leggings have tiny stars all over that are reflective and perfect for running at night. The size range from XS to 3X is also pretty great because everyone can use a pair of reflective leggings if they tend to run when it can be dark out. This is just one of the designs out there to pick from because there are many reflective designs to pick from. Though, personally, I really like the subtlety of the tiny stars and the black background. So, take your pick with this fun running gift for women.
5. A Personalized Marathon Poster
This custom marathon poster by RunInk on Etsy is a great gift for marathon runners to have as a piece of wall art. The Etsy shop also offers standard ones for well-known marathons, but this one is especially for marathons that aren’t as widely recognized. Each poster is different and gives you an outline of the city and all the info you enter about the participant and date and so on. It’s also great to start collecting these, because they’re all very complementary to each other.
6. A Water Resistant Cell Phone Armband
Having your phone with you while running is a must, though where do you put it? You need it to be able to contact someone if something happens and you may use it to track your route, so it’s the best running gadget you already own. This armband makes it a lot more comfortable to take it with you. Your arm is the perfect place to plug in your headphones and listen to your favorite music while running. Armbands like this come in a bunch of different versions, all of them pretty great gifts for runners.
7. A ‘Sunday Runday’ T-Shirt: gift ideas for runners
For them, Sunday isn’t just funday, it’s runday. Though, only if they do in fact go running on Sunday (which seems to be true for most runners). This shirt comes in a couple of different colors and has versions for women and kids as well, so really a running gift for everyone who runs on Sunday. A fun shirt is a great addition to a gift basket or as a nice small gift on its own. Add a personal card to it and there you have a simple and fun gift that will put a smile on their face.
8. Reusable Hot and Cold Gel Packs
Sometimes you need an ice pack and sometimes a hot pack depending on the injury or pain. This pack of two gel packs can do both and comes with a band to keep them in place. I’m all for the tea towel and hairband option, though this is probably a bit more practical. So, if you’re looking for practical and useful gift ideas, then you can’t go wrong with a set of these. It’s simple and effective (and affordable, which is also nice when you’re looking for a nice present).
9. Foot and Leg Massagers for Runners
These little spiky balls and roller are great to work out some muscle pain or cramps and they’re also a bit cute, to be honest. You can get an electric massager that comes with a hefty price tag and takes up a lot of space or a set like this that would be a great Christmas gift for runners. You can also get each of the items separately. The balls are mostly for your feet, though the cylinder is also great for rolling out your calf muscles when they’re tense.
10. Personalized Metal Shoe Tags
Are you looking for something small? Then these personalizable shoe tags by
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11. Magnesium Bath Flakes
Magnesium is great to help fight against muscle cramps and to speed up the recovery of muscle pain and these bath flakes are filled with it. You can use it to soak in or for a nice footbath. It’s an easy way to add some magnesium and relief to the area of your body where you need it and the warm water will also help to relax your muscles. You can get it in a couple of different quantities and make sure to read the instructions before using it.
12. A Reflective Hair or Headband
You can choose between a hairband or a headband, but both have the same sleek and reflective design. It’s perfect for running during the winter months when it’s cold and it gets dark a lot sooner in the day. They are simple gifts for runners they’ll love because it’s not one of those ugly neon yellow headbands, yet will keep them safe and their ears warm in winter. The reviews do warn about the relatively tight fit, so if they have a big head, maybe this idea isn’t for them.
13. A Personalised Marathon Cushion
Another fun addition to this gift guide for runners is this custom cushion by Thatsnicethatuk on Etsy. You can get it personalized with their name, the marathon they ran, and their number, or the year they ran it in, that’s up to you. It’s a fun piece of decor that is perfect for anyone who deserves to be proud of their accomplishment and can now stylishly display it. You can choose to get the cover only or to get it with stuffing and all. So, be sure to check out this fun gift idea on Etsy.
14. A Light-Weight Running Backpack
This small and practical backpack is perfect for running. It comes with a two-liter bladder inside, which should be enough for the average run. And something that I think is important, it’s easy to wash, you either hose it down, or you can throw it in the washing machine on an appropriate setting, just make sure to remove the water bladder beforehand. You can pick from a couple of different colors, though, the black is a great neutral option no one will have a problem with.
15. A Foot Care Gift Set
Your feet can suffer pretty badly if you are a runner, so getting them a nice gift set of food care products is a great gift for a runner. This set comes with a balm, a scrub, and some tools to take care of your feet. It’s a simple gift that will give their feet some needed attention and care. I like this better than a set of pedicure tools, since this is much more of a present. It includes tea tree oil as one of its working ingredients, which is a great soothing and disinfecting natural ingredient, so great for the feet of an athlete.
16. Neutrogena Sport Face Sunscreen
A good sunscreen is essential if you’re going to be out in the sun for a while. This sunscreen is made for doing sports and is perfect for runners. You need to reapply after two hours if you’re sweating, which makes it perfect for a good run. You can also go for a sunscreen stick, though you should know that you need to apply your sunscreen before you go out, not while you’re out and they need to be reapplied sooner. This sunscreen on the other hand is perfect for working out.
17. Epic Runs of the World: Lonely Planet
Are you looking for gift ideas for runners that are great Christmas presents? Then this book by Lonely Planet filled with running routes from around the world is a great option. It’ll take you everywhere, continent by continent, and includes some of the most famous marathons of the world with accompanying pictures. It’s a great book to inspire your travels and just to leaf through to see something so basic like running be shared around the world as a hobby.
18. Bluetooth Headphones for Runners
These Bluetooth headphones are great for runners, because they come with ear hooks that keep them from falling out, as well as a strap to be able to take them out without needing to take the case with you. They come in a bunch of different colors, though the basic black one is a great neutral choice. They’re also pretty affordable, so you don’t need to worry too much about possibly dropping them, because you can afford to replace them if necessary.
19. A Custom Road ID Bracelet
If you don’t like carrying your phone or ID with you while running, then maybe this bracelet is a good thing to carry instead. You can get it engraved with the information people need to know in case of an accident and will keep you safe, even if you left your phone at home or it has an empty battery. You can pick from a couple of different color combinations and sizes to find the one you want. These bracelets are really useful gifts for runners to get.
20. Running Gloves: gifts for runners
During winter, your hands can get pretty cold while running. These gloves are a great addition to this running gift guide, because they come in a bunch of colors, aren’t too bulky and their pointer finger allows you to use your phone without having to take off your glove. Thinner gloves like this are just so practical if you like to exercise outside even when it’s cold. A pair of gloves like this are a simple gift, that would be great for under the Christmas tree this year.
21. Light-Up Armbands
Your typical reflective armbands are often not enough. That’s why these ones exist. They’re LED armbands that are reflective when you have them turned off, but actually work as lights themselves when you turn them on. This is just one set of the many options out there, and some of them also offer different colors. Just make sure that they’re actually light-up and not just reflective bands, as those are a bit less fun to get as a gift.
22. A Subtle and Practical Running Belt
A running belt can be a great accessory for runners, however, most of them are pretty ugly and stand out too much. This one is a lot more subtle and comes in a bunch of different colors. It has a couple of different pockets lining the belt and is very sleek and subtle in design. So, if you want something that blends in with your shorts or leggings, then this belt is a great choice. A running belt like this is also a great useful gift for people who enjoy running, because they all need more storage options while running.
23. A Pair of LED Shoe Clip-On Lights
Stay visible in the dark or add some fun to your running shoes with these clip-on lights. You attach them to the back of your shoe and they’re a subtle and non-bothering way to make yourself more visible on the road. They come in a black and a white version, perfect for everyone’s shoes. It’s easy to put on and take off and it’s just a bit cooler than your typical clip-on lights. So, if you’re looking for a useful and original gift idea for runners, then a pair of these lights is a great choice.
24. An Affordable Garmin GPS Running Watch
A GPS watch doesn’t have to be as crazy expensive as some of the smartwatches and activity trackers out there. This watch keeps track of your route using GPS and is also just a good activity tracker with a built-in heart rate monitor. However, wrist heart rate monitors are known for being pretty unreliable, so you can also choose to get the set that includes a heart rate monitor strap for around your chest. You can pick between a couple of different colors and is just a great affordable activity tracker made for runners.
25. A Quality Shoe Bag for Traveling
If they travel a lot and take their running shoes with them, then they probably don’t want to pack them with the rest of their clothes, because running shoes don’t exactly smell great. A nice shoe bag like this is the perfect way to take your running shoes with you without making all your clothes smell bad and it just looks better than a plastic bag. It’s really affordable and a great gift idea for runners who travel a lot to make it easier for them to run wherever they go.
26. A Hands-Free Running Leash
If they have a pet that would enjoy going with them on a run, then this leash that comes in a bunch of colors and two sizes is a great gift to get. It’s practical and fun, because now you have a running buddy that doesn’t feel the need to talk while you’re running and they’re always ready to go. It comes with a handy pouch to keep everything you need on this belt as well. There is a nice neutral black version, though the reflective yellow one is great for the winter days when it’s dark out.
27. A Theragun Mini
Just getting gifts for while they’re running isn’t the only option out there. For example, a theragun would be a great more expensive gift idea for after a run. It’s basically a massage gun that will give you a thorough muscle without having to go to a massage therapist. You can get the real deal if you have the budget, otherwise the mini one is a great option. So, if you have the cash to spare, this can be a great luxury gift idea.
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I hope this list of gifts to runners has helped you come up with some inspiration on what to get the runner in your life. As you can see, you can choose something more practical or something more whimsical and running-themed or something to be used while running.
All of these running gift ideas are also really affordable, so you can use this as a great jumping-off point to find even more fun gifts on the internet. Though these presents here are a great place to start and sure to make any runner happy with what they got. Some of the items on this list also have a DIY version that you can find on this list, if you really want to keep it cheap and you’re crafty enough to create something from scratch
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