26 Gifts for Runners: Check Out the WeeViews Gift Guide

Need gifts for runners?
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Whether you’re trying to (not so) subtly prod your loved ones with this gift guide or if you’re simply looking for gifts for runners that will be appreciated by the runners in your life, you’ve come to the right place. 

• However, the holiday-shopping deadline is fast approaching.
• You've got a limited amount of time left to find gifts for runners on your list. 
• Think of it like chasing an aid-station cutoff time in a race.

If you need gifts for runners, it's about time to pick up the pace and get your shopping done. And we can help.
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🎁Check out the 2023 WeeViews Gift Guide
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Although running is often deemed a simple sport with little to no required gear, most runners realize this is only partially true.
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Yes, we really only need a goal in mind and a dedicated heart. But you can’t wrap those up and put them in a stocking or under the tree.
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With this holiday gift guide, you’re bound to find a fit for every runner in your circle, including:

• Insightful and entertaining books on running
• Runner-approved apparel
• Recovery tools
• Runner-tech
• Sports nutrition products for performance and recovery
• And more

🏃‍♀️Ready to get some shopping done for the runners on your list?
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Check out these 26 field-tested gifts for runners hand-picked and loved by the runners of WeeViews.

Gifting both knowledge and entertainment through the pages of a book, you’ll be setting your circle of runners up for a successful 2024 season.
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And one of the best parts about giving books as a gift aside from their intellectual value? They are affordable gifts with a personal touch!
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Here are 5 picks for the bookworms on your list:

• By Shalane Flanagan & Elyse Kopecky
• Price: $5.99-$16.57 depending on medium

Snag a copy of this cookbook with over 100 recipes that Shalene Flanagan, 4x Olympian and 2017 NYC Marathon champion, uses to fuel her high-performance training. 

• The nutrient-dense recipes inside focus on incorporating whole food ingredients without sacrificing flavor or decadence! 
• Shalene has also published a 52-week meal planner, a quick recipe book Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow, and a cookbook/training manual hybrid Rise & Run. 

🏃‍♀️Abby’s Thoughts: My favorite recipes in this book are the turmeric pepitas and the long run mineral broth. Shalene and Elyse did an excellent job of creating recipes that are simultaneously accessible and seriously delicious.
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So often, recipes in cookbooks get too complex and the ingredients are difficult to find, but that is not the case with Run Fast Eat Slow!

• By Grayson Murphy
• Price: $29.99

While digital apps exist for tracking training and life, laying pen to paper is a special experience we miss in the modern era.
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Grayson’s training log and planner contains a:

• Racing schedule
• Goal-setting worksheet
• Daily spaces for training and life notes
• Habit tracking
• Mental health journal prompts
• Weekly inspirational quotes, and...
• Lists for birthdays and books to read

WeeViewer, Jessy won the RG Training Log and Planner during one of WeeViews’ monthly giveaways.
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🏃‍♀️Jessy’s Thoughts: I am a big pen and paper planner gal, but also use separate apps for my habit tracking and planning out my workouts. 

• I love that I can see my training week and personal plans laid out next to each other, so I don’t overbook myself. 
• The habit tracker at the beginning of each month has also been so fun to highlight and track (I use mine for my Oura sleep and readiness scores.) 
• Having everything in one place has been so helpful to me this year and I’ve already purchased my 2024 planner from Racin’ Grayson.

• By Jack Daniels
• Price: $14.72-$21.49 depending on medium

This training manual is one of the most popular resources for road runners of all levels and abilities.
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Daniels’ revolutionary VDOT system helps readers determine the correct intensity for specific workouts in the context of training blocks for a variety of distances.
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Running coach, athlete, and WeeViewer, Ja Shua Ried recommends Daniels’ Running Formula for all of the self-coached road runners out there.
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🏃‍♂️Ja Shua’s Thoughts: This book is great for runners who want to put together their own training plan without the guesswork of when to do the workout and how fast to run the workout. 

• The formula provides specific paces for your ability level. 
• You just need to have recently done one all-out effort.
• Then you can find your VDOT number which informs the pace of your workouts.

• By Christine Yu
• Price: $15.43-$15.99 depending on medium

🏃‍♀️Abby’s Thoughts: Christine Yu rounds up the latest athletic research with respect to women athletes in this book. 

• She first addresses the research gap between men’s and women’s athletics.
• She does a nice job of synthesizing the current findings on the major topics pertinent to women athletes across their lives. 

I found this book to be a great starting point for sparking my own curiosity around research being done on:

•  Menstrual cycles
• Female-specific athletic gear
• Injury
• Nutrition
• Pregnancy, and...
• Menopause. 

None of the text feels too stuffy or academic, yet Yu refrains from dumbing it down or brushing over important concepts. 
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This book should be on your list of running reads–particularly if you identify as a woman, coach women, or have a woman athlete in your life! 

• by Steve House, Scott Johnston, and Killian Jornet
• Price: $11.49-$27.99

🏃‍♀️Abby’s Thoughts: Uphill Athlete lays out the training principles for mountain athletes in a succinct, yet detailed way. 

• It’s a book that never truly leaves my rotation. 
• I pick it up for reference quite often and have found the methodologies helpful for my own training and that of my coaching clients’.

The authors cover:

• The physiological underpinnings of endurance training
• The nuts and bolts of training theory
• Workouts, and...
• How to structure a training cycle. 

Stunning photography and helpful diagrams are a noteworthy bonus of the hard copy.
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📕Hungry for more brain food suggestions?
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Earlier this year, Brynn compiled a stellar list of 33 running-related titles that both seasoned and new runners should add to their bookshelves. Brynn’s list covers topics on training, eating, inspiration, and running culture. 

•  Price: $55

For the functionally-minimalist runner who wants to be able to carry enough, yet not be held down by the weight of a running vest, the band is ideal for athletes who want or need full upper body range of motion. 

• The mesh and elastic material is sleek, quick drying, and fits like a glove. 
• With 12 sizes of the band available, runners can determine where they want the belt to sit and measure accordingly. 

The Naked running band has three main pockets :

• For stashing gels and hydration flasks
• Internal micro-clip (perfect for securing keys)
• External loops for trekking poles and/or an extra layer

🏃‍♀️Abby’s Thoughts: The Naked Running Band is my go-to for everyday runs and long runs alike.

• It’s comfortable and won’t bounce whether I just have my phone in there, or if I’m carrying multiple bottles and extra gear. 
• Naked’s size ranges allow for customization with respect to where you want to carry the belt. 
• I suggest ordering a size that fits on the snug side to allow for some stretch as the material ages. 

• Price: $11.40-$28 depending on style

If there’s one thing we realize as we get older, socks are a fantastic holiday gift! Particularly if you’re a runner.

A quality sock:

• Prevents blisters
• Wicks moisture, and...
• Keeps you on your feet for longer. 

The Run Targeted Cushion socks from Smartwool are WeeViews’ Co-Founder David Moore’s favorites.
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🏃‍♂️David’s Thoughts: These are my favorite socks for trail running as they have cushion in the right places (under the heel and forefoot) for comfort over long distances, but still wick moisture and shed excess heat.
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🧦For 6 more running sock recommendations, click here. 

• Price: $38

🏃‍♀️Brynn’s Thoughts: The Trailheads Trailblazer Ponytail Hat is warmer than the Brooks Shield Hybrid Hat 2.0. It's the running hat I pick for very cold, snowy days, in temperatures ranging from the single digits to 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
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✅Pros: 

• Ponytail hole
• Super soft thick fleece
• Repels precipitation 
• Easy to turn around and wear backward
• Affordable
• Lots of color options, including hunter orange

❌Cons:

• Bill is stiff, does not flip up and hinders peripheral vision, not ideal for running trails but still doable
• Bill does not fold easily for packing

👉Need some additional winter running hat inspiration?
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Check out Brynn’s full article here.

•  Price: $33-$55 depending on sales

🏃‍♀️Brynn’s Thoughts: The Brooks Shield Lobster Gloves are great for high 20s to 40-degree Fahrenheit days, depending on pace and location of the run.
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✅Pros: 

• 30 grams of insulation 
• The separation of the pointer finger and thumb from the other digits keeps the hands warmer than gloves 
• Provides more dexterity than mittens

❌Cons:

• The smallest size available is small, which is too long. 
• About a one to one and a half inch of loose fabric comes past the tips of my pinkie and ring fingers. 
• For this reason, my husband borrows them, though it’s a bit of a squeeze for him to get his wider hand through the cuff. Once he’s in them, the hand area fits him perfectly. 
• I wish Brooks would offer size XS. Regardless, I still wear them.

🧤Still on the hunt for the best running gloves to suit chilly temps? Click here. 

• Price: $130 (price varies by vendor)

Designed for running in wind and rain, the Brooks Canopy Jacket offers a packable, breathable option for runners who want to brave the elements and enjoy year-round outdoor miles. It’s WeeViews editor, ultrarunner, and personal trainer, Evan Jensen’s go-to outer layer.
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🏃‍♂️Evan’s Thoughts: I’ve lived in the rainy Pacific Northwest for about 25 years, and tried a long list of rain jackets for running. But most just don’t breathe well, and I end up getting soaked on the inside and heat up too much just a few miles into a run.
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But if you’re looking for a super lightweight jacket that works well for a cool-temp run or outer layer to shield you from rain and drizzle, the Brooks Canopy is pretty sweet. 

• You won’t overheat. 
• And if you do decide to shed the jacket, it’s easy to stuff in your pack or it’s own pocket. 
• FYI…in my experience the Canopy waterproofing material works well for about an hour in steady rain, longer in light drizzle. 
• But because it’s so lightweight, it also dries fast.

👉Like the idea of gifting a jacket, but not sure if this is THE ONE?
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Check out Brynn’s picks for running windbreakers and waterproof running gear.

• Price: $30 per month or $245 per year

🏃‍♀️Brynn’s Thoughts: If your runner lives far from a fitness center or needs at-home options for strength training, fitness classes, yoga and meditation, all of which support running, Glo is the one-stop app for the job.
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I began using Glo in 2013 after the birth of my first child. Then, it only offered yoga. Now it has: 

• Strength-training classes with weights
• Pilates
• HIIT
• Barre
• Meditation
• Recovery
• And more… 

Classes range from two to 90 minutes, and I recommend it to all of my yoga clients.

•  Price: $14.99 per month or $99.99 per year

🏃‍♀️Brynn’s Thoughts: If your runner struggles with strength training but wants to learn more about it in the privacy of their own home, the Sally McRae Strength App is an excellent resource.
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Whereas Glo offers new classes every day in a multitude of disciplines from numerous instructors, the Sally McRae Strength App offers:
 

• Runner-specific, easy-to-follow strength and conditioning programs
• Videos for all levels led by professional ultra runner Sally McRae. 

• Price: $89.95

With the recent boom of runners training by heart rate, you can’t go wrong with one of the best brands in the business.
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Polar offers several high quality heart rate monitors, including chest straps and their earlier iteration of the arm band, the Polar OH1+.
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🏃‍♀️Abby’s Thoughts: Since GPS watch wrist-based heart rate can’t be entirely trusted, I started researching heart rate monitors that would provide more accuracy for heart rate training. 

• Polar has been around for a long time and their line of heart rate monitors have a great reputation. 
• Even though chest straps are the golden standard for measuring heart rate, I knew that I’d be less likely to wear a chest strap due to possible discomfort under a sports bra. 
• The armband is surprisingly comfortable! I’ve worn it in hot, humid conditions without experiencing chafing or sliding. 
• The battery life allows me to go several days without worrying about charging it. 

•  Price: $349

🏃‍♂️David’s Thoughts: I received the Apex 2 as a gift last year to replace my Garmin 235.  

• The battery life is amazing!  I had to charge my Garmin at an aid station half way through a 40-mile ultra in 2022. 
• Using the Coros Apex 2 the following year, I completed the same race with no charging and still had over 50% battery remaining.  
• 😂I'd like to say that I just got faster, but that wasn't the case.

• Price: $899.99

🏃‍♂️Evan’s Thoughts: Not gonna lie. It’s expensive. But I’ve run marathons, ultras, and thousands of training miles with a long list of other watches by Garmin, Polar, Suunto, and Coros, and this is my favorite.
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The Garmin fēnix 7X Sapphire Solar Watch checks all the boxes for performance, functionality, and reliability.

• I love the Drink/Eat alert feature for long runs. 
• And the battery life is pretty sweet. I ran the Mountain Lakes 100-Mile Ultra in September with the watch in GPS mode for 28 hours, and finished with 50% battery life left. 
• It’s also been banged on rocks, covered in mud, submerged in water, and still looks like new.
• The LiveTrack feature paired with your phone (as long as you have service) is amazingly accurate. Really helpful for crew or family/friends who are helping you out or want to follow along.

•  Price: $71-$75

This durable silicone cupping set from Rocktape makes for easy, portable recovery on the go. The cups are designed to manipulate fascia and provide relief for hard-working muscles.
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🏃‍♀️Abby’s Thoughts: I use my cupping set regularly to relieve tight, tender muscles after a hard workout or long run. 

• I’ve found that once I’ve found a particularly sore muscle, I’ll leave the cup on and take the muscle through its range of motion until I feel  it release and the discomfort fades. 
• The Rocktape pods have two sizes: the smaller red cups are great for smaller muscles in the lower leg whereas the large black cups are best for larger muscle groups. 

• Price: $49.99

🏃‍♀️Abby’s Thoughts: there are so many soft tissue scrapers on the market, but The Wave Tool is my favorite because of its unique shape.

• The ergonomic design with four different protrusions and multiple edges make it more versatile and effective than other brands. 
• It’s a simple, effective no-fuss tool that I can take anywhere. 

•  Price: $30.39 for 19lbs

🏃‍♀️Brynn’s Thoughts: A hot Epsom salt bath once or twice a week is a staple in my recovery program to soothe tired muscles, especially during the cold holiday season.
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I prefer the plain, unscented salts, and sometimes pour in some Indian Healing Clay for its detoxification benefits.
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The most affordable bags of Epsom salts that I’ve found are the 8-pound bag pictured above from Walmart (about $8) and this 19-pound bag from Amazon ($25-30). 

•  Price: $40-$80 depending on CBD dosage

🏃‍♀️Brynn’s Thoughts: The active ingredient in CBD Recover Cream by cbdMD is Histamine Dihydrochloride, which provides temporary relief for minor muscle and joint pains. 
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My favorite thing about it is that it DOES NOT contain tingly, cold-feeling-inducing menthol, a common ingredient in many pain-relieving salves and creams. 
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CBD Recover Cream is a great pick for the runner in your life who prefers a light cream with a mild peppermint scent that goes on easily and uses natural ingredients like:

• Fir oil
• Arnica
• MSM
• Geranium
• And of course CBD, with no fragrances or perfumes
• Choose from 750 mg, 1500 mg or 3000 mg of CBD per bottle

• Price: $79.99

🏃‍♂️Evan’s Thoughts: I’ll be honest, I don’t spend enough time foam rolling, stretching or doing yoga. 
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Yes, I know these are things that can help speed recovery and prevent injuries. I get in a run or workout, and get on with everything else there is to do.

• But if I start feeling tight, muscle cramps or soreness, I will use this massage gun for a few minutes a day. 
• You can use it on yourself. But to get an even deeper massage, especially on your hamstrings, back or glutes, have someone else do it.
• Comes with a bunch of different heads with a touch screen to set the intensity level. 

Fun fact, I bought this about a year ago from Costco. Charged it once, use it regularly, and the battery life is currently around 75%.

• Price: $149

The Therabody Theragun Mini is Theragun’s smallest, lightest model to date. It has:

• 3 speeds
• 3 attachments to customize the treatment to your needs, and...
• 120 hours of battery life before needing to recharge it

🏃‍♂️David’s Thoughts: I take the Theragun Mini along with me to many of the longer distance events that I participate in. 

• It is much less expensive than the larger models offered by Theragun. 
• I've found it to have more than enough battery life, variable settings, and impact power for all of my uses.  
• The compact version makes it ideal for travel or even to add to a drop or crew bag to use during an event.

👉Need some more run-recovery-related gift inspiration?
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Click here for 16 more recovery tools.

• Price: $10-$500+ 

Since getting nutrition right can make or break a racing experience, it’s so important for runners to practice their nutrition in training...
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And that requires A LOT of fuel! 

• Plus, runners need plenty of pre and post workout snacks throughout their daily training.
• A gift card to the top sports nutrition vendor is guaranteed to keep your runner happy and healthy while going the distance!

On The Feed... 
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Endurance athletes can select from over 175 brands of sports nutrition products in one place, making it the perfect website to shop from when in the market for a new fueling strategy. 
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The Feed also sells:

• Recovery products
• Supplements
• Training gear
• And to make their deals even sweeter, the site frequently runs sales that give customers generous amounts of store credit that roll over to the next order. 
• In fact, just by signing up, you receive $15 store credit four times each year!

🏃‍♀️Brynn’s Thoughts: The Feed offers a unique shopping experience for athletes with the option of selecting: 

• One bar
• A single gel
• One pack of gummies
• One serving of a hydration mix...
• ...rather than investing in an entire pack, box or bag of a product you’re unsure whether you like or not.

• Price: $82 for a pack of 20

• Price: $17.79-$21 depending on flavor

Above: WeeViewer Maddie Haden uses Honey Stinger Waffles as a pre-run snack.
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Each tasty waffle provides:

• 150 calories
• 19g carbohydrate
• 55mg sodium
• 30mg potassium

Honey Stinger has created a vast array of flavors and even a gluten free version so that every runner can enjoy these treats.
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🏃‍♂️David’s Thoughts: I've been really into these lately. They taste great, are easy to carry and sit well in my stomach. Cookies & Cream is my go to flavor.

• Price: $23.95 for 10 pack

Skratch Energy Chews make trickling in fuel on the go both easy and enjoyable. 
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With a balanced formulation of glucose and fructose, a pack of 10 chews delivers:

• 38g of carbohydrates
• 160 calories
• Uncaffeinated flavors include raspberry, orange, and matcha/lemon. 
• The blueberry and sour cherry flavors contain 50mg of caffeine per packet

🏃‍♂️Evan’s Thoughts: Looking for a carb & calorie fuel source that tastes good and isn’t in a gel-pack? 
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I’ve tried a ton of different fueling options for marathons and ultras, but often get hit with Runner’s Stomach.

• This year I ran the Mountain Lakes 100 using Skratch Labs Energy Chews as one of my major fuel sources, and made it to the finish without a sick stomach. 
• Last year, hours of vomiting and GI distress forced me to drop around mile 83.

TIP: There’s not a ton of chews in each pack, so before a long run or race (especially if you’re self supported), I recommend emptying a few packs into a ziplock bag. 
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I’ll be using these chews for more long runs and my 10th time running Mountain Lakes 100.

• Price: $21.95 for 1lb (20 servings)

Formulated to replace what you lose in sweat during exercise, the Skratch Sport Hydration mix contains:

• 380mg sodium
• 38mg potassium
• 38 mg magnesium
• 43 mg calcium

Skratch has created several delicious flavors, including:

• Fruit punch
• Lemon-lime
• Pineapple
• Orange
• Strawberry lemonade, and...
• Caffeinated raspberry limeade

🏃‍♀️Abby’s Thoughts: I rarely leave for a run without some Skratch Sport Hydration Mix in my handheld. 

• It dissolves easily in even the coldest of water and makes for a delicious and refreshing treat while on the run. 
• As with all of Skratch’s products, the hydration mix is easy on the gut. 
• I appreciate that the sport hydration mix includes 20g of carbohydrate per serving to improve electrolyte absorption. 
• The strawberry lemonade flavor is my go-to.

Be sure to save this runner’s gift guide and share with friends and family who ask for ideas!
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With these picks in mind, you can easily visit your local running store or shop online and choose the perfect gifts for the runners in your life!
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Happy holidays from WeeViews and may your miles be merry!
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Was there something on the list that you would add?
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Let us know in the comments!