Stocking Stuffers for Runners and Walkers
Best Small Gifts for Athletes Who Enjoy Running and Walking
Nov 8, 2009
These gift ideas are suitable for not just stockings, but themed holiday baskets, tokens of appreciation or pick-me-up gifts, and other gift-giving occasions. Giving small presents has its advantages. They are easily portable, which is convenient when traveling for the holidays. They can easily be hidden as a surprise gift. And small gifts tend to appropriate for various relationships: close friends and family, co-workers, caregivers, neighbors, or fellow athletes.
The following gifts come in a variety of price points.
Gifts $10 and Under, Small Treats for Runners and Walkers
For very inexpensive gifts, think about the types of items runners and walkers regularly use, such as post-workout food or foot cream. Or they could be things a particular recipient would enjoy as a reward for a hard workout, such as a cup of gourmet coffee or new tunes for their iPod.
Suggestions for Gifts $10 and Under:
- Workout Food: Sports Beans, Gu, Clif Shot Shot Bloks, Fig Newtons, single-serving pretzels
- Pre-and Post-Workout Food: Packets of oatmeal, bananas, energy bars, single-serving trail mix
- Foot lotion, lip balm (with sunscreen), shower wipes, bath salts or oils
- Mini-massage balls
- Gift Cards: Starbucks, iTunes
Gifts Under $20, Stocking Up on Staples – Socks, Sunscreen, Hats and Gloves
Consider restocking the athlete’s locker with some of the basics – such as wicking or wool, not cotton, socks – or supplying extras of frequently used items. These are that practical things that athletes usually buy themselves but need to regularly replenish or replace, making them thoughtful and useful gifts.
Suggestions for Gifts $20 and Under:
- Sports sunscreen
- Socks: Popular brands include Wright, Thorlo, SmartWool, Injinji, Wigwam, Powersox
- Hats, visors, headbands, Bondi Bands
- Gloves
- Water Bottle
One essential item every runner or walker should have is road identification. Identification is available in a variety of styles – necklaced, wrist tags, shoe tags – and includes personal, medical, and emergency contact information. If a runner or walker doesn’t have one already, a road-identification tag is the one must-have item that should be on every list.
Suggestions for Road Identification Gifts Under $25:
- Road ID
- Running ID
Gifts $35 and Under, Reading Materials and Cross-Training Equipment
Sports-related gifts need not be directly related to being on the road, the treadmill, or race course. Gifts might instead acknowledge running or walking as part of an individual’s overall healthy lifestyle. Possibilities include buying reading material for a personal fitness library or adding new equipment for an athlete’s home gym.
Suggestions for Gifts $35 and Under:
- Magazines subscriptions: Runner’s World, Running Times, Marathon and Beyond, Trail Running
- Book or a gift card
- Cross-training DVDs
- Jump rope or resistance bands
Gifts $50 and Under, Gifts for Running & Walking the Road – Sports Sunglasses, Safety Gear, and Sports Headphones
Athletes who primarily train outside might appreciate gifts intended to make traveling on the road safer and more enjoyable.
Suggestions for Gifts $50 and Under:
- Safety lights, flashlights, and headlamps: Brooks Nightlife, Petzl
- Polarized sunglasses: Capo, Jimarti, Optic Nerve
- Sports Headphones: Sony Sports Headphone, Sennheiser Sport Line or Sports Series
Gifts Over $50, Indulgent Gifts for Runners and Walkers
Sometimes gifts are a splurge, the type of things runners or walkers would enjoy owning but might not buy for themselves. These include high-tech watches and music players as well as athletic-themed jewelry and accessories. Gifts in this category tend to – but not always, as is the case with jewelry and accessories – run over $50.
One other practical yet still indulgent option in this price range is a gift certificate to a local running store for a new pair of shoes.
Suggestions for Gifts Over $50:
- GPS or multi-function watch: Garmin, Timex, Polar
- MP3 players: iPod Shuffle or iPod Nano
- Running sunglasses: Bolle, Native, Nike, Oakley, Smith Optics
- Jewelry and other accessories: Finish Line Jewelry, Tarma Designs, Sporty Jewels
- Gift certificate to running store
Small gifts for runners and walkers range from the very inexpensive to the indulgent, but all are considerate stocking stuffers or “just because” presents for the athlete in the gift-giver’s life.
Related Articles: Gifts for Runners & Walkers – Apparel and Gear and Gifts for Runners – Gadgets & Books
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