17 Great Gifts for the Runner in Your Life
Running for fitness isn't an activity. It's a lifestyle.
Mizuno Women's Breath Thermo Jacket
It's getting chilly and damp out there. If your loved one is going to keep their conditioning up all winter long, they'll need a protective outer layer to beat the weather. This lightweight women's jacket [from Mizuno](http://www.mizunousa.com/Running/Products/BT-SOFTSHELL-WMN) ($150) is made for those icy conditions. Woven into the fabric is a technical yarn that keeps heat on the inside. Her core will stay cozy as she cuts through the wind like a rocket.
Aqua Quest Kona Pouch
This [little pouch](https://aquaquestwaterproof.com/product/kona-pouch-running-belt/) clips around the waist. Much hipper than a fanny pack, and far more useful. It holds a phone, shades, keys, energy gel, sunscreen, a wad of cash, vape, whatever. And it's resistant to water, sweat, rain, and sports drinks. Your runner will use it year-round. $23
District Vision Keiichi
Eyewear company District Vision was founded by runners, and that's pretty much the only demographic the company serves. They know how to make some killer running shades. The frame on the [Keiichi](http://www.districtvision.com/shop/keiichi?color=Black&lensTechnology=District%20Black%20Rose&size=Standard) ($199) is made mostly of rubber, but there's titanium added to the places where it matters most: the temple tips, hinges, and nose pads. The purple lens is designed to offer better visibility in varying light, like when the long afternoon shadows get all *chiaroscuro* on the sidewalk.
Chums
Maybe your loved one already has a pair of sunglasses they always run in. Well, then get them some [Chums](https://www.chums.com/). These low-tech tethers will keep those sunnies where they belong. They're especially handy after the first mile, when it's just a non-stop, slippery sweatfest the whole rest of the run. These things are cheap (under $10 online) so get a few. And they come in some wild colors, even a tie-dye motif for Deadhead Dad.
You know those mornings when your loved one rolls out of bed, treads across the very cold floor to suit up for a six-mile run in the freezing pre-dawn air? They're nuts, and by no means should you get out of bed and join them. Instead, just buy them some gifts that will help them continue to put one foot in front of the other.
Speaking of feet, you'll notice we didn't pick any shoes. Footwear is a very personal choice, and serious athletes engage in a lot of trial-and-error testing to pick their shoes. Chances are your runner already has a pair (or three) that they love anyway, so just get this stuff instead.
Mizuno01Mizuno Women's Breath Thermo Jacket
It's getting chilly and damp out there. If your loved one is going to keep their conditioning up all winter long, they'll need a protective outer layer to beat the weather. This lightweight women's jacket [from Mizuno](http://www.mizunousa.com/Running/Products/BT-SOFTSHELL-WMN) ($150) is made for those icy conditions. Woven into the fabric is a technical yarn that keeps heat on the inside. Her core will stay cozy as she cuts through the wind like a rocket.
Aqua Quest02Aqua Quest Kona Pouch
This [little pouch](https://aquaquestwaterproof.com/product/kona-pouch-running-belt/) clips around the waist. Much hipper than a fanny pack, and far more useful. It holds a phone, shades, keys, energy gel, sunscreen, a wad of cash, vape, whatever. And it's resistant to water, sweat, rain, and sports drinks. Your runner will use it year-round. $23
District Vision03District Vision Keiichi
Eyewear company District Vision was founded by runners, and that's pretty much the only demographic the company serves. They know how to make some killer running shades. The frame on the [Keiichi](http://www.districtvision.com/shop/keiichi?color=Black&lensTechnology=District%20Black%20Rose&size=Standard) ($199) is made mostly of rubber, but there's titanium added to the places where it matters most: the temple tips, hinges, and nose pads. The purple lens is designed to offer better visibility in varying light, like when the long afternoon shadows get all *chiaroscuro* on the sidewalk.
Chums04Chums
Maybe your loved one already has a pair of sunglasses they always run in. Well, then get them some [Chums](https://www.chums.com/). These low-tech tethers will keep those sunnies where they belong. They're especially handy after the first mile, when it's just a non-stop, slippery sweatfest the whole rest of the run. These things are cheap (under $10 online) so get a few. And they come in some wild colors, even a tie-dye motif for Deadhead Dad.
Icebreaker05Icebreaker Anatomica Short Sleeve Shirt
Cotton sucks for running in the cold. You sweat, it sticks to you, and you freeze. The natural thermoregulation of sweat-wicking wool is vastly better. Icebreaker's 150-weight [wool-blend shirt](http://www.icebreaker.com/en/underwear/anatomica-short-sleeve-crewe/103033.html?dwvar_103033_color=405) merges Merino sheep-fuzz with performance synthetics. It makes a perfect base layer in the winter, and it's all your loved one will need up top in the warmer months. $70.
Jaybird06Jaybird Freedom Wireless
If you're looking for a slam-dunk gift, get these. [Jaybird's wireless earbuds](http://www.jaybirdsport.com/shop/freedom-product/) are smaller than most, so they're able to fit a wider range of ear sizes. They're also sleek and gender-neutral, not bulky and overly masculine. More importantly, they sound truly excellent. These are WIRED's top sports earphones for 2016. $180
Apple07Beats Powerbeats3
Does your loved one have the new iPhone 7? [This headset](https://www.beatsbydre.com/earphones/powerbeats3-wireless) is the best match. Apple-owned Beats has updated its running headset with Cupertino's newest wireless chip—it offers seamless pairing with iOS handsets, and it gives the Powerbeats a phenomenal 12 hours of battery life. $200
V Moda08V-Moda Forza
Jimmy's fast on the course, but he's slow to join the wireless revolution. This is a great set of wired earphones for running. [V-Moda's Forza](http://v-moda.com/forza/) comes in a few different varieties, but this base model ($100) is the one to get. The audio quality is stellar, and they're sweat-proof. Removable ear-fins and hooks keep them in place. Choose a color, and pick the version with in-line remote buttons for iOS or Android.
Garmin09Garmin Forerunner 235
One of the best GPS running watches, Garmin's $330 [Forerunner 235](https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/into-sports/running/forerunner-235/prod529988.html) measures a runner's pace, tracks their heart rate, and maps each run on a paired smartphone. Everything is customizable too—set the preferred heart rate zones, create a training regimen, and even redesign the watch face. It only needs to be charged about once a week.
Apple10Apple Watch Nike+
Cupertino's wearable got an upgrade this year, and it's now one of the most capable fitness trackers on the market. It has GPS and a heart-rate monitor built in, and it runs hundreds of apps while displaying notifications coming in from the iPhone. [This special edition](http://www.apple.com/apple-watch-nike/) ($369 and up) has been hyped by Nike. It has a unique band, a special custom watch face, and it connects to Nike's online running community. The perfect thing for the runner who's all-in on the Nikeverse.
Ultimate Direction11Ultimate Direction Drop Bag
These [drop bags](https://ultimatedirection.com/drop-bag/) are used in races—you fill it with your personal items and extra clothes, write your name and bib number on it, then drop it with the race organizers for safe keeping. They also work great for travel, or just for carrying shoes and shorts to and from work. They're cheap ($8 each) so get a few.
Amazon12Petzl Tikka Headlamp
Does he really prefer running in the dead of night? OK, sure. Just get him this [100-lumen headlamp](https://www.amazon.com/Petzl-Tikka-Headlamp/dp/B00UVQXKZA) ($30) so the traffic and pedestrians see him coming—and vice versa.
Smartwool13Smartwool PhD Run Light Elite Mini Socks
Wool yarn really is a miracle for runners. [Smartwool](http://www.smartwool.com/shop/mens-phd-run-light-elite-mini-socks-sw0sw170) blends Merino wool with nylon and other synthetics to make a stretchy, slightly cushioned, and supremely comfy running sock. $18
Penguin Random House14What I Talk About When I Talk About Running
Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami is best known for his surreal fictional narratives, but [this memoir](https://www.amazon.com/What-Talk-About-When-Running/dp/0307389839) about his experience as an amateur long-distance runner is more personal and more inspiring. He traces his running obsession back to when he wasn't yet a novelist, just a semi-depressed owner of a jazz club. Together, running and writing broke him out of a funk. Now, he runs ultramarathons and competes in triathlons (and his bestsellers win book awards). Every runner should read this—especially if they're already fans of Murakami's self-deprecating wit.
TriggerPoint15TriggerPoint Grid Foam Roller
Most people consider these things torture devices, but [a good roller](https://www.amazon.com/TriggerPoint-Roller-Instructional-Original-13-inch/dp/B01LW755GP) is essential to keeping a runner's leg and core muscles supple. Use them for recovery and to keep everything activated on off-days. $36 gets you a roller and access to TriggerPoint's instructional videos. Work that IT band!
Natural Fitness16Natural Fitness Hemp Yoga Strap
Yoga people use [a strap](http://a.co/fCVJlFK) to help them hold difficult positions. Runners use them to stretch their legs, either while standing or while laying on their back. This one is hemp! $18.
Amazon17Massage Ball
There's a disorder called plantar fasciitis that affects the tendons along the bottom of the foot and around the heel. It painful, and most runners will have issues with it at some point. There's no cure, but two things help: lots of stretching, and working the bottoms of the feet with one of these balls. The hard plastic nubs dig into the foot and provide an eye-watering trigger-point massage. Your runner needs two of these—one for home and one for the office. They're [$9 each on Amazon](http://a.co/iJhwMF0).
Michael Calore oversees WIRED's coverage of consumer technology and internet culture, and is one of the hosts of WIRED's weekly podcast, Uncanny Valley. As a writer, he covers a range of topics including music, film, art, software, social media, and underground culture. ... Read more
