CONTEST ALERT – What as per you is a good/fun gift for a runner? Share in the comments and you can win a Frap belt (3 giveaways). 

Whoever said running was a cheap sport was so wrong. Even though, I still believe that a good pair of running shoes and, in case of women, a sports bra, is all one needs to start running. But slowly the greed creeps in. And we runners love any and all gifts related to running and some we are absolutely crazy about. So here’s your guide to buying that perfect gift for any runner you are close to, depending on your budget of course.

Frap Belt

I was quite apprehensive about having a waist belt but I also feel the need to carry my phone, cash and car keys when I’m out. I gave it a shot recently and I didn’t even realise I was wearing one. It comes in nice bright colors and black. Priced at 1,399/-, Frap is an excellent gift especially for women.

The Frap (Image Courtesy – Vivek Gupta)

GPS watch

I love running without any gadget or watches. It frees my mind from thinking about distance or speed. But finally I decided to give in when I realised that on the race day, it does help to know how much you are clocking and adjust your pace accordingly.

So for a beginner runner, a simple watch with a stop and start button to time the run and measure run/walk intervals is enough. While a tech savvy and serious runner would prefer a more fancy watch that can track their heart rate and vo2 max, apart from the basics (time and distance). I’m using FR235, it has an inbuilt heart rate monitor and it can be used for biking as well. I love it even more as it doesn’t take any time for it to catch GPS signal. A Garmin can be priced anywhere between 8,000/- to 35,000/- depending on what you choose. I got my FR235 for 27,000.00/- and it’s every bit worth it.

That’s my FR235

Deep Tissue Massage – The spas are bloody expensive but a necessity post a marathon/long run. The runner will love you a little more with every “ooh” and “aah” if you manage to find a spa/masseuse which does good deep tissue massage. Anywhere between 1,500/- to 5,000/- (or may be more). But there are deals available on GroupOn and Snapdeal, just ensure that the spa has a good reputation. Oops no pics here;)

Tech-fit Tights –

I’m most comfortable in full length tights as I can run worry free (from the stares) and they also make me look a bit taller 😉 Most tights in the market are meant for training as well as running and are bit a heavy but these training tech fit tights (I’m wearing in the pic) are extremely light and fit very well (and doesn’t give me cameltoes). Also, the elastic band on the waist is soft so it doesn’t leave me chafed or with marks post a run. I can only imagine that Tech Fit tights/shorts for men would be equally good as it’s the fabric which is making all the difference here. The one I’m wearing are priced at 2,499/-.

adidas Tech Fit tights (Image Courtesy – Arun Bharadwaj)

Sony Mp3 – Because it’s wireless, water proof and comes with 4GB space. The sound clarity is great. The one I have was for 4,500/- but then I bought it a couple of years back. Right now it comes in the range of 6,000/- to 6,500/-.

Image Courtesy – Google, sony.co.in

Runcation – If there is anything that makes running more exhilarating, it’s the surrounding in which you run. When the world spreads out to you in an endless vista of pristine beauty, your feet wants to keep carrying you to the horizon. Be it the spectacular beaches of Greece or fresh mountain air of Ladakh, every runner fantasises of breaking the monotony in as grand a manner as possible, there is nothing bigger that you can give to a runner than a runcation. Needless to say that there is no upper limit to this but it can start for as low as 25,000/- for say Kaveri Trail Marathon or Mukteswar Half.

The big one on my list is Angkor Wat Half Marathon (Image Courtesy fcactivetravel.com)