Having a hard time finding the perfect gift for the runner in your life? Here’s five ideas that won’t break your bank account, and here’s the best part: You can find them in any supermarket or grocery store.
1) Pasta, Pasta, Pasta
Grab a few boxes of dry pasta and a couple of jars of tomato sauce with the fancy labels. Spring for a colander (makes a great gift basket!) or wooden spoon if your grocery store has an accessory aisle.
2) Shopping cart full of Gatorade
No, really. Gatorade is one of those things that most runners use, it’s non-perishable, and it comes in a squillion formats. Powder tubs, powder packs, squirt top, individual-sized, take-up-half-the-fridge-size, and in a ridiculous array of flavors. When in doubt, just grab a few bottles of liquid lemon lime.
3) Bag of coffee and toilet paper
If you have to ask, you just don’t really know a runner.
4) Medical kit
There are a surprising number of things down the medicine aisle that will make for a great practical gift. A tub of Vaseline for chafing, a container of aspirin for post-run aches and pains, a tube of Icy Hot for muscle soreness, and a bottle of sunscreen for preventative measures. Don’t forget the bandages and calamine lotion for the trail runner.
5) “Not until you PR” bags
Take two bags. Fill one up with dried fruit, nuts, oatmeal, coconut water, and insert-your-healthy-non-perishable-of-choice. Fill the second one with beef jerky, potato chips, candy, beer, and insert-your-unhealthy-non-perishable-of-choice. Then label the first bag as “Pre PR” and the second, “Not Until You PR.”
