Runner's Corner

December 2008 :: Index of issues

Economical and Helpful Holiday Gifts

December 2008 Runner’s Corner

By Kitty A. Consolo, Ph.D.

With the holidays fast approaching and many of us feeling the pinch of these hard economic times, here are some gift ideas for the runner in your life that won’t cost a lot and yet can be very useful and appreciated by your runner.

The Runner’s Log

Marty Jerome

One of the most important tools a runner can have is their running log. I have logs for the past 33 years and they can be so helpful in helping you learn how to train, what works and what doesn’t. My favorite log is the one written by Marty Jerome, who took over for his late father. It features a weekly log to write in miles or distance as well as other important information, has a bar graph in back to log distance or miles and a place to record races, performances or times. I also enjoy his monthly columns and each month has a full printed calendar as well. The 2009 is already available and you can find copies for under $10 at amazon.com.

Create Your Own Log

If you are a little creative and have access to a printer, you may want to devise a log yourself. The most important things to include are places to write down the following:

Date______ Distance or miles logged ____________ Time: _____

Course:__________________________________________________________

How you felt (note any signs of injuries, illness)

________________________________________________________________

Weather conditions_________________________________________________

Other:___________________________________________________________

You can personalize the log with pictures of your runner or inspirational quotes. There are several places that can print your log for you on nice paper and even laminate it or put it into a notebook for low cost.

Handwarmers

For years I’ve searched for the perfect mittens and gloves to keep my hands warm and have at time even spent upwards of $80 for a super warm winter pair only to find my fingers freezing. Now with the help of handwarmers, I can turn my cheapy $4.00 gloves into a warm comfortable first class hand warmer. Handwarmers are available at most sporting goods stores and discount stores. Dunham’s sells a pack of 10 for under $9.00 and with a AAA card, you get an additional discount so for under $1.00 a day in the super cold, you can ensure your runner has warm comfortable hands. (They also make toe warmers too, a bit hard to run with but if you tuck them on top of your toes they help.)

Pay for a Race Entry

There are many many races in the area that have entry fees under $20 especially if one enters early. Find out what distance your runner may want to try and surprise them with a free entry and even offer to go with them to the race. Races can be a great break from training and do not have to feel like pressured competitive events especially if they are for a great charity or cause. Many people just like to run with other people and it is a great way to run on a new course safely as races have traffic controlled, water stops and lots of good eats. Consider starting out the year with a run with premierraces New Year’s Day 5km or 1 mile fun walk (see race calendar at premierraces.com).

Pay for a training group such as MIT (marathon in training or half marathon in training)

If the runner in your life is new to running or in a rut, consider buying them a membership to a training group. Premierraces has both a marathon and half marathon winter training group starting soon and the large majority of their participants finish the races they train for. Research shows that one is much more likely to adhere to a training program with social support and peers which such training programs provide. Winter can really be a challenge in Ohio, especially when training alone, but when you have others to run with and have a common goal, nothing is impossible! You also get a chance to meet and make new friends.

Pay for a running club membership.

Ohio has several great running clubs which offer several social and training options for runners. Find a club near your runner and get them a year membership—usually dues are less than $30 and the meetings are monthly. Clubs can offer training advice, social contacts, opportunities to run races and also to volunteer at a race.

Offer a coupon of your time to train with your runner

In this day and age where we are so busy, sometimes the greatest gift we can give those we love is us, our time! If you have a runner in your life and you run, offer to run with them once a week. Or if you do not run, see if you might be able to bike alongside your runner and find a nice course with a bikepath so you can both enjoy the exercise and companionship. If you are somewhat skilled, try rollerblading alongside your runner (just be sure you can stop!).

Your ideas?

If you have some ideas of great economical, helpful gifts, feel free to share them with me at drkittyconsolo@yahoo.com and I will share them in January with others. Have a great holiday and a healthy and happy New Year! See you on the roads. Kitty