13 Gift Ideas For Someone Who Is Running A Marathon

Running a marathon is the ultimate challenge and a great achievement, so why not treat a marathon runner to a helpful gift.

It's not hard to see why running a marathon is such an appealing thing to do.

Because despite the daunting thought of having to run 26.2 miles in one go, the challenge it poses, and the hardship of all those months of training and sacrifice you have to undergo to achieve it.

The sense of achievement and reward you get as you cross that finish line is unrivaled.

Not to mention the money you can raise for charity, and the joy of running around some of the worlds greatest cities with thousands of other runners, being cheered on by the crowds.

So if you know someone that is preparing for a marathon, whether that be in London, Boston, Sydney, or anywhere else, why not treat them to a gift that can help them on their way.

As there are plenty of things they will find useful on the day itself, as well as things that will help them to train and get ready for the run of their lives.

And to help you decide, I've put together the following list of gift ideas for someone who is running a marathon that they'll be sure to appreciate.

1. A Pair Of Blister Resistant Runners Socks

There's nothing worse or more torturous for a marathon runner than suffering a blister when they're only halfway in to the race.

But this can easily happen if they wear the wrong socks or footwear.

So getting them a pair of blister resistant runners socks, such as the ones above by Balega, is a super helpful gift idea.

As these are designed to make blisters a thing of the past, as well as keeping their feet warm, dry, and comfortable on their way around.

2. Calf Compression Sleeves

Another thing that a marathon runner will be desperate to avoid on the big day is picking up any cramps, strains, or injuries as they run.

And a good way for them to guard against this is by wearing compression sleeves over their calves.

As these sleeves help to keep the blood circulating around the lower legs, which increases the amount of oxygen and nutrients that the muscles are getting as they work.

Which will help them to recover faster, as well as avoiding muscle fatigue as they tick off the miles.

So getting a marathon runner a pair of Zensah calf compression sleeves is a gift that can improve their chances of making it to the finish line.

3. A Running Belt To Hold Their Phone And Valuables

A marathon runner isn't going to have any pockets to carry things like their mobile phone, keys, or money with them as they run around the course.

And while they can leave these things with their friends and family at the finish line, they may want to keep them with them.

So a gift you can get them that will allow them to do this is the FlipBelt.

As this is a runners belt they can wear comfortably around their waist that has room inside to keep all their valuables safe and secure.

4. A Pair Of Polarized Sunglasses

Running a marathon on a bright and sunny day sounds great on paper, but it can throw up issues for the runner, such as the heat and glare.

So a really useful gift idea for a marathon runner is to get them a pair of polarized sunglasses that they can wear on their run.

As not only will they protect their eyes from the sun's harmful rays, they'll also help them to see where they're going and avoid and trips or accidents on the way.

And a top option for runners are the Goodr polarized sunglasses, as these are designed to not slip off as they run.

5. A Runners Cap To Keep The Sun Off

Many marathons are run in hot conditions, which can make things even more difficult for the marathon runner.

So a gift that can help to keep them cool in the heat and avoid things like dehydration and sunstroke, is to get them a lightweight runners cap to wear.

And a great choice for this is the Nike Dri-FIT cap, which is cool and light to wear, and will help them to preserve their energy, of which they'll need every ounce of!

6. A Marathon Training Book

Running the actual 26.2 miles on the day is just the end of a marathon journey that starts many months before.

Because to get to that stage, a runner has to put in the hard miles and train their body up to a condition where they can make it all the way to the finish line.

And for that they need the right training plan, which can be a minefield for many people who are running their very first marathon.

So getting them a book that guides them on their marathon training, such as Running Your First Marathon by Andrew Kastor, is a wonderful gift to give to them.

And for the more experienced marathon runners, who know how to train but want to shave some time off their personal best, the following books come highly recommended.

7. A Runners GPS Watch

While doing their marathon training, they'll want to be able to keep track of the distances they're running, as well as the running times and statistics so they can monitor their progress.

Because seeing that progress is being made will inspire and motivate them to carry on and keep going when things get tough.

And one of the best ways to do this is by wearing a GPS watch as they run, as these watches capture all the running stats they need to know.

Even going as far as giving them information on things such as their running stride, how long each foot stays on the ground on average with each stride, running heart rate, and calories burned.

So it's almost like having a running coach on their wrist!

And if you want to get them a really nice runners GPS watch as a gift, check out the Garmin Forerunner 245. 

8. Wireless Earbuds For Music On Their Run

It can be hard to keep going on tedious, long marathon training runs, especially in cold and wet conditions when you'd rather be doing anything else.

So a gift that can help someone get through their marathon training runs easier is to get them a pair of wireless earbuds.

As this way they can keep their mind occupied by listening to their favourite podcasts or audio books as they run, or blast out inspiring running music that can give them that extra burst of energy.

And the best choice for runners are the Jabra Elite Active 75T earbuds, as these are designed to stay comfortably in their ear while running.

9. A Visibility Vest For Early Morning And Late Night Runs

People training for a marathon will often have to fit their training sessions in around their work schedules, which can mean many early morning or late night runs.

So a gift idea that can keep them safe when running in the dark is to get them some high visibility clothing to run in.

Or you could get them the Noxgear Tracer360 visibility vest instead.

As they can wear this over their clothing to light them up to make them visible to traffic and other hazards, and it even comes with a blinking light mode to make them stand out even more.

10. A Massage Roller To Help Tired Muscles Recover

Being able to train your muscles to recover fast and be ready for the next training run is an important part of marathon preparation.

And a great way to ease sore muscles in the legs and get the blood circulating again is to use a massage roller on them after your run.

As this will help to release muscle knots, deliver oxygen and nutrients to the muscles to help them recover, and counteract the effects of lactic acid that runners can suffer from.

So the gift of The Stick massage roller is one that can really help them to stay fit and healthy throughout their tough training routine.

11. Epsom Bath Salts To Soothe Sore Muscles

Another way of getting tight muscles to release after a long marathon training run is to have a nice long soak in a warm bath.

As the moist heat you get from having a bath penetrates right into the muscles, increasing circulation and helping them to relax.

And a gift that can enhance the effects of a warm bath even more is to get them a pack of Coach Soak muscle recovery bath salts to use.

As these epsom salts contain magnesium sulfate, which absorb into their skin to soothe their muscles even further.

12. A Beer Glass With Marathon Markings To Celebrate

After all those months of training, pounding out the miles at all times and in all weathers, plus the achievement of running 26.2 miles on the day, they deserve to celebrate.

So nothing will taste better than that first pint after they've crossed the finish line, and a gift that can help them mark the occasion is to get them the runners beer glass.

As this beer glass has distance markings from various popular races, including the 26.2 to mark a full marathon.

So not only can they tick off the mileage on the roads, they can also do so the more enjoyable way by drinking their beer.

13. A Race Bib And Medal Display To Showcase Their Achievements

The thrill and sense of achievement you get from running a marathon can become addictive, which may mean that first marathon becomes just the beginning.

So if you know someone who runs a different marathon every year, then how about getting them the Gone For A Run race bib and medal holder.

As this will give them a way to display their growing array of medals and race bibs up on their wall for all to see.

And this will also give them a smile and bring back good memories every time they look up at it.

Rounding Up

Signing up to run a marathon is a brave and commendable thing to do.

So why not treat your loved one to a gift that will help them to run it to the best of their ability.

As each of the gift ideas for someone who is running a marathon that I've given you here will be useful to them, either on the day or in the months preceding it as they train hard.