Last Minute Gift Ideas By MileSplit Staff


Here at MileSplit, we enjoy this lovely sport of track and field. If you read this website regularly enough, or you're perusing on your day off, we're sure you do, too. 

Now, we're officially in holiday mode, which means that celebrations are right around the corner. And with it comes the requisite planning and gift buying. 

Still thinking of what to get your athlete, your coach, your parents, your friends or that special someone who also enjoys running, sprinting, jumping or throwing?

I mean, obviously consider a MileSplit Pro subscription. Not only will they get access to live streaming events from around the country, tons of race archives, super great stats, career timelines, progressions and national rankings, but that subscription will also help support coverage of local and national high school cross country and track and field by MileSplit -- that includes free coverage of your favorite events and races, in-depth features, Workout Wednesdays, documentaries and MileSplit LIVE. 

But beyond that obvious fit, we've done we've done a little digging of our own and decided to give you some helpful holiday ideas.

Here are ideas from MileSplit's own: 

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Parker Navarro, MileSplit Superfan, FloSports Referral Marketing

  • Outdoor Voices athletic wear is perfect for young female runners because it adds a fun, stylish take on what to wear while running. The sports bras are high neck and built like crop tops, so they offer a bit more coverage than just a regular bra would. This is great because then you can wear it on hikes or to coffee shops post run without feeling mega-exposed. My favorite is the Women's Tech Kit in coral! 
  • The Speed Up Tight from Lululemon is great for running in the cold--it offers a lot of warmth because of it's lightweight yet enveloping material that can keep you warm without having to layer. It doesn't ride down, and it will keep you warm as ever! 
  • Lastly, The Stick is a wonderful tool for anyone with any IT band issues. It's helped me immensely after two meniscus surgeries.

Bryan Deibel, MileSplit OG Who Once Was Speed Rated At 175 By Bill Meylan, MileSplit Editor

  • Night Runner Headlights - I've never personally owned a pair of these but it's something I'm putting on my Christmas wishlist. They look a little price but all the reviews are great. I've run with someone who owns a pair and he says they are amazing. With many long winter nights ahead and the days being so short these might be a good investment for any runner in your life. (Especially if they are already a little clumsy.)
  • Good Running Gloves - Doesn't matter what brand as long as they keep your hands warm. A good pair of running gloves on a cold winter day can make a big difference.  P.S. -- Here's a trick to keeping your ears warm in cold weather. Sometimes winter hats can blow up and uncover your ears one thing that can help out especially on a very cold and blustery day (we're talking negative temps with windchill) is cut an old tee shirt sleeve off and wear it as a headband layer to cover your ears. It's essentially free and works very well, it's all the benefits of a hat with the addition of ear warms or a headband. 
  • Running Sock - Between losing socks and just running them into the ground every runner can use more new running socks. Here are two of my favorite...Asics Socks...Brooks Socks

Cory Mull, From MileSplit, MileSplit Editor

  • Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of An All-Night Runner by Dean Karnazes -- It's real life story-telling by a man who discovered running again, around the age of 30, and then wrote a book about it. Dean still runs a lot. But this book is what made him a household name. His first entrance back into the sport involved a late night pit stop at Taco Bell, around mile 15. It's not so much a book about "technique" or "how-to" or even "why," but it does tell a nice story, and sometimes you just have to lose yourself in somebody else's tale. It will keep you entertained. Trust me. 
  • First, buy a retro Nintendo. Then try to find this gem of a game, Track and Field for NES, and then spend the next 30 minutes trying to figure out how to run fast, jump over hurdles and do track and field things. Seriously, this is the OG of track games. 
  • Was your dad or mom or coach a total rock star in HS or college? Frame their jersey and treat them like royalty. 
  • I'm not one to get up at 5 a.m. to run in the morning like a maniac, but I will run at 10 p.m. like a total weirdo, and here's where this LED Visibility Vest comes in handy. Always be safe on those roads. 
  • Track and field wouldn't be what it is without the field events. Here's a great piece of swag for your throwing friend: Consider this sweatshirt that reads "Eat, Sleep, Throw, Repeat" or a nice "Keep Calm And Throw Far" shirt. 
  • For all the YouTubers and eventual track bloggers out there, consider this entry into the market with the DJI Osmo Pocket. Bryan and I almost always use an Osmo with a built-in 4K camera for longer shoots and stories, so you can trust this little gadget will be a device worth trying out. Motion-capture, slow-mo, fancy-looking running shots. What's not to love! It's about $350. 

Kyle Deeken, Celebrity Pun-Wizard and Fastest Marathoner at MileSplit, MileSplit Stats/Content Contributor 

  • Born To Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen - Deep in the Copper Canyons of Northern Mexico lives the ancient and reclusive Tarahumara tribe. They are known as the "Running People" for the vast amounts of mileage they can take on in a single day -- some say as high as 400! Christopher McDougall took a trip into the canyons to engage with the members of this tribe, bringing along famous ultra-marathoners Jenn Shelton, Billy "Bonehead" Barnett, "Barefoot Ted" McDonald, and the legend Scott Jurek. The book details several aspects of the Tarahumara's lifestyle and history, describes the benefits of barefoot running and improving one's form, discusses the history of ultra-marathon running, and regales the reader with one of the most intense races in history. It is a must read for any running fanatic, up there with Running With The Buffaloes and Once A Runner. Personally, I have read the 304-page book three times and have been enthralled every time. 
  • Great Stocking Stuffers: RunGuard NipGuards and BodyGlide Anti-Chafe Balm. Are you like me? Are you like Andy Bernard? Do you struggle with chafing brought on by running in the winter months? Well, struggle no longer! According to Running Warehouse, "RunGuard's NipGuards protect your nipples from the discomfort of going the distance. Run without worries at your next big race or training day regardless of the distance or conditions." The BodyGlide Anti-Chafe Balm is a dry, mess-free balm that can be applied to areas of serious chafing issues. Take it from a satisfied customer, it is highly effective and lasts throughout your run, no matter how long!