Fit Fanatic: 10 Valentine's Day Gift Ideas for the Runner in Your Life

Valentine’s Day is this Friday!

I am pretty excited, as I actually have the day off of work. I will be attending a friend’s wedding (the same friend for whom we ran the Securian Half Marathon for her bachelorette party!)

I suppose Dustin got off easy this year for Valentine’s Day- he doesn’t have to plan anything, as we’ll be eating, drinking, and merry-making with all of our friends downtown, celebrating love in the best way possible.

Anyways, no matter what you’re doing to celebrate Valentine’s Day, you might still be looking for a few ideas to make your Valentine feel special this Friday. Flowers are always great, but let’s assume your Valentine is a runner (though flowers are great for runners too!). If your Valentine is a runner, here’s a list from the Right Fits of 10 Valentine’s Gift Ideas for Runners!

1. Carbs! Valentine’s Day is on a Friday, and most runners do their long runs Saturday morning. So take your Valentine out for some pasta Friday night. Treat him or her to some lovely carbo-loading  Locally, I am a fan of Broder’s Pasta Bar, or you could just have a casual evening at Punch Pizza (or buy a gift card for your runner to enjoy at a later date) For a fancier pasta meal, head to Bar La Grassa for really a scrumptious dinner.

2. Race Registration: Races are expensive, and the prices are only going up, (unless of course, you’re registering for the Ron Dawes 25k- that race is only $5- I signed up!) So if you know your Valentine is training for an upcoming race, but hasn’t registered, sign him/her up yourself! That's not a bad idea for me...Dustin hasn't registered for Flying Pig yet- maybe I should sign him up!

3. Running Gear: This is an easy one- just check out my winter running essentials list, and pick up one of those items that your runner doesn’t have yet…Knuckle lights, Craft gloves, Yak-Traks, so many ideas!

4. Run MSP T-shirts or Sweatshirts. I can’t say enough about these comfy sweatshirts and tees from Gear Running Store. They make the BEST gifts!

5. A running themed gift basket: I posted HERE and HERE about creating running/fitness themed gift baskets. They are a fun way to gift your Valentine’s a bunch of small gifts that equal one great gift basket!

6. Splurge on a new Garmin for your Valentine! My friend Kelly has the new Garmin 220, and it’s pretty awesome. If you’re a big spender this year, I bet your Valentine would appreciate this! (It will set you back about $250)

7. A Subscription to Kona Kase or Runner Box: These monthly subscriptions are a gift that keeps on giving! Both are memberships to receive a shoebox full of running goodies each month. They include a variety of running fuel and a few other fun items.

8. BIC Bands! Probably not the best gift for a male Valentine, but I bet most ladies would like these fun headbands that don’t slip- really!

9. Yoga- let’s be honest, most runners could use a little more yoga in their lives. Pick up a gift card to CorePower Yoga or Modo Yoga for your running Valentine, and give the gift that says, “I want you to be able to run injury free in 2014!"

10. The final gift idea for your running Valentine? A new pair of running shoes!  Its easy to figure out what kind they wear. Pick them up the same pair in the same size, and they’ll be very grateful for the functional fit!