Articles by Dominique and Sam Winebaum, Sally Reiley, Jeff Valliere, Jeremy Marie, Ben David, Mike Postaski, Renee Krusemark, Marcel Krebs, & Markus Zinkl
Holiday Gift Guide for Runners Part 2: Books/Podcasts/Subscriptions, Recovery and Form Tools, Recovery Shoes, Insoles
The RTR team went to town this holiday season to bring you this holiday gifts guide. The ideas kept on coming as we pondered great ideas for runners, hikers, and outdoor enthusiasts, most tested over many miles in all conditions during 2023.
We ended up with well over 60 gift ideas (with mini reviews) across 12 categories for the runners in your life!
Guide 3: Books/Podcasts/Subscriptions, Recovery and Form Tools, Recovery Shoes, Insoles
Products in the guide are identified as review samples (RS) or personal purchases (PP)
Purchases at links in the article to our affiliate partners and on our site help support RoadTrailRun and are much appreciated. Happy Holidays!
Books, Podcasts, Subscriptions
The Runner Box ($32 per box, $192 for the annual subscription)
Renee: My husband buys a RunnerBox subscription for me each year (personal purchase). Boxes arrive every two months, costing about $32 per box ($192 for the annual subscription). For runners who have long runs (or two long runs) per week, and RunnerBox offers a fun way to try new fuel and items. I’ll go through the snacks in each box within one week. I hardly race, so “dialing in my nutrition” is not a factor, and having exciting treats on the trails helps me look forward to long runs. Some of the items have an upcoming expiration date, so I think the cost is most worthwhile for those who have consistent long runs or fuel needs. Bonus if you have multiple runners in the house who can share the items.
The Longest Race | Book by Kara Goucher
Choosing to Run: A Memoir: Des Linden
Sally: Books by badass woman runners are having a moment, and these two are not to be missed. Any runner, particularly female runners, should read these two books. And while you are at it, tune in to the most amazing and entertaining running podcast by Des and Kara called
Ben: Of the myriad running biographies and memoirs that have come out in the last year, I feel Des Linden’s Choosing to Run should not be missed by any running/reading enthusiast. It’s very much in the style of Des: no-nonsense, straightforward, unassuming and extremely inspiring. The book follows the lead-up to her historic 2018 Boston Marathon win. It’s well written, readable and touches on universal themes of perseverance, goal setting and following one’s passion (even when less than easy).
Nobody Asked Us with Des & Kara | Podcast on Spotify
Sally: You can’t help but love the banter between these two heroines of the sport!
Another fantastic podcast is
Ali On The Run | Blog & Podcast for Runners.
Sally: Ali Feller quickly has become my best friend (or so it seems - she must have millions of best friends now) and I look forward to every new podcast. Her “Everything You Need to Know About” episodes of the major marathons are super comprehensive, and her positive energy and enthusiasm for running and runners is infectious.
Form Tools, Insoles, Recovery and Recovery Footwear
Oofos OOmg Sport ($140)
Dominique: I just love my OOFOS! Over the years, I tested a wide range of models from OOFOS, especially from their “Sandals” category, including the OOriginal Sport Sandal, OOahh Slide Sandal, and OOcandoo Sandal.
This year I received a pair of OOmg Sport Low Shoe in fuchsia, which I brought on a 10-day trip to Tuscany that included 2 days of travel by train, sightseeing, and walking five days on the Via Francigena, from Lucca to Sienna. Lightweight recovery shoes that stowed easiy in my backpack (35L) and worked wonders as my second pair of shoes after long day walks (14-19 miles), but also plenty stylish when wearing a summer dress sipping Aperol Spritz on the piazza.
This was back in May and I kept wearing my OOmg Sport throughout the summer for their superior comfort.
A similar model is now available with laces, the OOMG Sport LS Low Shoe ($150) in 7 attractive colors. RS
Shop for OOmg Sport including also a lace up version at OOFOS HERE
Hoka Ora 3 Recovery Slide ($60)
Jeff V: The Ora 3 is my go to house slipper and especially good for standing at my computer desk for long periods, as the foam is soft enough to feel very comfortable, but firm enough to provide support and longevity. They run big though, so consider sizing down.
Available in many colors for men and women at
Running Warehouse US SHOP HERE
Amazon SHOP HERE
Fleet Feet SHOP HERE
PR Gear Float Form Harness ($14.99 USD Sale Price: $11.98 USD)
Sam: The Float Form Harness is a creation of Golden Harper, founder of Altra Running. Golden is now on his own, continuing his efforts to help runners with form and foot health, distilling the learnings from thousands of run form seminars. Golden demonstrated the principle of “wrists to ribs”, which based on his vast experience, is the number one and actionable thing runners can do to achieve more efficient form, increased cadence, and lower impacts by reducing overstriding. To help us get there he has sincere created the Harness
“Simply put the big opening of the FloatRun harness on like a jacket (both straps behind your back---one above the shoulders and one below) & place thumbs in the loops under the armpits. Don't stretch the thumb loops while focusing on keeping the elbows back & moving the arms as little as necessary, no more than a few inches”.
I have used the harness extensively the last few months. I tend to have my arms fly down and to the side. With the harness, I get a gentle reminder with each arm swing to keep arms aligned and compact. Inexpensive, easy to use, nothing to “learn”, this simple gift idea will help make your runner run “tall and proud” and better aligned in the direction of travel.
PR Gear Bridge Soles ($19.98)
Genuine help for any feet
Jeff: Taking a clear and pragmatic approach, the PR Gear Bridge Soles another creation along with Float Form harness from Altra Running's founder, Golden Harper) are 3/4 inserts that slide underneath your shoes' standard insole to provide extra support and cushioning. While they are lightweight on the scale (and price tag - only $20) they punch way above their weight in performance, with the best metatarsal pad solution i have experienced for neuroma sufferers and other foot issues.
Personally it all but eliminated my neuroma, something the other pads and treatments hadn’t been able to do for more than a week or two.
While many other inserts on the market cost much more and weigh substantially more while also requiring trimming in order to get the right fit, Bridge Soles takes more general sizing approach with a few different sizes that should cover pretty much all runners. Lastly, they appear to focus on the performance of the foot, and to accentuate your foot's normal action, as opposed to overly restrictive support insoles.
Inexpensive and easy to use make Bridge Soles one of the easiest recommendations for a gift for virtually and and every runner because we *all* have some foot issue.
Available at PR Gear ($19.98) Bridge Soles
Reboot Go Lite & Reboots One
Recovery at the Push or a Button
Marcel: As far as recovery is concerned, there are lots of fancy gadgets available. One staple though are massages. While no device can 1:1 replace a manual massage, devices like the Reboots Go Lite €789,00 (for traveling) and Reboots One €899,00 (stationary) offer a welcome combination of compression and relief. That makes it the perfect tool to use when sitting on the sofa after an exhausting run or ride. The Reboots are especially convenient as they offer specific programmes and intensities from which you can choose or programme them on your own. Oh, and they are heavily discounted during Black Friday week! RS
Available at Reboots HERE
Thanks for checking out RoadTrailRun's 2023 Gift Guides (more below) & for considering shopping for your gifts at our many partners
Happy Holidays!
Holiday Gift Guide for Runners Part 6: Poles, Lighting, Sunglasses HERE
Gift Guide 3: Books/Podcasts/Subscriptions, Recovery and Form Tools, Recovery Shoes, Insoles HERE
Gift Guide 2: Run Socks, Hats and Gloves HERE
Gift Guide 1: GPS Smartwatches & Music, Run Tops and Shorts-17 Gift Ideas HERE
Some samples were provided at no charge for review purposes, others were personal purchases. RoadTrail Run has affiliate partnerships and may earn commission on products purchased via shopping links in this article. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content. The opinions herein are entirely the authors'
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