The 14 Best Valentine’s Day Gifts for the Runner in Your Life

Running with a phone, keys, and nutrition can get annoying if your runner has to carry it all. Luckily, this sleek sling gives just enough room to store your essentials without tethering a bulky, floppy weight to your waist. It’s also made of a comfy, water-resistant neoprene material that won’t feel rough against skin.

Metal wedding bands can sometimes add risk to outdoor activities, especially ones like cycling and lifting that involve your hands. Rings can get caught and hurt you pretty badly. Not to mention there’s the stress of damaging your wedding ring.

If you want to continue to celebrate your union without risking damage to your main ring (or ring finger), a silicone band like this one from Enso can give you peace of mind as you thrash around on trails or work on your deadlift. It’s soft and pliable, and it’s inexpensive, so if it gets lost or damaged it’s no big deal.

Runners love setting fitness goals for the new year, and yours will love a tidy place to spell them out. This journal from Gone for a Run is packed with dedicated sections for goal setting, workout logs, race times, and weekly and monthly activity summaries. Plus, this book is full of motivational quotes that can help keep them looking forward through hard weeks.

What’s a positive feeling that’s even more potent than love? The feeling of slipping into a comfy pair of shoes after tearing up your feet on a long run.

We jest, but these recovery shoes from Kane are still some of the most comfortable kicks. And they’ll last for years. They feature a thick slab of cushy midsole foam, a perforated upper designed to air out sweaty feet, and a textured insole that feels fantastic after a few hours of repeated impacts. Did we mention you can choose from over a dozen colors?

Here’s another gift idea for when they’re done with a long run: Draw them a warm bath, light some candles, and toss in one of these brightly colored bath bombs. They’re infused with scented essential oils, including lavender, orange, and peppermint. And they contain Epsom salts, which some experts say can help with inflammation and achy muscles.

It’s hard to imagine a stereotypical Valentine’s Day array without a box of chocolates front and center. But if your runner isn’t down to eat too much sugar in the lead-up to a spring marathon, a healthful alternative to the standard heart-shaped container of goodies might be in order.

These chocolate bars are gluten-free, vegan, paleo-friendly, and fair-trade certified—not to mention delicious. Impressively, they even manage to taste good with absolutely no refined sugar. Plus, there are options made up of 70 percent dark chocolate, making them a particularly tasty way to get an antioxidant boost.

These may finally get your partner to stop stealing your sweatpants once and for all. They’re made of a stretchy, moisture-wicking, polyester-elastane fabric—good for working out. But they’re also super soft, with a relaxed fit ideal for cuddling up for movie night or covering up before leaving the gym.

Whether you’re massaging yourself or your partner’s lending a hand, this muscle cream from Feelgood adds some extra relief as you’re rubbing out your most stubborn knots. A favorite among Runner’s World editors, The Feelgood Lab’s Natural Pain Cream combines plant-extracted ingredients that’ll soothe sore muscles with a cooling effect provided by menthol. Better yet, it doesn’t reek of the same noxious aroma that some other menthol creams have—test editor Amanda Furrer even keeps a bottle next to her bed without a problem.

Don’t let the historical disapproval of receiving socks steer you away from a quality gift. A comfy pair of running socks is an invaluable part of any dedicated runner’s gear, and these sturdy Bombas socks look and feel good whether you’re running or not.

These socks have no toe seams, a roomy heel that won’t wear down quickly, and plenty of fun colors to pick. Just make sure your runner is cool to wear cotton first. If not, check out more of the brand’s performance styles instead.

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Unwinding with a beverage this Valentine’s Day? If fancy glassware isn’t their vibe, these Camelbak wine cups are made of insulated stainless steel that can take quite a bit more turbulence than a standard stemmed glass. This model has grippy silicone on the outside and a lid to prevent spills. The rounded vessel should also aerate the vino similarly to a typical glass made for reds.

Rubbing tired muscles with your hands feels good, but nothing works quite like a thumping percussion massager, such as this Theragun model. It comes with six interchangeable attachments to spread out or focus the pressure. And the machine’s different modes and intensities help tailor the massage.

Want to add some nuance to their morning coffee brewing without shelling out hundreds on a quality espresso machine? A French press is one of the simplest ways to get a richer, fuller cup that barely takes more time to make than your average filter batch.

This French press in particular is easy to clean thanks to its removable beaker and easy plunger disassembly. It’s also all dishwasher-safe—just be sure to toss your used grounds before you put everything in.

Long winter runs in cold, dry air can do plenty of damage to lips, leaving them chapped and cracked. As such, a quality lip balm might just be what you need to save a tender moment on Valentine’s Day. This variety pack from Burt’s Bees has four flavors, and they all use cooling menthol to add extra freshness.

For many runners, music makes long miles on the road or trail go by faster. But that requires a quality pair of earbuds that won’t fall out after a few minutes. These Skullcandy earbuds have a subtle ear hook that will keep them in place, and they’re slender enough that they don’t look garish in casual settings.