Do you have a triathlete in your life? Or maybe you’re a triathlete looking to give yourself a “to me, from me” gift this holiday season? Look no further! I compiled the list below based on some of my favorite things, and some of my friend’s wish lists.
Happy holidays, happy training, and don’t forget to run happy 🙂
Note: I don’t earn commission off of any of the links below. I’m not that important. And photo credit goes to the individual websites listed.
- Mantra Bands
- Triathlon training requires daily commitment, motivation and hard work. So it’s helpful to have a positive reminder to keep going, or a simple mantra.
- Many people tattoo their personal mantras on their bodies, but if you’re not ready to get inked, think about a bracelet that inspires you on a daily basis. The great thing about jewelry vs. tattoo is that you can choose new mantras as your goals develop and your life matures.
- Some examples could be “Enjoy The Journey”, “Dream Believe Achieve”, “Fearless”, “Dream Bigger”, and “Never Give Up”.
- I have 2 mantra bands, neither of which are triathlon-related, but are great daily reminders of my personal values: 1) Gratitude and 2) Be True. Be You. Be Kind.
- $25 each
- Run Happy T-Shirt
- Run Happy… IS THERE ANY OTHER WAY TO RUN?
- Brooks came out with this cute shirt that exemplifies the greatest thing about running; it makes us friggin’ happy!
- I also like the bright yellow color so you can be visible out on your run.
- $34
- Personalized Bike Decals
- Does your bike have a name? Do you have a nickname? Put a sticker on your bike with your country’s flag!
- Mark recently got me stickers that say “Rohdster” on them which gives my bikes a personalized touch.
- $9 each
- Snorkel
- Using a snorkel in swim training can help improve body alignment because you eliminate the need to turn and breathe all the time.
- Plus, you never know when you’ll want to quit triathlon and become a professional fin swimmer.
- $35
- Reboot Float Spa
- Relax, unwind, disconnect, float, and let the Epsom salts do their job.
- I haven’t tried this but I know a lot of people who absolutely swear by it.
- It’s supposed to help you recover from training sessions, but also anything that life throws at you — jet lag, lack of sleep, etc.
- Don’t live in San Francisco? Simply give the gift of Epsom salts!
- $89
- Medal Holder
- You’re entering several races a year and racking up the bling. But you need an organized way to display your medals!
- I like this one on etsy because it’s simple, inexpensive and looks very durable.
- $28
- Sufferfest Videos
- As the winter approaches, many cyclists bring their training indoors to their bike trainers. But you can only watch so many movies and TV shows before you get bored and tired. Plus, if you zone out you may miss
out on maximizing your training session. - The sufferfest videos are hilarious, and very challenging workouts. Grab a towel because you’re going to work up a sweat.
- You buy a gift card which will be e-mailed to your recipient, then they can choose which videos they want. Or you can pick specific videos to send.
- $6-$15
- As the winter approaches, many cyclists bring their training indoors to their bike trainers. But you can only watch so many movies and TV shows before you get bored and tired. Plus, if you zone out you may miss
- Angel Wings
- OK, they’re really called Arm Coolers, but I prefer Angel Wings for further inspiration. When you’re in the heat racing all day, it’s really important to protect your skin from UVA and UVB rays. You can apply and re-apply sun block all day, or just put on some angel wings.
- I found these to be very useful during Vineman, Kona, and Cozumel.
- $55
- Road ID
- It’s important to stay safe out on the road and while running in the trails. I almost always wear a Road ID bracelet that has emergency contact information in the (unlikely) event that I have an accident and can’t communicate with first responders.
The bracelet also links up to a program online where paramedics can access even more information such as allergy, medication, and medical history data.- You can even personalize the bracelet to include a badge that says “70.3”, “bike” or “swim. bike. run”.
- eGift cards available
- TriSwim Set (shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion)
- I always joke that chlorine is my perfume of choice. But it doesn’t have to be the case if you use special products from TriSwim.
- I haven’t used these but have heard great things about their ability to remove chlorine and the dreaded pool smell.
- $20
- Book: The Well Built Triathlete
- Written by Matt Dixon, a well-known triathlon coach and founder of purplepatch fitness.
- I use this book regularly as reference material.
- I really like Matt’s approach to triathlon training which includes 4 pillars that he weights almost equally: training, recovery, nutrition and strength. It’s too easy to just focus on the training aspect and forget the rest.
- $20 or $10
- TRX
- For a great full-body workout in the comfort of your home, try TRX suspension home gyms. I do TRX classes at my gym and love the low-impact approach.
- You can also get all kinds of DVDs and apps to structure a program to follow.
- $155
- Mio Link
- Get rid of the uncomfortable heart rate chest strap once and for all!
- The Mio Link is a heart rate monitor that you wear around your wrist.
- I used this during my training this year and it worked really well and synced with my Garmin.
- $79
Bombas Socks
- I’ve never seen socks get so much “buzz” before.
- They found a way to remove the uncomfortable toe stitching that most socks have. They also use this cool honeycomb support system for the arch. Finally, they give away a pair of socks to someone in need for every pair you buy.
- $11 and up
- Race-specific Ironman gear
- Do you know someone that just did a half or full Ironman? Get them something branded and tailored to the specific event they finished.
- I love mugs, hats, t-shirts, hoodies, and cycling jerseys.
- TriBox Subscription
- Give your triathlete loved one the gift of free samples!
- This a a subscription box that includes all of kinds of nutrition products and gear accessories for triathlon.
- This is a good way to try different brands to see what works best for you.
- $20 every 2 months
- TriBike Transport Gift Card
- Shipping my bike to Kona — just getting it from point A to point B — cost $425. Facepalm. Did I mention this was an expensive sport?
- Help the triathlete in your life offset some of the shipping costs with a gift card from TriBike transport, the leader in the bike shipping industry.
- Triathlete Magazine Subscription
- Stay up to date on the latest and greatest from the triathlon world with a magazine subscription to Triathlete.
- I always learn a thing or two, or come away inspired by a story after reading this magazine.
- $30 for 12 issues
- Race Number Holder for Bikes
- Have you ever tried to wipe race numbers off of your bike? It’s a pain in the butt and I’m always nervous I’m going to ruin the paint somehow. So I end up putting one number over the other, sort of like my car registration stickers. Oops.
- There’s a solution though! VonDrais tags sit below your saddle and you just apply the race sticker to the tag. Voila!
- $15
- Headlamp
- With the sun setting earlier and earlier it’s important to stay visible (and to see where you’re going!) during nighttime or early morning runs. Headlamps work really well, along with reflective clothing.
- I also use headlamps during Ironman races when I’m running in the dark.
- $28
Where's The Tofu? 