Whose gonna know?
No one.
No one's gonna know whether you use this Running Gift Guide for yourself or the runner in your life. ;)
But rest assured:
I support you treating that special runner and yourself.
So let's hop into my top 10-ish running products that I tested thoroughly this year and kept coming back to again and again.
Because they're winners.
By the way, you should know: these are in no particular order.
Electrolytes: Saltivate
Link to Saltivate
What If I told you, electrolytes will help you
Run better
Heat-Adapt sooner
And run faster?
Because hydration is STILL A FORM OF FUELING, whether its 20 degrees F or 80degrees F and 50% humidity and you're a super salty sweater like me.
I've been playing around with these electrolytes by Saltivate for probably 6 months now and
I'm impressed.
WHAT IT TASTES LIKE:
Not as fruity as nuun and not carbonated (at all)
Not as cloyingly sweet as Liquid IV and it doesn't leave this weird gunky filmy stuff in your water container
Not as salty (or as expensive) as LMNT. Still salty! But not as much.
Plus, it comes in the jar with a little serving scoop so you're in control of how much you put into your water.
That's a win for me.
(They're working on little travel sticks, don't worry!)
If you want to try them out and support a small business, you can use my code DRWHITT20 for 20% off!
Recovery Tool: W/ Ease
Link to muscle scraper
I've used A LOT of muscle scrapers in my professional life.
And I can tell you when one feels and acts cheap vs when one has a good, comfortable weight that actually helps instead of hinders .
I continue to be impressed by this small, woman-owned and operated business. I was genuinely leary at first because I was afraid this muscle scraper would be one of those dinky, flimsy blades that's drop-shipped on Amazon and is generally just not worth it.
Not. At. All.
I will go as far to say it's near Graston-quality for a FRACTION of the price.
For reference, Graston is one of the holy-grails of soft tissue pro's in the PT world. Very nice, but prohibitively expensive.
WHY I LIKE IT:
a great weight. It's hefty without being cumbersome. The weight makes it easier to hold on to vs trying to prevent something so light and flimsy from twisting in your hand
the cost for the quality is amazing, ranging from $25-$35 dollars (USD) on Amazon (depends on flash sales Amazon runs).
the blade has a great variety of sides and angles that help you reach calf muscles, ITBs, quads, even hamstrings.
the shape of the blade allows for easy handling and consistent control and the anti-slip grippies aren't overly aggressive.
PRO TIP: use a lotion like Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula with it. It helps the tool glide smoothly over the area without leaving you with razor/carpet-burn.
If you want a demonstration of how I use it and how muscle scraping helps with recovery, I'll link my video below. *yes, I spelled scraper wrong. I was sick with strep lol.
Recovery Tool: Ekrin Massage Gun -Bantam
Link to Ekrin Massage Gun
Let me be the first to spill the tea on what you NEED to know about massage guns.
Your massage gun is a recovery tool.
Not your savior.
What breaks my PT heart: when Runners get sold the idea that ANY massage gun will solve all their problems and fix their running injury.
TRUTH BOMB: Not gonna happen!
But that DOESNT MEAN a massage gun is worthless.
I've been legit loving my Erkin Bantam travel size, small-hand-friendly massage gun for about 8 months now.
It comes to the clinic with me.
Helps me treat patients, break up scar tissue, create neuromuscular changes that result in strength gains and decreased pain, all while helping me avoid wrecking my hands.
It's also incredibly handy with helping me recover during weeks where training kicks my butt.
HOW THIS ACTUALLY WORKS:
Think of the massage gun as sending a text message to your Brain via your muscles.
You're asking both organs to essentially chill O U T.
The muscle is safe! It doesn't need to be tight! In fact, you need your calf muscle to relaaaxxx so you can strengthen it effectively.
That's what a massage gun does:
Helps send a signal to create positive changes in your muscles so you can 1) feel better and 2) perform running-specific strength exercises or dynamic stretches more effectively.
If you want to check out my favorite massage gun tool, use my code DRWHITT20 to save your hard earned money.
Need more information and want to see it in action? Check out my video below:
Recovery Tool: ActivMend
If you're a runner who struggles with extreme soreness from strength training, or repetitive plantar fascitiis, runner's knee, or killer ankle sprains, this could be for you.
I genuinely enjoyed working with Dr. Jo, a practicing chiropractor and creator of this unique arnica patch.
I'm already a big fan of arnica gel and how it helps speeds up healing and decreases bruising. But let me tell you...
I took a ski trip in January 2024 and banged up my shins so badly it hurt to put my ski boots on.
Thank the ski gods I packed these.
I kept these patches on the entire time and was able to ski the remainder of the week.
I was hurting (because you can't heal an injury over night), but I swear these patches saved my ski-trip.
Not running-related enough? Ok, I get it.
How about this: I was strength training and committed to deadlifting and torching my hamstrings.
But I over did it. Walking was rough; running was worse.
These patches genuinely helped to decreased and eliminate soreness so I could run sooner without looking like penguin.
Plus, the KT that comes with it: top tier.
Running Fuel
Let's just lump these all together...
Yes, we could get super specific about brands, grams of carbs per serving, how many to take of each in an hour etc.
But damn...
Does anyone else look at the price of running-specific fuels and wonder if they need to take out a second mortgage?
How about some running fuel stocking stuffers that won't break the bank?
gummy bears (Albanese are the best)
sour patch kids
gushers
and Pop tarts. I have it on good authority from Elisabeth of @runningexplained that the official ranking is: brown sugar cinnamon, pumpkin pie, TOASTED S'mores, cherry, Boston Cream Donut, Banana Bread.
If you really want to through in super-cool running fuel, I suggest cliff bloks. Very easy on your digestive system and salted watermelon is king.
Running Accessories: Body Glide
Link to this specific Body Glide
Look, I know they have original, For Her, foot glide, etc.
They've got so many versions now.
But let me tell you: this one is the winner.
WHY I LIKE IT:
The specific "outdoors" Body glide I got is fool proof.
I can put this stuff in every nook and cranny including my ankles and feet without skin irritation or feeling like it's drying my skin out.
It's fragrance free
and there's no goopy mess. You can swipe on a couple layers if you feel you need it without things getting thicky, gummy, or messy
Because to be honest, I don't have to time to be sorting through 5 different body lubes. Give me one that works, and works well.
Now you can too :)
Running Accessories: Fingerless Smart Wool Gloves
Link for Fingerless Gloves
I know, I know...
I wasn't sure how to feel about them either.
But surprisingly, they work.
Kind of like the weird clothing combinations we pull out in the fall: Long sleeve and shorts, gloves and tshirts, etc.
WHY I LIKE THESE:
sometimes I don't want to commit to full gloves or mittens.
I can bring these along, warm up, and because they're small enough, I can cram them in some pocket and continue running.
They're great for layering. If you live somewhere cold, you understand. Using these underneath your mittens can be a game changer!
they're really cute and I can still easily access all my tech because my fingers are free :)
Running Books: Do Hard Things by Steve Magness
Link for Do Hard Things.
No, it's not directly running related, but it kind of is.
If you didn't know, Steve Magness is an incredible runner.
And maybe even better running coach.
In Do Hard Things, he talks about the definition of mental toughness, both through the lens of social construct and psychology, specifically sports psychology.
Spoiler alert: They're completely opposite.
What the world tells us is toughness is actually weakness.
And how psychology and sports performance defines it is life-altering.
Yes, Magness discusses leadership qualities and how true mental toughness makes you a better, stronger person but he uses running examples and speaks directly to race performance and anxiety.
Your mental toughness determines your next race performance, regardless of whether it's a great race or a terrible one.
Become a better runner, athlete, parent, boss, spouse, partner....fill in the blank.
Read the book. (I'm probably re-reading it right now).
Running Books: The Science of Running by Steve Magness
Link to Science of Running
*you have to scroll down a bit
This is for the runner who wants the nitty gritty SCIENCE.
Don't say I didn't warn you.
I still have to finish this book, but DAMN.
The reason for the Krebs cycle and in-depth discussion of the mitochondria and how these affect your running, was this book was originally his Master's Thesis.
Now, turned into a super-sciency-nerdy book of how to run and perform you best.
Don't be scared away; he actually tells you if you want the coaching + running stuff and not the hard core, graduate-school level science stuff, you can skip ahead to a specific page and section.
I personally plan on coming back to this book and I just might skip ahead too ;)
Regardless: a great, thorough, accurate! read.
Running Books: The Runner's Rule Book by Mark Remy
Link to The Runner's Rule Book
This book is for the runner who doesn't take themselves too seriously.
But surprisingly, inside there's a lot of good tips and running etiquette to be found, like faster runners use inner lanes on the track and slower runners should use the outer lanes.
And runners should really not dress like ninjas at night.
Instead, we should dress like rave-ninja's with flashy lights and headlamps.
Actual, helpful information!
So maybe you're a new runner yourself or you know of someone who's just getting into the sport and they're worried they'll "do it all wrong", this is a fun, humorous introduction and way to encourage them.
WRAPPING UP
Thank you so much, running fit fam for being here.
Without you, none of this would exist.
If you happen to pick up an item or two from this 2025 Holiday Gift Guide or use one of my codes, I may receive a (very) small percentage. (read: pennies or 50 cents.)
Regardless,...
Let's stress less about the perfect gift
and run more, instead.
If you've got suggestions or items you'd add to the Gift Guide, leave them in the comments below! I can't wait to read your ideas. :)
Until next time....
Dare to Train Differently,
Marie Whitt, PT, DPT // @dr.whitt.fit