Gone are the days when running simply involved slinging on your crustiest T-shirt and popping your keys under the doormat. Now, we’re running longer than ever before and we want to take our bits with us. 

This vest from On is a personal favourite. It comes with removable water bottles, double front pockets and a big pocket at the back for stashing snacks and layers. If you know a runner who’s harbouring race ambitions in 2025, this is probably the best thing you could get them.

Shop On Running 5L ultra vest, £130

Every runner going has tight hamstrings and quads, but very few of us are ever going to do anything about that. So, gift the runner in your life an at-home treatment that’ll help to work those deep knots. Urban offers a whole range of services, from sports massages and deep tissue, to reflexology, osteopathy and assisted stretching – so there really is something for everyone.

Shop Urban gift card, from £20

If there’s one thing every runner needs in their life, it’s fresh coffee. Coffee’s the difference between a ‘meh’ jog and a great run. It’s the difference between wanting to get up and out there in the cold and dark and deciding to stay huddled in the duvet. 

Rave’s blends are absolutely delicious, and this Aeropress set is easy to use and doesn’t require a cumbersome French press or heavy Vesuvius pot. In fact, your runner can pack this lightweight kit the next time they’re doing a race far from home so that they can make a cup of liquid energy from the comfort of their hotel room.

Shop Aeropress gift set, Rave, £37.95

Last year was the year when trail running really kicked off, and all that countryside cantering shows no sign of slowing down any time soon. The key to getting started, whether you live in the Dales or Deptford, is owning a good pair of grippy runners, and this pair from New Balance is the perfect place to start. They’re cushioned, comfy and have a high stack height, meaning that you can go dash along wet ground without worrying too much about your socks. Oh, and they look incredibly cool too – always important.

Buy Fresh Foam X Trail More v3 Shoes, New Balance, £150

You might think it’s a bit boring or intimate to buy the runner in your life a sports bra, but you’d be wrong. We see so many women running in the wrong-sized bras. It’s not just that it does irreversible damage to your boobs, but not having good support also holds you back in terms of time and effort. 

Runderwear’s Power bras offer encased cups for maximum support, a fully opening back for easy removal after a sweaty session and higher coverage to minimise bounce. I don’t want to spend £50 on a sports bra myself, but I certainly hope that Santa pops one into my stocking.

Buy Power Running Bra in Fiesta, Runderwear, £49

For runs, I’d always recommend wearing earbuds or, from Beats, the brilliant Powerbeats Pro. But for strength training, which, unfortunately, every runner needs to do, there’s nothing like a really good pair of on-ear headphones for blocking out external grunts. My big Beats pair has got me through the toughest sets, the most boring rehab exercises and the sweatiest plyometric workouts. In fact, I probably wouldn’t bother going to the gym if I didn’t have them in my bag. These are an investment in your runner’s running future. 

Buy Solo 4 headphone, Beats, £199.95

After a long, hard run, you need food, water and a seriously comfortable tracksuit. Alo Yoga’s are my absolute favourite because they look chic, fit loosely and have a fleecy inside to keep you comfy and warm. And as these are a straight-leg version, you could actually wear the bottoms with a crisp shirt and jumper for those freezing days when you’re going from gym to office. 

Buy Accolate Straight leg Sweatpant (£128) & Hoodie (£138), Alo Yoga

Women are obsessed with Sweaty Betty’s running leggings, and for good reason. This pair is an updated version of the brand’s bestselling winter run leggings, boasting thermal insulation and sweat-wicking technology. It has two side pockets and one zip pocket, so your runner can easily listen to their phone and carry keys during those winter Parkrun escapades. 

These might be ideal for any new runners hoping to really get stuck into the sport next year. There’s nothing like a cold snap to put you off lacing up, but knowing that your bum and legs will stay toasty whatever the weather is a huge incentive to get out there.

Buy Therma Boost 7/8 Running Leggings, Sweaty Betty, £110

When I tell you that I’ve had a Forerunner Music watch for about five years and haven’t gone one day without wearing it, I mean it. It’s a brilliant running watch – simple to use, has Strava integration, offers training plans and crucially allows you to store music directly on the watch. That means I no longer run with my phone but simply connect my headphones to the watch and go on my merry way.

I’ve paired mine with the Runna app before, and my watch counted me down during intervals, pushed me to run harder during tempo runs and warned me not to go too fast on recovery runs. It also has up to 11 days of battery life and can track 25 sports, so it’s great for cross-training. 

Buy Forerunner 165 Music, Garmin, £289.99

There’s absolutely nothing like a hot, deep bath post-run and there’s no brand like Lush who can do baths (and showers) better. This Relax kit has everything a tired runner needs to enjoy nature’s best form of recovery – sleep. You’ve got a lavender-infused shower gel, bomb and bubble bar, as well as a super-hydrating oat and lavender body cream (one of Lush’s cult classics). 

If you’re looking for stocking fillers, go for a CBD and magnesium massage bar, which your runner can rub into tired feet, aching quads and tight hamstrings. Or you could just keep it for yourself.

Buy Relax, Lush, £27

The Strong Women team wear Oura rings to track our cycles, exercise and sleep, and we truly believe that it’s the best fitness tracker on the market. A running watch is great for tracking runs and, well… telling the time, but an Oura ring gives you weirdly accurate data on where you are in your monthly cycle, how well recovered you are (whatever your Garmin says) and helps to identify patterns of behaviour. If you’ve got a runner who wants to ramp up training or who is constantly getting injured, an Oura can help them work out how useful their current load is and what might need to change. 

It’s worth noting that prices vary according to colour, and they will need to download the Oura app.

Buy Oura Gen 3 Horizon, £299

Everyone’s obsessed with electrolytes these days, and while most people definitely don’t need to add sachets of salt to their water, we runners might benefit from an extra dose. It’s so easy to get dehydrated after a long run, especially when you’re training for something and upping the mileage.

This pack contains 100% of your RDA of vitamin C (great for fighting off half-marathon bugs), is sugar-free and also has antioxidants. Again, no one wants to pay for electrolytes themselves, but when gifted in a Christmas stocking, it may well kick-start a useful habit.

Buy Elderberry electrolyte mix, Humantra, £25.19