RUN WITH MOE By Moe Johnson It seems that since I have gotten older the world around me has gotten much faster. I remember when Black Friday was the Friday after Thanksgiving for the big sales day for early Christmas shoppers. Today Black Friday has been going on for over a month. The weekend after Thanksgiving was the time to decorate the house with Christmas lights on the roof and to put out the snowmen in the yard. Today many homes have had lights on the roof for several weeks. We put the Christmas tree up about two weeks before Christmas. Today many homes already have the trees up and the lights blinking. The difference is we had a real tree, and if you put it up too early, the needles would dry up and fall off. Then on Christmas day, the only thing standing was a bare tree that looked skeletal. With the early sales in stores, many shoppers are buying gifts and hiding them in closets until that special day. My dad was known as a late shopper. I remember going with him on Christmas Eve to buy a gift for my mom.
I will try to get up to speed and put my annual Christmas shopping list suggestions out for the shoppers that have a friend or family member that is a runner. Buying a gift for a runner is an example of select shopping. The task of walking into a store and buying the first thing that catches your eye does not work. Runners have special needs in terms of clothes, apparel, equipment and shoes.
Runners always need new shoes. To buy shoes for a runner you need to know the type of shoe they wear, and even if you know the brand, things get complicated. Whether it is Nike, New Balance, Sketchers, Mizuno, Reebok or Asics, there are probably over a dozen styles within each major brand. Just buying a major brand doesn’t always work. The different styles are designed for the runner that is a pronator, supinator, heel striker, high toe box, wide or narrow foot or a light-footed speed runner. Buying the wrong shoe can cause a running injury when they wear them. Find out a little detail about the running style of your friend before you go spending over $100 for a gift.
A gift of socks is a little less confusing but not much. Most runners wear an anklet high sock but some like the slipper style. Then there are socks that have an elastic support system over the arch of the foot that some runners like. There are some socks that are designed for the left or right foot. There is an ‘L’ for the left foot and an ‘R’ for the right foot. Then the socks that have a padded sole and heel sewn in them and adds a little comfort for those long training runs can be a nice gift. I don’t see the mid-calf or knee socks as much anymore, but in the cooler winter months, they will make their appearance.
Clothes for a runner include specially designed runner’s shorts, tights, short or long-sleeved high-tech shirts, rain suits for running when it rains, and hats or gloves for the head and hands. The runner’s shorts or tights can be either a loose-fitting nylon style or a tight-fitting elastic style. While a nylon windbreaker jacket will work, the runner needs a ventilated jacket that allows the body heat to escape and keep the runner dry after a long run; that would be a better buy. And it is nice to include a hooded nylon jacket for those cold or rainy days. The inside should have a mesh lining to wick away the sweat and not get the actual nylon jacket wet. The easiest piece of clothing to buy is the nylon pants for those really cold days. I haven’t seen that much technology in pants except for ease of taking them on and off and possible restroom stops in the middle of a long run.
A wool sock cap is an easy and inexpensive gift selection for a running friend. A hand knitted cap is nice as it is usually thicker and can be requested for a specific color or design. The navy- blue watch cap works just as well and can be worn by both men and women. If you want to try a cap that comes down over the ears for very cold running days that is a welcome gift. And some runners like the band that fits over the ears but doesn’t cover the head. If the gift buyer gets desperate a simple cotton bandana can be used to cover the ears when not used as a neck scarf or face mask on cold days.
Gloves or mittens are a nice gift to keep the hands warm. Most runners favor gloves, but on very cold days, the mittens are much warmer for the fingers. There are fancy knitted gloves with bright colors for the runner that likes to be in fashion. I used to like the gold work gloves. They kept the hands warm and were a great substitute for a hanky on cold days when the nose starts to run. Have fun shopping.
Running with Moe Moe Johnson
