With the holidays knocking at the door, I though it might be fun to put together a brief list of great gifts for that special triathlete in your life. Here they are arranged from least to most expensive.
1) If your tri buddy has any ambitions of ever doing an Ironman; “Becoming an Ironman : First Encounters with the Ultimate Endurance Event by Kara Douglass Thom” is a must read. This book chronicles the first Ironman race of many top pros and amateurs alike. It is a fun read that tells some of the best early race stories from a number of different points of view. *Cost $11.20 in paperback at http://www.Amazon.com
2) There’s nothing that says happy holidays like a card. How about sending your tri buddy a triathlon card? Or better yet, getting him or her an entire box of triathlon cards just in time for the holiday season. Visit http://www.trisanta.com today and get your cards before the snow starts flying. *Cost Under $25.00
3) You want your tri buddy to keep up with all the latest news and views. How about an annual subscription to Triathlete Magazine. (http://triathletemag.com ) *Annual cost $47.95
4) The ultimate triathlete gift basket: For those of you on a budget, but with a bit of time and energy, here’s a great gift basket that you can throw together in online or with a short trip to your local sports store. It can include: The basket (I’d use a nice big sports duffel bag that’s perfect for all the stuff a triathlete needs to drag to the transition area) Body Glide (Keeps the triathlete in your life from chaffing) Sun Tan Lotion ( I like Bull Frog as it is water proof and non greasy and does not smell like coconuts or some other fruity scent that I don’t want to smell when I’m in the heat of a race) Portable Wet Wipes (Great for removing the numbers from your skin or a quick cleaning up after a sweaty race) Tieless “Lock” shoelaces ( A must for anybody who want to look like a Pro) Number Belt ( Another cool item that speed up transitions but won’t bust your budget) Cool Max Running Hat (I like the white ones because somehow I think they keep me cooler) Power bars, Gu, Cliffbars and any other sort of quick nutrition that your tri-buddy may use (I like snickers because they don’t make me look like a pro) Liquid Band Aids (Great for sealing those last minutes nicks or cuts) Lip balm/sun tan protection Socks (DeFeet does a great line of triathlon socks with little images of swimmers, bikers and runner http://www.trisports.com/deaiso.html) Fuel Belt (And NOT the Fuel Hat that holds two beer cans) That’s something that may be more useful after the race *Total cost of The Ultimate Triathlete Gift Basket is between $50 and $100 depending how full Santa decides to stuff it.
5) The Ironman watch. Most Triathletes I know really like the Timex Ironman watches. I like them as well. So does my wife. Why? Because the are really easy to use and program. My current favorite is the O.V.A. SERIES of watches that lets you run and look at your watch at the same time. ( http://www.timex.com/ironman/ova.html) * Cost $70
More Great Tri Gift Ideas at:
http://everymantriathlon.blogs.com/everyman_triathlon/2005/11/ten_great_tri_h.html