Trust me, when Christmas rolls around or a birthday, a triathlete will be thrilled to receive a triathlon-related gift.
You don’t necessarily need to wait for a special occasion.
Show a little love to the runner, cyclist, or swimmer in your life by surprising them with a special surprise.
Let me give you some ideas on picking out the perfect triathlon gift.
The Best Gift For Newbies & Seasoned Triathletes
My first triathlete gift was Joe Friel’s book, The Triathlete’s Training Bible, one of the most comprehensive works on triathlon training to date.
It’s a great newbie gift because newcomers often need more knowledge for establishing a solid triathlon training plan.
On the other hand, a more experienced triathlete is likely to enjoy a subscription to Triathlete Magazine, which delves into a wide variety of triathlon-related topics and news that particularly appeals to the seasoned triathlete.
There are plenty of good books and videos that would make nice gifts for triathletes.
Choosing The Right Triathlon Gift
When it comes to triathlete gifts, you will need to ask yourself the following questions:
1. How much money do I plan to spend?
Buying a few sports gels for stocking stuffers is a great idea, and won’t cost you more than $5.
Purchasing the tri bike they’ve been dreaming of could cost thousands.
Triathlon apparel ranges from $40 (tri shorts) to $400 (wetsuit).
2. What are the preferences of the person I am buying for?
The sports gel stocking stuffers are a great idea if you get the right ones.
If you buy Hammer Gel and they use Gu Gel, you’ve made a big mistake. It matters.
Or if you buy Cytomax, and their preference is Accelerade, you’ve committed the same error.
If you happen to know which products they prefer, then stock up on their favorites!
3. Do I know enough to buy significant triathlon apparel or gear as a gift?
Triathletes are usually picky about items such as:
- swimming goggles
- cycling gloves
- sunglasses
- bib shorts
- tri shorts
- socks
- and all kinds of other triathlon apparel and gear
Make sure you’ve done enough snooping around to know what to get. You definitely will need direct input from the person if you plan on purchasing a major gift like a triathlon bike or even a sports watch.
Keep in mind, you can&r
squo;t go wrong with a gift card from a triathlon/multisports store or an online triathlon store. Many bike shops also have a section with triathlon gear.
Fun & Inexpensive Gift Ideas For Triathletes
If you want to be creative with a gift that won’t cost a lot, some options may be:
a triathlon T-shirt- a simple iTri car sticker or a more artistic one
- a race visor
- a license plate frame
- a photo frame featuring a picture of your triathlete in action
One-Of-A-Kind Triathlon Gift Ideas
Consider making your own goody bag filled with small gifts like sports gels, body glide, socks, water bottle, and other items.
Other unique triathlon gift ideas:
- a transition backpack (this would also make a nice item to stuff all the above “goodies” into if they don’t have a triathlon gear bag!)
- a gift certificate for a sports massage
- an indoor bike trainer for winter training
Fun Party Ideas For Triathletes
If you want to do something extra-special for a new triathlete, consider organizing their birthday party around a triathlon theme (think: “Iron Dan” or “Tri Queen”) and ask people attending the party to purchase a triathlon gift. You might want them to read this post before purchasing their gifts.
Or, why not throw a surprise party to celebrate a newbie’s first triathlon? This would also be a great idea for a more experienced triathlete — to celebrate the completion of the big one, the Iron Man!
They say “it’s the thought that counts” and that’s true, but with a little investigation and research, you can select the perfect gift(s) for the triathlete in your life. They will be so appreciative that you took the time and energy to join them in their triathlon interests.
Have fun with it, and leave a comment below if you think of other great tri gifts!
I’m over 40 years old, but I don’t give up easily. It wasn’t too long ago that I was exploring the idea of doing my first triathlon. If I can do it, you can too! I'm proof that with a little determination and training, you can get a great deal of fulfillment participating in marathons, triathlons… even ultramarathons.
