A mom’s job is never done. And a running mom often feels like she never has enough hours to squeeze in a run.
So when it comes to Mother’s Day, what kind of gifts do running moms want most? I don’t have any human children, so I polled my network to discover just what kind of things moms are looking for this Mother’s Day.
Whether you are a spouse, a parent, a child, or a friend, here are some ideas to give your favorite running mom:
1) Time away
For moms with little ones, just give moms time to themselves. Take care of all of the arrangements and send mom off to go run or just remember what it feels like to not be needed to find a pair of shoes every 5 minutes.
Give her enough time to run and take a nap! The best gift you can give is to coordinate it all and shoo her out the door.
2) Time with
Teenagers and young adults, take note! For moms with older kids who suddenly don’t seem to need their parents for anything, give them the gift of spending time together. Run a race together or take a family hike.
3) Sherpa
Offer to ride along on a bike or meet your favorite running mom along the way of her next long run. Carry her hydration and have a post-race snack ready for when she finishes.
4) Race
If there is a local race, give your favorite running mom a race entry. If little ones need supervision, offer to have them be the cheer squad. Bonus points if you take mom out for a well-deserved brunch after the race.
5) Recovery
Schedule a massage or drop her off to get a pedicure sans kiddos in tow. Give her the extra gift of enjoying a little quiet time after relaxing so she can ease back into reality.
6) Gear
Buy her a gift certificate to a local running store, take her (running) shoe shopping, or gift her with new gear. Apparel is an obvious choice, but things such as hydration packs, GPS watches, or recovery tools are great options as well.
Carissa Liebowitz has run the Boston Marathon as well as dozens of marathons and half marathons. You can follow her running adventures on Strava, Instagram and her blog.
