7 Gift Card Ideas to Let Runners Get Back Out to the Trails

Running takes a toll on the body and the wallet. These gift cards can help! 

Gift cards are a spectacular gift for any occasion. They come from just about any company and can be spent at the receiver’s discretion. It can be risky getting a gift when you aren’t sure if the receiver will like it or not. Item gifts have the potential to be a spectacular event that they love and the potential to be a complete flop. Gift cards don’t have that same risk! 

Gift Card Granny offers eGift Cards for thousands of retailers, and we offer them at a discount! They can be shipped to your door or created online, taking the stress out of going from store to store looking for the gift card that you’re looking for. You don’t have to worry about gift cards getting lost or misplaced when they are online. One of the biggest problems with gift cards is that the little card gets misplaced and then poof, the gift is gone. 

Gift Card Granny is an excellent site where you can shop for all of your gift cards. Not sure where to start? No worries! In this article, we are covering the top seven gift card ideas for runners, including: 

  • Gift cards for clothes
  • Gift cards for food
  • Gift cards for coffee

Earn Cash Back On Gift Cards for Runners with Gift Card Granny

As a quick reminder, we’ve pointed out all of the retailers on this list that you can find on Gift Card Granny as of this writing. Gift Card Granny makes it easy to buy and send customized gift cards online and earn cash back while you do. Gift Card Granny carries thousands of local and national brands including Visa gift cards, Mastercard gift cards, and gift cards for many of the awesome spots on this list.

Now that we’re on the same page, let’s jump right into our list!

1. Dick’s Sporting Goods

A new t-shirt or outfit is a great way to spend a gift card

Buy a Dick’s Sporting Goods gift card

What’s your friend’s favorite clothing store? They probably go through running outfits and shoes like it’s their job, and will always appreciate the chance to save some money on their next trip. If you know that they like going shopping in person, you can always attach a note which eloquently states your desire to accompany them when they next go shopping. Depends on the friend, of course, but this could be a great excuse for you to go on a shopping trip together. They can use your gift card to get some money off their clothing and you can go and shop like it’s a special occasion. It’s a win-win.

Gift Card Granny offers a lot of potential clothing-related gift card opportunities. Check out their website to find the perfect gift card today!

Buy a Dick’s Sporting Goods gift card

2. Lululemon

Buy a Lululemon gift card

If you don’t have any single store pinned down as their favorite, Lululemon is a great choice. They are a high-end brand that sells expensive clothing that lasts and lasts. They have running shirts and shorts that can stay in their closet over a tremendous amount of wear, and a gift card could make an item of this luxury brand very affordable for your running friend, letting them splurge on something awesome! 

This is the kind of gift card where, since the clothing is very expensive, a larger gift card goes a long way. You can always group up with some other friends and family and chip in for a larger card so their order can either be completely free, or they can order more and still only pay a little bit! 

Buy a Lululemon gift card

3. Prepaid Visa Gift Card

Endless doors to be opened to the recipients of a Visa gift card

Buy a Visa gift card

Prepaid Visa cards are always good options for runners, especially if you are uncertain about the specifics of their needs. Gift cards are awesome, but a gift card to a store, activity, or item that they don’t need and won’t need for some time is just a card that will sit in their real or virtual wallet for months and months. You don’t want that!

All things being equal, gift cards should be spent within the first month or two after getting gifted. As more and more time goes by there are increased chances of physical gift cards getting lost and virtual gift cards being forgotten about. Some cards depreciate over time or have expiration dates, and that is undoubtedly the saddest fate for the wielder of a gift card. 

Visa gift cards are perfect for counteracting that because they can be put towards the very first thing they do after receiving it. Sure, it is not tied to anything in particular and thus will most likely not be put towards something special, money is money. That first purchase they make with your visa gift card, when they see the total disappear, will be a great moment, no matter what it is they are purchasing. 

Buy a Visa gift card

4. Spotify

Buy a Spotify gift card

Music and running are just about inseparable for many runners. Music, podcasts, or audiobooks are an amazing way to take the mind off of the tremendous pain the body feels when it goes mile after mile. Especially for runners who run for close to or over an hour during the day, Spotify is a spectacular addition to the run. Before you get them a Spotify gift card you should double check that they do, in fact, use Spotify and not one of the other music streaming platforms. 

If that is the case then this is an excellent gift card for your runner! If they have a premium membership then this can be spent immediately and give them a free couple of months. If they do not have a premium membership (and are crazy) then this card could give them a taste of it for free! 

Buy a Spotify gift card

5. UberEats

If runners are one thing — they are hungry

Buy an Uber Eats gift card

UberEats is a very solid choice for getting your friend a gift card. It is a reliable way to get them a spectacular meal at a restaurant of their choosing. Also, it is delivered right to their door! A gift card to UberEats lets them splurge on a meal that they can enjoy in their apartment in front of the television, at the table, or wherever! A meal like this is perfect for that kind of run where they get back so exhausted that they can barely wash up, let alone cook a whole meal. 

Getting them a gift card to a specific restaurant does something similar, but not quite the same! Under that circumstance, you could either:

  • Get a gift card to your friend's favorite restaurant. You know they will be back, and this is a great way to show your appreciation. If you’re lucky, you might get the invite the next time they go! 
  • Get a gift card to a restaurant you think your friend will like. This, naturally, is a little riskier, but as long as they are an avid enjoyer of food, you will probably net them a new restaurant that they have a great experience at. 

Both of those are valid gifts, as well! They provide their own pleasant and positive experience for your friend and that’s what gift-giving is all about. That being said, we recommend going with a gift card to UberEats. That lets them decide whether or not they want to try something new. UberEats is also so perfect for a last-minute meal, or they could even order it on their way in so it’s right at their door when they finish their run. 

Buy an Uber Eats gift card

6. Dunkin’ Donuts

Runners need coffee too

Buy a Dunkin’ gift card 

Running is tiring. Coffee is the perfect partner for a morning run. A bit before the run to wake up and some more afterward to get into the day. This is a low-risk high-reward gift card, just as long as they like coffee! Even if they don’t run at a time when it is sensible to drink coffee, they can still enjoy a few cups, courtesy of you! 

Buy a Dunkin’ gift card 

7. Whole Foods

Who knew grocery shopping could be so fun?

Buy a Whole Foods gift card

Do they like to cook? There are so many amazing recipes out there for new meals, appetizers, desserts, and everything in between. For those times that they do have enough energy to cook after their run, having a gift card to a specialty store like Whole Foods can turn any night into a special occasion. If you know they are into cooking, you can always tack on some fun recipes that they might want to try! A new recipe is always a fun adventure when it comes to cooking. 

Buy a Whole Foods gift card

These are our gift card ideas for runners. Keep in mind that runners have interests of their own when you are picking out the perfect gift card for your friend. At any given time they might need an influx of clothing, but not all the time! We recommend chatting with the recipient or some of their closest friends to figure out what it is that they need the most. This could be stuff that they’ve brought up in the past or something noticeable. For instance, if they always wear the same four pairs of shorts out running, then it is likely that they need some more clothes! 

Gift cards are a fantastic way to show your appreciation and a great gift. They allow the recipient to go out and try something new, that’s to their liking. We prefer gift cards over item gifts for that exact reason. They have the final say for their gift, but we still get to get them something nice. Gift cards allow them to take the initiative, and sometimes you get to come along for the ride. Gift cards are always valuable gifts, and we hope that you have found the perfect card for the occasion with the new knowledge you possess. 

Remember: many of the retailers on this list are available at Gift Card Granny, where you can earn cashback and rewards on all of your gift card purchases. 

From all of us here at Gift Card Granny, happy shopping!