A Gift for Every Speed: Essential Products for High School Runners

High school runners!

Whether you’re competing in a 5k, racing a mile, or sprinting to a 55-meter dash title, it’s important to have the right gear to achieve your goal.

If you’re looking for the perfect gift for the young runner in your life, look no further. From the latest in running shoe technology to supportive apparel, here are ten essential products for high school runners.

Track and Field is a sport that requires the right gear to perform your best. Here are some budget-friendly options that will help you achieve success on the field, without breaking the bank.

Running Shoes

You need to head to a local running store to try on the best shoe for you.

High schoolers have a unique opportunity to test out multiple types of running shoes. They can have anything from long-distance running shoes to lightweight tempo shoes to carbon-plated shoes.

Testing running shoes for their best fit is best done at a running specialty store so the runner can try on different running shoes from different brands. Yes, these shoes can probably be found at a Dicks Sporting Goods store or online, without the experience and variety of a specialty running store, your runner won’t know what kind of shoe they need and the customer service at a specialty shop doesn’t have a rival.

That’s right, every shoe is made differently with different foams and technology. And, some shoes are made for people who pronate and others for neutral runners.

On top of that, they have the ability to see if they need lightweight trainers or high-end shoes. Either way, running shoes should run right around $120 and should last for an entire season, depending on how much mileage each kid runs.

If you don’t know anything about neutral vs stability, check out these posts:

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Competition Shoes

This is where the speed aspect of track and field comes in: when you’re out there competing against others (and yourself) to get the most out of yourself.

Spikes are not for every runner, especially new runners, so don’t feel that just because you run track you need spikes. If you are going to get spikes for even the most beginner runners, they can benefit from a low-end entry-level spike, whereas more elite-level runners will benefit from having carbon-plated spikes or high-end spikes that are specific to their event areas.

Major players in track and field spikes are Nike, New Balance, Brooks, On, and Asics.

Gear for Outdoor Training

Every good team will train outdoors in all kinds of elements, especially if they don’t have access to indoor facilities.

I always recommend layering up, especially during the winter months. Start with a base layer that is really efficient at wicking sweat and moisture away from your body. On top of that, you can layer on a jacket or another long-sleeved shirt.

Running-specific jackets are great for top layers because they break the wind and keep the rain or snow off your body.

I’m big on hats (I’m an Alter Ego Running ambassador and here’s my code: Pele24 ) that keep the sun out of your eyes and the rain or snow from freezing you out of your run. For winter runs, I always wear a cap to keep my ears warm so I don’t lose heat from not having a hat on.

At the high school level, having tights or running pants is a great investment for any runner. The tighter-fitting clothes are going to keep you warmer and allow you to run with less wind resistance. Plus, if sweat pants get wet, they become almost impossible to train in.

Gear for Indoor Training

If an athlete is training indoors or has the ability to run indoors, then I would suggest compression shorts, tights and/or socks. These are really good for helping with circulation, and improving efficiency while training. Compression gear is also really comfortable and that will help with performance.

Since your runner is training or racing indoors, they won’t need to worry as much about how cold it is outside and you’ll be able to wear less clothing while training indoors.

Supplements and Nutrition

High school runners are becoming more and more in-tune with what professional runners are doing and this has trickled down to their nutrition. Most elite-level runners are eating healthy foods, taking care of themselves through sleep and recovery and are now running faster than ever before.

For hydration, there are great options available to runners, including Nuun (I’m an ambassador and my code is ), ELMNT, and Gatorade.

For food options, a quick snack post-workout is always beneficial (see posts here), but then a well-balanced meal followed by adequate hydration will allow high school runners to bounce back and recover quickly.

Accessories to Improve Performance & Safety Gear

If you’re looking at accessories to improve your performance, you can’t go wrong with foam rollers and massage guns. These are tools that are readily available at really low price points that can help you recover from your training. You can bring them with you to meets and to practices.

To track training and recovery, I swear by Garmin watches. I’ve had 3 since GPS watches have been a thing and I don’t think I’ll ever go to a different brand. I’ve written a lot about my Garmin watch that you’ll want to check out here:

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Sometimes, you’ll need to do some training during the darker times of the day. When that’s the case, they should be wearing light colors or reflective gear.

I like wearing a headlamp when I’m running in the dark – it allows me to see where I’m going and so motorists can see me. I also started running with a lightup/reflective vest for those same reasons.

Most high school athletes won’t be doing a lot of training during the dark, so this would be the area that is optional. These can make a big difference for those who do train during the darker hours of the day and as an added bonus, these items aren’t very expensive at all.

Strength Training Equipment

Most schools have some kind of gym where athletes can get their strength training in, but not all schools do. Plus, there are a lot of drills and exercises that can and should be done outside of practice time that can really make a difference. Some of the gear that I have that makes a lot of sense to have at home is therabands, kettlebells, a box jump, and a physioball.

Conclusion:

High school runners have unique needs when it comes to gear and performance. To ensure that they have the best chance to fulfill their goals, the right running shoes, layering gear, nutrition supplements, accessories, and safety gear are necessary.

The products listed here will ensure that the high school runner in your life is ready to take on any distance.

Browse this list of essential products for high school runners and make sure the special runner in your life is equipped with the gear they need to excel.

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Disclosure: There also may be affiliate links present – which means if you buy something with that link, I make a small commission.

Here’s an up-to-date list of all the products I featured in this post, plus some that I didn’t specifically mention. If you have questions about a product I endorse, let me know and I’ll help you out!

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