The Shoemaker Holiday Gift Guide

By Jarrod Shoemaker, 2008 Olympic triathlete

It's holiday time and that means scrambling to find that perfect present. Unfortunately I will not be able to predict anybody’s perfect present, but I will give a few suggestions that can help you buy for your favorite athlete.

Nutrition:

With holiday sales, now is the time to stock up on nutrition products.

My favorites are:

- Skratch Labs drink mixes
- Picky Bars
- Pro Bars

Accessories:

- New swimsuit --  Let’s face it every athlete always needs a new swimsuit. Once it is too lose, or falling apart, it is something an athlete never buys for themselves. 

- Goggles – an extra pair is always a plus. Swimoutlet has a great goggle finder for you to narrow down your choices. 

- JAWS Quick Spit Anti-Fog – something every athlete should have in their bag pre race. 

- Anti-Chafing Stick – there are lots on the market and frankly all of them work well! 

Gift Ideas:

- Garmin GPS watch or fit band – something every athlete should have. There are a lot of different models, but most are versatile to be used on the run and the bike and the swim. 

- Running Shorts – I love split shorts which have a higher cut on the side, but others may like longer running shorts.

- New Cycling gear – we all tend to hold onto the pieces that fit us perfectly, now is the time to try something new.

- Triathlon related reading – “Iron War” It is fun way to learn about the history of the sport. 

And if you really cannot figure out what to buy your endurance athlete, just give them a gift card!