8 Gifts That Can Help Runners Turn Data Into Big Gains

Our blood contains crucial intel about our health. This plan uncovers key insights—and then explains how runners can wield them to their advantage. Here’s how it works: Runners get a simple blood test, which is then analyzed for up to 43 biomarkers. From there, the runner receives personalized, science-backed recommendations for lifestyle and nutrition changes that can help them smash their performance goals.

To gift more groundbreaking data, add InsiderTracker’s DNA Kit ($249). This at-home test reveals an athlete’s genetic potential for up to 29 wellness traits based on 261 genetic markers. With just a cheek swab, runners learn how their genes influence a spectrum of health-related factors like weight, sleep, aging, performance, and food sensitivities. 

Pace and distance alone don’t always reveal a run’s intensity. This 8-gram power meter does. Runners clip the device to their shoe and it calculates how much energy they expend, accounting for variables like slope, terrain, and wind resistance. By syncing the device with a smartwatch and purchasing a Stryd membership (currently free through mid-2021), runners can set a goal and receive daily power plans that adjust based on their progress. 

Perfect for the style-conscious data geek, this sleek band tells athletes how recovered they are by tracking things like sleep, resting heart rate, and heart rate variability. Athletes then get an activity suggestion based on that recovery status. Mid-workout alerts tell wearers if they’ve reached their goal, if they need to push harder, or if they’re overdoing it. 

We all have two ages: the number of years we’ve been on Earth and, more importantly, our internal biological age, or “inner age,” which is determined by a combination of genetic and lifestyle factors. This plan reveals runners’ inner ages through a quick blood test and detailed questionnaire. Then, it gives them a custom nutrition plan to optimize their health and boost longevity. For a limited time, Runner's World readers can get 25 percent off everything at InsideTracker with the code RUNNER25. Best un-birthday gift ever.

Yes, it’s very expensive, but what better way to really spoil the performance-obsessed runner in your life? Recently named one of our best treadmills, this machine features a “Biofeedback” screen that provides metrics like cadence, step length, running power, and propulsion time. Plus, its sensors detect differences between the movement of a runner’s left and right leg, so athletes can pinpoint and correct form errors. 

Sleep greatly impacts performance, yet many runners overlook its power. With this popular app, runners can monitor the quality of their slumber through indicators like breathing rate and body movement. Then, based on that data, they get personalized, expert advice for improving sleep. 

Data is only as good as its accuracy, and this product promises supreme precision. Billed as the most accurate heart rate sensor in Polar's history, this chest strap is compatible with fitness apps, smartwatches, gym equipment, and other Bluetooth and ANT+ devices. Runners can also connect it to the free Polar Beat app to monitor their heart rate in real time and make sure they’re working at the ideal intensity. 

The Forerunner 945 evaluates almost every aspect of a run, including heart rate, VO2 max, pace, cadence, stride length, and more. The “training status” metric analyzes a runner’s workout history and performance indicators to tell them if they’re exercising productively. And the “daily workout suggestion” gives run and ride recommendations based on the wearer’s present training status and load.