2009's Best Father's Day Gifts for the Runner

Has your father gone running early every morning as long as you can remember? Do you guys go running together everytime you come home? Then for this year's Father's Day gift, get your dad some of 2009's latest running gear.

Mio Stride Heart Monitor and Pedometer ($60)

Your dad's getting on in years, so what better Father's Day Gift than a heart rate monitor to make sure he stays safe while he's out there putting on the miles. Mio Stride is one of the best heart monitor/pedometers released this year. Unlike those old, cumbersome chest strap models, this one goes on your wrist just like a watch. And this model not only tracks heart rate and miles, but can target optimal intensity levels and monitor the calories he burns. It also features an alarm, and exercise timer and is water-resistant to 50 meters. Neat.

Philips Model PSA232 Active Range MP3 Player with Armband ($50)

If your dad has yet to join the 21^st century and buy himself an MP3 player, then this Father's Day Gift will not only be timely but useful. Now, when he's up at 3AM pounding the pavement, he can do it to the rhythm of his favorite tunes. The Philips Active Range mp3 player was designed with runners in mind and features a built-in stopwatch, light sports headphones, a bright LED screen, and 512MB of storage (about 120 songs, enough for most low-tech dads) plus an AM/FM radio. And if your dad isn't very electronics-savvy, upload some of his favorite songs for him.

Performance Nutrition for Runners by Runner's World ($13)

The best Father's Day Gift you can give is showing your dad that you care about his health. A shocking number of runners do not get the proper nutrition that they need to keep up their active lifestyles. And now that your dad is getting older, nutrition is even more important. Runner's World's newest addition to their book series gives runners up-to-date information on nutrition advice based on the latest science. It will give your dad information on how to customize his diet according to his individual needs, how to balance his energy, reduce his recovery time, and stay properly hydrated.

Asics Gel-1140 Running Shoes ($90)

Runners are always looking for the best running shoes, and the Asics Gels will make a great Father's Day Gift for your active dad. These top-end, all around running shoes are great for stability, and have received praise from consumers for their plush gel cushioning and stabilizing arches. Runner's World voted them as a Best Buy because of the combination of positive lab tests, consumer reviews and price (at less than $100 they are $50 cheaper than most top-end running shoes).

Nathan Elite 2V Plus Water Bottle Carrier ($50)

If your dad is still hanging on to his water during his run or worse, waiting until he gets home to hydrate, then this water bottle carrier will make the perfect Father's Day gift for your dad. As a runner, he will appreciate the angled holsters that allow quick and easy access to the two 22-oz. bottles. The Nathan Elite also comes equipped with a zippered pouch and two additional removable ones that can hold gloves, energy bars, keys or anything else that your father takes with him on his daily runs.