Jewelry and department store ads would like us to think that the best wrist ornament for the season is a bejeweled tennis bracelet or an elegant Rolex, but, once again, runners are different.

Here are some equally attractive, but more functional, wrist ornaments sure to please the runners on your gift list.

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Watches. The ubiquity of cell phones has rendered wrist watches unnecessary. But runners don't care what time it is. They need to know the time it takes from point A to point B.If that's all you require from your timepiece, the dollar store probably has a sports watch for you. Some of my favorite stopwatches cost less than $10.Cheap watches are simple to use and accurate enough if you're just interested in start-to-finish timing in workouts or races. If you run at night, get one with large numbers and a light.For under $30, you can step up to a name brand watch that keeps track of laps for interval training. The additional cost often buys water resistance and a more comfortable band, too.Multi-functioning doesn't have to be expensive. For example, a $70 Timex provides 100 hours of elapsed stopwatch time, tracks 199 laps with 150- lap memory recall and features nine interval timers settable up to 24 hours. It stores workouts by date, with best lap, average lap and total segment time, and its target time feature allows you to check your progress against a projected time.Of course, you could splurge for the $150 Seiko Super Athlete. This model records up to 300 split times in multievent timing and has an interface for downloading information to your PC.•

Heart rate monitors. Some runners want to know what's going on inside as well as out. Heart rate training and racing can be a valuable tool in maximizing performance. For as little as $45, runners can monitor heart rate and recall average, minimum and peak heart rates during exercise with a basic model from Reebok.If you double the price, you can have stopwatch functions, target zone alarms and an altimeter with slope graphing from several brands including Timex and Polar, the leader in monitors.For $250 you can have the Polar model with more bells and whistles: alarms, calorie count, programmable target zones, storage and recall of up to 99 exercise files and Polar ProTrainer 5.0 software to analyze all of your data.For those who find the monitor's chest strap uncomfortable, Reebok makes a basic strapless model that requires a 2-finger touch. Impact Sports PowerGlove gives continuous readings through a glove rather than on a wrist display. For comfort without the strap, women can try the power bra with built-in transmitter pocket for $29.95.•

Global positioning. The latest in running technology is the wrist global positioning system. Garmin is the brand leader, but models are available from Polar, Timex and others that simply tell you how far and fast you've gone or plot a course through the wilderness and lead you back if you get lost.Several brands available for $130 to $160 provide precise speed, distance and pace data, mark specific locations on an electronic map or enable you to store way points and routes. Timex and Garmin both offer free associated software to aid in your training.The Rolex of wrist systems might be the Garmin Forerunner 305 for a $376 list price. It includes a heart monitor, stores up to 1,000 laps, tracks your every move and allows you to customize screens to view up to 12 data fields. The associated web-based application provides analysis of your workouts, online mapping and route sharing. It's a lot more useful than a jeweled tennis bracelet.Upcoming eventsSaturday, 8 a.m.: Up-N-Running Group Run, Valencia. Bring friends. Run for fun. 724-898-2525 or www.runpa.comDec. 31, 1 p.m.: Jingle Bell 5K, Boardman, Ohio. 330-788-4068Dec. 31, 5 p.m.: Twilight Run, Lakemont Park, Altoona. Run under the lights. 814-695-4467Race results

Gobbler's Gallop 5K, Nov. 23: Brian Buechel, 1st Overall M, 16:29; Chris Ludwig, 2nd Overall M, 16:58; Bethany Walker, 1st Overall W, 19:18; Matt Marchese, 1st 14-19 M, 17:40; Rich Makin, 1st 45-49 M, 18:34; Frank D'Ambrosio, 2nd 40-44 M, 19:12; Jim Gallagher, 3rd 40-44 M, 19:34; Joshua Kuhn, 1st 20-29 M, 20:32; Scott Brown, 3rd 45-49 M, 20:45; Steve Russell, 1st 50-54 M, 22:34; Stephanie Verdecchia, 2nd 20-29 W, 22:43; Alaina Sosko, 2nd 14-19 W, 23:28; Randy Shover, 2nd 50-54 M, 23:35Cassie Leymarie, 3rd 20-29 W, 25:24; Jennifer Hardin, 1st 30-34 W, 25:35; Greg Hardin, 3rd 30-34 M, 25:36; Gale Mussey, 1st 55-59 M, 25:55; Jeff Hand, 3rd 35-39 M, 26:58; Beatrice Hand, 3rd 14-19 W, 27:20; Helen Walker, 3rd 45-49 W, 27:59; Sharon Bieselt, 1st 55-59 W, 31:26; Kathy Tietjen, 2nd 55-59 W, 32:12; Kristen Kelosky, 2nd 40-44 W, 41:16; Chris Kinard, 3rd 55-59 W, 42:26Johnny C., 18:24; Mitch Radella, 19:48; Zachary Stieffel, 21:24; Roger Murray, 21:52; Robert Miller, 22:23; Robbie Godsen, 22:40; Phil Barner, 23:23; Joshua Larry, 23:42; Colby Beighey, 23:45; Molly Dipaola, 23:47; Tanner Gilchrist, 24:23; Adam Snowden, 24:54; Jeff Wiley, 24:55; Dale Beighey, 25:15; Mark Henderson, 25:39; Ron Hartle, 26:00; Lee Anderson, 26:05; Andrew Calve, 26:50; Dru A. Sedwick, 26:56; Brian Marton, 27:00; David Strutt, 27:19; Erica Duffy, 27:42; Paul Fisher, 27:45; Alison Jones, 27:46; Nick Becker, 28:17; Jessica Cabot, 28:52; Cody Zeigler, 29:20; Jeff Syphrit, 29:22; Lauren Banko, 29:22; Denise Sosko, 29:39; Ben Sepe, 29:54; Mallory Meehan, 30:26Jeff Meehan, 30:31; John Sepe, 30:45; Jodi Kerr, 30:57; Russell Nelson, 31:07; Rebecca Kimple, 31:29; Daniel Shover, 33:27; Brandon Farah, 34:42; Raymond Nelson, 35:15; Derek Dengel, 35:25; Austin Zeigler, 35:27; Ethan Ziegler, 35:35; Dana Hogue, 35:54; Jessica Kelosky, 39:37; Elizabeth Coder, 39:49; Tomas Maielli, 39:52; Paige Nye, 40:24; Josh Stewart, 41:25; Elizabeth Bernardi, 42:30; Emily Becker, 43:54; Rick Becker, 43:54; Sonya Duffy, 45:04; Dan Duffy, 45:06

Gobbler's Gallop 10K, Nov. 23: Jake Walker, 1st Overall M, 33:29; Jerry Maher, 2nd Overall M, 35:37; Cody Ludwig, 3rd Overall M, 35:54; Juliet Smith, 1st Overall W, 42:01; Kristen Kelosky, 3rd Overall W, 47:44; Rich Makin, 2nd 45-49 M, 38:09; Matt Montellanico, 1st 14-19 M, 38:10; Jeff Lynn, 1st 35-39 M, 38:32Ryan Barlow, 3rd 14-19 M, 38:53; Mitch Radella, 2nd 40-44 M, 39:57; Mark Getsay, 2nd 35-39 M, 44:49; Lou Alaksin, 1st 60-69 M, 46:29; Abbie Kuhn, 1st 20-29 W, 50:13; Lara Zelch, 1st 35-39 W, 51:00; Kevin Bowen, 2nd 30-34 M, 52:46; Mary Morgan, 1st 45-49 W, 54:22; Tom Tietjen, 2nd 55-59 M, 56:58; Jared DeSensi, 3rd 13 and under M, 1:01:34; Sherry Stewart, 2nd 35-39 W, 1:02:35; Sherree May, 2nd 45-49 W, 1:08:15; Margaret Kimple, 1st 60-69 W, 1:17:41; Crystal Lasko, 2nd 30-34 W, 1:21:14; Tricia Craven, 3rd 30-34 W, 1:21:15Jeff Wiley, 42:31; Tom Sosko, 43:30; Bob Mars,45:21; Rick Fec, 46:27; Rick Becker, 46:55; Jeff McCullough, 47:37; Jeff Syphrit, 47:41; Bill Melfi, 48:01; Ron Hartle, 48:08; Ed Leymarie, 50:55; Jeremiah Friday, 54:59; Julie McCormick, 56:19; Bill Fury, 56:49; Dave Ottaviani, 58:02; Dana Hogue, 1:03:41Send comments and suggestions to: 435 Cherry Valley Road, Saxonburg, Pa., 16056. Phone or fax: 724-352-4395. Email: bigp16@connecttime.net