Cold Weather Running

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One way to get your winter runs in = people requesting post-run photos of you doing your best Sub-Zero impersonation!

I bought a pair last year but I never ended up trying them out. The winter in NH was so bad and I was just coming back to running after many many years off. I'm hoping I don't need to use them this year. :D

Bought a pair of stabl-icers and they worked so well during the snowy months. Not running as fast, but they were very comfortable.
 
And that makes me glad I live in the south.... We get like 4 or 5 snowy days a year.

I live in Ohio and we only get 4 or 5 snows a year...the month of December is one of them. January is another, etc.

But seriously, one other thing I would mention with regards to cold weather running is preparing for the dwindling sunlight hours. Darkness comes QUICK! I wear a lighted/flashing/reflective vest when running in the winter (if I start after 4PM). It is impossible for cars to not see you.

Of course, it's can also get the attention of dogs who think "Hey! That looks like fun...I bet it tastes great!" but all-in-all I find wearing the lighted vest required gear in the winter months due to safety.
 
But seriously, one other thing I would mention with regards to cold weather running is preparing for the dwindling sunlight hours. Darkness comes QUICK! I wear a lighted/flashing/reflective vest when running in the winter (if I start after 4PM). It is impossible for cars to not see you.

Of course, it's can also get the attention of dogs who think "Hey! That looks like fun...I bet it tastes great!" but all-in-all I find wearing the lighted vest required gear in the winter months due to safety.
I really appreciate this comment. I usually wear a reflective vest with one of the Nathan strobes on each side and my head lamp. That being said at 5:30am I constantly see people running on both the road and the sidewalk that are barely visible because they rely solely on the small reflective tabs on their clothes. I know it's not always fun to wear reflective items but it's not going to be fun when a car hits you while you're training for a race either.

I find the dogs in my area are solely provoked by people running. I usually have to walk until I can get passed them if there's not a clear opening to go around. Then there's the lady who lets her dog run around off leash. >:(
 


I really appreciate this comment. I usually wear a reflective vest with one of the Nathan strobes on each side and my head lamp. That being said at 5:30am I constantly see people running on both the road and the sidewalk that are barely visible because they rely solely on the small reflective tabs on their clothes. I know it's not always fun to wear reflective items but it's not going to be fun when a car hits you while you're training for a race either.
YES! This drives me insane! I leave pretty early to go to the gym before work and there's this guy that's out running in the street (we have very nice sidewalks in our town, but I digress...) and I CANNOT see him until I am way too close for comfort, despite his reflective stuff. At this point I sort of know to look for him, luckily, but some morning I want to lean out of my window and yell at him to get a head lamp or a blinky light or something. The bikers in my area are pretty smart about wearing lights, the runners, not so much.
 
I know it's not always fun to wear reflective items but it's not going to be fun when a car hits you while you're training for a race either.

So true.

A friend of mine was recently hit by a car as she crossed a street. It was a slow hit, but it still broke her leg right around the growth plate adjacent to the knee, and she cannot put weight on it for something like 3 MONTHS. Like, NO weight. No crutches (b/c people will put their foot down), etc. She had a followup appointment and the doctor stood by his statement. She has screws and rods now...it'll change her whole life. And it was not at any sort of fast speed at all.




Ariel, why don't you call out to him? He probably doesn't know he's not visible. Maybe he's washed his outwear so much the reflective stuff wore off?
 


So I've started c25k programs numerous times in the past, and have never stuck with it. After our DW trip in September and discovering RunDisney I've set a goal that during our next trip (probably not until 2017), I WILL enter an event. 1. If I'm going to actually run 13.1, it's going to be at my happy place. 2. Costumes and pictures? Yes, please! 3. I'm in ok shape, but definitely want to look/feel better!

Everytime I've gotten started, I've stopped myself from "becoming a runner" because of cold weather. I actually love the snow and winter, but the ice/burning feeling I get in the back of my throat and lungs feels like it's taking my breath away completely. After usually 3 cold weather runs I give up. I live in an area where spring/summer is midMay-very earlySeptember. Everything else is fall/winter. Yesterday it was 55 degrees and I could feel my throat start to get icy and tighten. I made it my full 30minutes (with some walking), but I could still feel it (though not as intense) a half hour after I was done. I've tried covering my nose/mouth, but then I just get sweaty and it doesn't do anything for the burning.

Is this something that I just need to power through for a few weeks and my body will adjust (as suggested on a running site)? Any suggestions for running masks that won't also make my face extra sweaty?

I don't want to spend 7-8 months on a treadmill, and I'm also determined to break my pattern of quitting! Any suggestions would be appreciated!


I may as well have written that post myself. This is me, 100%. My kids and I were just at WDW in October for my 40th and I also came back and looked into the runDisney situation and decided I wanted to run my first 1/2M there!! I've never done anything other than occasional fun 5K runs. I was even thinking possibly of the 2016 W&D. I printed out the Galloway training schedule from the runD site and I am going to force myself to start it and just do the early weeks of the training until I decide which race I'm going to do and then I'll step it up. You sound like you may live somewhere near where I do (I'm in the Chicago, IL area) and I also hate the treadmill but I see no other way! :\
 
I just started running one week ago, the first day in snowed in my city. Just 3x a week doing the C25k. The rest of my workouts are indoors doing Les Mills Combat.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but so far I've loving it. I think it was -7 Celcius last night. (19F) It's dark and slippery but I've been told you don't go for speed or distance in winter. I go on quiet side streets and the only people I see are people shoveling their driveways, but I will get some reflective gear for sure and plan getting some ice grippers from Costco for my runners.
 
I'm just starting to get my main pieces because it's just starting to consistently be in the 30's so it's only a matter of time till my morning runs are down into the 20's and teens.

I just ordered yak tracks and a bandit. I'm not looking forward to the prices of tights for the winter, but I know it's something I can't avoid. Hopefully I can get in on some Christmas deals.
 
Of course extremes are not alwasy really fun, but running in winter can really be fun. I love the feel of snow crunching under my feet and cold/crisp air on my face. Had a run the other day that was breath taking. As long as you dress appropriately it is manageable and at times I prefer it to summer running. Well, sometimes! :)
 
Of course extremes are not alwasy really fun, but running in winter can really be fun. I love the feel of snow crunching under my feet and cold/crisp air on my face. Had a run the other day that was breath taking. As long as you dress appropriately it is manageable and at times I prefer it to summer running. Well, sometimes! :)
I agree! I actually hate winter and snow -- unless I am running. Properly dressed I enjoy it and would take a cold run over a hot humid run.

That said, it takes time to find the right formula. I find I need to be dressed so I feel a touch cold at the start of my run. Then when I heat up as I get going I feel comfortable. If I start out feeling comfortably warm, I end up too hot midrun.
 
I need to get some new head/neck wear this year and probably also a more substantial jacket.

The coldest part of me when I come back from a cold run is the upper half of my belly. I'm guessing I don't wear enough layers there. I usually double up on shirts (either a long sleeve or short sleeve tech shirt underneath, and then lately a half zip pullover), and the lower part of my belly seems to stay warmer because it's also got my pants there, and my chest has my sports bra there, but that area in between, the skin is always super chilled. Maybe I need a vest? My arms are usually pretty chilly when I first go out but they get warm pretty quickly, so I don't know if I need a full jacket. Although this is also only 30's we're talking about right now, not real winter temps... 2 thin sleeves might not be enough in the teens or 20's, although I could get some arm warmers for a third layer.

I have a hat but I don't really like wearing it, so I think I need to get a headband at least so I have something I can pull over my ears. I have Halo sweat headbands I wear, but nothing that covers my ears. And I could probably use some kind of neck gaiter that I can pull up over my face sometimes.
 
I need a jacket and hopefully pants with a pocket for my phone. I have a little neck band/head band/balaclava/multipurpose thing from Nike so my face stays warm and my headbands keep my hair back and my ears warm but I mostly have shorter capri length running clothes and short sleeve shirts or tank tops so I'm freezing for the first mile or two until I warm up.
 
Snowshoeing is a really good winter cross-training activity if you are trying to find a way to replace other outdoor activities. My wife and I own our own and take our dog out for snowshoe hikes in the winter and we love it. Around here there are places that rent them if you want to try them out before making the plunge to buy them.

I saw a few people here mention Yaktrax. I have never felt the need for them. I run in the roads and try to avoid the tire tracks and run in the snow if the streets aren't plowed or salted yet. I had a friend develop an I.T. band issue from the way the Yaktrax changed his gait. Lots of people do wear them comfortably without problem so his experience shouldn't dissuade anyone from giving them a try but try but it is something to be cognisant of.
 
The thing that puzzled me about the Yaktrax is that I could never really figure out when the weather was when I needed them, so I never used them last year. :)
 

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