What to Wear Running: Winter

In the spirit of the cold and snowy weather we are still having I thought I would share how I dress to stay warm on those bitter days without overheating.

First I should mention that I get pretty warm when I run. Probably more so than most people from what I have observed. If you are typically a colder runner then this might not be so helpful, sorry.

My first piece of advice is to dress as if it were 20-25 degrees warmer. You may be cold when you first start running but once you're warmed up you should feel comfortable.

Assuming no rain or snow this is how I decide what to wear when heading out for a run:

• 70+ degrees: When it is this warm out I will typically wear a tank and shorts. Sometimes short sleeves depending on the last time I've done laundry.
• 50-60 degrees: Short sleeves and shorts.
• 40-50 degrees: Thin long sleeves and shorts, or short sleeves and capris.
• 30-40 degrees: Medium thickness long sleeves and capris.
• 20-30 degrees: Medium thickness long sleeves and tights, or thick long sleeves and capris.
• 10-20 degrees: Thick long sleeves and tights.
• 0-10 degrees: Medium thickness long sleeves, lightweight jacket, fleece-lined tights

I will usually wear thin gloves when it is under 40 degrees, a thin fleece headband and thin gloves when it is under 30 and a thick headband and thin gloves when it is under 20 degrees. My hands tend to get pretty hot when I run so I normally only wear a pair of thin wool liners and I end up taking them off a lot of the time anyway. I find that it really helps to wear something with pockets in the winter so I can off my gloves or headband if I start to get too warm.

One thing that I tried once but haven't invested in myself yet is a vest. At first I thought it was a pretty silly idea but once I tried it I loved it. I am currently on the hunt to find the perfect vest and a pair of arm warmers that meet my high expectations of not being too thick.

This winter I have been especially loving the Oiselle Lesley Knicker and the Brooks Infiniti Jacket. They are the two pieces I wear the most and would recommend to anyone. I want to try the Oiselle Lesley Tight since I like the capris so much but I'm waiting until they go on sale (hopefully) since I already have a pair of tights.

Surviving Winter Running

I'm not sure about the rest of the country but the Middle Atlantic region sure is cold right now. We are seeing temps that I'm not sure I've ever seen while living in southern Pennsylvania (I'm sure it's been this cold before, I just don't remember it). While the actual temperature is not by any means warm or even comfortable it is the wind chill that is making it feel so darn cold outside.

I had a 30 minute hill repeat run scheduled for today that involves 3 minutes of complete rest after each repeat. After 4 repeats my legs were so cold I could barely feel them. I ran inside and grabbed an extra pair of pants to throw on to finish my run. What ultimately made today's run so unbearable was the combination of being improperly dressed and the wind. There were gusts of wind over 30 mph! Since the next few days are supposed to remain just as cold I thought it would be helpful for everyone to discuss some of my favorite cold weather running tips.

Dress properly

This one seems pretty obvious but it is still important. I get much warmer than most people when I run so I wear a lot off than others. Makes sense. When the temps first dropped back in December I started following the generic rules of what to wear for each temperature. I frequently found myself overheating and as a result becoming dizzy and even nauseous. I started experimenting with what I wore and have since come up with up with my own rules about what to wear. The point is, dress appropriately so that you are comfortable regardless of whether that means wearing lots of layers or no layers.

Treat yourself to a hot shower or mug of hot chocolate/tea after your run

Knowing that I will be all snuggly warm enjoying my favorite winter beverage helps motivate me to get off my butt and get outside. Sure hot chocolate is great even if you haven't gone out for a run but just think about how much better it will taste after braving the cold temps so get your workout in. The same goes for showers.

Pick a route that goes by your car or house within the first few miles/minutes

The thing I hate most about running in the winter is those first few minutes before you get warmed up when you are absolutely freezing and wondering what the hell you are doing outside when it is 23 degrees out. I have a tendency to overdress so that I am not so dang cold in the very beginning. But then once I'm warmed up I'm way too warm and my run is pretty miserable. I've started wearing enough so that I'm warm in the beginning and then taking off a layer and dropping it at my car once I'm at a comfortable temperature. Wearing a jacket or top with pockets also really helps with this.

Minimize expectations when it is both cold and windy

I can handle the cold and I can handle the wind but I'm a wimp when it comes to both of them put together. When it is cold and windy I have a lot of trouble breathing which affects my running a lot (duh!). If I have to go out for a run during this kind of weather I make it short and easy. I tried running at a harder clip in the cold wind last week and felt like I was hyperventilating. It's just not worth it. Either slow down or go inside.

What are your cold weather running tips?

How cold is it where you live?

So Long, Off-Season

Tomorrow marks the first day of spring half marathon training for me, which means today is the closing day of my longer than planned off-season. After all of the drama surrounding my fall marathon I was looking forward to taking some time off and enjoy my Thanksgiving break. But then finals rolled around and knocked me on my ass. I can normally handle the stress of finals but with other nuisances added to the mix I came crashing down. I knew I needed to focus on studying and finish writing papers and just couldn't convince myself to get out for a run. I ran here and there when I felt I had enough time to not completely bomb all of my exams but there were more days that I didn't run than days that I did run.

Once finals were over all I wanted to do was nothing. Literally nothing. I wanted to enjoy not having to study for anything or have to wake up early to go to class. Unfortunately running was included in the things I was writing off. After a few days of just relaxing I finally laced up my shoes to go for a run. It was nothing spectacular, in fact it was actually quite terrible. I quickly found out that it is a fair amount colder at home in Pennsylvania than at school in Maryland. My lungs were burning. Since we had such a warm winter last year I had no idea what to wear for running in the 20's. I made the mistake of wearing too many layers and ended up overheating and consequently becoming both dizzy and nauseous.

Perfect running weather but oh so cold!

I have since adapted to running in the cooler temps and have also figured out (for the most part) how to dress appropriately so that I stay warm enough without feeling like a roasted marshmallow. Knowing that training was right around the corner I've been filling my weeks with runs and cross training that I wouldn't normally do. I normally run 3-4 times a week but a couple weeks ago I ran almost every day but only did 2-3 miles. I normally wouldn't be pleased with running such a short distance but at that time I did whatever I wanted so long as I was getting my butt out the door.

After almost two months of doing whatever I pleased with running I am ready to start training again. I am ready to run with a purpose and to chase down my goals. I spent the weekend exploring new trails near my house and spent the every moment being grateful. Running does not always come easy for me. In fact, a lot of the time it is quite hard. But it challenges every aspect of myself and brings out my adventurous side. I made a lot of progress with running in 2012 but I know that I am capable of achieving so much more.

I am enjoying a relaxing evening watching movies and reading with the pup close by. I've enjoyed my time of rest and relaxation after finals and through the holidays but I'm ready to get back to work. I'm ready to see where my legs will take me this year. I am nervous but I am also so excited to chase down this goal.

Sub 2:00 half marathon here I come!