Winter Running?
 

I love running and lately I've been getting back into it. Unfortunately, I also live in the Midwestern United States. I wondered if there were any winter warriors out there who had any tips for running outdoors during the wintertime. I can expect an average of 8 inches or so on the ground during the middle of winter and some ice. The streets should be mostly clear.

As a sidenote, I unfortunately will not have the means to purchase a treadmill or gym membership, so those options are out.

Layers and gloves
 

I need to have running gloves in the wintertime (Nike brand), and I wear a long-sleeve t-shirt with a fleece jacket on top. I make sure my head's covered with either a hood or a headband over my ears. I look like a nerd, but who cares? I'll be interested to see what others say about snow!

Hi Sortabadass (love your user name!)

I am in the same boat. I am currently running 3 times per week, 5K each time, except sometimes on Saturday mornings I do 6K. I am loving it! I live in Canada so we get a ton of snow here. We also have an amazing snow removal system in place so after a snow fall, there is usually only one, or on occasion 2 days, when it would be impossible to run outside.

While I have never run in the winter time, I have power-walked. Basically I purchase "winter" running shoes. My preference is the Asics Gel Trabuco. They have amazing support and cushion and have treads underneath to prevent slipping. Here is a link to the Asics site. ASICS America - Running - Women's Footwear - GEL-Trabuco® 13

Also it's important to get the right clothes. Be sure not to wear cotton as that will get wet when you sweat and not wick the moisture away from your skin so you will get very cold! I like Under Armour clothing. Under Armour® Performance Clothing, Shoes, and Accessories - Free shipping available

Be sure to layer and not overdress as you will sweat and even overheat. It's best to have a fuel belt with you too, so that you can stay hydrated.

All of these things cost a little but I have had my Winter gear for a few years so it's a great investment.

Here's a great article about it. Cold Weather Running - Cold Weather Running Safety Tips

Good luck! :)

This will be my first winter running outside, too...last year I played tennis all winter and I used to layer up with thin silk tees under fleece, and I had a pair of running tights (Nike; I think I got them at Sports Authority) that were awesome and very warm. And lip balm!

Anything that is not cotton to wick away the sweat is a must. You can also wear running tights or lined running pants if its really windy and cold. I am right outside Chicago so I know all about the cold here. A hat, gloves, a few light layers and gloves usually is all I need for a run. After about 10 mins you warm up anyways and sometimes I even feel too hot but better be a little warm than getting frost bite!

My Brother in Law works for Adidas so I have a ton of stuff from them. Anything that has the Climacool in it, is what you are looking for. But any brand has their own version of it and you can get that too.

Thank you all for your advice! Living up North it's easy to stay inside and hibernate until spring, and it is really inspirational to hear your tips for staying active in the snowy months.

I will defintely invest in some underarmor, running gloves, and good grippy winter running shoes, although I don't think I'm quite self confident enough to wear running tights yet. :)

mtlgirl - what is a fuel belt?

Thanks again, everyone! Stay warm!

A fuel belt is simply a belt with a water bottle attached to it so you can stay hydrated. I have a really basic one that looks like this 10K 2-Bottle Belt

For this morning's run I was lucky we are having a mild day today and I ran a full 5k before work! ;) But I am determined to keep running this winter. I'm sure it will help me enjoy it better. We're supposed to have a tough winter this year!

Have a great day!

I thought that was probably what it was, but I still held out hope that it somehow involved rockets. Hehe, the names for so many bits of exercise equipment sound like inventions from Calvin and Hobbs.

Congrats on your run! After the oppressively humid summer we had here, I'm actually looking forward to a nice, cold winter. Hopefully I feel the same way in a month or two. :D

Runner's World
 

Runner's world has a great log that you can use to keep track of your running. I love putting in my neighborhood runs to see how far I've gone. I run through parks, and school yards, so couldn't drive the routes to see my distance. If I was more tech savvy, I'd post the link, but just go to runnersworld.com and find "log". You can sign in once/month. I use it for keeping track of distances and routes, but you can do a lot more with it if you're into it.

One last thing - I need to make sure I have ~6 kleenex with me every time I run in the cold - otherwise I'm miserable.

Nice!
I could only muster up a measly 1.33 mile run yesterday- my outdoor thermometer read 37*. That has been the coldest run for me yet, wearing shorts did not bother as much as breathing in the cold brisk air :mad:

You're a freaking hero! I don't trust my stumbly feet on our Canadian streets, but have seen a few brave souls doing it. At a local running store, there is something called YakTrax - it's a kind of coil harness that goes over your shoe, and is meant to give you better traction. Retailed at the store for $20ish CAD.

Hi sortabadass,

Just regarding the gym membership - do you live anywhere near a Planet Fitness? You can get a membership for a mere $10 a month, which is doable for almost anyone.

Regarding running outside in the winter... I now live in Northern New England, but used to live in Montreal. One winter, I trained for the 21k de Montreal, a half-marathon which is run in April. So, I did all of my training during the snowiest part of the winter. (And I agree mtlgirl, they do have an amazing snow removal system... the best I have ever seen.) Still, sidewalks remain icy. I did much of my training indoors, since I had access to a good gym, but I had to take it outside while snow was still on the ground, to get used to the roads in time for the race. For me, the biggest problem has never been the cold itself. In fact, I don't find that to be problematic at all. Wear a hat, wear non-cotton wicking clothes, dress in layers, wear underarmor, as others have said. By the way, Target has a fantastic line of inexpensive workout clothes - C9 by Champion. They sell compression shirts which work like magic... this year is the first year I have tried these. They're absolutely amazing in keeping you warm. But anyway, the biggest problem for me has always been my fear of falling... I'm not sure-footed running along on ice or in areas where there could be ice. So the top piece of advice is to get grippy running shoes! You can even buy YakTrax which are meant to be used over running shoes. A good investment. (Edit to add, just noticed the poster above me mentioned these too.)

Don't forget to drink
 

I've been running for several years and I discovered a few years ago that if I did a run and didn't drink water during the winter, I would get a chill that just wouldn't go away, even well after a run. Make sure you drink even if you don't feel like it.

If you are going to finish your run and not be able to shower immediately, be sure to have something dry to change into so you don't have to be in damp clothing.

Smart wool makes good wool socks that are wicking.

I wear small, thin gloves, as well as a jacket with long sleeves. When my hands get too hot for the gloves, I just pull my sleeve over my hands. My friend that has Reynaud's syndrome (cold extremities) uses hand warmers in her gloves. They are available at sports and skiing stores.

Its fun to feel that you have beaten the weather and gone out for a run in the winter.

i agree sw - i ran last week in 20 degree weather i couldn't even do 1/2 mile, the cold air burned my lungs too bad, and i could feel it for a while after i came in. i will stick to the treadmill for the winter i think.

Reading this while I was recovering from my run - 13 degrees out witha wind chill of 2! I pretended I was a sprinter - which I'm not!- and kept the run to ~15 minutes outside. Followed up with Wiifit training, and a nice warm shower - now I feel GREAT!

Your lungs will get used to the cold after a few runs outside in it. I started up again at the beginning of Jan. and it took me maybe 3-4 times out to get so that I could run and breathe normally. Stick with it -- it will get better if you keep at it! As others have said, layers, hydrate, and some sort of traction (I use Stabilicers instead of Yaktrax) are great helps.
Also, if you have access to places that rent equipment and there's consistently enough snow, I've heard great things about snowshoeing and CC skiing to stay active outdoors during the winter -- work with winter, not against it! I haven't actually tried them yet, but I'm hoping to go CC skiing soon, maybe this weekend. I live in St. Paul, MN, and you wouldn't believe how active people are here, no matter the weather!

My lungs are fine with the cold but for some reason my nose starts to hurt pretty bad right when I start to warm up. It last for about 5-10 minutes then the pain goes away. Weird. :confused:

Like the skin hurts? Or the inside of your nasal passages get dry? If the skin hurts, and if your skin gets chapped around your mouth and nose, I find that it helps a lot to put a thin layer of petroleum jelly (Vaseline) on before heading out. This also helps keep you warm on any skin you have to leave exposed when it's *really* cold out.
If your nasal passages get dry, you could try saline nasal spray, and my sister raves about this ointment called Ayr saline nasal gel. Not sure if that helps.