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Dressing for colder weather running
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People often tell me that, once the colder weather hits, they no longer exercise outside: "too cold," they mutter.
I used to feel the same way. In the cold of winter, the last thing I wanted to do was be outside in the freezing air. Determined to avoid gym fees one winter, however, I went to Charm City Run, a local running specialty store with locations in Timonium, Bel Air, and Annapolis, and asked their advice. "Hey guys," I asked, "do you have anything in here that would keep me warm enough to run all winter long?" My question was met with a chuckle. "Oh yeah; that shouldn't be a problem." During that store visit I bought 3 articles of clothing that have kept me running throughout the winter for many seasons now.
Once you start running through the winter, it will be your favorite time to run. There is no heat and humidity with which to contend, sapping your energy and depriving you of a good workout. Wearing the right clothes, all it takes is a 5-minute warm-up and you will never feel cold - only refreshed to be outside running.
The rule of thumb is that you feel 20 degrees warmer than the actual temperature while you're running. With the right layering, your body produces enough heat through exercise that you are comfortable throughout your workout. You may be chilly for the first 5 minutes of your workout, but as soon as your heart rate rises you'll feel perfect. To avoid this, you can either add a first layer that you can shed after you're warmed up, or you can warm up inside before heading out for your run.
Here are some guidelines on how to dress for different temperatures; always choose technical, moisture-wicking gear as opposed to classic cotton. It's now widely available and prices have decreased drastically. Though it's cold outside, you will still sweat. A damp, heavy, cotton sweatshirt will make it harder to stay warm and feel cumbersome, whereas a techincal shirt will keep moisture from your body, stay light, and stay relatively dry while you're running.
- 55 degrees and above: shorts and a short-sleeved shirt. According to research, 55 degrees is the ideal temperature for running at peak performance. Your body doesn't need to use its energy stay warm or cool, so your energy is spent on running itself. Wear a visor to prevent sunburn on your face.
- 50-55 degrees: 3/4 length pants or tights and a long-sleeved shirt. If your fingers get cold easily, you can add lightweight running gloves and a light hat, but you probably won't need the gloves after you're warm.
- 45-50 degrees: 3/4 length pants or tights and a short-sleeved shirt with a long-sleeved shirt over it as an added layer. Add light running gloves and a lightweight moisture-wicking hat.
- 40-45 degrees: Long pants or tights with two long-sleeved shirts (one a technical mock turtleneck, such as UnderArmour makes), the other a more loose long-sleeved technical shirt. Also wear light running gloves and a light hat. Your fingers might feel cold at first but they'll warm up.
- 35-40 degrees: Long pants or tights with a light, long-sleeved technical shirt under a light jacket. A thicker long-sleeved shirt under a jacket would likely make you feel too warm once you've warmed up. Add a slightly thicker hat, but you'll still only need lightweight gloves.
- 30-35 degrees: Long pants or tights (with shorts over tights if you're prone to getting cold in the groin or buttocks), and a thicker, long-sleeved (possibly mock turtleneck) shirt under a light jacket. Wear a warmer hat that covers your ears or add ear muffs. Use thicker gloves or mittens.
- 25-30 degrees: Long pants or thicker tights. Between your long-sleeved shirt and your lightweight jacket, add a layer of a long-sleeved, form-fitting warm-up jacket or vest. Your core will stay toasty, guaranteed. Don't forget thicker gloves or mittens, a hat covering your ears or ear muffs with a hat.
- 25 degrees and under: You should be fine in at least the three shirt/jacket layers described above. Add lightweight pants over tights or wear warmer, moisture-wicking pants. Remember your gloves/mittens and your ears. Always keep your head covered in something warm. Add a scarf when it gets close to zero so you can intermittenly cover your mouth and part of your face. I have run extremely comfortably in negative 2 degrees, with my only challenge being that the scarf over my mouth was too warm and the scarf's not being on my mouth made my mouth too cold.
Get out and run this winter! You'll be hooked on how much easier it is than summer running. Nothing beats a run through the fresh snow...
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