Winter Running - Beginner

litsy3

moyer566 wrote: »

cheshirecatastrophe wrote: »

ephiemarie wrote: »

I'm in Wisconsin and ran outside all winter last year. There are some great gear tips in Cheshirecatastrophe's post above. To that list, I'll add a balaclava for the coldest days. Gore-tex shoes, SmartWool socks, and layered clothing, with YakTrax for the really snowy days. I bought most of my gear at Target/Walmart and TJ Maxx.

@ephiemarie - how do you keep your clava dry? Mine gets so soaked with snot and moisture from breathing out that it ices to my face, making it worse than pointless. Do you have one with one of those plastic masks?

that is an excellent question and I'd like to know

and also living in the city, what does it feel like to run on yaktrax? between the ice and snow and slush

You can tell they're there, but it's manageable. Steer WELL clear of metal drain covers, though. I usually don't use Yaktrax though as I have found my Inov8 roclite 243 cope really well with ice, snow and slush (we don't get deep snow where I live though).

sarafischbach9

Don't let the Winter scare you. Sometimes doing a long run in very hot and humid conditions is more dangerous. But you still have to be careful in the Winter. I ran the Cleveland marathon in May and if you want to do a 16 to 18 week marathon program, you must start in January so not running in the winter is not an option. I am in Ohio, by the way, so similar climate. we have awful winters.

Here are my tips:
-Run with the wind in the first half. Run away from the wind on your way back. Opposite for summer.
-Buy YakTrax for snow and ice. I am going to need to buy a pair myself. People swear by them.
- When in doubt, run indoors. Ice storms especially or sub zero temps!
- Dress like it is 15 degrees warmer. Remember if you get too hot you can take a layer off. You can only take off so much in the summer.
- Run in the afternoon if you can. Like right after work if you have a normal job. If you work 2nd shift, a late morning run would be the next best. It is the warmest in the afternoon and it is before it gets dark.
- If you must run in the dark, wear bright clothes and pay attention to traffic and ice. Maybe try a head lamp.
- Pick routes that are well lit and usually plowed.
- Warm up... I got injured in the winter from not properly warming up.
- Be flexible!
- If you need a long run like 12 miles for example... if its really cold and you can't take it it isn't a bad idea to do 6 in the morning and 6 later on. But I wouldn't do this all the time... only if you must.
- Don't be scared of the treadmill. It sometimes becomes your friend.
- Make friends with cross training.
- Interval training on the 'mill can be fun.

And most importantly: Remember when you're training for a Spring race and you must run in the winter to train properly, it WILL be warmer when you actually race. Such was the case for my last marathon. Most of my training runs were done at 20 to 50 degrees. It was 70 to 80 degrees during the marathon with 80 to 90 percent humidity. There was rain though which helped cool us off.

zdyb23456

It doesn't get too cold where I live - maybe in the 30ies during the coldest months. I wear tights that cut off at mid-calf, a sports bra, tank, and a zipup hoodie. When I first go out, I'm freezing so I tie that hood up to cover my ears and pull the arms down to cover my hands. About a mile in, the hood is down and my hands are out and I feel good

MrsSteveJP

Thanks again everyone!! wow - more reply than expected!

Question: when shopping online for the tights; is is important that it says 'insulated' or something of the like or can they just be running tights?

Curtruns

cheshirecatastrophe wrote: »

ephiemarie wrote: »

I'm in Wisconsin and ran outside all winter last year. There are some great gear tips in Cheshirecatastrophe's post above. To that list, I'll add a balaclava for the coldest days. Gore-tex shoes, SmartWool socks, and layered clothing, with YakTrax for the really snowy days. I bought most of my gear at Target/Walmart and TJ Maxx.

@ephiemarie - how do you keep your clava dry? Mine gets so soaked with snot and moisture from breathing out that it ices to my face, making it worse than pointless. Do you have one with one of those plastic masks?

I use a neck gaiter and let it ice over. It does slow my pace down a bit as it blocks air flow. When it is really bad, I will push my chin out to create some space between my mouth and my gaiter. This has worked well for me, even on long runs.

BrianSharpe

<<

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"Hypothermic Half Marathon" a couple of years ago (it was about-35C)

OP you can run all year round if you dress properly for it. As other have mentioned the key is layers, you want to be a little chilly at the beginning of the run.

One of my go to winter running items is merino wool base layers & wool socks. Lightweight, warm & wicking. My typical cold weather will be a base layer, winter weight tights (they're more wind resistant than regular compression ones) a long sleeve running shirt, fleece layer (weight depends on temps) and running shell. For exceptionally cold weather I also have my balaclava & always wear a beanie / toque (again wight depends on temps). It takes a little trial & error as we all have different cold tolerance. If you have a local running group talk to some of their members (consider joining too) most runners will be happy to share whatever wisdom they can.

SueInAz

cheshirecatastrophe wrote: »

Hands: I have Reynaud's syndrome (bad circulation to hands and feet=>cold), so this is tough for me--I start wearing gloves around 50 degrees, when I am otherwise still in a tank top and shorts. In the winter, I run in mittens with a chemical handwarmer in each mitt. The isolation of each finger in gloves just doesn't work for me, no matter how thick the gloves are.

I just wanted to respond to this part because I found it interesting... my sister and I both have Reynaud's. Hers is more like yours; she needs gloves below 55-60 or her fingers turn white. Luckily, we both live in Southern Arizona where it's warmer so it's only races and morning runs in the winter where she really finds them necessary. I, on the other hand (see what I did there?!) have nearly the opposite problem. In the heat, which I'm dealing with most of the year, my hands turn red and white spotted and they swell up. I start dealing with this when it's over 70° or so, especially on longer runs, and the temperatures in the summer rarely even dip that low (82° at 5:30 this morning when I started my run). I haven't yet figured out a good way to handle this other than trying to keep them wet so they stay a little cooler.

OP, back on topic, I don't know about you but when I run I get hot. There aren't a lot of below freezing days here but we do get them and I do run in them. We also have a place in the mountains at 7500' so winter happens. Layers you can take off as you get warm are helpful and I find that as long as my ankles and ears are warm that the rest of me is okay (but you've already seen the issue with my hands; gloves don't last more than the first mile). The last time I ran when it was 28°F by mile 2 I was in short sleeves, a headband that covered my ears, regular capri length compression tights and ankle socks and I was more than comfortable with my long-sleeved jacket tied around my waist. If it had been windy I would have needed a little bit more, though.

SueInAz

cheshirecatastrophe wrote: »

UltraRunnerGale wrote: »

After suffering through hypothermia and it costing me my 100K finish, I discovered merino wool. Yes, wool. No, not itchy. If you wear it next to your skin (yes even sports bra), you won't feel the cold or wet. I was even in the pouring rain for nine straight hours and I didn't feel the wet (I was wearing a wool sports bra and short sleeved top). It is a miracle fabric that the wicking materials just CAN'T match. Once you try it, you'll NEVER go back!! BONUS: it doesn't stink. Seriously! People love to travel with wool pieces because they can be worn for multiple wearings without washing!! Try Icebreaker and/or SmartWool brands. You won't be sorry!

I think it's itchy. But people who swear by it, SWEAR BY IT.

I have merino wool socks and I love them. Not much call for it for any other piece of clothing as it isn't often too cold here but I don't find the socks itchy at all. Costco carries them in the winter and I keep buying new colors every time they get them back in stock.

ephiemarie

[/quote] @ephiemarie - how do you keep your clava dry? Mine gets so soaked with snot and moisture from breathing out that it ices to my face, making it worse than pointless. Do you have one with one of those plastic masks?[/quote]

My husband and I both own the Chaos-CTR Chinook Multi Tasker Pro Micro Fleece Balaclava with Windproof Face Mask ($16 on Amazon), and we haven't had issues with it icing to our faces. It's got adequate ventilation in the mouth/nose area and isn't super tight. I like it because it is sort of hinged, so I can pull the head portion back if I get too warm or pull the face portion down. And also because I look like a ninja when I wear it.

MrsSteveJP wrote: »

Question: when shopping online for the tights; is is important that it says 'insulated' or something of the like or can they just be running tights?

I wear regular running tights from Walmart for most of the winter. On windy days I'll put a pair of shorts on top of them because my rear end invariably gets cold. For really cold days, I have a pair of Under Armour Cozy tights with a super soft thermal lining. I bought those on eBay. On really, really cold days (-20 degree windchill), I'll layer a pair of sweats or gym pants over the lined tights and also double up my mittens.

I have a Nike Element Shield Max jacket (again, eBay) with a built in gaiter and nifty little foldover hand mitt thingies. The jacket is lightweight but crazy warm. Highly recommend!

juliet3455

@MrsSteveJP You can always hit up the Downhill and Cross-Country ski shops as they will have some decent gear options that you can incorporate into your collection. I have a Light Weight Jacket from MEC ( Mountain Equipment co-op) that has a Gore-Tex front and the back is fleece. So you get the wind breaking/breathing of Gore-Tex and the wicking of Fleece all in one package.
I have a Light and Heavy weight wicking tights that I combine with Gore-Tex pants and Fleece shorts on colder days to keep the privates warm.

For your first few runs I really recommend what other people have already stated
Face into the wind at the start of your run.
Do short loops passing your House/Vehicle/Gym until you figure out your clothing requirements.
Have an escape plan so your not caught in the bush on a strange trail that you don't know.
Ice cleats - the brand doesn't really matter as long as they are comfortable, grab the ice and don't destroy your shoes. I got mine (1/2 price) at Canadian Tire in the spring when they were clearing out there winter stock.

Search on-line for local Running Club/Groups in your area who would be able to offer up running routes, clothing suggestions etc. Quite often a local Sporting Goods/Running store will sponsor runs- Yes it is a form of marketing to get you in the door and buy some gear from them but it is usually well worth it because of all the knowledge that the other runners are willing to share.

Try these post also
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1148134/running-and-exposure-to-cold
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/956611/tools-of-the-trade/p1

sheldonklein

In season, the Costcos near me (Mich.) have all of the gear except special shoes. Even Yaxtrax.
Last fall I was just starting to run. Late November for a change of pace I decided to run on a treadmill. I immediately started having hamstring problem that didn't heal until Spring, so I couldn't run for 4 months. I blame the treadmill, unfairly or not, so this winter I plan to run strictly outdoors.

MrsSteveJP

Thanks again everyone - you all have been very helpful... now I just have to wait for some of this stuff to be in the stores to buy!

RunnersLament

Hey Good Afternoon! Love the fact that you are just starting to run and embracing it. I personally hate the Treadmill so run outdoors whenever possible and for me that means some bitterly cold Manitoba mornings.

There are no doubt many tips you'll receive and hopefully some of what I'll say will help.

1. A little Vaseline on the cheeks will help with the wind burn on the face.
2. A little duct tape on the shoes will keep you in shoes you are used to but will contain some of the heat.
3. Wear layers and dress like its 10 degree's warmer than it is. Personally I wear a wicking base layer, a layer of natural fibers (wool is nice) and then wind protection layer (but add intermediate layers depending on how cold it truly is.)
4. Coverage is important... Frostbite likes to find exposed skin.
5. Wear a decent hat/balaclava to protect your ears/face/head... we really do lose a great deal of heat thru our heads... its ok to look like you are going to rob a bank when its -25 or colder.
6. I run with my iPhone and these are prone to freezing up... I keep mine in a ziplock bag, tucked into an inside pocket closest to my core to prevent this.
7. Run with friends and plan to have coffee afterwards as a reward!
8. In our neck of the woods it gets dark early over the winter... wear a headlamp and reflective clothing. Give cars every opportunity to see you!
9. Avoid speedwork outdoors... it never really works for most between the ice and cold.
10. Cleats... you can buy Yaktracks etc relatively easily and will give you traction on ice... or some 1/4 inch 1/3rd inch hex head screws can be screwed into the bottom of an old pair of shoes to give you instant traction.
11. Be aware that dehydration can still happen in winter! I have a thermal Contigo mug that replaces my water bottle and usually only freezes after the first 5 miles or so.
12. Have fun... don't forget to make some snow angels and enjoy the feeling as you take in that crisp fresh winter air!

I'm from Winnipeg, so know exactly what you are running in. I also coach some of the Winter Running Clinics at the Running Room. If you have any questions... feel free to ask!

RunnersLament

MrsSteveJP wrote: »

Thanks again everyone!! wow - more reply than expected!

Question: when shopping online for the tights; is is important that it says 'insulated' or something of the like or can they just be running tights?

Depends on how cold it gets! I usually just throw on a pair of wind pants or even old sweats over top of normal running tights to provide another layer.