Runners: How cold is to cold?

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13

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  • bgelliott
    bgelliott Posts: 610 Member
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    I'm a sissy....lol...anything below 60 and I run indoors on the treadmill BUT I do run in up to 105 degree weather in the summer once the sun goes down or before it comes up. :-) :laugh:
  • Eaglesfanintn
    Eaglesfanintn Posts: 813 Member
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    The cold doesn't bother me too much. As others have said, it's about layering and minimizing exposed skin.
    My only problem is that getting into and out of all of those layers can be a hassle during the work week when my mornings are already a pretty tight schedule. So, I'll do my weekday runs on the treadmill (as much as I hate that) and then layer up on the weekend and do my runs outside.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,472 Member
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    its been minus 30 every day this week,
    and i have gone out every day.
    no matter what
    even with heavy winds and snowsqualls.
  • SaintGiff
    SaintGiff Posts: 3,678 Member
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    Former running addict here. I lived in Florida and ran there during the middle of the day in the summer. The heat was never an issue for me so long as I carried a ton of water. Moved to Toronto and ran up here in the middle of snowstorms. Running in the cold sucks at first, but once you get used to it I honestly have to say I prefer it. Probably the coldest I've ever ran was -40 or so. You have to be careful to cover any exposed skin ( sweet, sweet beard ), but otherwise it is surprising how quickly you heat up. I've generated just as much sweat running at -20 as I did running in Florida. As odd as it sounds, you just have to be careful not to overdress.
  • deannakittygirl
    deannakittygirl Posts: 228 Member
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    I am not yet hardcore and as soon as snow flies it too cold for me. I'm ok doing alternate indoor workouts till the thaw!
  • Leonidas_meets_Spartacus
    Leonidas_meets_Spartacus Posts: 6,198 Member
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    Was -40 when I started my meager 5K run last night... At that temp its too cold to walk.

    Like others have said before... its how you dress and layer your apparel that makes it possible.

    Solid moisture wicking base layer
    Insulating fleece middle layer
    Heavy wind resistant outer layer.
    Balaclava
    Mitts
    Hat over the balaclava

    and duct tape over the shoes.

    Piece of cake.:wink:

    Thanks for the suggestion, I live in GA and don't really have cold weather gear but I might need to go buy some of this stuff to keep running in unusually cold winter.
  • southerndream24
    southerndream24 Posts: 303 Member
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    I'm more concerned about slippery roads. I didn't run the last two days because I was slipping on my way into the office. Got out there this morning and it was about 7 degrees. The coldest I've run in was about 6 degrees with a winchill of -2. I refuse to get on a treadmill.
  • Ainar
    Ainar Posts: 858 Member
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    Coldest I've ever run was -30° ish C. It was very cold winter. This winter is rather warm, for more than half winter this year it was +10° to 0°. Now last week or so it dropped down to -15° suddenly from nowhere. It's still not cold in my opinion. I definitely like it better than summers when here it is up to +30°. Too cold for me would prolly be around -40°, hard to tell since it never was so cold here so I might still run, would just need to dress warmer. I think that weather is just excuse. It won't kill you or harm you if you dress right.
  • jcputerbaugh
    jcputerbaugh Posts: 5 Member
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    I prefer to run outside, but when I'm home I am selective (aka a wimp), with a range of about 40-75F since I have a treadmill. When I travel and don't have access to a treadmill I will run no matter the temperature, so 15-90F. In the cold, it's more about the condition of the roads and the wind than the temperature. Also, I don't have a history of chest colds, pneumonia, breathing issues or the like. In my opinion, heat is much worse than cold. I can add more layers to warm up, but can't wear much less than a sports bra and shorts to stay cool.
  • krist3ng
    krist3ng Posts: 259 Member
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    I'm going to try to run today. Apparently it'll be around 15 degrees. I get really hot when I run, anyway, so it will probably cancel out! I'll be taking my dog with me, but she'll be bundled too. She hasn't gotten any exercise in the past week or so and I feel bad.
  • Atarahh
    Atarahh Posts: 485 Member
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    Listen to your body...
  • Roadie2000
    Roadie2000 Posts: 1,801 Member
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    Wind chill is around -15 today where I live (Michigan) and not everyone shovels their sidewalks. No thanks. I work out inside pretty much all winter and don't normally run until it's over 40.
  • hbrittingham
    hbrittingham Posts: 2,518 Member
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    I'm a wimp and I live in North Carolina. If it's below 45, I go to the gym and run on the treadmill. On the flip side, if it's over 75 and humid, I go to the gym and run on the treadmill.
  • LoosingMyLast15
    LoosingMyLast15 Posts: 1,457 Member
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    For me it is more about the icy roads. I will run down to about 0 f without wind as long as the roads are not slick.

    ^^^ this - i'd rather not run in 0 degrees F but i will except if it's icy then treadmill it is.
  • RosieWest8
    RosieWest8 Posts: 185 Member
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    I think there was just an article about this due to the Polar Vortex (haha). The only thing to worry about is frostbite. So, as long as you are dressed properly to protect your body from that, then it's just personal preference. It won't hurt your muscles or lungs, apparently.


    I personally don't run when it's very cold at all (I mean like....I won't run outside if it's below 50 degrees probably......~ish). That's because for some reason, my jaw joint hurts really bad when my body is hot and the outside air is cold and I'm slack-jawed while running. It will hurt for like 40 minutes even after I'm done, so I just don't put myself through that. Luckily enough I'm in grad school right now so there's a great state of the art gym for me to use when it's freezing outside. =D
  • UrbanRunner81
    UrbanRunner81 Posts: 1,207 Member
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    I ran yesterday it was 12 out and -3 wind chill. I actually overdressed. I was too warm. I have trail shoes that I wear through the snow and yaktrax for ice.

    I only time I get cold is when I stop. Just got to keep moving.
  • HawkeyeTy
    HawkeyeTy Posts: 681 Member
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    Anything below 0 is just miserable, for me.
  • Daisyisacat
    Daisyisacat Posts: 47
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    I ran on Monday at lunch it was -35C with the wind chill. It was fine when you are running but in the city you get stopped by the traffic lights and you get cold quick. The hardest thing about running in the cold I find is my glasses fog if I wear a face mask. Not sure what the solution is - I can't see without my glasses.
  • amybg1
    amybg1 Posts: 631 Member
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    I'm Canadian and will run in weather as cold as -22F, I've snowshoe'd in close to -40. All you have to do is dress for the weather and enjoy!
  • walterm852
    walterm852 Posts: 409 Member
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    Hey cold weather runners who listen to music, does your ipod lose battery power like crazy under 10degrees?

    OP, I am in Pa too, training for May 4th Marathon in Pittsburgh. I have been able to run outside, once I get going I am fine.

    Top
    1) Coldgear t neck
    2) all season jacket with a built in tight hood
    3) light weight wind breaking running jacket
    4) hat
    Bottoms
    1) Coldgear evo leggings if under 20deg,
    2) shorts
    Gloves, i have my hands cupped, not in the fingers and I have the all weather jacket sleeves pulled over my hands.

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