Winter Running - Beginner

I run in a similar climate--I believe we are snowier and windier but not quite as cold. One thing I have found is that in the deadest of winter (Jan-Feb, here), it actually becomes impossible to run outside NOT because of conditions, but because of lack of anywhere to run. The sidewalks don't get shoveled and the plow piles take up the shoulders/bike lanes; the local park with trails gives them over to cross-country skiing. So there is some treadmill time for me.

I do run outside as much as I can, though.

If you are running on solid ice, spikes or Yaktrax on your shoes are a great idea. They don't work so well on snow or on mixed ice and pavement, unfortunately.

*I* like Gore-Tex running shoes in winter. They are waterproof and, more to the point, *windproof*. (They don't work in rain, 'cause once water gets in the top, game over. But if you're trunching through snow, Gore-Tex is amazing). Brooks Adrenaline, Brooks Ghost, and Saucony Ride all have good GTX options, although they're a little more expensive.

Clothing-wise, it is really up to your comfort level, cold tolerance, and sweating. For heat, layering is your friend--the multiple layers will create air pockets and warmth. You don't want to overdress, though--sweat makes you wet which is BAD. You want to be a little cold at the beginning of your run so you will still be dry at the end.

Running tights are great. I like ones with a zipper at the bottom as they are easier to pull on. I have one pair of normal ones and one pair with wind-blocking neoprene panels in the thighs for the really bad days. On top, the most clothing I get is a running T-shirt, arm warmers, and a light jacket. Anything heavier and I'm a sweat bomb. (A lot of people do long-sleeve shirts underneath; I use the short sleeves and arm warmers so I can push down the arm warmers when I start to get hot).

I like a headband that covers my ears. I wear the Brooks Infiniti in pretty much everything. You can also buy a running, moisture-wicking hat. Winter stuff is *just* starting to trickle into the running stores, so please forgive me for not linking examples.

Socks: GET GOOD SOCKS. Moisture wicking (not cotton) and thick. I swear by Drymax winter socks. They, plus Gore-Tex windblocking shoes, let me get away without chemical toewarmers.

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.

Visibility: keep in mind that even if you're not running at night, you may very well be in darker clouds, or in weather. High vis colors are great--my running jacket is neon green. I have lights that clip onto the front and back for actual nighttime.

Running Warehouse will do rotating sales--including on their winter gear--between Halloween and Thanksgiving. Actually, ALL the online outdoor gear stores will. Moosejaw, Backcountry, REI. I'd wait until then, and stock up. You'll get some really nice discounts.

ETA: My full winter setup is:
+ Gore-Tex shoes
+ Drymax winter socks
+ Road Runners light tights / New Balance windblocking tights
+ Short-sleeve wicking T-shirt (like from Target or Meijer or whatever)
+ Arm warmers made by cutting the toes off kneesocks
+ Brooks Infiniti running jacket, high vis colors
+ Manzella fleece mittens
+ HeatMax handwarmers
+ Brooks Infiniti headband
+ Road Runners LED lights if necessary

Our climate is quite different - usually we have less than a week each winter where there is ice or snow on the side walks - so I simply take that time off.

I started running last fall and the number one thing I did to combat winter was simply force myself to go out in bad weather, which for us means pouring rain.

Dress right and get out there. Sure, it'll feel cold at first but as you warm up the weather will typically not be an issue.

If your route becomes impractical because of ice or snow, maybe consider using a treadmill at a gym or community centre. I hate them with a passion myself, but at this point I hate *not running* with a passion far deeper than how I detest treadmills.

In Minnesota we do half marathons in January. I'm not running inside (or so I say to myself now).

Winter running is totally do-able. Runners World has a page that tells you how to dress..runnersworld.com/what-to-wear

Its just a guide not something absolute because it depends on your comfort level.

I'll mostly run on the edge of the streets, or on the dirt trails in the winter.

Shoes-For packed snow on the streets, I like to use my normal shoes with sheet metal screws in the bottom. (You have to grind off the tips or else they'll poke the bottom of your foot). Easy to put in and remove and the traction is good. They work well on ice too. Deeper snow (5"+) I have some running snowshoes (Dion 132 are what I have) that work surprisingly well. I didn't think you could run with snowshoes, but you can. Your pace will suffer, but you'll come out of winter a better runner.

Clothes- My advice-Layers and get a good jacket that breathes well. Some people try to use windbreaker jackets, which hold heat in, but you don't want your sweat to turn to ice either. A long sleeve wicking shirt, and another short sleeve wicking shirt over it. I don't think I wore 2 long sleeve shirts all winter. I'll wear 2 pairs of gloves and maybe take 1 or both pairs off before they get too sweaty. I'll wear a hat, and tights. On those cold windy days, those wind breaker panel tights are nice.

For light, I'd use a Petzl headlamp.

I think the coldest I ran in last year was -2 with a 20 mph wind. Much colder than that and I did the treadmill instead.

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.

A lot of really good advice here, so I don't have much to add. I have found that my underarmour mock necks are the most valuable part of my winter wardrobe - under a t-shirt on a cold day, under a tech shirt on a colder day, or under a fleece or running jacket on a really cold day. I have several pairs of underarmour tights that I love, and a pair of fleece lined northface tights that I wear on the coldest days. Most of the winter I wear my regular shoes, but switch to warmer socks, though I do have I a pair of gortex rides that I wear if it is snowing or the roads are wet. A couple of pairs of merino wool socks are worth the investment.
You can sometimes find good deals a marshalls or tj maxx, but you have to be willing to search through most of the junk to find the good stuff. If there are any outlet malls near you, places like nike or saucony or adidas will sometimes have last years clothing line at a slightly discounted price.

I'm in the mid-Atlantic, so definitely not as cold, but I'm a total cold weather wuss, so I still wear winter gear. I resisted tights for the longest time because they just LOOKED cold - I mean, they're so thin and right up against your legs! - but I finally caved and bought some and they are great. Looser pants just let cold air in as they flap. So when it comes to pants, I suggest tights. Maybe try for one lined pair and one unlined, that way you have options as the temperature fluctuates, without having tons of things laying around. Ear protection is key for me - I feel miserable all over when my ears start aching.

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?

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

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.

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).

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

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.

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.

[/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!