Running in Winter

Invest in some decent cold weather gear (wind blocking jacket, good gloves, insulated running tights, etc). It helps so much. If you aren't sure what to get, go to a local running store and ask what they recommend. I started with the very basics and then added more things as I got colder on runs.

I live in Minneapolis and I'll run outside unless it is more than 10 degrees or so below zero (I know people who run even when it's below that, but since I'm a transplant from Arkansas, that's cold enough to make me stay inside!). Make sure to cover your face with something if you're running in real cold -- I have a running face mask that I got on Amazon and it works well -- it doesn't have to be really thick, it just keeps my face from facing all the wind and cold.

Watch out for ice -- that is the only thing that will really keep me inside. I know several people who have broken or fractured bones slipping on it, so I take that seriously.

I motivate myself by signing up for spring races. I have one in March that I usually do, so I need to keep my miles up during the winter. Yeah, I can do it on a treadmill -- but long runs on a treadmill are such a drag.

NorthCascades wrote: »

I've cross country skied in -2F cold, you can run in a Chicago winter.

Avoid the temptation to overdress. Running will keep you warm. If you wear a down jacket you'll overheat, sweat a lot, and your sweat will chill you if you stop. Dress for the second mile not the first. Drink something hot before you leave to warm you for the first mile.

Look into Microspikes or Yaktrax if you think you might encounter icy ground.

Yes, this. I can run in a jacket that looks really light even when it is very cold. It's the windblocking and insulation I'm looking for, not thickness. You will get warm -- even when it is cold.

Thanks for starting this thread. This will be my first winter of running as well. Looking forward to reading all the tips.

Assuming all the things you are assuming in your OP, then no... running in the cold is just fine. I don't do anything different. On the east cost, winter = short days/minimal daylight, so I tend to be more attentive to visibility - both being seen and being able to see. Otherwise, running in the winter is the same as running in the summer, it just needs more/different clothes.

Traction, I guess, is the one thing that may be different, depending on where you run and how the streets are.

As others have said, the three things you need to worry about are proper gear, visibility and footing. I suggest investing in a few good base layer pieces and a wind/water resistant shell. I have Reynaud's syndrome and my hands are prone to numbing so I wear multiple pairs of gloves. If it's really cold, sometimes I will use hand warmers. I also like to wear a buff around my neck that I can adjust up and down as I need it for wind and snow protection. I have a balaclva, but I don't usually wear it until sub zero temps because it tends to gather ice around the mouth and nose which can be uncomfortable.

With shorter daylight hours, I am running more on the roads and less on trails and paths, so I always wear light clothing and a reflective vest plus blinking lights. Always run toward traffic if you are on the road. A head lamp is also a good idea.

When it snows, I try to wait until the streets have been plowed before I run. I join my local running group on really cold weekends for motivation and also having a pre-planned route helps.

Usually during the winter, I do one interval session per week on the dreadmill, usually Friday mornings. I don't mind doing intervals on the treadmill because the short segments break up the monotony, the workouts are generally short enough and I can control the pace. Doing this once a week gives me a mental break from putting on all of those layers and dealing with the cold. Running in the cold is not really bad, it's getting yourself out the door that is the hard part. Once you get in the habit though, it's just like running in the spring and fall, only with more clothes on.

Thanks for posting. I slacked off some of last winter or went to the treadmill. I had some things that worked in cold weather, but a few that didn't. Now I've shrunk out of my warmer leggings from last year, so the hunt begins again.

I had the most trouble with my hands not staying warm - found a Buff around my neck helped a lot and another as an ear cover.

For those who have mentioned yak tracks of microspikes, do those affect your stride much? I've never used either, so am curious how they feel as you run.

I actually really enjoy running in the winter, just make sure you're prepared with the right gear for warm, traction, and visibility like many others have covered so you can do so safely. I don't alter my diet, might do some extra stretching to make sure I'm loose before I start. My wife and I really enjoy fall/winter 5/10ks in our area, something you can look into as an incentive to keep running through the cold and support some good causes. There's a Thanksgiving Day 10K we always try to do that benefits the local food bank, and the local ECHL hockey team does a "Frozen 5k" in January/February that benefits their foundation and gets you free tickets.

I'm also a jerk and I delight in staying active while everyone else hibernates and gets fat.

I live in Utah. We have....interesting winters. I started running last Feb, in 25* weather. Wore a nice base layer, jacket, long running pants, a ballcap and shoes...with no socks. Oddly enough, my coldest part were my hands. It feels awesome to get out there when others don't, and once I'm through the first half mile, I don't even notice the cold.

I’m going to second or third the comments on visibility and traction. You need to be very visible to traffic anytime, but when the roads are narrower due to snow banks and corner visibility is lessened due to snow banks, you need to be even more visible. And traction/footing can be tricky when you’re running on roads that are mostly clear but have snowy/icy spots (things like yacktrax don’t do well on dry ground).

The clothing stuff is a given. They make all kinds of clothing for all kinds of temps and it’s a matter of finding your personal comfort there. But certain practicalities due to snow and visibility aren’t so obvious until you come face to face with a car at a corner because neither of you saw each other and you’re already practically in the middle of the road because there’s 4 ft of snow in the shoulder and you’re trying to step around black ice and there’s a 6 ft tall pile of snow at the corner.

sparklyglitterbomb wrote: »

For those who have mentioned yak tracks of microspikes, do those affect your stride much? I've never used either, so am curious how they feel as you run.

I've hiked but not run in Microspikes. They add about a pound to your feet.

NorthCascades wrote: »

sparklyglitterbomb wrote: »

For those who have mentioned yak tracks of microspikes, do those affect your stride much? I've never used either, so am curious how they feel as you run.

I've hiked but not run in Microspikes. They add about a pound to your feet.

Yak tracks are ok but I find they feel like there’s something stuck on my feet. I don’t think they altered my stride in snow but once I hit dry pavement for a bit I kind of hated them until I was back on snow. I think I’m kind of a princess and the pea with my feet though so probably normal people don’t have these issues.

I had to learn my own method of proper warming up before heading outside. I made many mistakes of heading straight out doors being being too light on the clothing or too much. Keeping my hands and feet warm are a key component to my run.

I have seen people running in shorts where I am bundled up. It will take several runs, different temps to know your preferred way to dress.

I warmup on my treadmill before heading out side, pretty much this is my first mile per se. I can keep and maintain core temp through the run as long I keep the running going from start to finish, this includes my hands too (still wear gloves in colder temps).

Do not know your traffic in your area, but plenty of traffic here to where folks are driving where their windshields are still frozen and what not, and not paying attention if someone is running/walking on the road. Be mindful of all traffic, wear reflective gear/colors if you need to.

I use the RW site to give me an idea of what to wear, but I also keep notes on what worked or didn't work for me. Wind chill changes the equation, so does overcast or sunshine. I try not to overdress, and the notes help me with that.

We don't get a lot of snow, but when we do, running on roads becomes difficult because the snowbanks fill the tiny bike lanes. Forget sidewalks, they are often not shoveled for days, if at all. Only one County park gets plowed, and the trail there is only 2 miles long. So if we get much snow, I'll usually use the TM. I've done 20 mile runs on it when marathon training. I also avoid ice because the hills around here get very icy in the shade.

You can totally do it. My cutoff is 25 degrees, but that's because I'm a wimp and I have asthma. Generally speaking, there's no such thing as too cold weather -- just not-warm-enough gear.

For me, when it's 30 and below, I go with a wool base layer if the windchill is kicking in, fleece tights, a slim-line hoodie, and a fleece. Then a wool beanie (I knit -- I should make a new one this year), and gloves. 30-40, no wool base layer, but everything else.

I'm lucky that I run in a park where the paved trail is adjacent to the roadway -- so the county crews take care of the trail when they do the road. I can think of *one* time when it wasn't well-maintained, and that was the morning after a huge amount of snow the previous night.

I bought spikes at Costco last year. They were fairly lightweight rubber and designed to clip on your shoe fairly simply. It didn't work and they came off all the time! I imagine they might stay on if you added a long lace to tie them in place.

This year I'll buy something better that allows for trail running even when there is ice and snow. Advice on the best kind to get is welcome!