Running During the Colder Months?

BUMP!! Needing this info tooo!!!:blushing:

Define "cold". I've run in the low 20s (not cold compared to others). I just wear an extra wicking layers, gloves, and a beanie.

I find it harder to breathe in cold air, how can I make this better?

Good info about screwing your shoes: http://www.psychowyco.com/id26.html

Other than that, get ye some tights! Unless you live somewhere warm I s'pose.

I do both running in the gym and outside but find outside running is better as you stay cooler longer and you dont end up looking at the walls or TV so I have to say its outside for me most of the time even when cold as you soon warm up but dont like it when its raining or snow arrrrrrrrr then its inside hope this helps you

Great question. I can always layer up but I want to know about breathing the cold air. It's my lungs that hurt the worst when I run in the cold? Any suggestions for that? I thought about running with scarf over my mouth but wondered if that would hinder my breathing.

I run in the cold all winter long. I ran the Disney marathon in January 2010 and it was 25 degrees in Orlando, FL that day!
The key is wearing clothing that is moisture wicking and to wear layers, so that you can peel them off as you warm up. Keep your head covered since that is where you lose most of your body heat. Don't over dress or you could over heat. Experiment with what works for you and have fun! Don't let the weather hold you back...bless it's unsafe.

For me, the cold is easier than the heat!

have you heard about Active.com? They have a lot of good articles about running and how to run in the winter.
My favorite running site.

This is great information. Bumping for later!

I no longer live in a bitterly cold place, but when I did, I used to stop running in the winter because my town was hilly and the sidewalks were treacherous in the ice and snow. I didn't know about yaktraks and I didn't have money to join a gym, so I just waited till spring. I certainly ran in very low temperatures when there wasn't snow though. Wearing a scarf or a ski tube definitely helped! It shouldn't effect your ability to breath, but it will definitely help prevent your lungs from hurting.

I think the wick away fabrics are great, but again, I didn't have money to invest in proper running gear at the time. I wore lots of layers, with cotton long underwear as my base-layers (skin touching layer) and something that stopped the wind as my outermost layer. I didn't find it was a problem until the cool-down portion of the jog. I compensated by doing my cool-down indoors and it was fine. I only ran 40 minutes at most though. I guess it would depend on how long you jog.

I find it harder to breathe in cold air, how can I make this better?

Usually give it a few runs & you will adjust. The 1st few really cold runs sometimes are tough. You can also get those facemask things or a scarf. I used those when its in the teens or single digits or the wind chills are really low.

Lots of good info already stated here. Layers & reflective gear for the dark. I've also gone to taking an extra hat for really long runs, a dry hat half way thru makes a big difference in comfort.

I ran outside all thru last winter and I live in the Chicago area. Lots of great advice on here; layering, yax trax, reflective gear, wicking fabrics, etc. What I learned after one season of running outdoors thru the winter:

1) You get used to the cold. You will feel cold for the first mile or so, but after that you are plenty warm. Also, when all your non-running friends are freaking out about how cold it is and hovering indoors, you'll be like, "What? Its not that bad."

2) Get out of your wet clothes fast after your run and get in a warm shower. You will get chilled fast after the run.

3) Find somewhere safe to run. Avoid at all costs running on streets just because they are plowed when the sidewalks are not. So not safe. I run at the Arboretum because they plow the roads and there is a designated bike lane that runners use and very little car traffic (and what there is goes one way). Its a 30+ minute drive to get there, but so worth it. Plus, the Arb is beautiful covered in snow.

4) Anything above zero degrees F is absolutely fine for me. Anything below zero, especially with wind chill, is a no go for me. I ran last year with a wind chill at minus 14. I felt ok during the run, but had wracking shivers on the ride home. Won't do that again. But, everyone is different, so you kinda have to decide for yourself what your limit is.

5) This year, I won't worry as much about pace. I just run slower in the cold weather. I noticed more discomfort, especially in my hip flexors, while running outside in the cold and trying to maintain my "normal" pace. This problem totally disappeared when the weather got warmer. I plan to just get the miles in at whatever pace feels good (and tell myself it counts double since I ran outside). ;o)

Hope that helps! Putting all this down was a good exercise to remind myself of what I learned before the cold weather hits us here in Chicago! Thanks!

Driving my daughter to school, I thought of a few more things that might be helpful to share. So, continuing from my previous post:

6) Don't waste money on Goretex/waterproof shoes. I got this advice from a SALES GUY at my local running store thinking about buying some. He said that Goretex shoes are great for keeping water out, but trap sweat and you end up running is soggy socks anyway. He suggested that if you are worried about cold feet, just layer a pair of regular cotton socks OVER your technical socks (warmth + blister free, genius!). I did this last year and it works great.

7) Layers, layers, layers. This was posted by several people before. Thought I'd specify what that means for me.

1st layer: tech tee.
2nd Layer: Long sleeve tech shirt.
3rd Layer: Lighter weight dry fit-type pullover.
4th Layer: Heavier weight fleece jacket or pullover.
5th Layer: usually a zip up fleece jacket or zip up windbreaker so that I can peel it off easily and tie it around my waist if I get too hot. Usually only needed if its in the single digit temps.

All this with fleece-lined running tights, sometimes with windbreaker/track pants over top on single digit temp days, plus:

Gloves: I like the kind with fold back mittens that way rather than have to figure out how to carry them, I can just fold the mitten back to expose the fingerless glove portion and my hands don't feel as hot.

Fleece hat, sometimes worn OVER an ear warmer on those super cold days.

8) Freshly fallen snow is surprisingly easy to run on and just dang fun. Its when there are frozen spots underneath that it gets treacherous and you have to watch out. Icy or packed/trampled snow - as on non-shoveled sidewalks - just bag it or wear Yax Trax. Which, by the way, feel kinda like you stepped in sticky mud and have that extra weight on the bottom of your shoe, but you get used to it and adjust your stride/pace.

Hope this helps. Only spent one year so far running outside, but learned a lot and simply can't go back to running on the treadmill.