Winter Running: How To Keep Training When It’s Cold Out
When the temperature outside starts to drop, so does the urge to get up and get active. Running during the winter, while challenging, is important. Not only does it help you maintain milestones you’ve already achieved but also helps ensure that you don’t have to start your training overcome Spring.
Finding Your Motivation
If you find your motivation waning when it gets cold, there are some easy tricks to keeping up your routine. Whether you need a training partner who keeps you from wimping out or the looming deadline of a Spring race to get you in gear, putting yourself in a situation to be held accountable for your training is a great way to continue running during the winter.
Protecting Your Feet
There are a couple of things to consider when getting ready for a winter run. It’s not just the cold air that could make your training more difficult or uncomfortable, especially when it comes to your feet. You’ll want to ensure that your running shoes are waterproofed so that you are prepared for a winter of snow, ice, and rain. Moisture-wicking socks will also help ensure that your feet are staying dry during a winter run. Check out this list of best winter running socks for some great options.
Preparing Your Body
Getting dressed appropriately for a winter run can be challenging, you want to be warm, but not too warm. Layers are your friend for winter training, allowing you to easily adjust to what your body needs. RunnersWorld has a great list for determining the right amount of clothing for running in different winter temperatures. You will be able to determine what you prefer for these temperatures very easily and can adjust as needed.
30+ Degrees:
long sleeve top
vest
leggings
10 to 20 Degrees:
long sleeve top
wind-resistant jacket
leggings
wind-resistant pants
0 to 10 Degrees:
long sleeve top
fleece jacket
wind-resistant jacket
leggings
wind-resistant pants
-10 to 0 Degrees:
long sleeve top
fleece jacket
wind-resistant jacket
leggings
wind-resistant pants
second pair of gloves
scarf or other face protecting article
For all of these suggestions, you should also wear gloves and a hat. Make sure that you use reflective gear that helps you be seen so that you can run safely.
Warm-Up When It Cools Down
Your warm-up is more important than ever during winter training. If you don’t normally warm-up, you should and if you do, extend the time you spend preparing your body to run. This will help your muscles ease into the cold and the exercising and prevent pulling muscles or doing more serious damage to your body. You may even need to slowly build up to what your normal running pace would be when it is cold out.
Take Your Time
Running during the winter is not the time to beat personal records or push yourself too hard. Use the colder months to establish a strong, solid base for your Spring training. Set very general goals for yourself throughout the winter and increase them as the season wears on and your body adjusts to the colder temperatures. In December, try to run 3 to 4 times per week for a set amount of time. Come January, increase that time.
How Cold Is Too Cold?
With the right preparation and attire, many experts will say that it’s never too cold to run outside. Other experts recommend not running longer than 30 minutes in temperatures below zero. While things like ice, snow, inclement weather and wind chill should be taken into account, this call is up to the individual. Listen to your body and make sure that you are not putting it through a workout it can’t handle.