Winter Running: Keys to Keeping Warm

It’s getting cold outside, and the ranks of outdoor runners are thinning out.

Your choices are simple: You could stay inside and watch TV while remembering those warm spring and summer runs, or you could bundle up and run alongside the snowplows or crashing waves of Lake Michigan. If you plan to tough it out until the Spring, it’s important to keep some safety tips in mind.

The usual pitfalls of running, such as overheating, still apply during the winter, but you will also contend with the threat of frostbite or snow blindness (grab some shades).

Here are a few other tips to ensure you emerge from the dark winter months as fit as – or, dare we say, fitter than – you were in the summer.

Layers

When you’re piling on clothes to insulate yourself, be sure to do so in a way that leaves you with options. You’ll be able to shed your outer-most layer. We recommend something breathable, like nylon and polyester, to expose an optional middle layer, perhaps fleece.

Against your skin, you will want a thin, synthetic material that easily handles sweat. Polypropylene layers, such as fleece, are a favorable option. Cotton is a bad idea. It retains water, and when you’re powering through a brutal winter landscape, that’s the last thing you want.

Before you head out, keep in mind that by running, you will naturally warm up. So avoid the urge to overdress. Think about what you would wear if it was 10 degrees warmer.

Hands, Feet and Head

It’s easy to overlook those thinly covered hands when you’re still in your nice, warm house. But shielding your limbs from the elements is critical. When it comes to your hands, let your fingers share the heat. Wear mittens when it’s especially cold. Mittens also allow room for heat packets. For those same reasons, we also recommend wearing thicker socks. Fleece and wool are preferable.

Even more importantly, you should protect your head. A body can lose nearly half of its heat through the head. To make matters worse, that drop in head heat cools the blood that goes to the rest of your body. Wear a hat to keep your scalp toasty, and when it’s really cold, you’d better wear a face mask or a scarf over your mouth to protect your face and keep your lungs safe.

Talk to Your Doctor

Whatever your running plans are this winter, run them by your doctor first. Medical problems can be made exponentially worse when you introduce dangerously cold air: asthma attacks, chest pains, sore throats, you name it. Only your doctor can say for sure what your safest options are. Contact us at 866.696.7988 if we can ever answer any questions for you!

Photo credit.