Quote:
Originally Posted by Slacker
Any tips for winter running? I don't have any gear for winter time.
Thanks!  |
A common mistake is over-dressing, turning yourself into a sweat box, even on those minus 20 Celcius runs. You want to be feeling chill as you start out. You'll be warm in a kilometre or two, but not hot. The reverse of that is if you have to start walking, you'll get cold very quickly, so be aware of your circumstances.
Layering is an art form, very personal and everyone has their own peculiarities.
My weird thing is that, even at minus 25 C or worse, even running through snow, I'll usually wear thin, business dress socks - total dweeb - and my feet never get cold. The other weird thing is I hate running without a neck warmer, even on warm winter days.
I tend to wear looser fitting gloves, leggings and jackets. Tighter fitting stuff can transmit the cold directly to your skin. Looser fitting stuff leaves room for warmer pockets of air between your skin and the material.
On minus 15 C days or worse I'll wear looser fitting gloves and shove my cell phone down into the palm of my hand. That keeps the phone warm. A cell phone won't last long in cold weather, even in an interior pocket.
Windproofing yourself will be important with winter running. Particularly the boy parts!!! That's a painful thaw. But primarily the core. I like a warmer core with colder arms.
I start wearing a balaclava at about minus 23 C or so. It's hard to breathe through a balaclava but also harder to breathe at that temp and worse anyway. The side benefit of a balaclava is warm air puffing out and immediately forming an ice cone on your head (pictured). This makes you look like a total badass. It's harmless until your eyelashes start to freeze together.
Lastly, if the passenger side or back seat of your vehicle looks like it holds the entire clothing inventory of a running store, you're probably a normal winter runner. Different layering combinations for different temperatures, plus 10 C down to minus 25 C or so. I have three running jackets and a light running vest.
I run lonely country roads southwest of the city, in the Black Diamond/Millarville area and not unusual to be out for a hour or two, maybe more, at minus 15 to minus 25 C and many miles from my vehicle. I like those days.
Good luck with your race.
Ice cone head, 11 KM at minus 23 C.
