As I write this it is snowing outside with a temperature of 19 degrees! Cold weather running is more of a challenge for runners. For any temperatures from the high teens and up, it is more of a mental challenge than a physical one. Unless of course it is 19 degrees with a 20 miles per hour wind! Now that is a different story!
If there is little or no wind, it is amazing what temperatures runners can be comfortable in. I ran a New Years Day run several years ago when the temperature was nine degrees outside, but there was no wind at all. It was a 10k race, and when I finished I was wet with sweat. All I wore was a pair of running shorts, long running tights, a long sleeved shirt, gloves, and a cap with a stocking band over my ears. All in all I was dressed very lightly and still I felt over-dressed by the end of the race.

For cold weather running one must either start out dressed for the middle and end of the run (and be cold for a while first going out) or be able to shed some clothes along the way. If you run loops, the latter is the best choice. However, you have to be very careful with the shedding clothes method; do not wait until you are sweating to shed them. It is no fun to be hot and sweating on a cold day and have to take your outer layer off. Time your shedding so that you don’t have to endure that cold chill on your wet skin.

Cold weather running gear comes in the form of clothing which wicks the moisture away from your skin and allows it to evaporate. These high-tech materials work great, but are expensive. And they still won’t solve your problem of how soon to remove some layers. You can still sweat and get wet with the expensive clothing just like you can with an old running shirt and shorts.

Too Cold to Run Period? Try a Precor Treadmill

I prefer to dress light and just endure the cold for a while at the start. Even though I am aware of the sweating problem, it is still difficult for me to time it just right and keep from getting wet. I know when I go out that warmth is just a few miles away. And unless I am running loops somewhere, this is really the only choice. And during a race it really is the only choice.

However, there is one exception. Cold weather running for a marathon or even a half-marathon is different than running races of shorter distance. I run in one half and/or full marathon each year which is in the spring. It may be below 30 or above 50 at 6:00 AM that time of year. If the start is going to be cold, I wear a “throw away” sweat shirt. The staging times for the large marathon runs can be 30 minutes or more. That is a long time to stand there without many clothes on if it is 30 degrees with a brisk wind! So for cold weather running of marathons, I simply have some old sweat shirts (which I find at garage sales during the year) at the start of the race and then quickly toss to the side of the rode after the first mile or less.

Cold weather running is a necessity in many parts of the country. Be smart with your layers and it can be a very rewarding experience! Just keep telling yourself when heading out for a run on a cold day that it is better to run in 22 degrees than it is to run in 102 degrees!

Good Luck and Happy Cold Weather Running!