Adjusting To Cold Weather: An Arizona Runner Relocates To Virginia

but here in Montana its been a mild winter. This morning it was about 30 degrees. I’ll run in the upper teens.

I like Climalite stuff from Adidas. They make some good running pants that can keep you warm. A decent running jacket will help to. I like to layer, so a long-sleeved running t under a running jacket or pullover. That way if I get warm I can roll up sleeves or take off the jacket.

But above all, I really think a good pair of gloves and a stocking cap go a long ways. Cover the head, ears, and hands and it goes a long way to enjoying a cold run.

I had started running in August 2008 in Central Park. That means 80+ degrees and very humid. The best time to run was at 5pm. As winter set in, I found myself adding more and more layers.

They said you should always dress as if it were 10 degrees warmer. So in 50 degree weather, I have to think it’s 60 degrees – tights, and a long sleeve under armour shirt. (And everything that @51dimes has mentioned already.) When it’s 18 degrees (dress like it’s 28 degrees), I’d wear tights under my tights, long sleeve under armour shirt with a t-shirt over it, a northface fleece and a jacket over it. What I found to be very important are – gloves, scarf, hat. The hat is the most important part. You can always shed layers.

Be careful though – Once you stop running, your body heat drops so much and your odds of getting the flu are high.

Since I’ve started winter running, I prefer that over that running in the summer. Something about the cold chill? I’m not sure. I’ve done extensive research about running in the cold (once I read an article about your lungs freezing. They don’t. They freeze 10 minutes after you die.). “They” recommend you stay in if it’s under 10 degrees.

I’ve been running every day for the past 6 months, and the two weeks I spent in Plymouth, MA during the holidays over Xmas were the most difficult. I ended up skipping a few days (largely due to family priorities) but also because of the temperature adjustment.

It wasn’t the cold; it was the WIND. A knit hat was essential, though I’d end up taking it off after 2 miles. Maybe a thinner hat would be better? The long-sleeve North Face long-sleeve tech shirt I received as a present was a huge help. I ran in sweatpants, but my legs always warmed up quickly.

If I had to stick with it for the full winter season, it seems like I’d have to adjust my schedule so that I was always free to run around 2 or 3pm – warm air and (hopefully) setting sun. Otherwise, better to just find a treadmill.

I ran at 6:30 a.m. this morning in DC. Man, was it cold (and dark)! Luckily, I was rocking under armour cold gear compression pants, which are flippin’ awesome (and make me feel like a professional runner/superhero, which I am neither). Anyway, then when I got home 20-25 minutes later, it was no longer dark out, but still cold as heck! I just started running in November. Looking forward to some spring-time running, guys.

became running mecca’s back in the day.

When I started graduate school in ‘06. I wasn’t really running before I moved out here, but I was acclimated to the cold. I struggle with the summer heat more than the wintertime, to be honest. Can’t layer for heat.

I live in Montreal Canada, and I guess I’m pretty lucky because I’m finding I love to run in the cold! I did a run at -14 celcius (about 7 Fahrenheit) on Monday and that’s my coldest so far, but I suspect i’ll be running in colder before the winter is out.

But if you’re still looking for tips, here’s some from a very novice runner who loves the cold run:

Make sure your hands, ears and neck are covered
Windproof shells are a must
Get a really good pair of winter tights, I recommend these: http://goo.gl/Uf0KV
Layering is the best way to.
Good warm socks are fantastic. I love my Thorlos, personally.

And just a thing I do for myself – I make a hot pot of coffee before I go and put it into a vacuum flask, so it stays warm. The first thing I do when I get home (after shedding wet and cold outer layers) is pour myself a cup of piping hot coffee. After the first sip it seems totally worth it.

I live and run right on the Michigan / Ohio border so the weather has been hovering around high 20s to the low 40s on warmer nights.

I’m also probably the person that will post on here that you’ll least likely take advice from, as on most nights I just head out in shorts and a shirt. If it gets really cold I’ll add a layer (long sleeve shirt) and if it’s raining I’ll go shirtless. Only thing I’d consider changing is I could use a pair of gloves for some of the colder nights, the rest of the time the weather doesn’t bother me at all.