Dressing for cold weather running

Last week and next week are two of the worst weeks for runners. Last week the temperatures were in the single digits and below with the wind chill factor included. Dressing to stay warm in this cold weather is a difficult task. If you dress to be warm as you step out the door you will need to shed a jacket after the first mile as you will be too warm. If you dress to be comfortable after the first mile, you will be cold in that first mile. With a wind chill, a nylon jacket is nice to stop the wind from getting through. A runner can buy an expensive running suit for cold weather but a warm shirt and nylon jacket can work as a substitute for most runners. The advantage of a running suit is that it has a vent to let the buildup of the body heat evaporate. This is an advantage in the event a runner enters a race and has to wait around for an award ceremony. Without the vent the shirt that is worn next to the body often becomes damp from sweat. Standing around on a cold day with a damp shirt next to the body is a very chilling experience. Many experienced runners bring an extra set of clothes to change into after a run. The dry shirt feels much better while waiting for their award from the race. This often includes a warmer jacket to wear while standing around visiting with the runners.

One other piece of cold weather wear is a mouth covering to warm the air before it goes into the lungs. On a regular, easy run this is not as important as when the runner is in a race and breathing hard. A simple scarf, a bandana or a face mask can be used. A running mask is the best as it has a small opening in the front to let expired air out. The head loses more heat than most runners are aware of and a wool sock cap works great for this and can cover the ears. The hands need gloves or mittens to keep the hands warm. My personal favorite for gloves are the yellow cloth work gloves as they keep the hands warm and when the nose starts to run in cold weather they make a great substitute for a hanky.

The legs seem to be the least affected by the cold for most runners. On cool days a pair of running tights will suffice. On very cold days I favored a pair of nylon pants over the tights to prevent the wind from getting to the skin. For a runner it is tough to get out the door on very cold days.

The next week is scheduled for possible heavy rain. Rain and cold days are probably one of the worst combinations to go for a run. The rain is cold, the temperature is cold, and leaving a warm house is a difficult choice to make. There are ‘rain suits’ made for rainy days that work well for most runs. The difference between ‘water resistant’ and ‘waterproof ’ covering for a rain suit is significant. Water resistant is good for most wet weather but will eventually begin to soak through. Water proof will keep the water out but also keeps the air out. Any body heat that builds up during the run will get the shirt under the jacket damp with sweat and on cold days this can lead to a chilly run.

The one part of a runner’s outfit that can’t keep dry are the shoes. Running in wet weather with puddles on the ground the shoes will get wet. The problem is that shoes take a day or more to dry out. Shoes should not be put in a clothes dryer as the rubber soles are not made to withstand hot heat. The best practice is to open the shoe up as much as possible (taking the shoe laces out help here) and maybe using a hair dryer to dry the inside of the shoe out. Wet shoes are a difficult problem to dry out. My solution was to have three pairs of shoes to trade out. After a wet run I would open the shoes up and put them next to a vent to dry out. With three pairs I would rotate from one pair to another pair and it seemed to work well. The problem is spending the extra money for three pairs of shoes. The advantage besides having a change of shoes on wet weather running is that it seems the shoes last longer using a different pair on alternate days than if I wore one pair out, bought a second pair, and then a third pair.

Running in cold or wet or cold and wet weather is always a problem for runners. The one positive part of running in inclement weather is that it will be remembered for some time. My most miserable run was with Paul Paese on an 18 mile training run on a cold day in January running in rain, uphill on Lime Kiln Road, and into a head wind. Being both wet and cold, we turned around, and called it quits after 15 miles. Fond memories of cold and wet runs will be remembered for a long time.