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.
