4 Tips for Running in the Cold

4 Tips for Running in Colder Weather

Winter is coming in a hurry and the temperature is dropping. As many of you probably know running is a great way to get your heart pumping and lose weight. Running in the warmer months is easy but hitting the pavement when it’s cold out takes a hair more planning. Follow these 4 tips to have a successful and enjoyable winter run.

0.5 Warm-up. Do a quick cleaning around the house, run up and down the stairs a bit, anything to help get your heart rate up. Be careful though as you don’t want to start sweating. After warming up, do some basic running stretches to make sure your muscles are ready for the run.

1. Dress for the 15-20 degree warmer weather.

Your core temperature will rise when you start running and you don’t want to break into a sweat right away. To help you stay as comfortable as possible when you’re out, dress for 15-20 degrees warmer. For 30 degrees, I’d suggest wearing 1 pair of pants, and 1 long sleeve top, perhaps a vest of to help keep your core warm. For every 10-15 degree cooler add another top and bottom layer.

2. Dress to be Seen

With the snow banks, and the glare of white snow on the ground it can be harder for drivers to see you run. Add a headlamp, blinking light to your back and/or a reflective vest and you’ll be very visible!

3. Dealing with the Wind

There’s no doubt about it, the winter wind can be brutal. It is only worse when you are sweating. To avoid getting the chills while running, start your run into the wind before you start sweating. On your way back, while you are sweating up a storm, the wind will be behind you and won’t be chilling you to the bone.

4. Change Quickly after the Run

Avoid getting the chills after your run by changing out of your clothes quickly. After your run, your core temperature drops rather quickly. By changing right when you get back, you’ll get the wet clothes off and stop them from dropping your temperature even more.