Winter is coming and running in the cold sucks. It’s so easy to take a chapter from the survival guide for bears and put the sneakers in the back of the closet to start hibernating.
Running is harder in the winter. The windburn dries out skin and makes you feel like you’re constantly being slapped by a dragon with talons every stride you take. It can be an awful fun time. A lot of people pack on the pounds in the winter because no one feels like getting off the couch when it’s freezing out. But where there is a will there is a way! Remember that. To survive these Antarctic temperatures all you need to do is dress right.
Dri-Fit everything will become your new best friend. Not only does it lock all the moisture in but it keeps you warm. Wearing a regular cotton long sleeve t-shirt won’t keep you warm because the sweat is just going to go through the shirt and make you even colder. Personally I like to wear a Dri-Fit long sleeve shirt, spandex, and layer it with a fleece zip up so my body heat is concealed. It keeps my muscles warm and loosened up for my runs.
Gloves, gloves, gloves! Under Armor has a great line of running gloves, which even have pockets in the front that you can put little hand warmer packets in for an added boost of warmth. No one wants to run without gloves and have their hands frozen into a lobster claw. Also scarves: there are ones that are just a round piece of fleece fabric that can be worn around the bottom half of your face that cover up to your neck and mouth area.
If you’re someone who likes to run in the dark, so any time after 4 pm nowadays, then be sure to wear reflective gear. You can find it anywhere like in Target or Wal-mart. Any kind of reflective gear will do: vest, headlight, just make sure you wear something because there aren’t enough streetlights to ensure your safety.
Besides clothes keeping you warm, you have to stretch before you run or else you are more likely to cramp up from the cold. Simple standard stretches can go a long way. Reaching for your toes, arm crosses, doing a round of butt kicks, arm circles, and lunges will warm up your muscles for a run.
So keep those running shoes out and use them just like you did on those sunny warm days!