The Reasonable Runner

November brings a great deal of excitement: daylight savings, Thanksgiving, the onset of the holiday season, and for most states, winter weather. With the drop in temperature and the loss of daylight, your running outdoors may drastically drop off, or transition inside to a heated gym for the winter season. I found winter to be the most challenging season to dress for, but I hope this helps make yours much easier!

When running outside in the winter, always use wisdom and caution! I do not recommend extended outdoor workouts when the temperature drops to or below freezing, and running in the snow or ice creates a tremendous risk of falling. If you run outside in the cold, snow, or ice, be sure to cover your extremities (hands, fingers, ears, nose) and wear sneakers or athletic shoes that have great grip or trackers affixed. Stay on public or well traveled roads. These will generally be better maintained in the winter, and if you were to fall, you will be in a far safer area where someone may be able to assist you if needed.

Head and Face: Covering your head and your ears serves a dual purpose in the winter. Hats and headbands (like the one pictured above) can help to keep warm, and protect your ears from the cold, wind, and frostbite. You can even buy hats and headbands that have headphones built in! To help keep my nose covered, and keep the wind off as much skin as possible, I also enjoyed wearing a neck gaiter. The link to some of these accessories can be found at the bottom of this post.

Tops and Torso: LAYERS! When running in the cold, layers are the best way to stay warm while not having the bulk of a thick, heavy coat. Depending on how cold it is, I recommend combinations of the following garments: long sleeved workout shirt, athletic zip-up pullover, wind-resistant pullover/thin jacket, a vest, and gloves. Covering your skin is essential to helping your body to stay warm, and keeping the wind from decreasing your body temperature. Vests are an excellent winter wardrobe item as they help to keep your core warm, which in turn helps to keep your body warm. For runs close to freezing, I found 3 layers were ideal (maybe 4 with a vest). Running from the 30’s-60’s, 2-3 layers was comfortable and effective. Get yourself a great pair of running gloves! Hand warmers are an excellent addition as well, and can be slid into a pair of running gloves too.

Pants and Lower Body: Pants are pretty much a given, but certainly ensure you don’t leave skin exposed on your shins or ankles. You can wear a thick pair of running leggings, or you can find a pair of insulated/lined running pants to help keep your legs covered and your backside from freezing. Don’t forget your feet! Thick socks, or even two pairs, will help ensure your toes don’t freeze, and that you stay comfortable as you are running. If you are running in the snow, sneakers with great grip can work for you (again, be careful!). Hardcore athletes will sometimes outfit their sneakers with metal trackers to help them get better traction in the snow and rain the winter months bring. The right shoes will absolutely help your winter runs, but always use an abundance of caution. Better to be safe than stranded!

Winter Running – Gear Recommendations:
Face/Neck Gaiter: Amazon
Winter Headband: Amazon
Winter Running Gloves: Amazon