6 TIPS FOR RUNNING IN THE COLD

1. Accept and embrace it: Accept that it’s freezing outside and that your pace/mile may be a little off. It will take your body longer to warm up. While your pace/mile may be slower, it's likely you'll be able to run further because after a while, the cooler weather actually feels good. Further, it's much better than running in the blazing heat. In fact, some runners say they clock better times running in the cold.

2. Dress in layers: During cold races, a person can overdress. A few years ago, I ran a race in 30-degree weather. I wore several layers of clothing and ended up getting really heated during the race. It was a bit complicated to continually shed layers of clothing while trying to run, but then again, I’d rather shed clothing than my toes and fingers get numb. It’s a tricky balance, and I think the more I run in cold weather, the better I’ll get at dressing for a frigid run. Below is some helpful advice from runnersworld.com.

30 degrees: 2 tops, 1 bottom. Long-sleeve base layer and a vest keep your core warm. Tights (or shorts, for polar bears).
10 to 20 degrees: 2 tops, 2 bottoms. A jacket over your base layer, and wind pants over the tights.
0 to 10 degrees: 3 tops, 2 bottoms. Two tops (fleece for the cold-prone) and a jacket. Windbrief for the fellas.
Minus 10 to 0 degrees: 3 tops, 2 bottoms, extra pair of mittens, 1 scarf wrapped around mouth or a balaclava.
Minus 20 degrees: 3 tops, 3 bottoms, 2 extra pairs of mittens, 1 balaclava, sunglasses. Or, says Arribas, “Stay inside.”

3. Warm up and stay warm until the start: The muscles are more stiff during extreme cold so the risk of pulling them is higher. Also, blood vessels are constricted when you are cold. For these reasons and others, it’s important to warm up well before a cold-weather race; however, don’t allow yourself to stand around and get cold again before the race starts. This can rapidly undo any vigorous warm-up you’ve done beforehand. For optimal performance, stay warm until the race starts.

4. Be aware of cold-induced diuresis: During a winter race, I constantly feel like I have to go to the restroom before running, and the lines in the bathroom are always ridiculous at a race. I Googled a few things and learned about cold-induced diuresis. If you’ve never heard of this, outsideonline.com explains it like this, “When your temperature starts to drop, your body will attempt to reduce heat loss by constricting blood vessels and reducing blood flow to the surface of the skin. When that happens, your blood pressure will rise, because the same volume of blood is flowing through less space in your body. In response, your kidneys will pull out excess fluid to reduce your blood pressure, making you have to pee.” Two things will greatly help with this. Be sure to use the bathroom before race time and remember, stay super warm until the race begins.

5. Stay hydrated and nourished: Before race time, ensure that you are hydrated and have eaten complex carbohydrates. Your body needs extra energy anytime you’re running, but especially when it’s battling extreme cold on top of everything else. Be mindful of how your body is reacting.

6. Run with a friend to stay motivated: Everything is more fun when doing it with a friend. The two of you (or group) can learn about running in the cold together and share advice and information based on individual experiences. A friend or running mate also helps with accountability. When it comes to running, it’s easy to slack off during the colder months, but if your’e dedicated to your fitness or training for a big race, it’s important to continue training, even when the temps are miserable.

Best of luck during your training journey. Stay warm and keep running!