Winter Running and Racing Tips

This winter is the first i have spent anytime being active outside in a very long time, probably since i was a child sledding around the town. So far I have done Blizzard Blast and Polar Bear 8 Hour challenge, which i have only really done because i heard how much fun they were and i did not want to miss out on the fun. I have also had several runs in the snow and i wanted to share some of the things i have learned from this experience.

1. January/Febuary time is great to get clearance cold weather gear on clearance from most brick and mortar sports stores. you would also be surprised that you can get pretty good cold gear for the price at the gap. (I found a good pair of gloves that worked to keep my hands warm during olar bear when the temperature was at a high of 26. ditto for their cold weather tights, as long as you pair them with a second pair of pants)
2. Running in the snow takes way more energy and time than you would think, depending on how deep the snow is. But it also feels easier on the legs, when the snow crunches under your feet it feels like it takes away from the impact
3. Due to the extra energy exerted you are burning more calories, and aids in weight loss, true of any cold weather runs. Something to keep in mind to fight the holiday weight gains some of us go through.

Racing in the cold can be a lot easier than you would imagine, (same goes to running in below freezing temps) It is all about layering!!! One tip i have gotten from friends that do endurance races in the winter is a tech shirt, and soft shell type on the outside. For example for Polar Bear the high was 26 with a low of about 10 I think. my first lap at about sunrise (7am) I had compression cold gear top with a cold gear hoodie, and that was it.

• You can also get just a wicking tech shirt, and a wool sweater (you can get a used one from a second hand store for cheap, and it is just as good, wool naturally wicks sweat away) 
• The rule of thumb for winter running is dress for 10 degrees colder than it is outside, you should start just under temperature. You will warm up soon enough, and it forces you to keep moving! you also do not want to overdress, because if you sweat too much, the sweat turns into ice on your body.
• If need be Liner socks can help out a bunch, and wool socks are awesome! or some other way that you can fit 2 pairs of socks into your running shoes.
• some sort of hat, you can use any winter hat if you like, but for best results wicking/running work much better, and polyester can sometimes work better than wool hats. (you can also wear a buff or thin hat under another hat for the added layers.)
• Cotton is a horrible choice, it holds moisture, and that will cause problems in the cold. i stray away from cotton all year round, but it is more important in the winter.
• Gaiters are wonderful for keeping snow and rain out of the top of your shoes. I found some inexpensive ones here they have the best prices I have found.
• this is also one of the few times waterproof shoes come in handy (they kept my feet dry with small gaiters in knee deep snow)  
• A loose pair of cold weather pants when it drops into the 20's otherwise just a pair of shorts on top will usually do the trick.

There are a whole bunch of benefits to winter runs, and it if it helps, you can treat winter as preventative maintenance, just so you don't louse your endurance. If it helps so you do not feel like you are throwing away your training in the winter months. You can also focus on strength training your legs to help come back stronger as well as the dreaded tread mill, for when you can't make outside work.

Untill next time
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