With Halloween nearly
knocking on our doorstep, the looming winter weather is not so far away.
Getting motivated to run in colder temperatures is the first feat. Next, you
want to ensure that you will be warm and dry from the start of time on your
stopwatch, ‘til the end. Below, you’ll find some tips to avoid icy workouts.- Getting Dressed: According to an article from Runner’s World, ’10 Tips for Running in the Cold’, there’s a rule of thumb for dressing for colder runs. Mark Grandonico, the president for the Maine Track Club, says to dress as if it’s 20 degrees warmer outside. With technical fabrics, that wick moisture, you’ll allow for enough body warmth to accumulate within your run without overheating.
- Deep Breaths: On a vigorous run, taking deep breaths from your stomach can make your throat dry and cold. An easy way to avoid this is to run with a mesh or cloth cowl neck warmer covering your mouth. This will filter warmer air into your mouth while breathing. If you dislike running with a cowl, try altering your breathing pattern so you breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. This can also aid in avoiding side aches.
- Before Leaving: Don’t start the time on your watch if you haven’t performed some sort of warm-up. “The cold doesn’t feel so cold if you’re warm,” says Lauren Salmon on Runner’s World. Not warming up is an easy way to let the chilly winter air stifle your performance during a run. Get a head start and prepare your muscles and cardio for the low temperatures outside.
Now go out and run atop the
loud, fallen leaves, or the melting snow-covered pavement this winter. Run
happy and run warm.
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