Winter Running Tips

The following are some cold weather running tips. Most of the tips involve some good common sense in the severe conditions. Here are the following Running Room cold weather tips:

Adjust the intensity of your workout.
Up to 50% of body heat is lost through the head, so keep it covered.
Warm up properly and start your runs at a comfortable pace and slowly build up the pace to a pace slower than your normal training pace.
Shorten your stride to improve your footing on icy roads.
Carry a couple of coins so you can make a phone call or carry cab fare in your shoe.
'Wind chill' does not measure temperature. It measures the rate of cooling. On a day with high wind chill, prepare for the wind.
Run into the wind for the first part of your run and with the wind on the return portion.
When running by yourself run in a loop in case you need to cut the run short.
On your first few runs on snow or ice, you may experience slight muscle soreness in the legs. That is because your supporting muscles are working harder to control your slipping.
Cover all exposed skin with clothing or petroleum jelly. If you or your running partner have exposed skin, be aware of each other to prevent frostbite.
In the winter it's dark, so wear reflective gear and run facing the traffic in order to be more visible.
Mittens are warmer than gloves.
Drink water on any run over 45 minutes.
Use a lip protector (like Chapstick) on your lips, nose and ears.
Gentlemen protect your future generation - wear a wind brief. Ladies, wear a loose layer over your behind. Tight clothes do not insulate well.
Our beauty tips for those dry hands. Petroleum jelly on the hands helps keep them warm and makes a great moisturizer.
Do speed work indoors on dry surfaces.
Be aware of hypothermia for both yourself and those running with you. This is a drop in your core body temperature. Signs of hypothermia include incoherent slurred speech, clumsy fingers and poor coordination. At the first sign, get to a warm dry place and seek medical attention. You are more likely to experience difficulty on a wet and windy day.
Do not accelerate or decelerate quickly in the cold weather.
Make sure any changes in direction are gradual as to avoid slipping or pulling muscles that are not properly warmed up.
Freezing your lungs is just not possible. The air is sufficiently warmed by the body prior to entering the lungs. If you find the cold air uncomfortable, wear a face mask; it will help warm the air.
No need to get out the wool socks or double up on your regular pair. Wear a single pair of polypropylene or coolmax socks to stay warm.
Take your wet clothes off as soon as possible and get dry ones on.
Wear your water bottle under your jacket to keep it from freezing.
Review runner safety. Safety is even more important in the winter with less light and far more ice and other obstacles on the running paths and roads.