As the seasons begin to change from the hot, sticky summer weather to the cold, chilling fall and winter weather it may be time to think about how the cold is going to affect your running or cycling. It always seems like your ticking off the miles in nice 60 degrees weather and then you wake up the next morning and it is now a crisp 30 degrees. To help with that chill that the snow and wind provide here are some tips to keep you warm while the weather is a little too cold.

Give Yourself A Reward

When you wake up and look outside your window and see that snow on the ground or maybe the person who is walking out to their car in winter gear makes it really hard to make yourself go out and run. No one wants to be cold and sweaty, it’s not a good feeling. Though sometimes giving yourself a reward sometimes is all the motivation that you need to go out and put on the miles. It can really be anything that you want or possibly make a goal like you are going to run outside every day this week and then treat yourself to a message.

Dress Like it is 20 Degrees Warmer

This one might sound a little weird, but overdressing with lots of lays can make it hard to run because of the added weight. Also, when it is cold outside and you sweat your sweat becomes cold and sticks to your body making your body colder even though you feel warmer. Stick to waterproof socks, tights, a heavy pullover, and a hat if you don’t know what to wear. You don’t want to be running outside looking like a marshmallow.

Wear Waterproof Shoes and Socks

This is something that you don’t think about too often, but it helps a lot. For shoes, there is not really a fully waterproof running shoe out there that I know of. Though I suggest wearing a pair of shoes that do not have a lot of mesh or netting on it. This will help by keeping the wet ground from getting on the inside of your shoe. However, if the water does find a way in there is the second line of defense which is waterproof socks. Personally, when training outside I wear Showers Pass’s Lightweight Waterproof Sock-Crosspoint Classic. They are a little bit pricey but are worth it. Being a runner and cyclist keeping my feet dry and warm is essential and these socks work great.

Warm-Up

This is the simplest one there is and it is also the easiest to do. Though don’t warm-up outside where it is already cold. Warm-up inside a building or in your own home before going on that cold run. You can stretch, run up and down stairs a few times, or even just complete so chores before going on your run. Anything that will get you up and moving and your blood pumping. This will help you keep a more even body temperature throughout your run.

Outsmart the Wind

The wind can be your biggest opponent when running in cold weather. However, if you outsmart the wind that your run could be a lot more enjoyable. Start by running into the wind before you have broken a sweat so that the chill doesn’t make your sweat cold. Another way to do it is by switching on and off throughout the run. Run into the wind for 10 minutes and the run with the wind for 10 minutes. The final option is to try and avoid the wind with man-made wind blocks. If you live in a city try running around downtown where the building blocks out the wind. Though if you can’t get out of the wind it is always a good idea to big some BodyGlide with you. BodyGlide you can put on your nose, face, or hands to keep your body parts from getting frostbite.

“When it’s pouring rain and you’re bowling along through the wet, there’s satisfaction in knowing you’re out there and the others aren’t.” – Peter Snell