It’s too damn hot for a penguin to be just walkin’ around here. I gotta send him back to the South Pole. – Billy Madison
Winter running is not something that should be dreaded or avoided. In fact, some of the most memorable runs you will ever have may be on a snow-covered trail, running past icy streams and snow-covered lakes. Winter running can be as serene and pure as running ever gets. But winter running can also present a host of issues for the uninformed, uninitiated or the stubborn.
On February 10, 2010, I co-hosted episode 68 of The Runner’s Round Table where we discussed Cold Weather Running, it’s opportunities, it’s risks and how runners can prepare themselves to enjoy this whitest of seasons. A number of questions were asked during the episode specifically about what to wear. I encourage you to listen to this episode either by subscribing on iTunes or listening through your computer.
Cold is both personal and subjective. While 40F may be cold for those running in Los Angeles, it’s down right balmy for those running in New England. Therefore the recommendations that follow are based on my reality.
The best thing you can do is create a gear log of your running wardrobe that documents what you wear under a variety of conditions and includes commentary about whether you were too hot, too cold, too wet or too chilled. This information will be valuable for years to come and can finally take the guess work out of running in the cold.
Below is an example of a clothing log that you can adapt for your own circumstances and preferences. Click on each of the orange hyperlinks for photos of various outfits for the described conditions and temperatures.
| Temperature | Clothing | If Wet |
| 60F+ | shorts & singlet, cap, sunglasses, sunscreen, Buff to cover head if not wearing cap | consider trash bag if waiting around |
| 55-60F | shorts & short-sleeved shirt or singlet, cap, sunglasses | possibly wear feather-weight vest without shirt |
| 50-55F | shorts & short-sleeved shirt or singlet, cap, sunglasses, possibly lightweight gloves | feather-weight vest with shirt |
| 45-50F | shorts, long-sleeved shirt or short-sleeved shirt with a shell vest, cap or fleece hat, glove liners, possibly Buff to cover neck | feather-weight vest |
| 40-45F | shorts with feather-weight wind pants, long-sleeved shirt, buff to cover neck, use lip balm, polar-fleece hat, glove liners | feather-weight vest or feather-weight shell |
| 30-40F | shorts with feather-weight wind pants, long-sleeved shirt with feather-weight vest, Buff to cover neck and mouth, use lip balm, polar-fleece hat, glove liners (Create barrier between cold air and breathing pathways to warm up inspired air.) | feather-weight shell instead of vest, cap under polar fleece hat also consider fleece-lined vest for windy but not wet conditions |
| 20-30F | shorts with feather-weight wind pants, long-sleeved shirt with feather-weight shell jacket, Buff to cover neck and mouth, use lip balm, polar-fleece hat, convertible running mitts over glove liners | cap under polar fleece hat |
| 10-20F | briefs with wind panel with feather-weight wind pants OR briefs with wind panel under running tights, thicker long-sleeved shirt with lite-weight running jacket, Buff to cover neck and second Buff to cover mouth and nose and mouth, use lip balm, polar-fleece hat, convertible running mitts over thicker running gloves | cap under polar fleece hat |
| 0-10F | briefs with wind panel with heavier tights OR briefs with wind panel under light-weight tights under wind pants, thicker long-sleeved shirt with lite-weight running jacket, Buff to cover neck and second Buff or neoprene facemask to cover mouth and nose and mouth, use lip balm, polar-fleece hat, convertible running mitts over thicker running gloves, consider hand warmers | cap under polar fleece hat |
| -0F | Stay in car until the last moment, get out and run when the gun goes off or run starts, forget waiting around for medals and drive home. Get under covers and stretch. No one recognizes anyone in these temperatures anyway. | trash bags, cap under polar fleece hat |
| 0-20F Lower Cost Alternative | Use items you already have laying around. Ski hat with scarf to protect face, sunglasses, hooded sweat shirt, athletic jacket, sweat pants, wind-proof gloves and possibly mittens with whatever technical gear you have worn underneath closest to your skin. | 0-20F Lower Cost Alternative with reflectors for running at night or in lower visibility conditions |
It’s important to remember that you don’t need to buy a ton of expensive gear to run in the cold. It’s most important to cover your head to minimize heat loss, protect your breathing areas (e.g., mouth, nose, neck), and external appendages or exposed areas that have a tendency to freeze (e.g., fingers, toes, ears, eyes). You can accomplish this with the clothes you already have. Yes it may mean that the articles won’t be feather-weight or ideal, but it shouldn’t deter you from getting out there and enjoying the roads.
Hope you’ll add your own thoughts and recommendations below in the comment area.
