AVOIDING THE TREADMILL: HOW TO KEEP RUNNING OUTSIDE THIS WINTER

Fall is in full swing, and if you run in the early mornings, you’ve already felt the chill in the air. Today we’re going to give you tips for layering, before Mother Nature has us firmly in the icy grip of winter. These tips will help keep you warm so you can continue to get outside and run.

1. Layering:

Multiple light layers work the best to keep you dry and warm, while allowing you to run relatively unencumbered. Layers work because your body warms up the air trapped between those layers. This keeps you considerably warmer than one big layer.

Pro tip: This includes socks – wearing two pairs of socks keeps your feet warmer and drier than one heavy pair.

2. Wear the right fabrics:

Avoid wearing cotton because it doesn’t wick moisture and also has very little insulating ability, which will leave you wet, cold and uncomfortable. Synthetic materials are durable and dry very quickly, and wool does a great job of insulating, even when wet.

3. Stay visible:

Due to the decrease in daylight hours, it’s more likely that you’ll be running in the dark during the winter. Make sure you wear light-colored, reflective clothing so that you can easily be seen by oncoming vehicles.

Pro tip: add a light for increased visibility.

4. Buddy up:

Exercising with a friend even once a week can help you get out the door, as it’s harder to blow off a workout if you know that someone is waiting for you. Misery loves company, right?

5. Start into the wind:

If you can, start your walk or run facing the wind and finish with it at your back. Otherwise, you’ll work up a sweat and then turn directly into a cold blast. You can also consider running multiple laps of a short course, rather than one longer loop. This ensures that you’ll never be far from home in the event of an emergency.

Bonus tip:

When it’s above 32 degrees, dressing like it’s 20 degrees warmer than it is will help ensure you don’t over-layer. You should be a little chilled when you walk outside; if you’re perfectly warm when you first step out, you’ll be too warm once you get moving and you warm up.