It is all too easy to hang up your running shoes when the cold weather of winter arrives, but this is the time of year that poses the most danger of you adding extra pounds of weight. Having plenty of festivities like Thanksgiving and Christmas makes it even tougher if you were hoping to minimize the weight gain during the cold and dark months of the year. There is a solution however. Just carry on running. Running in the winter does not have to mean getting the shivers and freezing your extremities. There is a lot of gear available now to make your runs more comfortable and keep you nice and warm while you fight off the attack of the flab.
Wear Multiple Layers
The most important thing to remember when preparing for winter running is to layer your clothing. Otherwise, regulating your temperature will be a nightmare. So start with a base layer or compression top close to your skin. Then, depending on the outside temperature, you can wear your regular running shirt and a lightweight breathable jacket; or skip the running shirt if it is a little too warm for three layers.
For many people, moisture wicking garments are important for all their training. They are critical in cold and windy weather, as you will need sweat to be easily removed from the surface of your skin, and transported to the outer layer where it can evaporate. If you remain wet, you will lose a vast amount of heat very quickly. This is uncomfortable at best, and simply dangerous in the worst case scenario. Gore-Tex materials are best as they let moisture out while also preventing rain from entering the jacket. They can be very expensive however, and if your budget does not stretch that far, aim for something which is breathable and water resistant.
Keeping Your Legs Warm
What you wear on your legs will depend on which part of the world you are living in. If you get a lot of snow, you should wear long track pants or running tights to help you remain comfortable as you run. But for other places, often it feels cold until you start running. Then you will find you rapidly warm up as your legs are burning loads of calories propelling you along. Of course, there are no hard and fast rules about this. You should wear what you are happiest with for your local weather.
Other Winter Running Kit
You might find some extra gear quite useful for your winter jaunts, including a warm beanie to keep your head toasty, and a pair of lightweight gloves. Your hands can get very cold as you run because you are swinging them and creating a wind chill, but also because blood is diverted away to fuel your hungry leg muscles. Like with the other clothing, aim to get hats and gloves that can wick sweat away from your skin and help you regulate temperature effectively.
With just a few extra items of apparel, you should find that you can simply keep on going during the winter months, rather than taking a break and piling on the blubber. If you like, reduce your mileage in order to keep fit while reducing the chances of injury. And when you buy your winter running gear, always try to find something very brightly colored, as you will likely be running in the dark mornings or evenings, and you will need other road users to be able to see you, for your own safety.
