inclement weather.
Yes, it's true. Despite the fact that I spent the first 20 years of my life a New Englander (10 of those in the state of Vermont) I turn into a shivering pansy when the thermometer drops below, oh, 65. And all ten of those years buried beneath feet of snow were spent daydreaming of a tropical beach. Hence my move to Myrtle Beach, which as it turns out, is far from tropical and still pretty darn cold in the winter, but I digress. My ideal running weather? 70 degrees, sunny, slight breeze. I knew, moving back to New England, that I was going to have to put on my big girl
And a bunch more predicted over the weekend. I sit here, shivering despite the fact that my parents raised the thermostat simply for my sake as I acclimate. And as I read facebook posts about group runs this weekend (not to mention a half marathon next weekend) I try to ignore the panic that screams "NOOO! Go hide under your down comforter and wish for June!!". I mean, what do you even wear to RUN in the snow? I'm sure many of you remember the infamous Myrtle Beach Marathon of 2010...we had a record breaking 2 inches of snow and canceled the race. People were FURIOUS, but the truth is, none of the locals knew what to even DO with 2 inches of snow. I can't say that I was upset staying in in the confines of my warm house (even if the snow was all melted by 10 am).
Two years ago, when we were here in New Hampshire for Christmas, I wore a pair of my dads old sweatpants over some capri tights and a hoodie. It did the job for 2 miles. But this time around, I'm not on vacation. No, any and all long runs for January's Goofy challenge (that's a half marathon followed by a marathon the next morning) will be done in this snowy Arctic tundra known as New Hampshire. Because frankly I'm not sure what's worse...a cold nose or 22 miles on a treadmill.
As I sit here I feel a twinge in my heart thinking of all of the things I will miss about South Carolina, the things I've come to take for granted over the last decade. The ocean, right at my finger tips. Salty breeze. Palmetto trees. Boat drinks. Warm sand. Surfing. Watching dolphins splash and play just off shore. Even those obnoxious jellyfish. But I refuse, refuse to let all of this ruin my fun (both the circumstance and my inability to hold in body heat) so I will face the snow, the cold, the pelting icy rain.
But first I need some super warm gear.
Help. What's warm? What's waterproof? What's a must have, and what do I skip? How do you keep your toes warm? I'm at the mercy of my tundra running blog readers (and don't laugh at this picture with a measly 1/2" of snow. I know I'm going to see much worse, let me work myself up to it)
Suggestions welcomed. Please and thank you!
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31 comments:
I trained for the Goofy Challenge in Ohio....in the snow. It snowed for much of my 20 miler. It was COLD and not ideal for training for a Florida race but it sure toughened me up for that Challenge! :)
I just love the title of your blog post today and the reference to Jimmy! Big Parrot Head here :)
I'm moving to Seattle shortly so I have no idea what to expect weather wise there! But I do know: no snow unlike here in Michigan - yay!
I live in Massachusetts, right on the NH border so know what you are in for. I like thermal tights and thermal shirt as a base layer. As the temp drops, I add layers such as jackets and more shirts and then the windproof jacket. For socks I wear wool socks. And I wear a face mask when it gets really cold.
I have trained for Goofy before and the temperatures don't usually drop until after January so you are in for mildly cold weather, the freezing stuff doesn't happen until later.
And handheld heat pouches work great in your mittens.
Oh boy, do I relate -- I grew up in New England and went to school in Syracuse, but now I live in Florida and I hate going outside in any bad weather!
I don't have a lot of gear recommendations, but I do like thermal tights.
I'm nervous about the cold weather. I think I'll be doing more running than normal this season and don't have the gear for it yet either! I know when I have run in cold, I always really start to enjoy it. Its like jumping in the pool...takes a minute to get used to but then its fun. Winter training also means you do don't have to get up at the crack of dawn on Saturdays to do it!
Welcome back to New England...cray weather and all!! I do the thermal running tights and layer it up! I try to keep a compression layer close to my core. I also love the Bondi Band hats that are warm and have a hole cut out for your pony tail. I can pull it low on my head and ears and then my pony can stick out the back. Layer it up sweetie...the cold is here! I agree though....I was pissed when I saw the weather.
Oh I agree with Robin too...the really freezing stuff is in Jan and Feb...You should be good!
Ha-ha....the "freezing stuff is not until Jan and Feb." I laugh because I see snow and I think brrrrrrrrr. I don't care if it is 32 and barely sticking or -20 and a foot deep. It is cold. I am sorry, Heather. I long for the beach again, too!
I trained for a early spring Marathon in MI. The things I use the most were my under armour tights, an under armour l/s heavier top, a thin windbreaker, as well as one that was generic gore tex, and I did have gor-tex lined shoes. Your feet don't get as cold as you think they would running. This was my first winter in gore tex shoes, and it was nice, but not a must have. You will want a nice hat/earwarmer. I wear a windstopper ear warmer under a knit cap. I love anything Windstopper. I got some Yak Trax last year one sale, but didn't get to use them once I had them. I did have to do my long runs in Jan/Feb for the most part, and finally eased up in March. Runner's world has a thing where you plug in the temps and it tells you what to wear. I usually add 1 to what they say, and I am guessing you would too. Also, if you have thin tights, I sometimes would put loose fit running tights over them. I hate they way the loose fit tights look, but they were actually pretty comfy. I wear smartwool socks unless I am wearing CEPs.
I just wrote a big long comment, and it got deleted. Rrr! But anyway, I love your blog and have enjoyed your posts. Welcome to New England! We live over in Maine, and honestly, you're going to be running in cold weather until May, so it's best to get the right gear so you can get out and enjoy it! But also note that you don't want to overdress. Then you'll get really sweaty, and that can make you colder. It's a fine line!
Anyway, I vote for Sugoi products if you can afford them. I have their MidZero tights - http://www.sugoi.com/usa/run/women/tights.html, and one of their hoodies - something like this - http://revelsports.com/Sugoi/64612F.htm. Couple those with a shell if it's really windy, hat, good but not too bulky gloves, and you should be good to go! Also, if you're going to be running on packed snowmobile trails or slushy/snow covered roads, you might also want to consider getting YakTrax (http://www.yaktrax.com/) or making screw shoes (http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-267-270-13045-0,00.html). We screw our shoes for the winter, and it's amazing how much easier it makes trail running or running on slush! Anyway, enjoy! And remember - running through the winter in New England makes you tough :-)
Welcome back to New England, ain't it grand? ;-)
I can't really give you any more advice than everyone else has here - except make sure you have really good gloves. I have a Nike Pair that I like.
And Under Armour makes a great base layer that's light weight, fits right to the skin, and is meant for active people so it's wicking, etc... I highly recommend that under your tights/shirts. I have a Saucony wind proof jacket too, it's lightweight, and perfect for layering.
You can't go wrong with Under Armour. They make the best cold weather stuff, in my opinion. When temps hit the 20's I still wear a running skirt, but I layer tights underneath. Gloves, a windbreaker, wool socks, and an ear-warmer are must-haves. Do not over-dress...you might feel chilled before you start running, but you WILL work up a sweat, even when the temps are low. Good luck!
Ohio girl here :) I am always always ALWAYS warm, so I'm not sure I'll be of much use. But I do love a snowy trail run, and hopefully you'll love those, too, as New Hampshire has some gorgeous trails!
For me, I do a good set of tights, a good set of gloves with windbreaker-style mitts that go over them (Brooks makes a great pair), and Mizuno makes a great headband that I love. I rarely wear hats because I get too warm, but I've seem some great hats that would allow for a ponytail by Nike and Brooks.
Invest in a good warm running coat--not too bulky but super warm--at your local running shop. It will do wonders!
I hope that helps! :)
Two rules:
1) No cotton. Not under any circumstances. Especially not cotton socks. Once you start sweating, cotton actually makes you colder. GO synthetic or wool. (yes, they make wool running socks that are comfortable to run in.)
2) Layers. You should feel just a LITTLE cold when you start out, but you'll heat up fast. If you overheat, start unzipping or shed some layers.
Boat drinks...that phrase caught my attention cause I live on a sailboat and am wondering what your favorite is?
I have lived and run in the cold in the past. I wore light special socks that were meant to be liners and add warmth, under my regular socks. They can be found at a place like Coast Mtn Sports or Mountain Coop or the like.
I found that the most important thing was keeping my feet DRY. I never ran on sloppy slushy days, outside, that is...
Have a fun winter!
Without a doubt layers will save you.
Check out Craft for base layer stuff http://shop.craftsports.us/ - their Zero Long Sleeve shirt helped me survive the crazy NE winter last yr. I found I didn't need as many layers when I started with that one.
And, Smartwool socks are a must.
Awww, I feel your pain! I live in waaaaay Northern NY, 3 hours north of Syracuse (nearly Canada), born & raised but had the pleasure of spending several years in South FL. It was very hard coming back here, especially the weather part!
Under Armour is my go-to, cold gear is the best, they have gloves & a fleece-y wicking headband that are great. Layers are the key but that cold gear compression on the bottom makes a huge difference. Yak Trax are the way to go, easy to slip on black ice. Something over your mouth to breathe through to warm the air makes things better too!
I don't know if I'm much help...I have lived in Wisconsin for the last three years because of my job and I am a big whiney baby when it comes to the cold, meaning anything much below 60 degrees. The last two winters I pretty much exclusively trained on the treadmill but I don't know how well that will work since I'm training for Goofy this year...I'm thinking layers. Lots of them.
Definitely layer. I start with a thin long sleeve compression shirt & tights. Then depending on the temperature add either a singlet, half zip, and/or a fleece running jacket. When it gets 20 or below I replace the thin compression shirt with a heavy one. Even if you get hot (and you will), keep your gloves close to hand, and don't forget to hydrate on those long runs! Whatever you do, start out feeling chilly. By the end of your first mile, you'll be putting out more heat than a steam engine. Oh, and don't forget a headband for your ears!
I am prepping for snow running too! I am considering getting some Yak trax. I do really like the Brooks Adapt running gloves/mittens I have.
Get yourself to EMS! I grew up with the store and they have great cold-weather gear. I have an old rain jacket - I think it was an older model of the men's Helix rain jacket - that I got on clearance because it was an XS. It fits great over insulating layers, but on its own over just a t-shirt on a milder day it keeps you toasty. I also have the women's Power Stretch 1/2 Zip which I've used for years now on especially cold runs. Good luck and keep warm!
As you know I live in MI and running in the cold is just part of the deal for most. I last yr refused and chose to run in circles around the track at my local Y. It was not so much the snow that frightened me as it was the ice. I slip all the time on it just walking how is one supposed to run on ice? It is fricken icy here all winter long. I too am interested in reading your responces.
Layers, under armour or saucony cold weather running tights, gloves, a hat and a YOU CAN DO THIS attitude.
First few miles will be cold but you'll warm up :)
I tell ya, nothing more peaceful and serene then running in a snow storm
I live in Alaska, and while I'm not crazy awesome runner, I did train for a 1/2 marathon in the snow. My biggest tips:
1) Find lit trails to run on. Winter is dark (for me anyways).
2) Embrace running on the snow. It's hard, but better than slippery icy sidewalks.
3) Wear appropriate layers. For me, long underwear with yoga pants work for the bottom, with a long underwear top, fleece jacket, and fleece vest on top. Gloves and a hat are nice.
4) Don't wear cotton. It gets soggy and cold and sucks.
5) Know your limit. For me, I refuse to run if it's below 0 degrees. I'm all about morning long runs, but it HAS to be above 0.
6) Warm up longer than normal. When it's cold out it takes a long time to get ready to run.
Ha, I remember training for the Goofy back in 2008, and it was on the longest two runs of the year that it seemed to be the coldest (read eyelashes with frost on them). The thing that helped me the most was running with a group, and being a mentor. Really no choice but to show up!! Layers help. Planning for the yummy hot chocolate or chai afterwards helps immensely!! But there is something truly beautiful about hearing your feet crunch in newly fallen snow, and really, you aren't ever too hot running in the snow... but make sure you get a run or two in before the races in florida, because you get used to running in cold and suddenly the heat and the humidity can be a shock to the system!!
I have Melanzana wear from Leadville, Colorado for cccold days (light weight, thin, micro micro fleece type). Pearl Izumi fuzzy lined tights and on super cold days I wear Melanzana pants over them. These keep me warm in Iowa. ...I'll wear a stocking cap and a neck muff pulled over my mouth and the Melanzana top has a hoodie with cord to draw it shut. Often times the part of my face which is visible is my nose and eyes.
Melanzana : micro grid crew (long sleeve; micro gridhoodie; Power stretch loose tights; and power dry tank for regular days and as a liner to sweaters, etc. keeps ya warm and works as a slip/undershirt without seeing through the sweater knit openings and the skirts are just FUN--great to wear in summer/fall/spring or over tights in winter.
oh, and of course, my yaktraks for my shoes!
We haven't seen the snow yet, but I'm prepping for it now. My friend and I just pushed through this crap all last year.
Since we're still trying to keep on the upswing and gain even more endurance, distance, and speed there really isn't a choice for us, given that we KNOW running in that stuff made us all the more tough this year.
We've had some winter races on our radar that we wanted to do this upcoming winter, even, but a few of them have been cancelled just in time for us to be able to pull off the distance.
I'll echo all the comments recommending layers and wool socks. When it gets into the single digits (I'm in Wisconsin), I wear the knee-high skiing/snowboarding socks. Wool makes all the difference. A balaclava is great for when it's really cold, too, plus it makes you look like a ninja, which my 6 y/o thinks is cool.
Welcome back ;)
I love under armor cold gear and gloves
Last year I got a flags mask and that helped me stay warm. I found if face and hands were warm the rest of the body was ok.
Hi heather stay warm... Love Jimmy buffett.. Carla xx
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