Choosey Runners Choose ........

This winter has been a doozy!  When it isn’t snowing it is cold or sometimes both.   It's 10 degrees and sunny out there as I write this. Trying to stick to a marathon training schedule has been mentally and physically challenging.   There are days when it has just not been appealing to run indoors or out of doors.  There have been days where I have run outside in deep snow and it has been like running in sand.  In other words, it is HARD.  Then there have been other days where it is so cold that everything is icy. Translate that to slippery.  Then there are the treadmill days.  Unlike other people, I don’t really mind running on the treadmill but I do find that it bothers my knees a bit and there’s all the fuss and bother of getting myself to the gym just to run. 

Small Husky

Having said all of that, I have learned a few things about winter running; the physical and mental mechanics of the whole thing.  The first thing is to figure out what to wear on the cold days.  Unless you’re a husky (notice the “a” in that statement) you need to figure out what to wear.   If I’m not too hot or too cold, the run is guaranteed to be good.  There are a lot of charts on the internet which are great guides for not being over dressed.    They’re a good start.  I’ve taken it a step further to develop my own charts.  Along with distance, time, shoes worn, etc., I track what temperature it is when I run and what I wear.  Then I comment on how I felt during the run.  This is what I’ve determined works for me.

Outside Temperature	Running Clothes
30 Degrees F	Regular full length running tights, 2 long sleeve running shirts, baseball cap, socks, and regular shoes.  If it is windy, a light windbreaker over the whole thing.  Gloves for awhile.
20 Degrees F	Regular full length running tights, 1 long sleeve running shirt, a fleece vest, a fleece headband, socks and regular running shoes. Gloves for the whole run.
10 Degrees F	Two pairs of tights (one lightly insulated), 2 long sleeve running shirts, a fleece vest, light running jacket, fleece headband, hiking socks and trail shoes (these tend to not let as much wind through) Gloves for the whole run.
0 Degrees F	Two pairs of tights (one lightly insulated), 2 long sleeve running shirts, a fleece vest, light running jacket, a full fleece hat, hiking socks and trail shoes (these tend to not let as much wind through) Gloves for the whole run.
Below 0	Run on the treadmill.  Too hard to keep my rump warm!!  Short, t-shirt, socks and running shoes.

Whenever I see people running in much more than what I’ve listed above, I wonder how sweaty they’re getting.  Sweat is the enemy if there’s a breeze or you stop for any reason.   I can go from toasty warm to absolute misery in a matter of minutes.  Tracking what I wear has really saved me as the seasons change and I need to adjust my wardrobe.  I just look back for a similar day during the previous year and read my notes.  If you find the internet charts a little off for you, you might want to start tracking too.

One of the best things I learned about this winter is screw shoes.  The name makes me laugh and brings to mind 5” red patent leather pumps but the shoes themselves….sweet!   There are directions for making these things all over the internet.  I was really hesitant to try them.  How could they work?  But after missing the Chicago Polar Dash because I feared the ice, I made a pair.  This involves taking a pair of retired running shoes and screwing ½” hex headed sheet metal screws into the bottom.    That’s it.    Now, if it is packed snow or a bit icy, I’m ready to go.  They don’t do much on solid ice but then again, I’m not sure anything does.  Screw shoes are cheap and

Screw Shoes!

easily replenished.  I bought a box of 100 screws at my local Ace Hardware store for $4.  I used about 30 screws and have not had to replace one in about 100 miles of running.  The only thing you have got to remember is DO NOT wear these on good hardwood floors and be careful, they’re slippery on tile and linoleum.

Who knew you can run outdoors all winter even when it is ice and snowy?  I sure didn’t.  It’s all a matter of choosing the proper equipment for the weather.  Go out and have a ball.