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February 6, 2007 – This is the time of year when you really get to test your resolve to get in shape through running. With the temperature dipping near 20 below Celsius, more and more people are copping out of their daily runs. The temperature in Southern Ontario should never be an excuse for not running outdoors. First of all, let’s make it clear that you cannot freeze your lungs while running in our coldest weather. Secondly, with the advent of technical winter clothing, you have a great variety of clothing that will not only keep you warm and is lightweight and comfortable to wear, but will look great as well. The only real issue that remained was footing and now they have that problem solved as well, so there are no more excuses.
Once you get out and run, within minutes your body temperature rises with your heart pumping more blood through your body. With some people, the body may divert blood from the extremities, especially your hands, to send it to your working muscles. These people need to wear thicker insulated mitts. The longer they are the better and make sure that there is plenty of room in them to keep warm air circulating around your fingers, especially your thumbs. The longer mittens allow you to pull them up on your forearms and pull your tops and jacket sleeves overtop of them to allow the heat from your arms to radiate down into your mittens. If it’s windy out, make sure that your mittens are windproof and moisture resistant.
Your feet are probably your next most important consideration in winter running. If you keep running your feet usually won’t get too cold but to make sure you stay warm, there are socks that can be purchased which have much better insulating materials than others. You also want your socks to be longer. As far as footwear is concerned, traction is a greater concern with shoes than the insulating properties of the shoes. The tread pattern on the bottom of the shoe can make a difference when you are running in snow. A pattern with triangle lugs will allow your feet to grip snow more effectively. Trail shoes may be an option especially in deeper snow if you have a higher cut shoe. What has really revolutionized winter running though is the improvement in gripping devices that slip onto your regular running shoe to prevent slipping. My favourite is the Yaktrax (see picture). They are great whether you are running in soft snow or on ice and they are not a problem when you have to run on asphalt or concrete. They are easy to put on or take off and are reasonably priced.
When it comes to dressing your upper and lower body, the layered look is definitely in. You want material close to your skin that will keep you warm but will wick away the moisture that develops from perspiration. There are a few excellent new materials and they come in different thicknesses depending on the temperature. This is a touchy point with a lot of males runners but when it comes to winter running… tights are a must! They give you freedom of movement and can keep you comfortable in a wide range of temperatures. Some tights will even have a windproof panel on the front of the legs to reduce the wind chill effect. There are companies that make underwear with wind resistant material on the front to reduce the contraceptive effect of extreme winter running. In extremely cold weather or when the wind is strong you may wish to wear wind pants over your tights.
Last but not least, you need to have good protection for your head and face when you run. Heat loss from your body is greatest through your head. Keeping your head insulated will help to keep you warmer. Your headgear should have proper insulating material depending on the temperature but should also be able to wick away moisture. Make sure your ears are well protected and your hat fits tightly over them to prevent the wind from cooling them off. In colder weather, a balaclava or scarf will protect your face. There is different headwear that incorporates the face mask and toque in one piece making it easy and convenient to wear. Some people like to wear streamlined earmuffs over their ears for added protection and wear a lighter toque, especially if they have a full head of hair. When there is more wind you may want to protect exposed facial skin with Vaseline or other skin products, especially if you are going out for a long run. Check out your local running stores – Running Free and Running Room – for all of these products and for more ideas on safe and comfortable winter running.
For safety reasons, you should have a strategy when running in the winter. If you are running long, especially out in the country, don’t run alone. Let your family know your route and your estimated time of arrival. Always head out facing the wind and come back with the wind at your back. Ideally do a loop course so you are never too far from home if you have to pack it in. If it’s really windy, choose your course so that the wind is hitting you on your sides mostly and not head on. Try to run on a route where you will get more wind protection, such as in a subdivision. Always run facing traffic and stay off busy streets since your visibility and hearing is impaired with all your winter clothing and drivers aren’t always paying attention to you. Keep your eyes out for snow plows and ideally, try to find the streets that have been freshly plowed.
Truth be known, it is much easier to keep your body temperature comfortable and constant in the winter than it is in the summer. So no excuses. Get out there and enjoy those beautiful, bright, sunny winter days of running.
Article by Dr. John DeFinney
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