KEEP YOUR HEAD COVERED. A substantial
amount of body heat is lost through the head. A wool or wool blend toque
(i.e. like sailors or rap stars wear) which covers the ears is an essential
part of any winter runner's gear.
DRESS IN LAYERS. An outer
layer of nylon or Gortex to break the wind, combined with an underlying
wicking layer (Lifa underwear is good) is the perfect combination to keep
you warm and dry in cold conditions. When it's really cold, you can
add a middle layer (e.g. cotton sweats or sweatshirt) for extras insulation.
DON'T OVERDRESS. Three layers
(ok, maybe four on the top) is the maximum you should need, even in the
most extreme conditions. Even when the mercury hits -30, your body
still generates a great deal of heat when you are exercising.
WHEN IT'S REALLY COLD, COVER YOUR
FACE. A ski mask (i.e. like bank robbers wear) is almost mandatory when
it drops into the -20 C (below 0 F) range. Breathing through the
mask warms the air being drawn into the lungs. And speaking of the lungs,
despite what many non-runners think, it would be physically impossible
to "freeze your lungs" by running in cold weather. The amount of
pain you'd be in prior to actually freezing a lung would preclude you from
even running another step.
MITTS ARE BETTER THAN GLOVES. The
cold works on a "divide and conquer" basis. By having each finger
share its warmth with the others, your hands should stay warm. If
you find your fingers freezing, vigorous windmill arm circles can quickly
restore circulation to the tips of the fingers.
SLOW DOWN; MODIFY YOUR EXPECTATIONS.
It's unrealistic to expect that you can do the same quality and quantity
of training in harsh, cold conditions. The winter is an excellent
time for most runners to recover and build a base with slower (but necessarily
slow) continuous miles.
MODIFY YOUR NORMAL RUNNING ROUTES.
When it's really cold, you should never be further than about 10 minutes
away from a warm shelter. Rather than doing that 10 mile loop out in the
country, it might be wiser to do four 2.5 miles loops closer to home in
case you run into trouble.
Special Bonus tip for the Male
Gender
KEEP THE "LITTLE GUY" WARM. Hey,
don't laugh. Thawing out your Johnson is one of the most painful things
you'll ever do. (Apparently child birth is worse; at least according to
my wife.) Stuffing an extra toque down the front of your shorts is the
most effective way I've found in dealing with this problem.
