Winter Running Survival Guide

I live in Wisconsin. If you haven’t spoken to my mother this week or missed out on hearing of Bon Iver and the album recorded in Wisconsin’s wintry cabin, you might not know it gets cold here during the winter. I guess that’s not totally unforgivable.

But it means that if you’re going to train for a spring marathon, hate treadmills, and working out indoors, you’re going to have to deal with some freezing temperatures. And possibly some slippery ice. Oh, and just being cold. But wait! It’s not actually that bad.

Everyone has their own methods for surviving cold weather running. But there are a few guiding principles that I’ll outline with my own practices.

1. If you’re warm when you start your run, you WILL be drenched in sweat by the end of it. I promise. It’s better to be a little chilly at the start and warm up through the run. A good rule of thumb is to dress as if you were going for a walk with the temperature 20 degrees higher. So, if it’s 20 out, dress like you’re walking in 40. I prefer to be a little cooler than most when I run, so I usually opt for adding 30 degrees rather than 20.
2. Layering will save you. If you get hot, you can remove stuff. But also, it means you don’t need to go buy that new fancy whatever for the special winter weather. Just throw on a long sleeve shirt, a windbreaker, and possibly a baselayer, and you’ll be good into the teens. And be aware that the pocket of air between your layers even acts as insulation. It’s like an extra free jacket! (sort of...)
3. Head, fingers, and toes! Wear a cap. Cover up those fingers with gloves, and make sure your socks keep those toes (and ankles!) warm. On really cold days, I wear two pairs of gloves even. For that inch of ankle that’s bare between your tights/pants and your shoe, make sure you have a few pairs of socks that will cover that up. Sure, I love no show socks, but covering that inch of skin makes your day so much better. Additionally, a neck gaiter is nice on the really cold days.
4. Keep your feet under you. Probably the worst part of all the cold weather running is when sidewalks and streets freeze over. Usually it’s not an issue. Mostly, I just pay attention, run during daylight, and skip over sections of ice. But what saves me in those instances when I can’t spot the ice is keeping my feet under me. So, don’t over-stride. Besides being bad running form and possibly doing a number on your knees, it puts your feet in front of you causing you to apply a force parallel to the ground. What that means is you’re more likely to lose traction and take a dive. Keeping your feet directly under you means most of your weight applies a force perpendicular to the ground, rather than parallel to it. Consequently, you stay on your feet. Trust me. I have a (few) physics degree(s).
5. Knowing that you’re training for an end goal keeps you getting out there and toughing it out. So, sign up for a race. It doesn’t have to be a marathon. But just a 5K, a 10K, or whatever keeps you motivated and out there running. This is true for me now, and even in the past when I did track in high school and cycling in college (and cold weather cycling is muuuuuuch worse than cold weather running).



If possible, grow a beard. Sure, it keeps your face a little warmer, but mostly, it makes you feel more badass while running. Especially when ice forms on it.