Cold weather

[Alicialouk]

Can not use treadmill or go to gym. Being inside is out of the question. My frist morring jogging in 36 degree weather, could not wait for it to warm up. Due to work. Forehead was hurtting from breathing in cold air. Any advice on how to cope/ and dress. I travel all 48 states plus canda

[Irishprincess Graduate]

This works for me in very cold weather - long thermal tights, one base layer (top) under a thermal top, gloves, hat and a buff. You can use the buff to cover your mouth in very cold conditions and then you can wear it around your head or neck.

As for running in Canada - runswithdogs can give you some pointers as she runs there!

My only other tip for cold weather is to warm up extra well as it takes longer for the muscles to warm up. I take about 10 minutes.

[misswobble Graduate in reply to Irishprincess]

You can warm up indoors first so you're good and toasty before hitting the street for your warm up walk. Take 10 mins or whatever before you start your run

Layering up is a good plan so you can peel off as required. Hat and gloves will be a given. The gloves might come off at some point so have somewhere to stash them

I find that it's the small of my back which gets coldest, so a longish top is my go-to choice for colder conditions. Not that we get anything like yours! We are spoilt in comparison. I have fine knit merino top and I know it's going to be used a lot over the winter.

[runswithdogs Graduate in reply to Irishprincess]

On the coldest of days I will wear:

Wool socks tucked into tights

Winter running tights

Windbreaker

Thermal long sleeved top tucked into tights

Balaclava with a mouth cover tucked into my thermal

Occasionally a fleece over the thermal top for the extremely cold days

The thermal tights, mittens, balaclava, cap and socks can all be purchased from a work wear shop rather than a running shop. Make sure your windbreaker has zippered pockets for when you need to peel off your hat and mitts. And buy cheap hats and mitts because you're bound to lose some while running.

This gear will take me down to -24C. My backside and my stomach area always seem a little cold after a winter run. It's important to check yourself in the mirror to make sure skin isn't exposed when you're below zero. All runs start off cold, but you heat up fast when running. As the others have mentioned, you can do your warm up and cool down inside.

It's also worth mentioning I get a new pair of shoes every winter to run on the ice in, since the grips are new. In the spring I go back to both pairs if they still have some life left in them.

Let me know if you're in Calgary on a Saturday and interested in a Parkrun

[Alicialouk in reply to runswithdogs]

Thank you so much on info. Ill definitely take you up on the park run, if am up that way

[Irish-John Graduate]

No advice but just wanted to say well done on wanting to keep up with the programme, I saw where you just started only a couple of weeks or so ago - this early in it and this weather setting in now I don't know if I would have had enough motivation to carry on. Good for you