Winter Running Threads- What to Wear In the Cold

When running outside in the winter, I find it tough to decide what to wear or how many layers to put especially when the temperatures are well below freezing.

In the past  winters,  I had difficulty gauging my body temperature. I thought I would be a lot colder than I was.   I wore too many layers and ended up overheating half way through the run.  I felt hot and sluggish and it affected my overall speed and time.

I quickly learned that starting out my run a little cold is ideal. Chilled enough that my teeth don’t chatter.  By the end of my run, I felt pretty comfortable and a little sweaty.  

I suggest layering up only when the weather is extremely cold (-10 and below).  Here is what works for me:

For temperatures 3 to -10 , I wear:

Thermal 1/4 zip long sleeve top and Thermal Compression Tights, Running jacket (doesn’t have to be Winter, just thick enough to cut the wind), gloves, hat.   These can be found at SportChek .

For temperatures colder than -10, I would add a long sleeve compression top under the thermal top and windbreaker nylon pants over the thermal pants.

Happy Running, Stay warm but not too warm!