Last Minute Winter Running Tips

By Linzay Logan
Published Mar. 5, 2012
Updated Mar. 6, 2012 at 12:44 PM UTC

Be safe and don’t let the momentum fade with spring right around the corner.

Winter is returning with a vengeance after a fairly mild start to the season, which means outdoor running is going to get a bit colder, windier, slipperier and wetter for the next few weeks. Keep your mileage up and stay on track with your spring marathon training schedule with these winter weather training tips from RRCA running coach Danica Lucker, who says, “You can have some beautiful runs in the winter. In Colorado we get a lot of sun so we have picturesque beautiful days and it kind of trumps the hardships of the winter weather.”

1. Don’t over-dress. “Most people tend to dress for about 30 degrees colder than what it really is outside,” said Lucker. What’s more important than piling on the layers is putting the layers on with strategy. “You want base layers—something that wicks away moisture because without that can get you cold—and then something over it for insulation,” the Colorado-based coach explained. “You still sweat. Just because you cant see yourself sweating doesn’t mean it’s not happening.” And for the final top layer Lucker recommends above all “a good windbreaker.”

2. Hydrate as if it’s summer. “Your body is still sweating and is using more energy to keep warm,” explained Lucker, who blogs at Bostonorbotox.com. “It’s important drink the same amount of water as you would on a hot day. You can still get dehydrated. You still need to keep taking in fluids.”

3. Wear sunscreen. “In Colorado we get close to 300 days of sunshine a year,” Lucker said. “It’s not uncommon to have snow packed ground but a clear sunny day. UV rays are still UV rays and you can definitely get sunburnt in the winter.”

4. Make your own fuel cocktail. “When carrying water or hydration with you, mix it part water part Gatorade and it’s less likely to freeze,” she recommended. “In the 20s or 30s if you do half and half it is less likely to get completely frozen. It’s kind of fun to drink a little slushy. If you bring straight water it will freeze.”

5. Suck it up. “Around 30 degrees is my breaking point where I am tempted to go indoors but sometimes you have to suck it up,” she said. “I’ve had marathon runs in the middle of winter and I can’t run 20 miles on a treadmill. That sounds worse than being out there and just getting it done on the snow.”

6. Know when to take it indoors. It’s always important to be mindful of health and injury concerns, but additional concerns come up in harsh weather. “Be careful if you have any lung or asthmatic issues. If you do, you might want to think about going indoors more often,” Lucker warned. “If the footing is bad or if its icy or slushy its safer to go indoors.” Slushy or icy conditions when the sun is out can be brutal if the slush and ice melts into your shoes, and can also create issues such as frostbite. “It’s the slushy stuff that I don’t care for because your feet get wet and when your feet get wet you’re not happy,” she said. “Even with wool socks there’s not much to keep your feet warm when they’re wet. If I’m going to get wet and miserable that is what forces me to go indoors.”

FILED UNDER: Training TAGS: hydrating in the winter / safety tips / winter running / winter running apparel

Linzay Logan

Linzay Logan is the copy editor for Competitor magazine and cares about punctuation probably a little too much. She particularly loves to avoid commas as well as add exclamation points whenever she can get away with it! She also loves to run marathons and half-marathons—probably a little too much. Don’t let her small size fool you; she’ll still try to outrun you anytime. Even though chances are she probably can’t.