Tips for running in the cold and the wind

Not many people enjoy running in cold weather when it’s under the freezing mark and the wind is blowing. I remember running on a Sunday morning in the winter of 1988, which was the Delaware State University long run from Smyrna to Dover, and following a snowplow that my coach, the late Joe Burden, had arranged with his City of Dover connections. My teammates and I ran down the shoulder on Route 13 layered with red Hornets gear and white athletic socks over our double gloves and stocking hats, wondering why we were doing what we were doing. Some runners just do things that seem like the right thing to do at the time, but a bit silly years later. Like my buddy Chico Barranco, who did laps around his Milton basement water heater during a blizzard in the early ’90s.

Here are 10 Runner’s World tips to make winter running less miserable:

1. Get motivated. 2. Arm your feet. 3. Get dressed. 4. Be seen. 5. Warm up pre-run. 6. Deal with wind. 7. Forget speed. 8. Change quickly post-run. 9. Deal with rain. 10. Go someplace warm.

Tips for running when it's cold

When dressing to run in cold weather, the rule of thumb is to add 10 to 20 degrees to the outside temperature to calculate your running temperature. Keep in mind that this number is dependent upon your body size, run pace, and the length of your run.

What do I wear?

So if you are going out for a short run, an easy-paced run, or you are a smaller runner (less body mass) add 10 to 15 degrees to the outside temperature to estimate your running temperature. If you are going for a long run, doing a hard workout or have a large body mass, add 20 degrees to the outside temp. 

But you should also take the wind chill factor into consideration. When winds are present, look at the “feels like” temperature to determine what to wear. 

When planning your run on windy, cold days, try to run into the wind on your way out and have the wind at your back on your return. It’s best to avoid running into the wind when you are wet and sweaty because you will chill very quickly.

Guide on what to wear

Many members of the Seashore Striders ask me about running gear in relation to how cold it is. Many runners seem to overdress than underdress, and after a few miles they are wanting to shed some layers.

Here is a great chart that was published by Runner’s World that I thought would be helpful:

60-plus degrees – tank top and shorts

50-59 degrees – short-sleeved tech shirt and shorts

40-49 degrees – long-sleeved tech shirt, shorts or tights, gloves (optional), headband to cover ears (optional)

30-39 degrees – long-sleeved tech shirt, shorts or tights, gloves and headband to cover ears

20-29 degrees – two shirts layered, a long-sleeved tech shirt and a short-sleeved tech shirt or long-sleeved shirt and jacket, tights, gloves and headband or hat to cover ears

10-19 degrees - two shirts layered, tights, gloves or mittens, headband or hat, and windbreaker jacket/pants

0-9 degrees - two shirts layered, tights, windbreaker jacket/pants, mittens, headband or hat, ski mask to cover face.

When temperatures dip below freezing, be sure and pay attention to local weather information and warnings. Cold temperatures and dry air can aggravate some health conditions, so use your best judgment as to whether you should run outside or hit the treadmill instead.

Snow Running

For the first time in my AARP lifetime, I was involved in two parts of the country that both got hit with 8 inches of snow at the same time. As I skied Beaver Creek in Avon, Colo., and stood on top of the mountain at 11,500 feet, I was watching the Rehoboth Boardwalk cam as the Delaware beaches were getting hammered with snow as well. This was the first Delaware snowstorm I was not present for dating back to 1982, but I’m sure there will be plenty of snow waiting for me to shovel when I return home this week.

Following a storm in 1992, the late Bill Degnan, state coach of the year in 1986 after leading the Cape boys to the Division I outdoor title, thought I was crazy as I shoveled lane one of the old black outdoor Cape oval so we could have winter track practice. Sometimes you do what needs to be done to take the athletes where they need to go.