HOW CAN I KEEP WARM ON A WINTER RUN?
As athletes participating in outdoor sports, we have to pay particular attention to coping with the cold at this time of year. Alongside our basic hardiness, there are numerous strategies we should employ. Here are just a few pointers to help keep you running throughout the winter months.
Q Slowly start to warm up cold muscles and avoid tears and strains. Warm up indoors if it’s extremely cold outside.
Q Wear tights/leggings not shorts to keep muscles warm at all times.
Q Layer up and choose garments that allow you to vent (open zips, roll up sleeves) once you’re warm.
Q Wear appropriately grippy footwear for the conditions, especially off-road.
Q Avoid road running when it’s icy – go off-road for more grip.
Q Be careful on frozen rutted/ muddy ground – the ankle-twisting potential is high.
Q Do some of your speedwork sessions on a treadmill.
Q Have two pairs of shoes on the go so that one set can be drying out (stuffed with newspaper) slowly while you’re using the other pair.
Q Get a head torch and red LED lights for running in the dark.
Q Make sure your base layer is made of a suitable wicking fabric.
LAYERING
Layering is an effective method of optimising your clothing attire for both the activity and conditions. Usually there are three layers involved in dressing for the cold, especially on the bike. These are:
BASE LAYER
This sits next to the skin and is designed to wick moisture (perspiration) away. It also needs to be lightweight and relatively tight-fitting to avoid sweat pooling on the skin beneath it. Avoid cotton as it tends to hold moisture next to the skin long after you finish sweating, increasing heat-loss exponentially.
INSULATION LAYER
Typically a fleece-type fabric or down in more extreme weather. Like the base layer, for sporting purposes it needs to be lightweight and tight fitting. The insulation layer traps warm air between itself and your base layer.
OUTER LAYER
This windproof/waterproof layer keeps the warm air trapped between your base layer and insulation layer. Having vent zips in this layer is an effective way of regulating temperature. For cycling, pick an outer layer that’s big enough to go over the top but not so baggy as to act like a parachute.