Running in the cold and dark season

[yvi]

It's slowly starting to get really cold where I am - it's 5°C today and the sun sets before 5 pm at the moment. Winter is going to be here soon with temperatures well below the freezing point and the sun setting at around 4 pm.

Those of you with more experience with this, how do you keep going during the winter? What do you wear, when do you run, how do you stay motivated? Any tips and experiences are appreciated.

Comments

[dancing_serpent]

Maybe some of the comments here will help you?

[yvi]

That was helpful, thanks!

[blnchflr]

I'm a very low-tech runner, with not much proper running gear. I just pile layers on (and wear scarves and mittens and earmuffs and wool underwear and everything), and often I'll then get too hot and sweat too much, and consequently get too cold too fast when I start shedding outer layers, *hands*.

I don't like running in summer, when my face and brain overheat from the heat, so running in winter is not too off-putting for me. I prefer to run in the morning, and yeah, it's dark now, but it's also dark in the afternoon when I get home from work, and by then, I'm not up for running. So I live with running in the dark in the morning.

But in general, I run more in spring and fall, when the weather and light suit me better.

[thalia]

I'm lucky that I can run during the day, when it's light. And mostly, I don't wear anything cotton, and I put on as many layers as necessary. I'm usually chilly when I first start, but after five minutes I'm comfortable.

[temve]

This is my first winter of running without having a treadmill available (which i don't miss because I hate running on the treadmill), so we'll see how that goes. I've already switched to the roadside trails that are lit, and am wearing long tights and a long-sleeved shirt.

When it gets really cold, I add a fleece that unzips once I get warmer, and gloves. Thankfully, my hair has the consistency of small tree-trunks so it keeps my ears warm without the need for a hat...

As for keeping myself motivated: "running will warm you up" and "really, it's not as late as it looks" have worked for me in the past...

[ilanarama]

I shift my running from early morning to late morning to noon as the winter progresses. (For example, I just got back from my run now!) But I have a flexible schedule at work and can do this without trouble.

The key for me is to remember that I'm going to get warmer as I go, as thalia mentions. So I usually wear shorts and a short-sleeved tech top (never anything cotton) with gloves and a fleece headband even down to the freezing point, as long as it's sunny. If it's windy or cloudy (or snowing!) I will need long sleeves and legs. I'm always cold to start, but warm up.

As far as motivation goes, I usually don't have a problem because I enjoy running in the winter. I love looking at the snow-covered mountains, and the deer are more plentiful and hang out near the river on the path where I do most of my winter running. If the weather is bad, I tell myself I'll just run the short loop and if it's miserable I'll quit - but I usually feel just fine once I'm out there.

If you're really desperate for motivation, get the book "Ultramarathon Man" by Dean Karnazes, especially if you can get the audiobook version and listen to it while you're running. I remember listening to it last year while I was battling through unplowed snow - and it happened to be the chapter about running a marathon on Antarctica. Made me feel like I was in a tropical paradise, by comparison.