I often get asked when it gets this cold in Minnesota (9 below zero and 20 below windchill) “you didn’t run today did you?”. Sometimes I feel like lying, but I can’t lie very good so I just say, “yep I did,” with a sheepish look on my face and waiting for this…“are you crazy Karen!!”. To be honest, I get asked why I run in all kinds of sh###y weather…rain, sleet, snow, wind and even 100 degrees with extreme humidity. I must confess, it’s not because I love these running conditions, and I bet most runners would agree, they’re not anyone’s favorite! I however love to run, and I do love a challenge even more. And yes, I may be a bit insane too.
But you know what else……..
I am hoping it makes me a better runner.
When I think about going out for a run in the freezing cold, I often talk to myself and say
But, when I go out running in the snow, I also try and remember, “I am using different muscles and this run will make me stronger”. Kind of like running in the wind. The resistance is good for me right! So says my friend Sarah, who leads our Running Classes on Monday and Wednesday evenings. She’s right! As much as we complain about heading outside for the first part of class, we have fun and know it’s good for us and it makes us tougher runners! Come to think of it, I have similar thoughts when I go out and run in the heat and humidity. “This really sucks. Why the heck am I doing this…oh that’s right, it’s making me a stronger runner!”
I had a friend who is a bit new to running in our COLD Minnesota temps and she asked me, “how do I dress? What do you wear?”. So I thought I’d share a bit about what I have learned over the past 30 some winters. Yes, you heard right, 30 plus winters. I’ve been running a long time!
Some of my favorite running gear….
Warm Jacket
When it’s really cold out I tend to reach for this jacket use see me wearing above, but here is a closer look. I wear a base layer underneath with a warm half zip shirt like this one from Athleta, my favorite place to shop. I purchased the above jacket from Zulily. They both have really great sales but if you see an item on Zulily, don’t hesitate to purchase because things go fast. I love almost everything from Athleta, and my husband would say, a bit too much?.
Warm Tights
Gloves/Mittens
My husband gave me these gloves for Christmas this year. My hands are probably the toughest part of my body to keep warm. Even more so than my face. That thing you see on my face is my gaiter from Under Armour. My hands however have had so much frost bite in the past, probably due to improper so they are bit more sensitive. I tried these on my last cold run, and my hands stayed warm. WOOT WOOT! He purchased them from Sierra Trading. Check out this article and give this a try!
SHOES
I love my Brooks Pure Flows but if it’s really snowy out, I will attach these. You can read more about them here. I tend to only wear them if there is a lot of snow and the plows have not been out yet to clear the roads. They work wonderfully if it’s snowy because they’ll grip to the snow. That’s about the only time I wear them. If it’s icy, not so much.
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