10/30/2019 0 Comments How I dress to Run in -10°C (14F)This weekend, the mercury dipped well below freezing to -10ºC with the windchill (windspeed 20-30kph). So it was time once again to plumb the depths of my running drawers for suitable clothing.
PANTS: MID-WEIGHT , LIGHTLY-LINED LEGGINGS I wore a pair of mid-weight, full-length, lightly-lined running tights. I didn't yet reach for my windproof pants, because these tights were a step up from the mid-weight, unlined ones I wear around the freezing mark, and I didn't need the extra protection just yet. SHIRT: LONG-SLEEVED, LIGHTWEIGHT BASE LAYER A thin, long sleeved shirt that I use during very cold winter runs as my base layer (my shirt in the above photo reads: Run Now, Wine Later, a motto I live by wholeheartedly!). It's not cold enough yet for me to add a middle layer, so this was my only shirt. JACKET: MID-WEIGHT, WIND-RESISTANT At -10ºC, I dress as though I'm going out for a brisk walk in temps 20ºC higher. This jacket would be perfect at 10ºC with a bit of wind, so that's what I chose. Even so, I had to unzip it about 3K into the run, because I was getting too hot. Those who run a little colder might choose to wear an extra shirt as a middle layer, or wear a slightly heavier jacket. SOCKS: DOUBLE-LAYER, BLISTER PROOF, MID-CALF LENGTH I usually wear double-layer socks, except during the very hottest days of summer, because I find they keep the blisters away much better than single-layer ones do. The pair I wore today wasn't any thicker than my usual, but they were a little longer to make sure I didn't expose any ankle skin. SHOES: MY TRUSTY NEW BALANCE 880’s The only time I change up my shoes or add spikes is when the road or trail conditions are wet or icy. Not today! ACCESSORIES: MOISTURE WICKING HAT. THIN, MOISTURE-WICKING, WINDPROOF GLOVES. HANDHELD 12OZ WATER BOTTLE. IPHONE IN POCKET. WIRELESS HEADPHONES. POLAR M430 GPS WATCH/HEART RATE MONITOR At -10ºC, I haven’t had water bottles or electronics freeze up on me, so I didn’t take any special precautions like putting my phone into an insulating bag or adding anything to my water to lower its freezing point. The Polar M430 watch worked fine today. At first, my hat wasn't quite enough protection because it didn't completely cover my ears against the wind, and I was a little worried, not gonna lie, but after I warmed up, my ears were fine. But my Raynaud’s Syndrome was acting up, so even with gloves on, I had numb, white fingers of death. Next run it might be time to pull out my heavy mittens. Choosing running apparel is like choosing underwear: highly personal. What works for me won’t work for everybody. But until you’ve got a handle on what works for you, I hope this provides a good starting point to make your minus-ten-degree run feel like a day at the beach. OK, maybe not. See you out there!
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AuthorKathy Istace runs and races in one of the coldest cities on earth. Archives
December 2020
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