I run all year round, and while I prefer warm-weather running (it's so easy, and sunny, and, heck—warm!) here are the Top Ten Reasons I keep running outside in the winter:
10. Cold weather running burns more calories. Exposure to cold temperatures transforms inert, white, lumpy fat into dense brown fat, which is a calorie-burning metabolic powerhouse. Warm weather running doesn't do this, nor does treadmill running. Brown fat may also increase insulin sensitivity and promote greater bone density. Keeping your core temperature up in cold weather burns more calories, too. 9. Post-run hot cocoa (or caramel macchiato or pumpkin-spiced latte). No reason to feel guilty about the pleasure gained from savouring a calorie-laden warm beverage after a winter run. See above. We've burned it, we've earned it! 8. Holiday de-stress. Visiting in-laws getting you down? Malls too crowded? Sewing yet another Christmas pageant costume? Too many potlucks, gift exchanges, and work parties? I've got the solution for you. Repeat after me: "I'd love to (INSERT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING): come to your party, bake a pie, host the get-together, stay a little longer, but I'm training for a race. In fact, I'm going for a run right now." Then get out there and enjoy your commitment-free bad self. 7. An excuse to wear cute long-sleeved running shirts, hats, etc. Winter running gear has come a long way. Fun colours, luxurious textures, and high-tech fabrics (such as Mizuno's Breath Thermo, which absorbs sweat and uses it to generate heat) make it hard not to overspend on cold-weather running clothes, so don't forget to add sports store gift cards to your Christmas list! 6. Sparkling snow and Christmas lights. Green grass and blue skies are nice and all, but nothing beats the beauty and sparkle of unblemished snow on a Sunday morning run, or neighbourhoods decked out with twinkling Christmas lights during an evening run. 5. General bad-assery and bragging rights. My friends think I'm pretty hardcore for running 20 kilometres on a Sunday morning while they're all still in bed in the summer, but running 20 kilometres on a dark Sunday morning in January? I'm not just hardcore, I'm a total bad-ass. Get ready for looks of shock and awe. 4. No need to make New Years Resolutions. While most of the population is hitting the gym or the keto diet hard on January 1st, all you need do is smile with the knowledge that you're fit and healthy year-round. And if you really want to make a New Years Resolution, you can make one that counts, such as being more patient with your kids, volunteering, or donating to a charity. 3. Uncrowded trails and running routes. This one's for all the introverts out there (like me). Enjoy the peace and quiet of deserted trails and sidewalks, with no need to dodge random bikers, strollers, and oblivious texting pedestrians. 2. Combats Seasonal Affective Disorder. Getting out there for some much-needed sunlight during short winter days will help alleviate the winter blues, as will the hormones dopamine and serotonin released during exercise, which have been shown to fight depression. And treadmill running at the gym just isn't the same: a study published in Environmental Science and Technology found that people who exercised outside had more energy, less depression, and were more likely to stick with their workouts than indoor exercisers. 1. Improves running performance. Sports scientists at St. Mary's University in London discovered that the perceived exertion levels of runners in cold temperatures was about 30% less than in warm temperatures. Running in warm weather causes faster heart rates and higher percentages of dehydration, due to the thermoregulatory processes of sweating and transporting blood to the skin for heat loss. The runners were able to run harder and faster in cold temperatures, because their heart rates stayed lower and they lost less body fluids. The researchers surmised that running in cold temperatures could shave time from athletes' personal bests. I also find that I get fitter running over snow and ice in the winter, because, just like trail running, the uneven footing uses muscles that don't see a lot of action during runs on flat pavement. What's your favourite reason to run in the winter?
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorKathy Istace runs and races in one of the coldest cities on earth. Archives
December 2020
Categories |