What are all the runners wearing right now for the cold weather? I need to go buy my running clothes for when I go back up to Philly and start my walk/run program.. Not sure what to buy! I've heard not to really wear cotton because it holds moisture and makes you feel hotter and/or colder and to wear synthetics.. Also something about allowing your ankles to be free? (is that why people wear shorts/capris and they make the ankle socks for running?) As you can see, I'm a TOTAL newbie and any and all advice is greatly appreciated.

Also, being in the 'plus' category, it's been difficult to find a good sports bra. I've looked around in Target and the like, but their largest size seems to be an XL. I'd like something that doesn't give mono-boob and also something I can try on, ideally, as opposed to ordering from the internet. I think I'm something like a 1x or a size 18, as the regular XL in target (Champion brand) was a little too tight and did the 'mono' thing. (yuck)

Thanks for reading!

P.S. Has anyone had any luck with plus-sized workout/running tanks with the bra built in? Again, I found one made by Champion at Target, but it was too small. I like the idea of something like a tank or a long sleeved shirt with built-in bra to minimize all the layers. Don't like too many things around my chest or waist.. (will already have my new Polar heartrate monitor that I looove so far!)

Here's a really good webpage with layering information. Regardless of the activity proper layering is the key to being comfortable in the cold. Remember you can always omit a layer based on the temperature & conditions. Good luck with your running!

http://www.mec.ca/Main/content_text....=1199058185491

Hi LMM,
I usually wear regular long athletic pants unless it gets to be below about 20 degrees, then i wear long underwear under them.
Luckily we are both target shoppers! they are just workout pants from target, the baggy straightleg kind, as i too am of a larger persuasion.

I got my long thermals from Dick's sporting goods, and i just got a new LLbean pair for xmas, the Trail Model long underwear. But rarely to i jog when it is that cold, so usually just the target pants.

for the top, i wear my LLbean Trail Model shirt, it is a great shirt, you can wear it alone if the temp is around 40 or so, or wear it under a fleece jacket if the temp gets into the low 30's or 20's. you may have to check out a sporting goods store for at least one good synthetic running shirt, i don't recall if i've ever seen them at target. But i like the LLbean ones because they are light wieght.
For when it gets a little colder i have an Underarmor synthetic shirt that's a bit thicker than the LLbean wear, and i wear a fleece jacket over top of that.

I used to run in cotton, and it is doable. but it is SO much more enjoyable to run in the moisture-wicking synthetic wear. it fits closer and is easier to move.
I mean, i used to wear a long sleeve cotton t shirt, a sweatshirt, and a fleece coat. It's bulky, but you can still do it, if your going out for an hour or less.

I have this little scarf thing that is great. it's from Columbia, it's just a fleece neck cozy, all one piece, just a tube of fabric. I always feel like if my neck is warm i can ward off that first cold chill that hits when you first step outside.
As far as hats, i just wear a cotton winter hat from odd lots, and usually only if the temp hovers around 20 or lower, once you get moving, a hat is too much.
I pull my hand into my fleece jacket sleeves for warmth most of the time, but if it's bitter cold i just wear little cotton gloves.

I have some thick synthetic socks that i wear if it gets real cold, usually i just make do with my regular socks.

I normally jog the whole way, you may need extra layers if you are too cold during the walking part.

normally what I do when it gets cold enough that i have to think about it, is a moisture wicking shirt, i have a thin one or thicker one to choose from, then i have a fleece jacket. and most of the time just the one layer of pants, the one's from target. Then, if that isn't warm enough, i add the tube-scarf. If it's still too cold, then i grab hat and gloves.
I normally only wear 2 layers of pants if it's 20ish or below.

a good rule of thumb for running is to dress for weather that is 20 degrees warmer that what it really is.

Hope that is useful to you, i have a way with run on sentances i guess.
Kb.

PS excellent resource provided by Lifeguard. I didn't mention the outer shell as I normally don't need it for jogging around the city, but occasionally i will wear a pair of wind pants with long underwear and my regular winter coat, which consists of a fleece lining and a goretex outer. that is normally if it gets below 20 and is windy.

I run outside along the (windy) Chicago lakefront in the winter, and the best advice is to layer in synthetic wicking fabrics. NO cotton, as bad as it is in summer, it is deadly in the winter. Down to about 15 - 20 degrees, I'm good with a pair of tights (I have a pair from Brooks and one from Under Armour, both of which are great in the cold) and maybe some long underwear on the bottom, a long sleeve shirt and my "go to" sugoi windproof jacket on top, at cooler temps I may add a fleece layer. And thin gloves and sometimes a neckwarmer, depending on how cold.

Great advice from Kaebea already - my only additional comment is that if you're not cold when you first walk out the door, you're going to be too hot once you get going and that internal engine starts firing.

As for running bras - dunno where you are on the sizing spectrum, but I have to put in my plug for Enell. As a bigger chested gal, I do not exagerate when I say finding this bra was instrumental to me becoming a runner - probably as important as finding good shoes to wear. The support it gives is absolutely amazing, although it takes a little getting used to the "corset" feeling from wearing it. I've never even tried the tanks with the built in bras - I know they won't work for me and my gals.

Good luck!

It doesn't get that cold here in CA but I have run in Chicago and New York when it was 30 degrees (Farenheit) or a little lower. I found that my hands got very cold, so I would definitely invest in a good pair of gloves. I wore a windbreaker that had arms that were long enough that I could pull them down over my hands and that extra layer made a huge difference. Also, a scarf and hat were critical--my face and ears got very cold too. One of my windbreakers has a hood and I think I ended up pulling that over my head on one of the runs because the hat alone wasn't doing the trick. I wore heavy moisture-wicking tights (long enough to cover my ankes) on my bottom and that was fine. I think my calves would have been too cold in capris (I also didn't see any other runners wearing capris and I was running in popular areas--Central Park and Lake Michigan--so I saw a lot of runners. Everyone was wearing long pants). On top I wore a wicking long-sleeved shirt as a base layer, a light-weight fleece (also wicking), and the windbreaker. I think I could have done without the fleece, maybe just worn a slightly warmer shirt (the one I wore was pretty thin).

If you wear glasses, I would definitely look into contacts. My breath steamed up my glasses and then the steam froze on them, so I had to do the runs without being able to see where I was going.

Just make sure you don't forget gloves! My hands are always the coldest part of me when I run.