For those in the northern hemisphere the colder days are approaching . I love walking/jogging in the mornings and want to really incorporate that habit into my lifestyle. However, I know that when it's dark and cold outside I have a harder time making it out the door

So in the spirit of being prepared
1) what gear do I need to run outside in the winter (never done it)
2) any other ideas on how to keep the motivation in the winter time?


Thanks

How cold are you planning for?

I am a total wuss when it comes to the cold! As soon as it gets chilly it's the treadmill for me!

I love running in the cold - as long as it's a few degrees above freezing I wear shorts! When it dips down (don't think I'd run in < 25 F temps) I wear leggings and long sleeves. Nothing special.

Running in the winter is by far my favourite time to run... I run in -20c/-4f if there is no wind and it's bright and sunny it is the most pleasant time for running...

I layer...On top, I wear a windbreaker, under that I wear a wicking type of fleece sweater and under that a very light/thin wicking type of long underwear sweater... In very cold weather on the bottom I wear these pants that I found at Mountain Equipment that have a windbreaker type of material in the front part of the leg and there is a fleece type of material inside, very soft...

For sock I wear wicking types of socks... you can get special winter ones but it's really not necessary, just make sure they are not cotton...

On my hands I have gloves, again they are made of a windbreaker type of material and on top I wear a very light mit, I usually have to take the mit off mid-way into my run...

Very important, never ever wear cotton, you will sweat, it will get wet and you will be cold...

Good luck

EDA: Do not over dress, you're better off being slightly coldish when you start then warm up, than being just perfectly toasty warm when you start then overheating mid-way into your run...

Walking and jogging is the good way to be fit in the winter.

For me, it's not the cold that bothers me with winter walking/running (if I get to running), it's the lack of light! Dark until nearly 8 am and dark again by 4:30 pm THAT sucks!

That's what I don't like about it. And I live out in the country where there's nothing for miles. Even more fun!

As long as there isn't a lot of snow on the ground, running in winter is great! As others have said, just layer. Make sure you have a hat that covers your ears and gloves. I dress to feel quite cold when I walk outside before the run but as soon as I start running, body temperature comes up and I'm pretty comfortable.

I generally can stand to wear shorts all the way down to freezing but if it gets too cold, I usually put on some tights and trainers over it. As for top, usually some non-cotton technical shirt with a layer of running jacket or pullover on top.

Personnaly I ran during last winter, the coldest run being at 0 F degrees (That was COLD).You need a good windbreaker, a hotter layer and some underwear on it, for the bottom and the top (for the really really cold days)

Because it gets much more darker during the winter, you need to be visible. Windbreaker designed the running often have some reflective parts on them

I only run with a hat when it's VERY cold, most of the time I use a headband to cover my ears and that's it. The bare head helps to evacuate the heat so you don't have to stop after 10 minutes to take off a layer because you're too hot.

If you never did it, it will take time to adjust to the good quantity of clothing you put on. I always tend to put too much and to get way to hot after a while. In the end I figure that the best combination would be something where I would be a tad chilly for the first kilometers and after that, I would warm up and be okay for the rest.

Until around 28-32 degrees, I usually wear my legs underwear with shorts on it. Under that I would switch the short for a legs windbreaker pants. For the top I guess it depends how chilly you are usually!

if you have more questions, don't hesitate!

Oh and (sorry, double post), get good socks. I ran for a while putting two pairs of socks and it was never feeling perfect until I got a good pair of socks for cold weather, I think they are Mizuno's and they are TERRIFIC. (all of this makes me think that I have no idea where this pair of socks is!)

* Don't underestimate how much warmth underwear (wicking, please, just like the rest of your clothes) can add to shorts or tights.

* Pay attention to visibility-- not just you seeing where you're going, vehicles and other people need to see you. IMO the little reflective trim on tights or jackets are not even close to enough. I like NiteIze's LED-based blinky things and Nathan's reflective gear. (Also, FWIW, I find that fabrics and garments with inherent reflectivity--it's a coating, kind of plastic-y--lose most of their breathability and become really unpleasant to sweat in. YMMV.)

A general rule of thumb is to dress for 20 degrees (farenheit) warmer than it actually is. Think of this as a starting point--adjust up or down according to your personal preferences.

Thanks all for all the good information. It's really motivating to see that many people do it.

I'm living in Amsterdam now and according to a weather website the average low for the winter months is in the 30s F.

I find it more trouble running in the hot weather... but the cold somtimes breathing in I coveredwith light scarf to breath through ditto what everyone said I tend to get hot about 5 min in so learned to deal with the uncomfortable the first few... mostly wore gloves took off,wore headband No hats very light jacket if any ,I do have flexabilty on running times so would wait till it hit 32 most days and we did not have much snow or ice last year.... YOU did not say where you lived???

I actually prefer to run in the cooler weather and dark. The cold makes me feel more alive, but at the same time I find a sense of calm in the dark that I don't have when I'm running in daylight. I also love the scent of fireplaces going when I run during the fall and winter.

I make sure to run with a hat (fleece or wool) or ear warmer and almost always a neck gaiter (which I sometimes have to put over my mouth and nose to breath through if it's very cold). My hands get cold easily, so I run with fleece gloves or mittens. I layer; thin wicking shirt underlayer then a lightweight jacket. I make sure to wear light clothing and reflectors. I'll probably run with a light this winter, too, just to be more visible. I generally stick to sidewalks, but do have some routes that bring me onto the road.

I make sure to have a nice cup of hot tea when I come back from a cool run.