Cold weather running gear
Article by Jenn
5 months ago Jenn dragged herself kicking and screaming to the starting line of a 10k, which almost killed her to finish. Now she runs half marathons and has FUN doing it (and she’s training for a marathon too). Running and training has changed almost every aspect of her life.
I live in South Dakota, where November can mean highs in the upper 60s and lows in the I-can’t-see-out-my-window-because-it’s-blizzarding-BRRR! So when putting together my running wardrobe for the fall months, I looked for pieces that would transition well into the bitter cold we get here (we’re talking 30 below in January/February). I’m certainly no expert–I only started running in May (so this is my first winter of pounding the pavement) but I’m training for a marathon so I’ve spent LOTS of time out there figuring out what works and what doesn’t.
My first purchase this fall was a pair of all-season tights from Asics. The particular pair I found have been discountinued, but a comparable product would be the Under Armour AllSeasonGear Quickstep tight which retails for $59.99–a little on the spendy side. A cheaper alternative is the Under Armour HeatGear Tight–don’t let the name fool you–these are great for warmth, and unlike their ColdGear counterpart, will be ideal for days when it’s not freezing, but not warm either. They retail for $39.99.
My all-season tights have taken me comfortably from days that are sunny and 50 degrees to a race once that was 27 degrees and windy. If the idea of being clad in spandex from the waist down isn’t your deal, just put a pair of shorts on over them–I’ve seen plenty of people wear them both ways.
On top, I swear by this half-zip from Nike for $55. It IS admittedly a little pricey, but SO worth it. The inside of it has an alomst fleecy finish, but still manages to be that awesome moisture-wicking material so you don’t feel like you’re drowing in your own sweat on a long run. The sleeves are cut a little longer so they come down around your hands (or your gloves, if it’s cold) and they’re tight so they stay put. I’ve always found Nike to run on the smaller side of things, and this shirt is no exception–if you waver between two sizes, order the larger in this. The only con to this one is that because the sleeves are designed to stay put for warmth, they’re really too tight to hike up to your elbows if you get warm (like they pinch to a point of being kind of uncomfortable, I think, if you pull them up.) So reserve this one for days when you know you want your arms covered.
The Nike half-zip is great alone or with another layer under it too (I usually troll clearance racks for anything dri-fit or moisture-wicking) so start there–you can usually find long-sleeved shirts for around $20 if you catch a good sale. Beware UnderArmour compression HeatGear shirts though–they WILL ride up to the tiniest part of your waist and leave you exposed if you’re curvy at all. I bought one off a clearance rack once and have found I have to tuck it in to keep from looking like I’m only half-dressed out there. Also, in the long-sleeved variety, these suckers are TIGHT. Try it on before you buy, and get your arms moving to see how it feels.
The earband I wear is Mizuno, from their Breath Thermo line. This fabric claims to get warmer as it gets wet (with your sweat) and then wick it away. I’m not sure I’ve ever noticed the warmth factor, but the wicking is amazing. When I wear this, I’m never wiping sweat out of my eyes. It also stays in place very well too. I picked mine up for about $15 at a local running specialty store.
The gloves I wear are just a standard pair of Nike ones–I don’t think you can go wrong with any glove, really. I chose the ones I did for the terry-cloth snot wiping patch on the thumb (isn’t running SEXY?) which sounds gross, but comes in super handy when it’s cold, and is absorbent. Here’s a similar pair for $15.
November 12th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
Thanks for the tips! As far as shirts (especially) go, I find the “name” brands are worth the price tag. I spent many a long run chaffing from cheap tanks this summer. I wear Wal-Mart brand leggings as long johns for winter running, but fork out the dough for my tops. Mountain Equiptment Co-Op has awesome winter running jackets (although perhaps this store is uniquely Canadian) and on my coldest of cold runs last year I scammed these little sticky foot warmers that stuck to the bottoms of my socks from my husband. At -35C, it was the only thing that kept me from getting frostbite! And Good luck! A marathon is a hearty goal, but you have no idea the price and satisfaction that you achieve from doing it!
November 18th, 2009 at 11:38 am
I saw some awesome gloves at target this weekend, but forget the brand name…anyway…the awesomeness of them was that on the pointer and thumb fingers, there are little metal dots so that you can work your ipod without taking your glove off. GENIUS! They were about 19 bucks.
November 18th, 2009 at 11:38 am
or maybe they were for texting? Hey, whatever…great idea.