Winter is Here

     Well folks, that lovely summer breeze has transformed into the piercing cold air nobody but Jack Frost looks forward to. Winter is here, and in full swing (with less than a month to Christmas, I might add!) and with it comes ice, snow, and wind burns galore. What a joy it is to be a runner in a time like this. 

      I have decided it is in my best interest to stick to lifting and workouts that improve my fitness instead of taking a chance and trying to run to my kneecap (which is shifting to the left quite painfully) but from beginning my entire running adventure in the brutal season of winter, I do have a few helpful hints for you if you are looking to experience the journey of running in winter conditions.

     First off, consider your clothing. Expecting that you live in a region such as the mid-west, and assuming absolutely bitter winters terror your town, you will want some of those lovely layers of running gear. Usually my running outfit of the day is a long sleeve shirt (usually cotton, because those are the types I get for free from my school) paired with a think cotton sweatshirt. It doesn't make running in the wind necessarily easier or more pleasant, but it traps in body heat, which is really important to me for about the first mile of the run. That is, until I begin to get way too hot.

       With my sweatshirt and shirt beneath that, I usually stick on one of those headbands that you may often see female runners wearing, so that my hair can stick out in it's ponytail. If you're a female you may know the uncomfortable feeling of hair forcefully sticking to the back of your sweaty neck. It's itchy, because that hat won't let up either. I'll always prefer a headband to anything else while running, just because I know it won't come off and to be honest I think it looks better on female runners.

       If you're a male, by all means run with a hat on. If you're looking to stay the warmest possible, keep all the body heat you can in by wearing a hat that covers all of your head. If you're willing to risk a few judgmental stares by those driving by in cars, wear one of those ski masks that robbers wear and cover your entire face. Not only will this break your un-protected cheeks from windburn, but it will also keep maximum body heat coming from your head.

       With my head and torso gear, I also wear running leggings or tights underneath either another pair or running tights or sweatpants. Chances are the bottom of your sweatpants may get wet from running in snow and melting, which will be very uncomfortable. If you own any, I would opt for running tights or leggings. It's really important to me that I wear more than one pair of pants while running. This helps to block some of the wind and prevent windburn, which is really really common for runners like myself. 

      As for socks, I always go for more than one pair. Whatever they are (preferably thick running socks) it's important to me wear a longer pair of Nike Elite socks, which usually go up to about mid shin. This keeps my ankles warm, especially when running through snow and difficult ice conditions.

      Lastly, don't forget about gloves. These are so important to me as a runner. It seems like nothing can take a beating worse than hands of the runners who don't have gloves. I've heard some runners don't prefer running with gloves on, and it's true it's not exactly comfortable, but I would rather have a slight discomfort during my run than trying to unfreeze my hands after.