Winter Running

It’s November and that means for a bunch of us around the country, Winter Running is starting to emerge.  This means frosty mornings, dark evenings, and layering up like a jelly-roll.

Mmmm jelly-rolls……

Oh wait, we’re talking running.  Right!

I’m a cold weather girl. I love it with all my little heart.  Fall and Spring are my favorite running seasons, and winter I tolerate because I don’t really have a choice.  The only thing I like about summer is the longer days which means I can get my workout done earlier.  Okay, I also like wearing shorts.

But that’s it.

Fall and Spring running seasons are short here which means the majority of the time I’m running in cold weather and by cold I mean below 30°F.  In the height of winter, temps are in the single digits for my runs.

Come late January and February, I’m running in snow.  That’s after I’ve shoveled the driveway and sidewalk.

The honest truth though is that I love it.  It’s cold and it’s HARD which makes it challenging, and that’s what I enjoy.  Running in the snow is no joke.  Running in the cold is also no joke.  Not many people do it, most head indoors when the weather starts to get chilly.

I don’t have that option.  I don’t own a treadmill and I don’t have a gym membership.  Instead I buy winter running gear, layer up, and I’m out the door.

Last year through a three-part series we talked about winter running and discussed tips on how to make it through the winter running season.

Winter Running Tips Part I

Winter Running Tips Part II

Winter Running Tips Part III

This year I hope to talk more about winter running and how to get the most out of your runs when the weather gets chilly.

Do you run in the winter?  Does where you live even experience much in the way of winter weather?  Let’s discuss!

9 thoughts on “Winter Running

  1. I had to train in the snow a few times for a race. Not the most pleasant (and I’m sure all the cars driving by thought I was nuts), but you gotta do what you gotta do. The thought of logging all those miles on a treadmill was too much to bear.

    The gym I have a membership to has a tiny indoor running track…but I haven’t been there in awhile. Basically just a couple of times since I canceled my personal trainer. I have an unlimited guest pass if you want to come motivate me!

  2. We definitely have winter here! I wasn’t great about running last year because we had such a rough winter (tons of snow and ice). If the roads aren’t bad, I really don’t mind running the cold. But we don’t have sidewalks here, so I can only run if the roads are in okay shape.

  3. I am a cold weather runner, too! I run outside all winter, only hitting the treadmill if there’s just too much ice. Having snow on the ground makes finding routes a little more challenging, but can be done. But give me single digit temps anyday over 80+ degrees!

  4. I was not made for the cold! I hate the cold but that is why I want to learn to embrace the cold and run in it this year. I usually run indoors all year but I would love to be brave/strong enough to run in the cold.

  5. Heidi says:

    I enjoy cold weather running too! Last year, I ran outside all winter, even in single digits. One thing I think is important when running in cold weather is to warm up while indoors (with all your layers on) to the point that you’re sweating and then it feels refreshing to go outside. Then you don’t notice the cold so much.

  6. Haha!!! I literally JUST wrote about this on my blog! I hate the cold weather, but I love it for running. I run so much better in the cold. Not sure if it’s in my head or what, but I do!!

  7. This explains why you live in Ohio, haha! I am NOT a cold weather person at all, but strangely enough I prefer to run in cold weather next to any other kind, especially the heat. Running in the cold means wearing a lot of layers and then taking a really hot shower when I get back :) The only thing I don’t like is having to worry about ice. Snow is fun to run in but we had a lot of ice last winter which made things interesting. I am going to check out your winter running tips and get prepared :)

  8. I love cold weather running! I run all winter long, even when it’s in the single digits too. The only time I don’t run is when it’s snowing hard… but I think this year I’ll just wear my ski goggles :)

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