You need to maintain excellent physical shape regardless of the season. If you are accustomed to running in the fresh air, you shouldn't change your routine with the onset of winter. Frost can only make some adjustments, you have to take care of your clothes and not forget about proper breathing.
In winter, runners can get in the way of slippery surfaces and freezing temperatures outside. But all this will not be a hindrance if, before starting to run in the winter on the street, you learn a few rules for choosing equipment and jogging time. Compliance with them will help to avoid injuries, hypothermia and make winter training more comfortable.
Winter foot protection
Protecting your feet for running in winter is a top priority. Therefore, the first reminder is the correct choice of socks. Even if your shoes let you down, high-quality socks on your feet can save you. Socks should be chosen so that the foot is comfortable, not cramped or overly loose.
The cotton or synthetic pair in which you ran in the summer will not work in the cold. It, of course, does not warm, besides, such socks are too thin and the foot will dangle in the sneaker. Terry models of socks are too thick, the foot, on the contrary, may not fit into the shoes or it will be very cramped, and then it will freeze.
It is optimal for jogging in winter to buy a special woolen pair or thermal socks. Wool warms well and will keep your feet warm, even if a little snow gets into the shoes and melts. A spare, more budgetary option is to purchase synthetic socks. They do a good job with excess moisture. And the cotton pair must be categorically abandoned.
The right shoes for running in winter
In dry winter weather, even summer sneakers can be worn with the right socks. However, you can only run in the snow on short workouts in such shoes. For long runs in the winter, especially if they are planned in a forest or park, you should purchase a winter version of the sneakers.
Typically, these models are released taller to avoid snow getting inside. Check that the shoe is equipped with a special non-slip sole. This will not save you from hard-packed ice tracks, but it will help you to be more stable when running.
Another desirable quality for a winter running shoe is water resistance. For example, shoes with a Gore-Tex coating have it. If there is continuous ice on the street, special running cats will come to the rescue. Putting them on your sneakers before leaving the house will allow you to avoid injury and relatively comfortably work out in the fresh air.
Bottom layer of clothing
The second reminder of winter running equipment is the layering of clothing. The fact is that running in winter is always training in two temperature zones. At the beginning of the run, while the muscles are not yet warmed up, the body feels the real temperature of the environment, that is, it is cold. However, after 10-15 minutes from the start of the run, it becomes hot. Compliance with the principle of layering in winter clothing will allow you to quickly take off your outerwear when it gets very hot, and as a result, you will not catch a cold.
It is advisable to wear special thermal underwear with long sleeves made of heat-resistant fabrics. They allow the skin to breathe and remove excess moisture.
If you mostly run short and high-intensity runs in winter, you can use long-sleeved jerseys or cotton T-shirts. If you sweat heavily, these clothes get wet and don't dry well. So this option is fine, provided that the top layer reliably protects you from wind and cold, and the workout itself is short. Otherwise, there is a high risk of catching a cold.
Top layer of clothing
The outer layer of clothing depends on the specific temperature outside. If it is sunny and the temperature is –1 ° C, the best choice is a thermal jacket with long sleeves and a light sports jacket on top. If the frost is below -10 ° C, you will have to wear a warmer running jacket. At freezing temperatures, runners often wear a thin woolen sweater on top.
To keep the lower body warm, it is advisable to purchase thermal underwear. It can be worn with special skinny pants for winter running marked "thermo".
If you do not like running in tight pants, you can choose a model for winter made of fleece; warm tights or thermal underwear are worn under such pants. It is advisable that the fleece pants have an elastic band or cuffs at the bottom so that cold air does not get inside.
Winter jogging accessories
In cold weather, you cannot run without a hat, headband or, in extreme cases, insulated headphones. A good fleece hat or fleece headband will do the whole winter.
Gloves are also needed in cold weather. It will be cold without them, because fingers, like ears, get warm at the last moment. You can, if you wish, choose mittens or mitts - gloves without finger compartments.
In winter, sunglasses will protect your eyes not only from the blinding sun and snow, but also from the cold wind that makes your eyes water.
Do not forget about the oily nourishing cream, it should be applied to exposed skin a few hours before jogging. This will protect your skin from frost and wind.
Other things to keep in mind for a comfortable winter run
In cold weather, when jogging, you must take a breath at the same time through the mouth and nose, while the tip of the tongue must be attached to the palate. In this case, cold air will not enter in a dense stream and will not cool the lungs.
Plan your runs during the winter so that they end before dusk. If you can run a long day run into an evening run, take extra warm clothing with you to avoid hypothermia and frostbite. As practice shows, both of them are most often observed in runners in winter, precisely in the evening and at night.
Therefore, it is highly advisable that your running workouts in the fresh frosty air fall during the daytime. Clothes and footwear correctly selected for the weather will allow you not to catch a cold and carry out a high-quality workout, will help to harden and strengthen the body.
And of course, when jogging in winter, you need to carefully look at your feet. If there is heavy snow under your feet or a wall, the risk of injury increases significantly, and the pleasure of training is lost. In this case, it makes sense to move your exercise to a treadmill.
