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Do runners feel the cold more? (Read 1175 times)

    This might be a silly question, but something that I've noticed lately.. I was at a social gathering last night - oh, okay let me be honest - start again... I was playing poker at a friend's place last night and myself and the other runner there were both complaining about how cold we were. Everyone else felt comfortable with the room temperature. The others said that it was due to our running and that we didn't have enough "meat on our bones" which is actually a dumb thing to say considering that running actually builds muscle = meat. However, I digress... Anyone else think that running makes you feel the cold more than others? Is it the ratio of body fat to lean muscle?

    Suffering Benefiting from mature onset exercise addiction and low aerobic endorphin release threshold. Hoping there is no cure.

    chrimbler


      Yeah I think it has a lot to do with how much body fat you have and maybe because as you run you have warmer muscles/tissue, so you are yused to moving around with the internal furnace burning.
      Run like you stole it!
        There are some studies of cold tolerance and amount of subcutaneous fat. But who cares... are you going to go eat like a pig to gain 20-30 pounds of fat so you can be warm when you are at someones house who is too cheap to turn up the heat to a comfortable level? Or you could just buy a sweater. Tongue
        zoom-zoom


        rectumdamnnearkilledem

          I found that I was MUCH more cold sensitive when I lost weight...this was pre-running. I have talked to others who have found the same thing to be true. I haven't found that running, per se, has made me more sensitive, though. I AM, however, MUCH more willing to brave the cold outdoors to get a run in. I don't have another alternative if I want to run year-round, since I don't have access to a treadmill.

          Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

          remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

               ~ Sarah Kay


          Another Passion

            I'm always cold now. When I started running in '06, I was 202 pounds, and am now at 165 - 170 and don't have much of a tolerance for cold. Unless I'm running in it, which is all the time right now. Roll eyes

            Rick
            "The will to win means nothing without the will to prepare." - Juma Ikangaa
            "I wanna go fast." Ricky Bobby
            runningforcassy.blogspot.com

            MissWhitney


              I used to be quite skinny (had sorta a non-eating issue) i was cold all the time.. Wore pants all summer in 100+ degree weather, always had cold hands and feet. Once i got pregnant and ate normal (and also gained about 50 pounds) i noticed that i was a lot warmer all teh time, and in the winter i don't find it as miserable. I think it also has to do with how much nutrients your body is getting at the time.
              Teresadfp


              One day at a time

                Huh, I lost 30 pounds and run a lot (for me), but I don't notice the cold anymore than before. Of course, I LOVE cold weather and always have. The only time I feel cold is when it's windy - ychh.


                Feeling the growl again

                  My wife always says I'm so warm....I reply it's because I LEAK all my heat!! It has to do with body fat and it's true. In my case, it's worse because I have a hereditary low metabolism to start with.

                  "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                   

                  I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

                   

                    I feel the cold more since starting to run and feel the likely cause is lower blood pressure and a lower resting heart rate. Having to dress a little warmer is a small price to pay for better health. Tom
                    Mr Inertia


                    Suspect Zero

                      I don't know about the physiology, but I notice that colder temps affect me less than the rest of my non running family. I think because I'm out in the elements, I just get used to being cold, so I don't bitch about it as much as "normal" people.


                      Life time runner wannabe

                        Since losing a lot of weight and becoming a runner, I am cold much of the time. Until another hot flash comes along. It's totally confusing! Big grin


                        Bugs

                          IMO, Lower body fat makes you cold. When I was 115 I had to frequently take a hot bath else I just couldn't get warm. You get use to always bringing a sweater with just incase.

                          Bugs


                          Dog-Love

                            I'm not 115 lbs , I am 150 lbs ...I have a bunch of fat in all the right places (that's what I'm told) and I think runners are cold because they don't thermoregulate consistently. While running they produce a ton of heat via muscle contractions, and shut down the normal processes for generating heat (kind of complicated mechanisms that require hormones). When their heat production ceases via running and a bit after, the normal routs for consistently generating heat are at low speed and they get cold. I get cold and then go sit in my hot tub which once again heats my body up through different routes. I actually want to know more about this cold phenomenon.
                            Run like you are on fire! 5K goal 24:00 or less (PR 24:34) 10K goal 50:00 or less (PR 52:45) HM goal 1:55:00 or less (PR 2:03:02) Marathon Goal...Less than my PR (PR 4:33:23)


                            12 Squared

                              I don't think it bothers me more or less. One one hand, I'm the dude out running in 35 degree weather with shorts, ls shirt, gloves and a hat. On the other hand, when I'm in the office for a while, my hands will absolutely freeze. I agree with eveyone else, I'd rather be trim and cooler than fat and warmer.
                              If you don't know where you're going, chances are you will end up somewhere else. - Yogi Berra
                                I am like others. A year ago when I was 80 lbs heavier I would always be hot and was always sweating like a pig... even when just sitting around. When I started to lose weight and get more active I noticed I was not always sweating as much and also was feeling cold more often. The funny thing is now I can run 1/2 mile before even starting to break any kind of sweat. Sometimes it makes me feel like I am not working hard enough, but I know it is mostly because I have lost the weight and my HR has gone down quite a bit. I do not have a problem with it. I love the more active lifestyle and healthier body. I will take the cold. I just bundle up more when I go running. I usually run in shorts and a T until about 40 degrees, under that and the long sleeves and long pants come out.
                                "Better to take the slow approach then the no approach."
                                My Quest to a Marathon blog.262quest.com
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