Zero Degree Run (Read 1434 times)

So tomorrow morning the temp will be 0. I am not sure what it will be with wind chill. Fortunately where I run wind chill is not usually a factor. I have been running in temps 14-22 degrees for the last couple of weeks and have found it very enjoyable. I must be sick. I am really looking forward to running tomorrow but also want to make sure that I do it safely in such low temperature. I am one of those poor runners. I have running tights, pair of shorts, shortsleave technical t-shirt(don't yet have long sleeve technical t-shirt,) long sleeve cotton t-shirt(2) and a zip up light weight to medium fleece. Technical hat, gloves. no balaclava but I have a scar avail. I have a 5 min warm up. Will run for 25 minutes and cool down for 5 for 35 minutes total. Am I going to warm, not enough layers? Do I have to worry about frostbite for the short time I will be out there (can I leave the scarf behind?) Thanks for any help. Shawn

So do you live in MN too? ;o) 0 degree F is not a problem as long as you dress appropriately. Let's start from the bottom; wear tights first and then definitely wind-breaker type of pants. If you don't have it yet, get it (well too late now for tomorrow morning!). Make sure your ankles are not exposed. I sometimes cut off the top part of old socks (with a hole) and wear that between pants/tights and sockes to protect my ankles--works great. With what you've got, I'd wear long sleeve T-shirts; then short sleeve T-shirts over it (I like to push the long sleeve T-shirt down with the short-S); then fleese jacket (this should creat a cushion of warm air between the long/short sleeve shirts and fleese); then windbreaker jacket. I wear my watch over the sleeve so I don't have to expose my wrist when I check my watch. I found old gardening gloves work best. The other day, I was running with this girl I coach--she had expensive (I'd assume) Nike high tech (?) gloves. She was complaining her hands getting cold. I gave her my gardening gloves and got hers. I couldn't believe how cold wind just went right through them! Bill Rodgers used to run in those gardening gloves and I've been wearing them ever since through 15+ years of MN winter. About $3--beats high tech $30 pair! I don't worry about covering my face too much but I do worry about covering around your neck. I have jacket that you can zip up all the way to cover the neck. Most likely you'd get warm later; but then you can just zip it down. Cover your ears all the way. About a half an hour of running shouldn't be too bad but you can always find a loop that you can run around. We have this loop--about 30-minute per lap. We did 2-hour run; 4 laps around; a couple of weeks ago when the temperature was 5. We completed all 4 laps but the idea was so when the condition gets too bad, we can always quit. Make sure you run into the wind first and turn around and come back with the wind. Have fun!

It was a great run. The forcast turned out to be wrong. It was 10 degrees with wind chill to 0. I ended up wearing running tights, technical socks, could not find my technical t-shirt so I had 2 long sleeve t-shirts and a zip up fleece jacket and a hat and gloves. Half way in to the run the jacket was unzipped. I do love the morning runs. Your advice is awesome and I think I will probably need to use the suggestions sooner than later. One thing that I think is pretty funny is the looks I get from my co-workers and friends when they here that I am out running in the frigid weather.

You need to get some long sleeve technical shirts and more tights. At 0F I would wear a pair of Cool Max briefs (THE most important piece of cold weather gear for us guys), two pairs of tights, two long sleeve tech shirts with a cotton jersey on top to break the wind, a light weight polyester stocking cap and a pair of Cool Max glove liners. Avoid wearing cotton next to your skin in the cold because it gets wet and conducts heat away from your body. Save it for outer layers only. This is my 7th. year of winter running here in Michigan and after many sub zero runs can attest that multiple layers of tech clothing works great in the cold. I avoid jackets or any water or wind proof outer layers since they tend to trap moisture inside which can be very uncomfortable in the cold. One so called breathable running jacket that I had would actually have chunks of frozen sweat in it at the end of a run. I could have bought a lot of layers for what I paid for that jacket. Tom

There was a NYTimes article on this subject this morning. Click.

There was a NYTimes article on this subject this morning. Click.

Thanks very much for the article. I was actually having an argument with some buddies that said exercising in below zero temps is unsafe and dangerous. The link is proving very valuable.

I prefer Eucerin on my nose, lips and cheeks over vaseline. Cold running is addictive, get out and enjoy!!!

Add another layer or two or three on your privates. I made this mistake last year on a very cold run around -2 degrees and will never make it again.

Patagonia makes some killer moisture wicking briefs that help this situation enormously. They're something like $25 a pair but worth every penny.