Though it’s late October and I’ve not pulled down my winter running gear, I will need to do so soon. Given the number of years I’ve been logging miles, I have accumulated a large running wardrobe for all seasons. If you’re just starting out, either with running in general or trying to stay running year-round, the thought of building up a winter wardrobe can be daunting given the number of selections out there and the expense. However, you can slowly build up to having a decent-sized wardrobe while staying relatively comfortable in the meantime. And, relative to how much you use it, the cost may not be as bad as you fear.
The most important articles are the ones against your skin. If you have a technical/moisture-wicking t-shirt but no technical pullovers/jackets, you can use the t-shirt and then put a second layer, like a sweatshirt or long-sleeved t-shirt, over that base. If you have light technical running gloves but it’s sub-zero, you can put heavier winter gloves or fleece mittens over them. If you have a light hat, you can cover it with a standard stocking cap.
As a general rule, I have always been pleased with Brooks apparel. Two of my winter hats, two of my pullovers, and one of my warm jackets are all Brooks. They’ve lasted a long time, they are comfortable, and they have performed very well. However, I have a wide variety of brands and it’s helpful to go into a store and get a sense of the different fabrics and fits.
If you run warm (you get hot quickly and sweat a lot) you’ll be buying different clothes than a person who does not. Generally you should dress like you would if it were twenty degrees warmer outside than it is and you were planning to just be outside and not doing something very active. If the thermometer reads 40 degrees, then wear what you would if it were 60 degrees. Once it gets under 20 degrees, I just cover up. (I once ran in shorts when it was 17 degrees and crept down to 13 degrees, but that was because I gauged the temperature by checking our sun-baked front porch as opposed to actually looking at a thermometer. Check the thermometer.)
If you have a technical t-shirt and are looking for your next-best investment, go for the headgear first. It should be common sense that keeping your head warm is important. Also, you’ll be more comfortable. With headgear, there are numerous choices. You can go with a warm headband or a beanie/hat. I would start with a beanie/hat, because it will keep you warmer and if it’s snowing, it keeps the precipitation off your head. If you live in an arid climate and don’t get much snow and you tend to run warm, you could go with a headband. There are thin material hats and headbands, as well as heavier ones. If you run cold, you might start with a heavier one. Otherwise, you can use a thinner one and layer. I bought a Brooks beanie a couple of years ago and though it’s thin, when I’m running it keeps my head very warm.
Gloves are essential. Fortunately, if you’re not ready to drop $20 on a pair of running gloves (I also noticed Costco had some $12 pairs recently) you can always use a pair of cheap cotton ones from a hardware store. It may not look fashionable but as long as your hands are covered, that’s the main key. It’s only on longer runs where you may sweat through the gloves that more technical gloves are imperative. I’ve got a light pair for 30 degrees and up, a heavier pair for 5 degrees and up, and if it goes under 5, I use the light ones with a pair of fleece mittens on top. Besides these, I’ve got a few cheap cotton pairs that I use quite a bit, especially on runs that are under ten miles. It saves the abuse on the higher quality gloves, which I can then use for long runs or race days, since they’re lighter.
There are a couple of ways to protect your face. I have a fleece neck gaiter and I also have a couple of headwraps (made by Buff) that can be used as a headband, neck gaiter, or you can turn it into a small hood. (Someone told me there are 25 possible uses with them.) Unless it’s under 20 degrees, or there’s hard precipitation, or both, I generally don’t find that I need to cover my face. But, everyone’s different and it’s good to have something on hand. If it’s sub-zero, I wrap a plain old bandanna tightly around my mouth, then use the neck gaiter on top of that. There are two downsides. First, it makes it more difficult to breathe (though the positive of that is it simulates a higher-elevation workout). The second is that the bandanna just gets gross. Plan to drop it straight into the hamper when you’re done. However, it protects my face and lungs from the bitter cold, and that far outweighs the downsides.
I’ll do part two of this post next time…
Running food review of the week: (note–gels, bars, chews, and other items affect everyone differently. Try them on a short run before using them for a key training run or race): Hüma Chia Energy Gel Café Mocha: Here’s the mocha to mocha comparison. Unlike last week’s Clif Shot Mocha, this one was much thinner and easier to swallow quickly. That’s the positive. The downside is that the mocha didn’t taste quite as good (it seemed like the espresso got a bit burned) and though it had caffeine, I didn’t feel any kind of energy boost. My legs felt fairly heavy the whole time and I never was able to get past that. This was especially odd since I’d not run the day before. As I mentioned in my Hüma strawberries review, I do like some of their products, especially because they are good in the wee hours of the morning, but this specific one just didn’t do it.