The Cold Never Bothered Me Anyway
A friend asked me for runner clothing suggestions, now that it’s getting cooler. I love being a virtual personal shopper, and runner gear is the best. I remember when I started getting into running, when the temps dropped below shorts weather I got a gym membership and hit the treadmill. At some point I realized that for the price of the gym I could get some top notch season appropriate clothing. I highly recommend this approach! Seeing the seasons change during runs is great fun.
I think the Runner’s World has a great ‘What to Wear’ for the weather calculator. I think it’s a huge help when you are getting used to how you feel in the weather. I trust it completely for race day planning. These are my general recommendations. Remember everyone can be a little different, things like race day or speed workouts will make you feel warmer, and other things like wind can make you feel colder. Let’s do some shopping!
Mid 50s and higher:
I wear shorts and a short sleeve shirt. I also tend to pick a ventilated hat.
Low 50s:
Change the shirt to long sleeves or use arm warmers. I have some favorite race shirts for these temps. If you want to splurge, check out the Oiselle lux shirts. They really are buttery soft. This brand only sells small batches and the selection changes a lot. It’s best to buy these from your local running shop, because Oiselle charges for shipping and because it’s nice to shop local. Right now the layering lux is $78. This shirt has thumb holes so most of your hands will be covered, but in the 50s and lower I sometimes wear gloves. You can get fancy running gloves, but a friend gave me this great tip. Buy the cheap knit gloves in the bargain bin or at a craft store. They only cost a couple dollars, do the job, and if you get tired of them in a race you can just ditch them (in a garbage can, don’t litter).
Upper 40s:
I move up to capris. Right now I’m testing out (and so far enjoying) the Athleta Ultimate Stash Capris. They have all of the important qualities; pockets, drawstring, fun colors. They are $79 full price, but some colors are on sale for $55 or $45. You can also get 20% off a full price item by joining their mailing list.
Lower 40s:
I upgrade to full length tights. This is a particularly tough category for me. I love the Brooks Greenlight tight, but they no longer make them. Their new styles don’t work for me, and I haven’t found another brand than can live up to the high bar set by the Greenlights. Since I’m enjoying the Athleta capris I might check out the longer version (options! Mad props to Athleta).
Upper 30s:
I use a thicker pair of tights. I think Under Armour Cold Gear works great at these temps. Right now they have a version for $55. They are compression so I give them a pass on the lack of drawstring.
In the 30s I also add a layer for my core. I put a short sleeve shirt on over the long sleeve. I usually warm up inside, so I don’t add the top short sleeve until just before I go outside. If you work up a sweat before you venture out into the cold you’ll have to deal with being cold and damp until you really warm up.
Sometimes I choose a higher sock so that I won’t have bare skin between my socks and pants. Wrightsocks are among my favorites, and they come in several heights.
Lower 30s:
I usually go for gloves. I use a hat that is knit and will cover my ears. I have one from Smartwool that has a nifty hold for my ponytail. They have one that looks almost identical now, the women’s merino sport fleece training beanie, for $32. REI has it listed at $24.73, which is the best price I could find.
I love the Athleta Rainier pants in this temperature range, and I look forward to the mercury dropping so I’ll get to wear them. They are $98 for solid colors, $109 for prints. The latest batch of colors are fantastic! Unfortunately, they never seem to wear out, so I don’t need a new pair. Still, I want new pairs, and if I buy a new pair I won’t have to do laundry as often (right?).
Upper 20s:
Add a thick fabric neck gaiter. Smartwool has a couple of options. The one I have is the Merino 250 neck gaiter, which is $30.
I have a fantastic down vest that I got at an Under Armour sample sale, I often pick it at this temperature range. The closest thing they have for sale right now is the Women’s Cold Gear Reactor Run Vest. It’s normally $120, but it’s on sale for $90. It’s on the cropped side, so if you have a long torso it might not be ideal. The only color they have this is right now is black, and I would prefer something high visibility. On the other hand, your sleeves will show and you can compensate with a very bright shirt.
Depending on my mood, and the length of my run, I sometimes add a layer of pants at this temperature. I have a pair of Saucony pants that are from a previous season. The closest thing on the market right now would probably be the Patagonia Women’s Fall Wind Shield Pants ($159) or the Korsa Impact Track Pants ($79 or $72 if you are a Road Runner Sports VIP member). Features to look for are loose fit so you’ll have room for layers, and zippers at the ankles so you can take them off easily if you need to take off a layer mid-run. I personally have one pair of track pants and it’s a multi-function investment. When it feels chilly on race morning I wear these for my warmup over my racing clothes.
At these temps the top layer for my core would be a full running jacket. I have an Under Armour jacket made for running in the cold. The current offerings are really different from what I’m used to. Features that will help make your run comfortable are water resistant fabric and vents. No matter how cold it is outside, when you’ve been running for bit, you’ll get warm, then you’ll be too warm. Use the main zipper as a temperature control. Lower it when you feel too warm, and pull it up when you get chilly. Added vents make it even easier. If I was shopping for a jacket today I would consider the Asics Womens Full Thermostrom jacket ($100, but available for $89.95 at Runners Warehouse) or the Nike Thermo-FIT Run Division Hybrid Jacket ($175).
Lower 20s and lower:
The best pants I’ve found for this range are the Athleta Altitude tights in Polartec Power Stretch ($98). These are for serious cold running business. They are pretty thick, so if it’s not that cold, or you run a long time, you could sweat more than these pants are able to wick. If you get damp you are going to feel cold. So take that into consideration.
My personal record for cold running is currently 16 degrees. I put on all the warm clothes that I had.
Ice:
One of my general running goals is to not fall down. I’ve heard that you can put screws on the soles of your shoes to give them traction. I found these Ice Spikes that come with a handy tool to screw them into the bottom of your shoes. I haven’t needed to use them yet. If you used these please let me know what you thought.
What is your favorite cold weather running gear?