Winter Running Tips!

Happy Monday !!!

To say I was surprised when I rolled over this morning and saw a “Feel Like” temp of 22F would be an understatement… WINTER IS HERE!

Winter running is a beast, and while yes it can be challenging, it can also be extremely energizing, rewarding and downright fun!

Maybe some of this will be common sense, maybe you’ll learn something new, but either way, I wanted to share some of my favorite winter running tips so that we can all have the best winter running szn!

1. Hat and gloves: You lose tons of your body heat through your head. Keeping a warm hat on during your run will trap that heat and help you feel warmer overall. Due to that slower circulation to your hands and fingers during a run, gloves will keep those hands nice and warm.

2. Layers: Did you know that air is actually one of the best insulators? And with every layer you stack, you’re trapping one more layer of air in-between. On colder days, I always opt for 2 medium/lightweight layers as opposed to 1 heavy layer, getting that extra layer of air will make a big difference! Plus, you can shed layers as you warm up, and not risk overheating. Which brings me to my next tip…

3. Don’t overheat: You should feel kinda cold at the start of your runs, that’s okay! You’re body will warm up as you move, and you do not want to be overdressed and too warm after a few miles. My rule of thumb is to take the current temperature outside (example: 27F), add 15 degrees to that (ex: ~42F), and dress to that new temperature! I may curse a bit on mile 1, but I’m always grateful by the end of the run

4. Be seen: A lot of us are running in the dark due to the shorter days, please make sure you are being safe and seen by using flashers, reflectors or a headlamp. These visibility items are not required at Boston Endorphins runs after sundown like our Happy Hours, but please consider bringing something along so that we can be seen by cars and bikes.

Drop your questions/ recommendations in the comments!

Happy Winter Running!

☃️