Disclosure: This post about winter running gear is sponsored by FitFluential LLC on behalf of Mizuno. All opinions are my own.
I used to be one of those people that never understood why people would want to run in the cold. {To be truthful, I used to be one of those people that never understood why others want to run at all, haha.} But after about 8 years of consistently running and partaking in road races, I’ve come to enjoy the cooler weather runs.
Don’t get me wrong, you probably won’t find me out there in the middle of a heavy snow storm with icicles on my eyelashes. I’ll take the treadmill on those days. But running on a crisp 30 degree day? Heck yes.
While summer lends itself to scenic beach front views by foot, the colder months bring a winter wonderland of scenery. Think lightly falling snowflakes coating the trees, glowing colorful Christmas lights in the early morning, and snowcapped mountains in the distance. It’s quite majestic and totally worth layering up.
And of course, there’s the benefit of not getting sweaty within 3 minutes of walking out the door, unlike hot summer runs. {Don’t get me wrong, I love summer running too though. I don’t discriminate based on the season. 😉 }
If you’re worried about tackling the terrain while the mercury drops, my best tip is to invest in some good winter running gear. It will keep you warm and comfortable. Before you know it you won’t be thinking about the temperature, you’ll just be enjoying the fresh air and the sights.
Here are 5 essential pieces of warm winter running gear:
1. Base layer top
This is probably one of the most important pieces of winter running gear you’ll want to own. If you’re not familiar with it, a base layer is the first layer that you put on your upper body. You want something that’s going to wick away sweat. If that first layer holds onto sweat, the moisture will get cold in the chilly air and will result in you feeling frigid.
Because of this, skip the cotton and go for synthetic fabrics that have moisture-wicking properties. I had the chance to test out the Mizuno Breath Thermo Base Layer and I LOVE it. According to Mizuno, the lightweight Breath Thermo technology converts moisture to heat so that you stay warm on your cold runs. I don’t really know how all that works (shirt technology is not my specialty, haha!) but it did definitely keep me warm. I was actually surprised how well it worked because it was so thin and lightweight that I wasn’t sure it would do the trick. Definitely did though! I wore it with a fleece over it and it was perfect for my snowy morning run. And it was great because I didn’t feel like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man with lots of bulky layers on.
2. Running tights
Winter running tights have a few key benefits. They help wick moisture, which both keeps you warm and prevents chafing. They also help to block the wind (no one wants to feel a cold breeze through their clothes). And lastly, the fact that they’re tight adds a bit of compression to mix, which may help with circulation.
Up until now I’ve relied on basic tights which work pretty well in fall and winter, but I plan to grab an insulated/lined pair this year for the really cold winter days.
3. Hat
Growing up, my mom used to tell me to wear a hat, saying “don’t you know you lose most of your body heat through your head!” While research has shown that statement is inaccurate – we actually only lose about 7-10% of heat through our heads, proportional to surface area (sorry, mom) – it certainly is prudent to cover the head with a hat on cold runs. This helps you maintain as much warmth as possible to keep comfortable. In addition, some scientists believe we may perceive the heat lost from the head and our extremities in a more sensitive way. This could make us feel more cold when those areas are exposed.
The right kind of hat for you will depend on the temperature, how sweaty your head gets, and how long your run is. For shorter runs and for those of us that don’t get a super sweaty noggin, a standard inexpensive hat will do the trick. For longer runs or for those of ya’ll that end up with a pretty sweaty head, you’ll want something that helps wick sweat to keep you warm.
4. Gloves
Like I mentioned above, we may perceive feeling colder when losing heat through the extremities. In addition, the extremities are the body parts most likely to suffer from frostbite on really cold days. {Keep in mind, the temperatures need to drop pretty low and/or there needs to be significant wind for this to be a risk. This article has a good frostbite risk chart.}
Keep your hands warm with a good pair of gloves. Mizuno sent me a pair of their Breath Thermo gloves (same line as the top I mentioned above) and they were great. I ran up in Vermont on a 30 degree morning and after an initial 5 minute period of feeling a little cold in the hands, it was like the heat retention kicked in and my hands were fine for the rest of the hour. The best part of these gloves (in my opinion) was that they were multi-functional. In addition to keeping hands warm, they had a small pocket to store a key. They also had a touchpad on the forefinger which made it easy to adjust my music on my phone without taking my gloves off (something I have not been able to find in running gloves until this point!).
5. Jacket
It might be a good idea to stock up on two jackets for the winter. First would be a warm insulating one like fleece that you can wear on fair weather days (but look for ones that are breathable so you don’t get too hot). However, fleece or cotton will just soak up water if it rains. So the second buy would be a wind-breaking and water-resistant jacket that will help to keep you warm and protect you from rain and snow on cold days.
There ya have it. Now get out there and be a winter warrior this season!
Share with me: Do you prefer warm weather or cold weather runs? What’s your must-have piece of winter running gear? {And don’t forget to check out some Mizuno winter running products while you’re thinking about it! 😉 }
Chrissy Carroll
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Living in LA….. I guess I kind of “save money” in the respect that I don’t have to buy really warm work out gear – LOL! Considering the weather is typically always the same!
Haha, very true. If you live in a temperate climate year round you probably can skip layers upon layers of winter gear!
I prefer warm-weather runs. My favorite time is the fall though when it’s warm but not “Tennessee hot”!! I just recently bought a pair of winter leggings, and I am in love with them. I love your outfit too – it looks warm, but it’s still form fitting! I hate it when I get too many thick layers going.
Yes, definitely agree with you on the thick layers thing. I don’t want to feel bulky while I’m running; I like to have clothes that keep me warm but flow nicely with the movement.
I admit, I’m totally one of those people who will not run outside if it’s less than 50 degrees (I wish I was though!) You give me some hope though.. Maybe I just need the right gear to keep me warm. Definitely going to have to look into some of these products!
I seriously never thought I would. The best thing I did was sign up for a winter warrior challenge – run outside every day in January. I didn’t want to quit so I stuck with it, and ever since then I’ve been way more comfortable running outside!
I would love to run more in the winter. I’m worried though about slippery sidewalks!
Yes, that’s always a worry for me too! I try to run on cleared roads if they haven’t done a good job on the sidewalks. But I know you can also get those things to strap on to the bottom of your sneakers to give you traction in the snow. I haven’t tried them, but might be worth looking into!
I need the running tights and the gloves ASAP, perfect for this chilly toronto winter
Yes, definitely two essential pieces of gear as it gets chilly!
This post makes me miss running through cold winter air! Looove all the gear you are showing in this post!
Aw, thanks! No snowy days down in Florida?! 😉
Love running in the cold! Cute pants.
Thanks Tara! 🙂
I haven’t yet found my “nope – too cold – I’d rather run on a treadmill” temperature. I’m not that person in running shorts when it’s 30°F – too breezy for my liking – but I’m fine running in the cold & snow. (I live in a climate similar to a high desert, so it’s a dry cold. It sounds like a cliché, but having lived in the Tidewater area of Virginia during a two-week spell that never got about 20°F, dry cold is much easier on the body than damp cold.)
I’m always a little skeptical of the claims of magical wicking fibers, but I’ve removed my shell jacket and found it fairly damp; I then realize I never felt any of that moisture, so the magical stuff works. (We average 8″ of precipitation a year. When we get rain, it’s usually light and fairly brief. Thus, there’s not much reason for me to invest in waterproof & breathable outerwear. My shell jacket is a too-large cycling jacket that’s barely water-resistant.)
I’m like you, though: I love being outside, regardless of the weather. 105°F? Bring lots of water, and know where you can refill your bottles. 15°F? Perfect! The neighbor’s obnoxious Chihuahua has to be inside in this weather, so it can’t chase me.
Yes, I would waaaay rather be outside than stuck on the treadmill. A few years back I had to do a 12 miler on the treadmill and it was the longest run of my life, haha. I’ll take the hot or cold over that any day.
Where did you take these pictures? It’s beautiful!!
Thank you!! One of Terry’s cousin’s parents (? possibly messing up the relations here, lol – but someone related to his family) has a lake house in Vermont that we stayed at for Thanksgiving. It was so pretty!
I love winter runs. I’d rather be chilly than hot. I’d add wool socks to the list of essentials. Cold toes can be painful, in upstate NY
So true! I sometimes double up on socks but a good wool pair would probably be a nice investment!