[music] Heather Fell: No one likes to
be cold. Naturally, we prefer a comfortable environment and when it's cold outside,
suddenly, running becomes even harder to find that motivation for. However,
with a bit of planning, there's no reason you can't get the same enjoyment and reward from
running whatever the environment. Today, we are going to be helping
you to plan with a checklist for tackling, running outside when the temperatures drop.
Let's start off with layering. To keep warm, it's easy to think they just want to put a bulky jacket
on, which I guess is warm if you're sitting around but when it comes to running, you want
to think about lots of thinner layers that allow you to move but also trap the heat in and keep you
warm. Start off with the base there. It's quite a good idea here to go for a long sleeve base layer
that's close to the skin, so it will fit nice and comfy and you can layer over the top of that.
Look at the fabrics. Something natural, like merino wool is great because it doesn't get smelly
and it feels nice against your skin, you could also go for a compression type of top that's going
to be really nice and tight. Alternatively, if you want to have a looser fitting long sleeve top,
you could actually put a vest off or something tighter underneath and when it's really cold,
I personally wear a fleecy longer sleeve top and then put a T-shirt underneath that.
How many layers and what clothing you go for is entirely dependent on how cold the temperature is
outside for when you're running. If you do want a long sleeve top as your base layer,
then you can really simply add a short sleeve T-shirt over the top of that. If you want more
protection, if it's going to be wet or windy, it's great to keep your core dry and warm and
you can wear obviously a lightweight rain jacket or windstopper or a gillette, which is quite nice
because it keeps your shoulders free, but your core is going to stay nice and warm.
Again, there's no rule as to how you layer or which order what goes on but think about your
ultimate goal for that is to run. If you're doing a hard run, and you know you're going
to be on a track or doing loops somewhere where you can take some layers off, think about what
you want to actually have as your base layer underneath. If you're doing something really hard,
you might actually want to have your arms free. In that case, maybe you want a vest top or a
T-shirt underneath your other layers, so once you've taken them off, that's what you're
running in, and you can quickly put them back on again afterwards. If you're heading out for a
longer run or somewhere where you can't leave your clothes and you're going to actually have to carry
them with you, you need to think about how that will work. If you've got something long sleeve,
it's quite simple, you can tie it around your waist. The same goes for a jacket or a T-shirt.
If it's a smaller item, like a T-shirt or something else, you can probably tuck that in your
waistband or maybe even carry it in your hands. There's one trick which I learned recently, I'm
quite late to the party on this one so you guys can shout at me if everybody else in the world
knows but if you've got a top that's got a full zip, whether it's short sleeved, or long sleeved
or sleeveless, you can simply take your arms out and then just zip it up high enough until it stays
comfortably on your waist and your hands-free. [music]
Again, this is personal preference, but you might want to play around with accessories for
keeping your extremities warm. It's amazing what having warm hands and head can do for your overall
feeling. You might have noticed cross country runners, even the top-level running in just
vest and shorts, but then they'll have gloves on and a headband so they still have that freedom
to move whilst keeping like they're feeling warm. I just wear my gloves if I'm running in the cold
in the winter and also a headband it is brilliant for just being able to step out without needing as
many layers on your core. If you do get too hot with your hands and your head, you can
simply take them off and probably fit them in your pocket. Beware of the woolly hat. It is great for
coziness, but we actually lose so much heat out of our heads. As soon as you do start to get hot,
you will really notice it with a hat on. Then the buff is brilliant when it's really cold.
If it's extreme conditions, you can even put it over your mouth, but it just protects and
makes you sort of feel like it's a little bit easier to breathe on your lungs but I'm sure
there are lots of you guys out there who run in far colder climates than we do here in the
UK and there'll be lots of other accessories I'm missing, so if you're shouting at me right now,
please make sure you share those in the comment section below so we can all find out.
Ensuring you have a thorough warm up for any sport is obviously important but when it comes to doing
exercise in the cold, then it is crucial. It's a good idea to start this before you even head
out of the door. Do a bit of activation work and some general movements so your body and
your core temperature is already a little bit warm and your muscles are just going to be that
much more supple so you're less likely to get an injury. Plus, you might find that you don't
need quite as many layers to wear to start with and you'll end up just having to carry those.
If you've got a really hard workout plan like a track session or something,
then make sure you do a really thorough warm up, maybe even more than you would do normally so your
muscles are ready to go. This same theory carries over to actually within a session, so if you've
got bits of rest plan, you might actually want to make them shorter when you're training in the cold
because your body will cool off that much quicker. Maybe just change the type of session that you're
doing in a really harsh environment. When it comes to the warm day, make sure you don't hang around
too long before going to do your warm down and quickly put those layers back on before your
core gets cold. [music]
When the environment is harsher, forward planning becomes a little bit more important,
especially with your route. You don't want to be heading out the door and then wondering
where you're going to go and you also don't want to be getting lost if the temperatures
are really harsh. Obviously check the forecast, so you've got a bit of an
idea of how many clothes you need to wear, and whether it's going to be wet and windy
as well because that can actually make it feel much colder than the mercury might be reading.
You might even want to adapt your route according to the weather. If it's going to be really windy
or horizontal rain and then maybe plan somewhere that's a little bit more sheltered for running.
You want to think about after your run as well. If you're not able to get home straight away,
pack some dry clothes, you can take off whatever might be cold and damp and sweaty,
and put on something warm. Because even if you feel warm at the end of your run, it's amazing
how quickly you can actually drop that temperature and then it's so hard to get going again.
Same goes with actually when you get home you might think, "Oh I'm hungry, I'm going to sit
and eat something," but it's a good idea to get in the shower before you call off because I find when
it's cold outside, even if you feel warm, your temperature will drop and it just takes so long
to get back to feeling comfortable. [music]
It's easy to overlook hydration when it comes to running in the cold because it's
not so appealing to be sipping a cold drink, but it is still just as important. That said,
You're not going to sweat as much unless you're wearing too many clothes as you would
in hotter conditions so you won't need to drink quite as much as in the summer, for example.
You might even be able to do your longer run without a drink, which you've previously haven't
been able to manage but when you get home, you still need to make sure you rehydrate adequately.
If you are really cold, it's really tempting to have a hot drink, that's completely fine
but try to avoid any caffeine at least until you're hydrated and then you can catch up on
your coffee intake then. [music]
As we've mentioned heading out to run in a cold becomes a lot harder to motivate yourself so
why not make yourself accountable by adding a friend and making things a little bit social. Say
you've already got a run or the group or you've agreed to meet up with a friend at a set time
you have no excuse then. Layer up and off your head and you'll feel so much better afterwards.
Now, I am aware that quite a few of you guys who live in the proper cold countries are
going to be laughing at us here in the UK when we're talking about the cold and there's not
even a frost on the ground. Well if that is you and you've got some wonderful tips that we've
not even thought about for running in the cold, please do share them. If you have enjoyed this,
give us a like. Follow us on our social media channels and why not subscribe to
us here on YouTube as well. [00:07:52] [END OF AUDIO]