We hate it but we love it ! How many times have I procrastinated like crazy before going outside for a run in the freezing cold, just to come back energized and feeling like the biggest badass on the planet ? Yes friends ! Winter running is not easy, it is intimidating but it is incredibly rewarding once you are done.

In this blog article, I am going to give you an overview of the physiological and mental benefits of running in the winter. I will also give you some tips for safely running in dangerous conditions. Finally, I will share with you my favourite gear when I run below 0 (often times below -15C !), including activewear, shoes, favourite/necessary accessories. etc.

Just reminding you that by no means I am an expert BUT from my social media posts you know that I’ve done epic runs at a variety of cold temperatures this winter (including a 2h20 minutes long run at -33C on January 19 in preparation for the Boston Marathon). I’ve also faced some crazy weather elements typical of our Canadian winter, including running in a blizzard and a snowstorm. You also know that I’m also mindful of my well being and if running outside is too dangerous because of the road conditions or the low visibility, I will find other solutions like running on the treadmill or running in circles inside a shopping mall – like I did this past weekend.

The Physiological and Mental Benefits of Running in the Winter

It is no secret that running in the winter is physically and mentally taxing. But, we must remind ourselves that there are a lot of physiological and psychological benefits to running in the winter.

First of of all, in the winter the road conditions are dangerous – icy, slushy, snow-covered – you have no choice but to slow down. And this is ideal for building your aerobic base. This slow running builds a solid foundation of fitness upon which spring speed and endurance will be built.

Running in tough road conditions and cold temperatures will also strengthen both your muscles and your heart. First, your muscles will need to adapt to uneven and slick terrain thus becoming stronger, more responsive and more resilient. Second, your heart will also need to pump more blood to your muscles as your body will be working much harder than it normally does. This is something I experience every time I run outside in the winter: my heart rate is always higher by 5-10 bpm compared to my heart rate when I run at the same pace on the treadmill (or inside a shopping mall or parking lot). It never fails. This is why both my previous coach and my current coach always insist that when dealing with the weather elements (be it wind, slushy/snowy/icy roads) you must run by effort rather than pace. For example, a tempo run at marathon pace becomes a tempo run at marathon effort. In my case, if my heart rate is around 155-160bpm, I feel that I am performing at marathon effort even though I may be running at a slower pace than my target marathon pace on clear roads and milder temperatures.

And possibly my favourite benefit of running outside in the winter: making you mentally strong. There is nothing like being the only crazy one out there running in a freakin’ snowstorm, the polar vortex or a blizzard to make you feel like a superhero. Best feeling in the world ! Once the spring rolls around you feel like you are ready to tackle new challenges with increased mental toughness.

Tips for Running in the Winter

Here are some tips for safely running in the snow, icy roads and/or very cold and dangerous conditions:

1) wear layers, layers and layers. Sometimes, when it’s really cold, I wear 5 layers including my winter running jacket;

2) protect the face, including nose and ears by wearing a face-mask/balaclava. Also protect the other extremities like hands and feet by wearing special winter socks, wind resistant mittens, Hot Hands hand warmers, etc.

2) wear trail shoes or a traction device like the Yaktrax traction cleats;

3) shorten your stride;

4) when in doubt WALK tru an icy stretch;

5) when you have to fight the weather elements like snow, wind, icy roads, SLOW DOWN. Don’t look at your watch. If you must, don’t worry about pace and go with effort as mentioned above.

Recommended Gear for Winter Running

Since I started running this winter and posting about my runs in the polar vortex, snowstorms and the like, I have received several DMs from my Insta followers inquiring what I wear during these epic outings. As I’ve always said, winter running and running in dangerously cold conditions is all about safety and comfort. It is important to wear the appropriate gear, to be seen in the dark (or through a snowstorm, hail, etc.). Staying warm and protected in the face and extremities should also be a priority.

Before you proceed, let me warn you that dressing for winter running is always a hit and miss for me. Some days, I’m dressed appropriately and my runs turn out to be perfect because I’m comfortable despite the freezing temperatures. Other times, my runs are a disaster because I am either boiling (I wore too many layers and WAY overdressed) or I am freezing (I did not wear enough layers and/or didn’t protect my face and extremities enough).

Here are some of my MUST wear items, including activewear, shoes and accessories.

Shoes

Because of the tough road conditions, I usually wear trail shoes in the winter. It’s non- negotiable for me. Trail shoes make me feel safe and give me a much better traction than my road shoes. I wear trail shoes even though they change my stride. But that’s the price to pay for safety. Some people also like to wear the Yaktrax traction cleats or similar traction devices with their road shoes, also a great alternative.

For the last couple of years, I wore the Saucony Pellegrine trail shoe as well as the Saucony Pellegrine Ice (with even greater traction). Although I loved them both, this winter I switched to the Hoka One Speedgoat II as I was looking for a shoe with greater cushioning. Very satisfied with my Speedgoats !

Winter Tights

My absolute favourite tights to wear in the winter are the CW-X Women’s full length compression tights. They have different styles and I own four or five of them. I have been wearing these now for over 7 years. I wash them using the delicates setting in the washing machine, then I hang them to dry and they are still in top condition. I love the fit and the fact that they are stylish to boot !

Winter Tops

As mentioned before, winter running is all about layers. I always wear between 3 – 5 top layers depending on the temperatures. First, I wear a tank top with an integrated bra, like one of the Lululemon tank tops shown on the top picture on the left. Then, I wear a long sleeve baselayer (like the ones on the bottom picture on the left by Climawear or some black baselayers I own from Columbia and Craft) or a sports turtleneck. I particularly like the New Balance turtleneck on the right which doubles as a baselayer. It is very snug, fits me perfectly and protects my neck.

Depending on the weather, I will add an an extra warm layer. Sometimes, I wear either my orange Sketchers sports top or my black “no name/borrowed from my kids” thin fleece top. When I ran at -33C, I wore BOTH.

Winter Sports Jacket

My all time favourite winter running jacket when I run below – 15C is this winter ski windbreaker jacket by Québec brand Avalanche. I’ve had it for more than 10 years and it always delivers. I wear it both for running and for cross-country skiing. It’s relatively light weight, insulated and warm, waterproof and wind resistant.

The yellow and pink jackets below are very similar, they are not as wind resistant but they are lined with fleece on the inside which makes them warm. I wear these two jackets when it’s between -15C and -5C.

Last year, I purchased a Helly Hansen insulated and wind resistant jacket for cycling in the fall and found that this jacket is also a great alternative for running in temps that are above 0 but below +10C.

Once it’s above +10C, I can start wearing all sorts of wind breakers and rain jackets with a variety of lining on the inside, including my NYC, Berlin and London Marathon jackets. My absolute favourite, is the NYC Marathon jacket on the left, which is waterproof, wind resistant, warm and has a hood.

Socks

I usually wear my kid’s ski socks but lately, a couple of friends have introduced me to the Smartwool and Icebreaker socks. Smartwool are supposed to be the bomb ! Local runners, you can get these at MEC or Atmosphere.

For those runners, who suffer from cold feet even with warm winter socks, you can also use the Hot Paws feet warmers below.

Gloves/Mittens

I have an assortment of colourful 1$ winter mittens which I buy at the Dollarama. I cover them with my wind resistant mittens by Sugoi which local runners can get at Boutique Endurance.

If you must, you can also use Hot Hands warmers to put inside your gloves/mittens. Personally, I’ve never tried them but my downhill skier kids have, specially when temps are below 20 at the top of the mountains.

Balaclava/Face mask

As we say in French, this item is ”an incountournable” or a must when I run in the winter. Wearing a balaclava for me can be the difference between having a comfortable and safe run vs a run from hell where I am freezing my ears, my nose and my whole face off. Even if it is not windy outside, I always like to wear a balaclava in the winter. If I find that it gets too hot, I just take it off and put it in my pocket. After trying a few of these balaclavas, I found that my favourite brand is Serius. I actually stole a few from my kids who wear these when they go downhill skiing.

Winter Hats and Toques

When it’s under -15C, I wear a warmer winter hat on top of my balaclava. I have a variety of winter running hats that I have accumulated through the years, but again the best one in my opinion is one made by Serius, with an extra cushioning pad to protect the ears. This is a hat that downhill skiers like to wear under their helmets.

As per my social media pics, you know I LOVE funky and colourful toques. I have several of them, all made in Québec. When its really cold I wear them on top of my balaclava AND my winter hat. If it’s milder, I just wear the toque.

When it’s very cold but sunny, I wear my Serius balaclava, my Serius winter hat AND my NYC cap. This is my winter look when it’s super cold but sunny.

Visibility/Reflective Gear For Running

And last but not least: Visibility Gear. When it’s snowing and the visibility is low, you must ensure that drivers are able to easily spot you. When it comes to reflective/visibility running gear there are tons of options available. To make it easy for you, I did a quick search to see what the Amazon best sellers are in this category. Here are a few:

Conclusion

I hope that you were convinced of the physiological and mental benefits of running in the winter. I also hope that you appreciated my tips as well as my suggestions on activewear and accessories for running in the cold. Happy winter running my friends…although spring is just around the corner !!!

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FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WANT TO SHOP FOR MY RECOMMENDED WINTER ACTIVEWEAR AND ACCESSORIES FROM THE COMFORT OF YOUR OWN HOMES, I WILL BE POSTING MY COLLABORATION WITH AMAZON. LINK COMING SOON.

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With LOVE, Claudia

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