I hate being cold. Like really really hate it. I’m the girl who wears gloves inside and keeps a space heater in her office and runs it even in the summer. So let me tell you how excited I am for going outside during the winter months for a run (Spoiler Alert: NOT VERY). Seriously, I will happily run in 100 degree temps with a billion percent humidity given my choice over hitting the road close to the freezing mark. This winter has been particularly bad for me as I got rid of my Gold’s Gym membership so no more treadmill option for me.

Such great advice. I ignored & wore 3 shirts and 2 bottoms

One of my biggest challenges I have is how to dress for winter running. I have no idea how to dress  myself in a way that allows for warmth without overheating after about a mile and a half. Seriously, 2 weeks ago I did a race where the starting temp was right around the freezing mark and I took to Twitter to request suggestions. And then I promptly ignored all that advice and ended up overdressing and sweating my butt off for half of the race.

I’ve seen numerous guides like this one that give all kinds of awesome advice, but deep down, I am just a winter running wimp.

I have to trick myself into running in the winter by signing up for races, otherwise I would talk myself into sitting out the cold. For example right now I know I need to get some miles in today. I cannot tell  you how badly I do not want to. I have some really great excuses lined up, but it comes down to I have to get some miles in or I will fail at my upcoming races. Period.

How I plan to dress for my next races

And those races are looking to be some doozies in the temperature department. Monday I have a New Years Day Trail Race – in the shaded woods – with a high temperature for the day predicted to be 36 (race time will prob be closer to 30-32). The next weekend I have a 10K that is predicted to be around 25 at the start. This is the same race that last year was postponed a week due to snow. 

So how about you? How do you survive outdoor running in the winter? Do you tough it out or wait it out? Let me know in the comments. Or, feel free to call me a cold-weather-wuss and tell me how you run barefoot in a tank and shorts in 4+ feet of snow.