This weekend saw the splashtastic inaugural race from Uborka’s running team who all finished damp and proud of themselves on Sunday.
This prompts the question, what wet/cold weather running gear do the more experienced runners recommend?
And what have you done this week that you’re proud of?
Usual approach to cold/wet weather running is “layering” – wear 3 (sometimes 4) layers and adjust as appropriate during the run as you warm up. That doesn’t mean wear 3 jumpers on top of a t-shirt though, it’s more methodical than that. The layers are:
Base layer
Goes next to skin and will help retain body heat by wicking sweat/moisture away. In cold weather I prefer to wear a Helly (Hansen) long sleeved top. They’re embarrassingly tight fitting but help with warmth and comfort.
Mid layer
Will add insulation and keep you warm – as well as helping with wicking the moisture again. Usually some type of light fleece affair like this Ron Hill top. Recent innovations seem to include extended sleeves with thumb holes as built in gloves – if that’s your thing.
Outer/Shell layer
The bit that protects you from the elements – waterproof or windproof jacket. Helps if it’s lightweight (between about 200g – 500g) rather than a heavy duty hiking jacket. Generally not cheap if you’re looking at something like the Montane Minimus or OMM Kamleika but they’re definitely fit for purpose. You can get cheaper lightweight jackets from places like Decathlon but they may not be breathable and can be prone to a build up of condensation. YMMV
There are other additonal options as well – like running gilets which help for warmth (but not so much waterproof) and I tend to wear an additional tech t-shirt over my base layer (but I also “run hot” so don’t wear mid or shell when I’m out for anything under two hours).
Don’t forget gloves and hat/buff, especially when there’s a high chance of wind chill.
Also, fantastically well done for Sunday’s race again.
Firstly -well done everyone for the weekend. Brilliant achievement!
Secondly… well, I’m a bit nesh, so I tend to wear long sleeves all year round. By far my favourite tops are made out of thin merino though (Howies.co.uk is a good place to look, although there are plenty of other places). It’s not cheap, but it wicks properly, is light and will keep you warm. Helly Hansens are my backups. You’ll also need running tights – I quite like Skins (again, pricey), but I also have a couple of pairs of Nike/Adidas legging things that are brilliant and nice and warm. Gloves and beanies are important too.
The piece of winter running kit I wouldn’t be without? A properly windproof, waterproof layer. I wear a Nike Storm Fit X, which is great because it is pretty low profile. You often get really hot though, so make sure you get one with plenty of venting options to let some air in.
Oh, and make sure you can be seen as the nights close in. Flourescent colours are a must, and give some serious thought to spending £5-10 on a set of blinking lights you can wear on each arm. Not very sexy, but you will definitely be seen and stay safe.
The right kit means you have no excuse for not getting out there as the weather turns. I love winter running…. as long as I’m nice and warm!
Enjoy!
oh, and I should add that although I wear tights and skins and the like, I’m a firm believer that they should never be a top layer for a man, and I always wear a pair of shorts too. No one needs to see that…..
Brilliant, that’s all good to know, christmas and birthday coming up…
When I actually get motivated to get up at 6.30am in the winter, just as it’s getting light, to go out for exercise (which hasn’t happened for a while, but I’m trying to embarrass myself into doing it more often by talking about it here), I wear a t-shirt, sweater, waterproof coat, jeans, waterproof over-trousers, thick socks and my walking boots. And a woolly hat. In my (waterproof) bag, I carry spare socks and spare hat. I’m then ready for whatever the High Weald can throw at me. None of this attire is suitable for running, only walking.
This information will be of no use to you at all.
Gloves. I forgot gloves. Although I tend to pull them off quickly because I get too hot.
Found this useful tool on reddit today:
http://www.runnersworld.com/what-to-wear