Tips for Winter Running in Iowa

Since I’m on this running streak, and I’ve survived almost a whole Midwest winter of running every day, I thought I’d put together a list of some things that have been most helpful to me.

1. Don’t give in to the allure of hibernation

I know–curling up all cozy under a blanket is my favorite winter activity, too, but I feel better this winter than I have in a very long time, and it’s because I move every day. And a little dose of sunshine/Vitamin D can help you feel like a person.

2. Watch the weather

The other morning, when I took Marty out for her first potty break of the day, it was beautiful outside–partly sunny, over 35ºF, hardly a breeze at all. By the time The Bearded One and I left a restaurant that evening, it was 10ºF with a wind chill of -9ºF. I know now, from experience, that running in single digits with no wind is much preferable to running in 30º with 20mph winds. So pay attention. Learn what you can tolerate and  know your forecast so you can choose the best time of day to run. And always remember that Iowa weather is ridiculously variable, and has the potential to change while you’re running.

3. Wear the right clothes

As someone who doesn’t love spending lots of money on clothes, I still think it’s important to find appropriate clothes for certain activities. I’ve run outside in weather as cold as single digits (F), with Wind Chills close to 0ºF or a little below. The things I find most important in these frigid temperatures are:

a. A coat that blocks the wind, but isn’t too bulky or so warm that you’ll end up feeling like a soggy bear mid-run. I also hear vests are good for this in some temperatures, but I haven’t tried a vest yet.

b. Good ear protection. I love tubular bandanas, and wear them year round. I can bunch them up and wear them as a headband/sweatband, but they can also cover my ear holes when it gets chilly out (sometimes beanies don’t), and I can turn them into a sort of balaclava if it’s really cold.

c. Shoes (duh). I mean, unless you’re one of those barefoot runners, but even then I would recommend wearing shoes in the winter. I’ve just been wearing my running shoes, but if it’s too icy, you might want to try Yaktrax. I never have, but they are an option.

d. NOT leggings. I love leggings as much as the next millennial, and they can work as a decent base layer, but you’ll want pants that aren’t right up against your skin, so you can retain some warmth when the temperatures dip below 25º-ish.

4. Get a treadmill

Look, I love running outside–it’s so much better than running on a treadmill. But I’ve also come to understand that running in several inches of snow can be miserable. It feels like running on the beach, which sounds great in theory, but when you realize that it’s about three times harder than running on solid ground because your feet are slipping all over, it’s not as much fun. I’m lucky in that I have access to a treadmill, and I’ve used it a lot in the last month. Like, a LOT a lot. And when you’ve got blowing snow, and treacherous roads, and no sidewalks, it’s a lot safer to knock out those runs indoors. Yeah, it’s boring, but you can listen to/watch whatever you want if you have the right equipment. Personally, I’ve never been able to run while listening to music (I was in marching band too long to be okay with feeling my feet hit the ground NOT on the beat…), so I download some good podcasts to keep my mind occupied, and then just get after it.

 

And that’s all I’ve got for now. There isn’t really much of a moral to this story–just some advice from a girl who has almost survived her first winter of running every day in the Midwest. But I will leave you with a quote from Jim Rohn, (“…American entrepreneur, author, and motivational speaker.” -Wikipedia), because I love a good quote: “Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines practiced every day.” I’m working on figuring out what success actually means to me so I know what else I want to start working on now that I know I’m capable of consistency. So thanks, running streak, for helping me see that!