I think David Goggins must've rubbed off on me. After I heard his first podcast conversation with Rich Roll to kick off 2017, I decided that being mentally tough would be a goal of mine. After all, when you decide you're going to run ultra-distances, mental-toughness becomes most of what will get you over the finish line.
I get out the door no matter what the weather is doing. Two of the most extreme conditions I can remember included a -17F windchill day and another 40F night with driving, sideways rain and 40 mph wind gusts. On the -17F morning, it probably took me a full 10 minutes to put all of the cold weather gear on, which included mittens over gloves with hand warmers, a fleece face covering and ski goggles. I made the mistake of putting snow pants on. It got way too hot for those when I finally started running. But, live and learn. No more snow pants. On the evening run of a polar vortex where temps dropped 30 degrees F in less than 24 hrs, I went out with a rain jacket, rain pants, put my head down and ran through the chaos of wind and rain. At one point, the wind was blowing so hard that it sounded like an airplane was flying through the trees to my left. Thankfully, no projectiles got me.
Here are some cold, wet weather gear recommendations, so you too will have no excuse not to get out the door for your run. You'll feel like a badass and it'll be worth it.
For temps between 40-50F (yes, some people consider this to be cold weather): Unfortunately, for me, this means that the running tights come out of storage. While I don't like wearing tights, these Athleta Salutation Tights are as comfy as they get. They are light, breathable, flexible and they have pockets. They have just the right amount of compression, in my opinion. If it's closer to 40F, I'll wear a quick-drying long-sleeve shirt under a Patagonia Houdini Jacket, especially if it's windy out. I might eventually take off the jacket and throw it in my running vest. I also wear a light beanie. If it's closer to 50F, I'll wear a short-sleeved quick-drying shirt under the Houdini jacket or a light hoodie. My hands get cold easily even if my body's warm, so I always wear a liner glove. My faves are the ones that came with the Dakine Ski Gloves. I've gotten used to wearing a running vest for almost all of my runs. I like having it because I can easily stash a headlamp, a jacket, my phone, etc. and in colder weather, it helps keep me warm. I love my Salomon Advanced Skin 12. It's stretchy and I don't notice it when I'm running. For longer runs, I can carry a liter of water in the soft flasks and bring some gels or bars with me.
For temps in the 30sF, I usually add a light fleece and throw my Houdini jacket in my running vest so that I have it ready when I finish my run. The worst is sweating, then getting really cold because you haven't dried off. The light fleece is breathable and moisture-wicking. I'm sure there are many brands that work- the one I have is just an EMS brand light fleece, 1/4 zip. I usually grab a coffee in town after my run, so it's nice to have the Houdini to keep me somewhat warm after the run. I wear a thicker hat for colder temps- the one I like is an EMS fleece-lined hat. Not sure if they sell it anymore, but any thicker hat should work. When temps drop into the 30sF, I need to add an extra layer on my hands. I think I must have poor circulation. I add on my ski mittens by Dakine and my hands stay toasty. I haven't yet figured out a solution for my feet. In the 30sF, they sometimes get cold, but generally will warm up again once I'm about 2 miles into my run.
For temps in the 20sF, I go with a thick thermal base layer (Patagonia Capilene Thermal) under a thicker breathable fleece. I don't think Patagonia makes the fleece that I have anymore, but it looks like it's about the same thickness as the Los Gatos fleece. If it's windy out, I'll add a pair of sweat pants over my tights. There are also fleece-lined tights, but they aren't as flexible, so I don't like them as much. Just like any other run, I'll add on my running vest and throw my Houdini jacket in the back just in case I get cold. In the 20sF, my face also feels like it's freezing for the first couple of miles, so I usually wear a Buff and put it up to block the wind.
With the colder weather comes running in the dark. It can get tiring, and if you're an early riser and insist on running early the couple of months before the clocks turn back, running in the dark sucks. However, having a great headlamp makes the experience worlds better. I have a Cotopaxi rechargeable head lamp that I got for free last Christmas when I bought a bag from them and I think they've since discontinued these. For safety, you can easily clip one of these rechargeable Nathan lights to your running vest. Your reward is getting to watch the sunrise during or right after your run.
For temps below 20sF, in my opinion, hand-warmers are a must. If my hands are warm, I can trick my body into thinking it's warm too. Like I said, I haven't figured out a solution for cold feet. If anyone has ideas, please send them my way!
If it's dumping it down and on the colder side (40sF or less), I'll gear up in a rain jacket and waterproof pants. I like the OR Helium II rain jacket. It's light, fairly breathable and it folds up into a compact inner pocket. These Mountain Hardware rain pants are great. I've used them for running only a few times, but they're great for hiking as well. Very flexible, breathable and durable. If it's only raining lightly and it's on the warmer side, the Houdini jacket does a great job at keeping me warm and dry.
The Salomon Advanced Skin 12. Love this thing.
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