Gear For Winter Running

I personally wear a compression top under my running shirts most of the time, but many people don't bother with this layer. It is important for cold weather running that you wear lots of light layers though, rather than simply throwing a heavy coat on top of your running vest. You can regulate your temperature better with lots of layers, by taking one off if you get too hot. This also helps to reduce the amount you sweat, and getting wet in very cold weather can be a killer!

So a base layer is always a good first option, and make sure it is made from a technical fabric so it wicks moisture away from your skin surface as you perspire.

The next layer should be your regular running shirt, again made from a technical fabric in order to keep sucking that moisture away from you and to the outer garments, where it can evaporate away. Depending on the nature of your base layer, and the outside temperature, you might decide against wearing the shirt. For example, the Coldgear made by Under Armour is pretty warm and is good with just a wind and waterproof layer worn over it.

That brings us neatly to the outer layer. Choose a good running jacket, which is lightweight and breathable, allowing excess heat and moisture escape, but which is also resistant to rain and wind. The price - and your budget - will dictate what features your jacket has. The expensive Gore-Tex options will be breathable but waterproof and windproof, whereas you will find perfectly acceptable cold weather running gear which has water resistant treatments, but is not fully waterproof. These will give you some protection, as long as you are not out in driving rain for hours.

When it comes to protecting your legs in the winter, it also pays here to go for layers. This will obviously depend on the climate where you live. In the UK, I usually stick with my running shorts until the snow arrives, and then wear a pair of tracksters over the top of them. If you are in a particularly cold country, you might spend most of the winter in tracksters, or even wear thermal running tights underneath.

The same rules apply as for the layers you wear on your torso. Make sure the base layer keeps you warm, but allows moisture to escape from the surface of your skin. You might choose compression shorts, but remember that they can constrict blood flow to your smaller capillaries, which will keep you cool rather than warm. A lot of the time, experimentation is the key, and you might find compression tights and tracksters are great, whereas somebody else - me for example - prefers regular running shorts with tracksters over them.

Perhaps the most important thing to most runners is their footwear, and if you already do a lot of your running in the winter, chances are you are doing some cross country or trail running. If this is you, then you probably have at least two pairs of running shoes already, a pair of road shoes for warmer months, and a dedicated pair of trail running shoes for the muddier times off road.

When snow and ice replace the road and trail, you can prevent any accidents due to unscheduled slips and slides by wearing a pair of YakTrax, which fit onto any regular shoes. In fact, they fit onto pretty much any winter footwear, so you can use them for hiking or any kind of walking about in ice where you are a little worried about taking a fall.

The other kit you will require for winter are a hat or running beanie, preferably made from some kind of technical fabric - there's nothing worse than getting overheated in a woolly hat, and sweating and only then deciding it's too hot and deciding to take it off. And then freezing your hair solid! So a proper running beanie is a great idea as they are pretty good at regulating your temperature.

The final bits that need a winter coat are your hands. They can get pretty painfully cold if it is icy and windy and you leave them uncovered. It is possible to get dedicated running gloves, and it's your choice whether to bother with these, or wear some regular thin woolly gloves instead. For a lot of runners a cheap wool pair is fine as they become disposable after getting sweaty, or after being used to blow or wipe their noses after breathing in frigid air!

And that is you short inventory of required gear for winter running. It should not be too expensive to build up your collection and be ready to keep on going over the nasty cold weather months. You will feel such a benefit, and be so pleased with yourself that you did it, when spring comes back in March and you don't need to spend six weeks building up your fitness again, and losing that winter blubber.