Running Online

Warm Weather and Cold Weather Running Tips

Warm Weather

1. Incorporate more speed work in you training to make training in heat more enjoyable.
2. Avoid drinking alcohol as this will dehydrate you.
3. Wear a hat when running under the hot sun to protect you face, neck and ears from the sun
4. Drink at least 10 8oz. Glasses of water to ward off dehydration.
5. Wear sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher when you run to prevent sunburn.
6. Consider running with sunglasses to protect your eyes.
7. Try running in the pool if it is too hot to run outside.
8. Run early in the mornings or in evenings to when it is coolest out.
9. Try drinking sports drinks if you have trouble drinking 10 8 oz glasses of water a day
10. Avoid caffinated beverages as these will dehydrate you.
11. Wear a drylete shirt to keep you cooler and dryer while you run
12. It is better to wear a shirt than not while you run, having more skin in direct light of the sun will get you hotter faster.
13. Take a few cubes of ice and massage your leg muscles with them to help your body to recover from your run.
14. If it is dangerously hot out cross train or run on a treadmill indoors.
15. Try to run in shaded areas like wooded trails to avoid direct sun exposure.
16. Plan your long runs over courses where you can get water along the way or run a series of smaller loops so that you can get water in between each one.
17. A touch of Vaseline can prevent chaffing under your arms or on your inner thighs.
18. After running in heat, try to lower your body temperature immediately with a swim or a cold shower.
19. Move to Anchorage, Alaska

Cold Weather

1. Wear several layers of light clothing when running in the cold weather.
2. Beware of running on slippery surfaces such as ice and snow as this will often lead to injury and soreness, especially to the hip flexors.
3. Utilize fartlek workouts on the roads when the track is covered with snow.
4. Try to run during the middle of the day for the warmest weather and most sunlight.
5. Don’t ignore your stretching routine even though it is cold.
6. Consider using a treadmill when the weather is bad.
7. If you are warm and comfortable at the start of your run you are probably wearing too much and will be too hot later.
8. Hydration is crucial during the months of dry cold air.
9. Try to run during your lunch hour during the part of the day which is warmest and has the most light.
10. Your extremities are the most subject to the cold, make sure to wear hats which cover your ears, gloves, and extra socks if need be.
11. In extreme cold, a thin layer of Vaseline on your cheek bones will keep them a little warmer.
12. If it is raining out, oil or Vaseline can be applied to your legs to help the water to bead off of them.
13. Try to stretch indoors where it is warm and then dress and go out for your run.
14. Cross training and swimming are advisable alternatives to running in inclement weather.
15. Wear visible colors when running at night or during snow so that you remain visible to traffic.
16. If you get sick it is better to take time off and recover rather than try to train through it.
17. Modify your training program according to the weather, if you get great weather take advantage of it while you have it.

If you would like TrackCoach.com's coaching staff to discuss tips not discussed above, please email the topic to tips@trackcoach.com and we will gladly answer any questions you may have.