Running in colder weather

NickW

Guest
#1
Ok, today was my coldest run I've done so far barefoot. I am slowly easing myself back into running after an injury to my calf so my run was only a half mile with a quarter mile warm up walk and quarter mile cool down walk. It was about 47 degrees while running and the sidewalk made my feet feel like pins and needles were stabbing them.

It wasn't unbearable but it was uncomfortable, especially since we had a windstorm the other night so there is a ton of debri across the sidewalk which made the pain from the cold feel much worse. Is this pain common in colder weather runs and does it get any better as you warm up? (my run was too short for me to really get warmed up fully) Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
#2
The pins and needles are

The pins and needles are fairly common until your feet do get warmed up. One way to counter act this is to get your feet warmed up prior to going out by doing some running in place or whatever stricks your fancy. ;-) You have to remember your feet are probably not used to being exposed to lower temperatures (being all huddled up in socks and shoes for most of their lives). Up here in the great white north last winter I had some great runs in colder temps and I noticed that it usually took about a km for my feet to warm up enough to leave the pins and needles behind. But that being said, if you lose feeling in your feet it is time to stop and get them covered. Frostbite is not your friend, and it can be a very painful experience as your feet defrost.

Another very important thing to consider as the temperatures drop as well is to keep the rest of your body warm, especially your core. I also wear a pair of wrist bands on my ankles, I'm not sure if they actually do anything, but I tell you I noticed the difference last winter when I wasn't wearing them.

If you haven't had a chance to check out the Winter Barefoot Running Recap that was done at the end of the season (I believe TJ is going to run it again soon), check it out it has a lot of great information and tips to enjoy some runs in the winter.

Happy Trails. :smile:
 
#3
Try warming your feet up near

Try warming your feet up near the heater before heading out.

If you're racing, wear thick socks to keep your feet warm until guntime.

Wear lots and lots of clothes to warm up your core; we find that keeping the core really warm keeps the feet warm too.

Run at the warmest part of the day.

Avoid running when the ground is wet, unless you really want to.

Acclimate slowly by running in socks for the first part of your run, then take them off (once your feet have some blood flow and warmed up a bit), and run the next part or the end of your run barefoot, either finishing barefoot or in socks.

Do some ice bucket training, although if it's cold often enough, you can get the same training by just running naturally in the cold.

Slowly but surely, you will be able to tolerate colder and colder temps.
 
#4
Thanks for the great advice. 

Thanks for the great advice. TJ thanks for your advice on the calf as well, so far it seems to be working! I can't avoid the ground being wet as it rains all the time here during the fall, winter, spring, and part of the summer. Portland is very wet. I typically run very hot body wise so I don't wear much even in colder weather, shorts and thin short sleeve shirt so maybe I will have to start wearing bottoms until I've warmed up during my runs. I will also try the socks, but I've had problems in the past with debri sticking to socks and causing even more problems (stinking pinecones). Luckily we don't usually get much colder than 35 so today was a good eye opener of what to expect this winter. Thanks again for the feedback!
 
#5
Oh, yea.  You're in water

Oh, yea. You're in water land. Don't wear socks when the ground is cold and wet though. That would be miserable.
 
#6
Yesterday I did my coldest

Yesterday I did my coldest run of the season. It was about 10 miles at 43F with some light rain the entire time. My feet were cold for the first mile or so, but after that I had no discomfort what so ever due to the cold because my feet had warmed up. I'm hoping to maintain a regular barefoot running schedule through the winter this year, which will be a challenge in Michigan. I ran barefoot through the winter last year, but I by no means maintained a regular winter running schedule. So far, my record is 4 miles at 10F with snow.

Some quick tips

Most important, keep your core warm; overdress. For my really cold runs, I wear a therma-fit long sleeve shirt, a long sleeve shirt above that, then a sweatshirt. Wear gloves, and also wear a hat (you lose a lot of heat from you head). I also wear therma-fit long underwear. Above that I wear some comfortable, poofy, and warm pants. To be honest, I sometimes get too hot when I am out running in the cold.

When you are pushing your limits of your tolerance to the cold, walk, don't run. I emphasize walk because you can't get quite as far away from somewhere warm when you are walking. Also, your body doesn't generate as much heat when you are walking, so it is more of a challenge for your body to spend a long time out in the cold. I judge how far I can safely run by how long I can walk barefoot. If I can safely walk barefoot for 45min given certain conditions, then I can safely do a 45min run in those same conditions.
 
#7
When you are pushing your

When you are pushing your limits of your tolerance to the cold, walk, don't run. I emphasize walk because you can't get quite as far away from somewhere warm when you are walking. Also, your body doesn't generate as much heat when you are walking, so it is more of a challenge for your body to spend a long time out in the cold. I judge how far I can safely run by how long I can walk barefoot. If I can safely walk barefoot for 45min given certain conditions, then I can safely do a 45min run in those same conditions.



GREAT ADVICE!
 
#8
I'm in the same boat Nick...

I'm in the same boat Nick... I did my first cold run yesterday morning. I'm still learning to run and only up to sub-mile runs. It had been mainly 70's I'd been barefoot walking/running in, and a couple 60's and maybe one in the upper 50's. Those were of no concern. Then this cold snap hit us, and when I got home from nightshift saturday morning it was 40* out, damp, and very windy. Put the sweats and hoodie and gloves on and headed out for my first cold run. My feet almost instantly started to hurt. I was hoping after a little ways they would get warmed up - I usually do a half mile walk first but cut it down to 1/8th mile and started my slow run to try to get my feet warmed up. They never did, I dont think it was a pins n needles feeling but similar pain nonetheless. My feet hurt afterward, kind of like the first time out bf on the rough pavement. I could feel it all day, and still some now. Mainly around the forefoot. I dont know if it was just not used to the cold or if maybe the loss of sensation actually caused my form to be poor and I was pushing off or something like that. It feels just like it does right before when you know your getting a blister. I didnt get one but I am sure a little more and I might have.

I'm running in the afternoon now until I get used to the cold! Maybe if I could do longer distances it would have eventually warmed up, but I still havent broken the mile barrier yet... I might have to try out the vibrams if I cant get used to it - but I really would like to get up to speed fully bf first. I do have a pair of Komodosports.
 
#9
Tristan: my experience las

Tristan: my experience las winter was that it frequently took .5-1 mile for my feet to "warm up", not counting any warm up walking (walking seemed to do very little to actually warm up my feet). I would wear some shoes (VFFs or trail gloves were what I had) for the first mile, then take them off and carry them until my feet were unable to maintain temperature (this was only a problem in the dead of winter when we were lucky to hit 20F out).

So it should be easier once you get a BF/min mileage >1 mile. Do a search here at the BRS for "winter barefoot challenge" (might have been mentioned already) to see some tested strategies for dealing with the cold.
 
#10
Nick,don't be a wuss. i ran

Nick,

don't be a wuss. i ran the same morning, no prob. jk. ya it was a bit cold that morning. my feet started a little cold but warmed up quickly. don't be ashamed to put shoes on this winter WHEN YOU NEED TO. shoes are tools and you should use them accordingly. there's nothing to prove except how stupid you are by running with numb feet. numb feet are dumb feet. they can't tell you what's going on.

while we don't get the cold weather our midwest brethren do, it's cold to us. temps are relative. i can tell you this for sure. don't run bf when the ground is wet and it's cold outside. that's a sure recipe for disaster. however, i did find it's easily manageable to run bf in the rain during winter. but it must be raining and not just water sitting on the ground or a light mist. hell, i even found out i can run shirtless in shorts and bf in winter if it's raining hard enough. no wind. water retains heat so it's warmer if it's falling but will get cold just sitting on the ground. make sense? should.



Tristan, you can apply a lot of that as well. it takes time. i ran with bikilas a lot last winter. i wore huaraches all of last year. my feet got cold to start but by the end of the day they were on fire. i can't wait to see what i can handle this year. so you know, after a year and a half of running bf, i'm still learning. hell, even bf ken bob said after 50 years he's still learning. you can't learn anything by giving up, except how to give up.



Mike
 
#11
I hate pain.  If running in

I hate pain. If running in the cold was painful, I wouldn't do it. This is my fourth year running barefoot in the winter. Somehow, I managed to train myself to run in 27 degrees F, dry ground, and 40s wet. It doesn't happen overnight. It's a gradual process. You have to keep at it as often as you can throughout the winter, and by the time spring comes, you will amaze yourself at how low you could go. (Where is that thread "How low can you go?")
 
#13
I went for a run yesterday,

I went for a run yesterday, it was 47 and drizzling. The first .25 mile was torture, felt like I was running on nails. Then, all of sudden, my feet warmed up and I realized they were sweating. Craziness! I think it just takes a bit to get the blood flowing when it's chilly like that outside. The VFF to BF shift sounds like it would probably work. I know my feet warm up very quickly in mine.
 
#14
Entering into my third

Entering into my third fall/winter season of barefoot running each year my tolerance gets better. My only suggestion is exposure, exposure! Whether taking out the trash, or just in your house in the dead of winter go barefoot as much as possible. Not matter what the conditions outside in the dead of winter I run barefoot at least once a week. My ultimate goal would be an all year around barefoot outside, but it is always a challenge

A dry 40 degrees is really nice to run barefoot in, I enjoy it. Once I get into the 20's things start getting a bit challenging.



Here is a great post by Barefoot Rick on winter barefoot running:

http://barefootrunner.org/winter/wbfr_article_110610.htm
 
#15
migangelo wrote:Nick,don't

migangelo said:
Nick,

don't be a wuss. i ran the same morning, no prob. jk. ya it was a bit cold that morning. my feet started a little cold but warmed up quickly.
Click to expand...

Nice Mike, pick on the new guy! j/k My feet are a little sensitive to hot and cold, having grown up in Montana and being exposed to extremes in the cold and then getting frost nip on my toes and feet while in the military where it took a couple months just to get feeling back in them.

Thanks for all the great advice everyone! Mike, I'm heading out in about a half hour up near the top of Murrayhill if you wanted to join. Its 54 and raining so you can show me how real barefooters handle the chillier weather. Lol.
 
#16
ooh, sorry but i have to go

ooh, sorry but i have to go to school. i will be running at tryon creek st park if you wanna wait and join me there. i have class MW at sylvania so when i can i will run after class there. i get out by 1. i want to run before school for as long as i can handle the cold. i find i can pay better attention that way.

yes, i always pick on the new guy. fastest way to gage someone's sense of humor, or lack there of. one thing not mentioned with winter running is, ladies ear muffs please, don't wear boxers on a cold winter run. sweat turns to ice and you don't want your dangling parts to turn into an ice bell. trust me, it's slightly more than uncomfortable. /sites/all/modules/smileys/packs/Roving/wink.png



Mike
 
#17
I like the light hearted

I like the light hearted bantering. I'm at Sylvania on Mondays and Wednesdays as well, only at night. During the day I am home with my little boy so I don't get to run much of anything but roads around the neighborhood during the week. You missed a good short run this morning. Was feeling exceptionally spry despite having a cold and not really running much the last couple months. Found I really love running on wet pine needles, despite the occasional surprise underneath. Its like running on a sponge. Puddles were awsome and refreshing as well once the pins and needles were gone (after about 3/4 mile). First mile I was able to do in 10:12 which is about the same pace as prior to my injury! Hopefully I am well on my way back to running healthy again!
 
#18
Barefoot TJ wrote:I hate

Barefoot TJ said:
I hate pain. If running in the cold was painful, I wouldn't do it.
Click to expand...

Thats probably good advice right there. I'll read all the other linked threads about winter running too. Although I have been taking the bf transition very slow to avoid TMTS I guess I jumped into cold too fast! I think I'llbe fine as long as a pick and choose warmer times to run, and shouldnt be too long before I get my milleage up over a mile I hope. Then all the other tricks like warming up VFF, etc. Once the middle of winter hits though the roads here are generally snow covered until spring, so not sure how much bf running or running at all I'll do. Might be using the treadmill just to keep in some kind of shape until the thaw once things get well below freezing.
 
#19
This will be my second winter

This will be my second winter barefoot. As the weather changes i am trying to condition slowly to the cold. On the paths around here when it snows salt and gravels is spread, but then swept away when the weather gets better. Dry pavement is your friend.
 
#20
Today was my coldest day so

Today was my coldest day so far, 35 degrees! It took an extra little bit to warm my feet up but then they were golden for the rest of the run, and then when my calf cramped up, my feet were still warm enough for the half mile walk home. I think I just pushed it way to hard on Saturday and my calf is still tender.
 
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