Training for a Marathon during Rain, Sleet, or Snow? How To Choose Your Workout Gear
If you've graduated from a couch-to-5K program and are now working on your first 26.2-miler, you may be struggling when it comes time to train in inclement weather. Not only can cold, snowy, or rainy days make you feel like curling up with a mug of hot cocoa and a good book, running in this weather without the proper gear can increase your risk of injury or illness. Although it's important to incorporate natural weather patterns into any distance running regimen, doing so without the proper workout gear can add unnecessary complications to your routine. Read on to learn more about properly dressing yourself to run in rain, sleet, snow, or other cold weather.
Layer Up
Choosing your cold-weather clothing can be a challenge. While you may begin shivering as soon as you step outside, after you've made it a few tenths of a mile, you're likely to warm up significantly. By the end of your run, you'll usually be sweating, no matter how cold it is. Because of this, it's a good idea to dress in multiple layers of sweat-wicking clothing that are easy to remove as needed. This prevents you from being bogged down with cold, sweaty outer layers or struggling to maintain a consistent body temperature while your muscles are already working hard to propel your body forward.
By starting with a sweat-wicking inner layer, like long underwear, you'll be able to minimize the risk that your underlayer of clothes will become wet or chafe you during your run. Topping off this layer with a warm, wind-resistant second layer (like a windbreaker shirt and pants) can cut the chill without adding too much extra bulk or weight. You can then add a heavier coat or pants as an outer layer and remove it if necessary.
Engage in Trial and Error
Before you head off to a marathon run or even an intense training session, you'll want to test drive your new clothes in a representative environment. Few things are worse than breaking in an outfit (or a new pair of running shoes) the day of an event and realizing that something chafes, twists, or otherwise moves in a way that prevents you from running at top speed. Having a few go-to cold weather running pieces and mixing and matching these pieces during each run can give you a much better idea of what to select for your marathon-day wardrobe and put to rest any worries that a wardrobe malfunction will impact your final running time.
For more information, contact companies like Premier VII.