How cold is too cold?

running in 5 degrees (-14C) with a wind chill of -10 (-25C), My head mask was legitimately forming icicles on it (then again, I probably didn't layer properly)

I'ld have to say too cold is either one of the following (providing you are well layered)

A) Below Zero (-17C) - This is the line where your lungs really start to suffer

B) Some Ridiculous Wind Chill (last thing you want frozen are your eyes)

Running intervals @ 17F, 0 degrees was hard last because my sweat was getting cold during the recoveries.

I've run down to 5F excluding wind chill.

The thing I would most recommend is a dry pair of gloves in your pocket to change in to if your fingers start to get cold.

for a long run this weekend at 40 below, but forget about doing speed work.

great question I dont have an answer tho, Im curious myself

For a normal run you'll be fine. Just wear something to keep your face (and the air you're breathing) warm. I would forego the speedwork, though

If you have the proper cold weather running gear, I would say that it is not "too cold" until at least -20F true temp. I live in MI and ran Tuesday morning in -2F (wind chill: -20F). I wore an Under Armour shirt, hooded sweatshirt, and clima-cool Adidas jacket on top with tights on bottom. I also wore two pairs of gloves and a ninja-looking Under Armour mask. I was sweaty by the 2nd mile.

I ran a long run in -10 F degree weather (warmed up 4 degrees along the way.) I layered in underarmor, synthetic T-shirt, fleece jacket and then a sweatshirt. That did the trick for the upper body. Tights and running pants over those should do the trick for your legs. I'm still trying to figure out my hands, which are always almost cold even with two layers of gloves on.

Still not as cold as Canada though.

You young pups read this...page 4 to be exact. -40 Pat would layer up and go do repeats. At elevation. And he is still THE American XC hero. If you don't want to train in your environment, move to a warmer climate. If you want to be a champion you must do whatever it takes to succeed. If you want to be a slacker, well, skip workouts- but remember the guys up front aren't skipping workouts. Neither did The Panther.

162430 wrote:

If you have the proper cold weather running gear, I would say that it is not "too cold" until at least -20F true temp. I live in MI and ran Tuesday morning in -2F (wind chill: -20F). I wore an Under Armour shirt, hooded sweatshirt, and clima-cool Adidas jacket on top with tights on bottom. I also wore two pairs of gloves and a ninja-looking Under Armour mask. I was sweaty by the 2nd mile.

32 degrees F with no wind.

I once ran about 800 m when it was -19 deg in Cleveland. I was trying to get into a building at school and had to run to another part of the campus to find an open door. I had on a winter coat and manny layers underneath. My lungs burned for about four hours after breathing the sub zero air. Unless you are planning on competing in similar conditions, hit the treadmill when temps go below zero. If you are on a trail and have an injury, you won't be able to stay warm if you have to limp home and can get in serious trouble.

Being from Hawaii I'm a serious wimp when it comes to cold weather. A few weeks ago it dropped into the very high 60s and I ran with a beanie on.

Precious Roy wrote:

If you are on a trail and have an injury, you won't be able to stay warm if you have to limp home and can get in serious trouble.

This is good advice. Twenty years ago, I went for a 16-mile run in 25 degrees at sunset on a back country road. It started getting chilly after the sun set so I turned around and realized that a wind had come up from the east... very rare where I was at the time... and that I had been running with a tailwind. Just before I turned around the wind got even stronger.

After turning around, I was running into a 15 mph headwind and the temp had dropped another 10 degrees. I made it a quarter mile before I was so cold I couldn't run. I was wearing no jacket... only one of those old polypro tops and it was soaked with sweat. I even tried running sideways, but it was no use.

My only option was to turn around again and run back the the nearest cross road and run north to the nearest major road. I hoped to flag down a car, but a convenience store was there so I went in and called my wife to pick me up.

0 is a big threshold - below 0 you need to cover your face, esp. your mouth. It's fine if you do though. The biggest thing is just having windbreaking fabric. Personally I find that a lot of the XC ski gear is better suited for the really cold stuff than the running gear.

I remember running 8 miles a few years ago when the windchill was something obscene like -40 or so. I wore a lot of layers and it actually wasn't too bad. Yesterday I ran when the windchill was below zero and was actually overdressed; got 10 miles in.

That being said, I wouldn't even try to do intervals if it was below +20. I've done hills in single digit temperatures before but that's it.

I've run in temperatures as low as -20F comfortably. I dressed in many layers, wore a ski mask, and used a surgical type mask. The important things to remember about running in the colder climates is to go into the wind at the start of the workout (if feasible) and to be careful about the footing. I've found that poor footing, especially ice, is more dangerous than cold temps. I wouldn't do speed work in below zero temps but I've done hill workouts several times in those conditions.

I find that in addition to the usual layers and good head gear that covering my neck goes a long way in keeping me warm. I run with a 'Buff' gator type sock-thing and, though it is thin, it makes a huge difference. It can be worn several different ways to include covering the neck AND face. One of my favortie pieces of running gear.

buffusa.com

I ran 4 miles yesterday in -4F weather. I managed to avoid the wind for most of the run and was pretty comfortable. I wore tights with windpants over them, a short sleeve tech shirt with two longsleeve tech shirts on top of that with a polartech sweatshirt covering them, heavy gloves and a ski cap. My face was a little cold in the first half which was into the slight breeze. Biggest issue was that I felt less flexible and constricted when running uphill. (That could just be an excuse for not being in shape as I come back from an injury layoff)

I don't mind running in the cold, it is the wind which I despise.

We were talking about this the other day, but in regards to a high school team. When is it too cold to send them outside for a workout?