How long can you run in extreme cold safely?

California can be expensive bu you get what you pay for

To answer the actual question, I ran out in -10F (-20 windchill) yesterday for 1hr 20min. My lips and face were starting to feel it over the last 5 min so probably would have felt in trouble after another 10

I use nylon shell briefs, shorts, running tights; 3 top layers; balaclava + hat, 2 gloves, and 2 socks in this weather. I was sweating still but I think after an hour the ability for new blood to heat up my face wasn't able to keep up with the ice already on my face cooling it down

And extreme cold air is a trigger for asthma in people who have it. Breathing in cold air doesn't affect me personally.

I love running in this weather - it is very peaceful and medidative with hardly any cars and fewer people out and about

Despite what posters here say running in extreme cold isn’t good for the lungs. Just do a google scholar search and you’ll find tons of info.

Xc skiers know that doing hard aerobic training damages your lungs. It can give you exercise induced asthma with long term consequences. Anyone who had ever raced in below zero temps knows what I’m talking a it.

Xc skiers use cold respirators to train in the deep cold.they work but are miserable to Twain in.

TLDR: deep cold is bad for your lungs. If it is colder than 0f I would strongly consider avoiding any intense aerobic exercise outside

Nanook Of The North wrote:

Hardloper wrote:

Any source confirming this?

I can see how low-intensity running is not an issue but I wouldn't want to do higher intensity running or racing in extreme cold.

The source is my own experience. I've done road races at 5 minutes per mile in temperatures below 10 Fahrenheit, and I've also done cyclocross races in similar conditions. Never had any respiratory discomfort at all from any of that.

Asking for a source people are lame when it’s discussing personal experience.

One risk no one really talks about

Dehydration which can happen in winter

One time I go up at 4:30am to run in Vermont

Forgot to drink water

My hat slipped off my ear on one side of my head my ear got like prefrostbite or something swelled up got a little purple

Dr said it was due to dehydration

Water helps blood circulate to extremities hands feet head etc

Drink to thirst

In the 70's and 80's Frank Bozanich was one of the best ultra marathoners in the US. He lived in Point Narrow, Ak. for a few years and trained outside through the winter every day. I think he said the big problem was polar bears. When Lydiard got to Finland he had people telling him it was too cold to run through the winter but he went to guys like Nurmi and Ritolla and askde what they did in winter. They told him they ran outside. So he organized a mid winter marathon to get people to run outside throughout the winter.

I don't run if it's less than 10 degrees. But as a college kid running intervals by phone pole count on ice and snow, I was happy to run workouts down to that level of cold, in Massachusetts. And I've said this before (for the men) - triple layers over your UNIT when it's that cold!

wikid pissah wrote:

One risk no one really talks about

Dehydration which can happen in winter

One time I go up at 4:30am to run in Vermont

Forgot to drink water

My hat slipped off my ear on one side of my head my ear got like prefrostbite or something swelled up got a little purple

Dr said it was due to dehydration

Water helps blood circulate to extremities hands feet head etc

Drink to thirst

Yea, I forgot to drink water once before a run, it was 49 degrees, but the lack of water made it "feel like" 9 degrees so I got like PRE frostbite on my tongue from licking my lips. Yea, that's what happened.

I've been running a long time, with many runs in sub-zero. I think -25F is my lowest temp. I've never had trouble with my lungs. Mostly, it's a matter of dressing right and choosing your course/distance carefully.

I have found, though, that the last 20 years or so my face and, oddly enough, my eyes, have more trouble tolerating extreme cold. I've started wearing a balaclava the past few years, which helps but doesn't fully offset the increased sensitivity.

The lungs warms up the air you breath to body temp instantly down to -40degrees. The reason you may cough when breathing in sub-zero temps is the lack of humidity in the air not the temperature itself.

My only problem is my hands. My hands get cold in anything under 40degrees. So I where double gloves in really cold temps.

I run in sub zero temps every winter. Race as well. Worst thing about racing in weather that cold is that your nose feels like it’s clogged or numb.

Fell in a pond knee deep in HS in -5 degree temps. Ran the three miles back to school with no problems. Circulation keeps the feet warm.

Old is as old does wrote:Fell in a pond knee deep in HS in -5 degree temps. Ran the three miles back to school with no problems. Circulation keeps the feet warm.

At -5F I would think the pond would be frozen solid,

superdupershoes wrote:

At -10 wind chill, what’s the limit on how long it is safe to be out running regardless of how well you dress?

Is there a risk to lungs at that temperature, for example?

I suck on menthol cough drops when I run in extreme cold and I can't even tell the air is cold.

I will run in as cold as about -27C (-17F).

I have run in colder but it's not comfortable.

Sometimes Hero wrote:

Ran in -33 air temps this morning in northern MN. Only went 5 miles. I’ve done several runs in -30+. I’d like to think I’m hardier than most, but -30 is pretty tough. Lots of layers, but the cold finds a way in. No issues, but ready to be done at the end of it. Tried to run a sub 6 mile for the hell of it during it. I also think your lungs freezing is B.S, but -30 definitely takes your breath away when you try to speed up. Very refreshing morning.

ran in similar temperatures in Edmonton this past week--I try to keep the runs under an hour when it is that cold-that being said since it takes about 5 minutes to layer might as well go for 5-6 miles...agree with the tips above re. good footwear etc along with starting a run into the wind so you do not get chilled with wet clothing on the back half into wind...in northern Alberta if you didn't run in temperatures below 0, you would be taking 3 months off lol!

My first 1/2 marathon was -21 windchill in shorts, t shirt, long sleeve t shirt and gloves. I gave my hat to my gf who forgot her's. Ended up with slight frostbite on one ear but core-wise all was good.

It is very unlikely you will have traction issues at -10f. Ice is practically sticky when it is that cold.

One suggestion I haven’t seen in this thread is get all your cloths on and ride the bike trainer or run on the treadmill for a couple minutes to get you core temp up before you go outside. Really helps make the first couple miles feel better.

The primary danger in this situation is that you overdress, sweat, and then run too far and either get hurt or slow down too much. At that point, you will very quickly freeze to death if you are unable to get help.

This happened to me once: was 5 miles into a tempo (out and back), got caught in a blizzard, and could not keep that pace up on the way home as a ton of snow started accumulated. At that point I was drenched in sweat (was wearing a micropuff jacket), and could not keep my body warm anymore. Very desolate area too. Had to be rescued. Temp was only 20°F. Could have been catastrophic.

There really is no limit as long as you dress properly. At that temp, I'd recommend covering your face with a face mask or using warm skin cream to block the wind. Wear synthetic fabrics that wick sweat away, preferably merino wool. It's often that cold in MN where I grew up and trained outdoors all winter in college and I almost never had to shorten a run because of temps in that range unless I underdressed and my hands got cold. I've spent nearly all day outside in those temps on a regular basis some winters and really was never a safety issue because I always dressed appropriately.