There are calculators out there that help with conversions based on temp and dew point that seem to work reasonably well for summer conditions. I’m curious what people anecdotally feel like cold weather conversions look like. Clearly the extra clothes make a difference but curious what other impacts there are from a physiological standpoint.
For the sake of not completely derailing the conversation let’s say that we are talking about VO2 Max pace and slower.
I would say the -10, hard-packed snow on the ground and dextra clothing would slow you down around 5 percent.
I would say maybe 6%
Hey HHW,
Did my college running out on the tundra in Minnesota where we would do a lot of our winter training in sub-zero temps (coldest I remember going out in was -20 not factoring in windchill - colder than that and our coach kept us on the indoor track).
I don't have a formal conversion for you but here are a couple of observations from what I remember of my experience:
1) Even if you didn't feel particularly cold while running (and for the most part you shouldn't if you gear up right), I did feel like I ended up burning more fuel.
2) Everything generally felt slower and it was hard to do more demanding high-end stuff. The legs were just not as responsive (and standing rest is not super appealing.) So, while it's not that big a deal to get out and put in miles, it would be hard to do an actual workout. Tempo-ish stuff and sometimes hills were the fastest things I remember doing outside.
3) Conveniently, covering your face makes a big difference, at least psychologically.
4) How cold you actually feel has a lot to do with humidity. Minnesota is very dry in the winter, so that helped.
5) I did find that I would adapt pretty quickly, in that single digits would feel normal, the teens would feel warm, and twenties would be walking-around-in-shorts weather.
Hope this is helpful!
I’m a D2 female runner. Our coach explicitly told us not to visit LetsRun forums.
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