Wow, everyone here is soooo tough.
But seriously, the secret is to just wear a ton of clothing. You'll feel 20 pounds heavier, so don't worry about your workout times. Just put forth the same effort you would under normal conditions and you'll reap the benefits.
I've run in sub-zero weather before. Just pick a non-icy path and run by time. It will probably take you a good 30min to warmup, but that is how it goes. Double gloves and socks. You should be ok as long as you don't pick it up until you are fully warmed up.
Alternatively, you could use the extreme cold days to hit the gym and build your strength.
ThatAverageRunner wrote:
Anyone have some actual advice?
You're getting GREAT advice, here. What you don't like about it is that the advice is to get out of your comfort zone; but that's what good training is about. This is the wrong place to be if you want to be supported in a quest for mediocrity.
Wear an extra layer, cover the head and ears, and get out there. I did.
Running in -10 it's fine. I did a workout yesterday in similar conditions and I felt a bit uncomfortable because of light socks + lightweight shoes, and only one pair of thin gloves. Today I used 2 socks and heavier gloves and it was fine. Also I have a thin elastic scarf that I put over my mouth, that is necessary for me. Also I have thin hat + heavier hat on top of it.
If you dress properly running is fine at all temperatures.
You guys allllll act like I have never run outside before. I go for runs all the time when its -10 and colder out. Just wear more clothes, that statement is obvious. Sometimes you don't just feel like getting a good workout inside without taking 10 minutes to get dressed and feeling uncomfortable the entire run. I could do every run on the treadmill and be in just as good a shape as if I did them all out in the cold. I was simply asking about the differences in tempo paces and duration. Didn't feel like running in -10 today. And all the roads around me have multiple inches of snow and ice underneath that. I feel like you have to be a much less intelligent runner to think you're 'toughing it out' by going outside in that.
And than you everyone who actually gave sound advice.
I ran 9 miles @ 6:00 pace on my treadmill. Felt like a really solid workout for the end of my base phase.
Since Nov. 2 I have run every single workout on the treadmill averaging about 65 miles a week. I am training for a half in Florida. It would be pretty stupid to train outside in the cold for a race that will be 75 degrees. Too many runners did that and wilted in the heat at 8 miles costing them 2 minutes of their goal time.
When I was in high school running 9:10 3k, we used to run in the school hallway on really cold days looping between the first and second floor.
I live in a place where it doesn't get very cold, but it's been single digits the past few mornings.
I just run at an indoor track. Surely, there's one nearby. Figure out how you can gain access to it. If you don't have an indoor track nearby, but you want to run faster indoors, then join a gym/YMCA on their monthly rate with a faster treadmill.
This cold snap should be over in a few days, so we'll be back to normal... whatever that is for where you live.
Fart Nugget Cheese Fries wrote:
does your treadmill have an incline function? if so, adding incline to the 10mph will help increase the difficulty of the tempo
If your treadmill doesn't have an incline function, you can put a board or 2x4 under the front to create a slope.
While I tend to do most of my running outdoors regardless of the weather, I think there is some acclimation benefit to doing some work in a warmer indoor environment, particularly if that's where you'll be racing.
will you race when zero? wrote:
Since Nov. 2 I have run every single workout on the treadmill averaging about 65 miles a week. I am training for a half in Florida. It would be pretty stupid to train outside in the cold for a race that will be 75 degrees. Too many runners did that and wilted in the heat at 8 miles costing them 2 minutes of their goal time.
When I was in high school running 9:10 3k, we used to run in the school hallway on really cold days looping between the first and second floor.
If you overdress you can overheat at -30 and certainly still "heat train".
Ingrid Kristiansen flew from Norway to Florida and smoked the field once.
One winter is it was icey as heck and wind howling for days. I was home for a month of winter break and decided to splurge on a gym membership at a place that had a pool and very fast treadmills (went down to 4:15 pace or so) and they all had TV's on them.
I was able to tempo on the treadmills, do very long runs and do interesting workouts like I wasn't aloud to look at the time until the end of the game or the end of Hulk Hogan's bio. I pretended I was Goku training on his way to Namek and got in some great mileage 12-14 miles at a fast clip.
Only drawback was I was dealing with foot issue from my spike falling off in an indoor race and getting bad blood blisters from running two laps on the carpet with no shoe. The treadmill would cause the blisters to refill with blood and I would have to drain it a lot. I had no problem draining them (I have a weird thing for popping pimples and draining blood blisters) but my mother was horrified and made me do soak my feet and pleaded with me to stop.
I also remember farting so bad (thanks to my dad's chili) I horrified all these rich ladies and made them flee from the aerobic area.
ThatAverageRunner wrote:
You guys allllll act like I have never run outside before. I go for runs all the time when its -10 and colder out. Just wear more clothes, that statement is obvious. Sometimes you don't just feel like getting a good workout inside without taking 10 minutes to get dressed and feeling uncomfortable the entire run. I could do every run on the treadmill and be in just as good a shape as if I did them all out in the cold. I was simply asking about the differences in tempo paces and duration. Didn't feel like running in -10 today. And all the roads around me have multiple inches of snow and ice underneath that. I feel like you have to be a much less intelligent runner to think you're 'toughing it out' by going outside in that.
And than you everyone who actually gave sound advice.
I ran 9 miles @ 6:00 pace on my treadmill. Felt like a really solid workout for the end of my base phase.
Don't make the mistake of assuming the treadmill is the same as running freely.
On the real cold days (-15 or less) i use this:
Airtrim is a heat/moisture exchanger which recovers the heat and moisture from exhaled air. The filter heats the air you breathe in, protecting your air passages from the cold.
There are many different filter types - Sport, Asthma and Racing 1, 2 and 3. The Asthma filter gives the most warming (lowest airflow) and is for people with asthma or angina who suffer from breathing cold air. Because the asthma filter conserves heat more effectively, it can be used to help ward of hypothermia in the event of an accident. The sport filter is designed for low- to medium-intensity training, and the race filters for high-intensity workouts and racing. Race 1 is the most resistance/warming, Race 3 is the least resistance/warming.
During continuous use the filter gets very damp, and you should clear it regularly by blowing vigorously through the mask. Avoid touching the wet filter as it tears easily. Allow the mask and filter to air dry. Always bring along spare filters on long training sessions and mountain trips. Spare filters must be kept dry. Filters that are adequately dried between uses should last 20-30+ sessions.
The Sport mask comes with one sport filter and one Racing 1 filter. The Asthma mask comes with two asthma filters. Filter packs come in 2-packs of Racing 1, Racing 2, Racing 3, Asthma and Sport. There is also a racing pack containing one each of Racing 1, 2 and 3.
Manufacturer's (English) web site:
just run on a treadmill. I wouldn't train hard outdoors if its below 0 F, thats too dam cold. All these letsrun toughies will get their butts kicked from all the subpar training they do outside dressed like yetis.
will you race when zero? wrote:
Since Nov. 2 I have run every single workout on the treadmill averaging about 65 miles a week. I am training for a half in Florida. It would be pretty stupid to train outside in the cold for a race that will be 75 degrees. Too many runners did that and wilted in the heat at 8 miles costing them 2 minutes of their goal time.
When I was in high school running 9:10 3k, we used to run in the school hallway on really cold days looping between the first and second floor.
I live in N.Y. and have been running outside since November. It's been like 10 degrees here this week with a great wind chill. I am at 48 miles so far for the week all outside. I am going to Florida also in February to race a half.
I will remember your post on race day.
Fuel for the fire bro !!
Going longer at 6minute pace will be fine. I just ran 8 miles at 6 minute pace for my weekly tempo (at altitude) and will run below 15 minutes in thr spring. This is a great time of year to go longer rather than faster.
if 6 minute pace feels too slow, just keep on going. Ill typically work up to an hour at that effort before backing down and focusing on faster work.
Working out inside isn't a cop out if it allows you to run faster abd train smarter.
edward teach wrote:
just run on a treadmill. I wouldn't train hard outdoors if its below 0 F, thats too dam cold. All these letsrun toughies will get their butts kicked from all the subpar training they do outside dressed like yetis.
This training is better than any other.
Gary Oldman wrote:
will you race when zero? wrote:Since Nov. 2 I have run every single workout on the treadmill averaging about 65 miles a week. I am training for a half in Florida. It would be pretty stupid to train outside in the cold for a race that will be 75 degrees. Too many runners did that and wilted in the heat at 8 miles costing them 2 minutes of their goal time.
When I was in high school running 9:10 3k, we used to run in the school hallway on really cold days looping between the first and second floor.
If you overdress you can overheat at -30 and certainly still "heat train".
Ingrid Kristiansen flew from Norway to Florida and smoked the field once.
This is the same Ingrid K. who had a $25,000 treadmill in her home. She XC skied in the winter, didn't run outside for specific workouts. She once ran a session of 2 x 5k in 15 minutes each on the treadmill - which is also why she could race a 10000m on the track in 30.13 solo.
As to running gear (from someone who lives in a cold climate) mittens are far more preferable to gloves. Gloves are far inferior to mittens as separated fingers are more difficult to keep warm. If it is that cold (wind-chill) I wear light gloves under mittens.
Set the treadmill incline to 1%. Your workout times will then be similar to outdoor times.
join a gym with a good treadmill
all the gyms have specials now where you can join for a month or 2 for very little
when the weather gets better you can quit the gym
good chance to get some weights and cross training in too
Dial it up wrote:
Don't make the mistake of assuming the treadmill is the same as running freely.
Shuffling along on the ice all bundled up like an Inupiat isn't the same as running in an idealized environment like at the indoor track either (e.g., his goal). The treadmill is a much closer approximation.
By all means, if you want the fresh air, go ahead and do a recovery run all bundled up in the cold, but do your workouts where you can most closely approximate speed and leg turnover.
10 below isn't cold (it's considered normal where I live), but it requires layering of clothes that will alter your breathing and stride, and you also run the risk of slipping. If you have access to a good treadmill, you're only fooling yourself if you think you're getting a better workout outside at 10 below.