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Winter running tips

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman John Gordinier
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  It's 5:30 a.m. on a brisk winter day. A motivated Airman gets out of bed to run before work, but the thermometer outside reads a chilling 33 degrees Fahrenheit. Should he still go for his run outside or should he go to the fitness center?

For those brave souls who trek outside for their run in the bitter cold, here are some tips.

"The No. 1 thing to remember is to hydrate before running by drinking plenty of water," said Tech. Sgt. Lynn Caraveo, 20th Services Squadron NCO in charge of sports and fitness.

Some believe they don't require much water since they are not going to sweat as much, she said. They're wrong. Regardless of the temperature, when people run, their muscles use lots of water.

According to medical officials, people who run outdoors in the cold often think they're not sweating because they don't feel it. That's because people typically dress in several layers of clothing when it's cold outside and they don't realize how much they are sweating. Plus, in very cold weather, the humidity approaches zero and large amounts of fluid are lost through exhaled vapor.

In addition to drinking lots of water, people should remember to do plenty of stretching and warm-up exercises before they run, Sergeant Caraveo said. These activities are especially important because in cold weather the muscles are extremely tense. If they don't warm up and stretch properly, they are more susceptible to injury, such as a pulled muscle.

The cold also makes a person less sensitive to injury, Sergeant Caraveo said. It causes a numbing effect and a person might not feel pain from injuries.

Clothing is another important issue in cold weather running, Sergeant Caraveo said. Be aware of the wind chill to help determine the proper attire.

"It is better to dress in layers of clothing," she said. "That way, you can pull off as you go. I recommend running around the neighborhood by your house or making loops by your car so you can drop off the peeled layers of clothing."

When getting dressed, "do not wear cotton as your first layer," recommends Capt. Melissa Durham, 20th Medical Operations Squadron physical therapy services chief.

Cotton absorbs body sweat and makes the clothing wet, the captain said. Running in wet clothes is a very bad idea since it cools down the body.

"These tips are not meant to scare you or persuade you from running in colder weather," Sergeant Caraveo said. "Don't let the cold weather stop you from working out. Just be prepared and listen to your body."