Finally, after weeks months of waiting, fall is here! (Maybe even a hint of winter too.) So after almost 6 months of running in the heat, it was time to adjust to running in cooler weather. Some days were fine, others were kind of tricky. Isn’t it kind of hard to remember what to wear in certain temperatures?
Here are some reminders for adjusting to running in cooler weather:
Pay attention to wind: Over the summer I never really look at the wind because it doesn’t make a huge difference in how the temperature feels. Once it gets colder, the wind can make a big difference. 45 degrees and calm feels much different from 45 degrees with wind.
Sun will warm you up quickly: When I run early in the morning it can feel pretty chilly, but if I run a little later on the weekends the sun can really warm things up. I always need to remember to dress for warmer weather on those days when the sun is out.
Use accessories to keep you warm: I like to start with less clothes (shorts/t-shirts) and then add on things like compression socks, headbands, gloves, arm-warmers, etc. This way you don’t overheat but can also remove some of those things during your run if needed.
And one final reminder: You can still chafe even if it’s cooler outside! I made this mistake last week. I wore shorts and it was finally cooler and less humid so I skipped the body glide. Not a good choice. It was probably because it was still a little humid and my thighs are a little bigger than usual thanks to pregnancy but now I just need to remember that it takes 2 seconds to add some body glide before every run.
Now, let’s take a look at last week’s workouts:
Monday: 4 miles + Strength Training
Tuesday: 6 miles
Wednesday: 4 miles + Strength Training
Thursday: 5 miles
Friday: 7 miles
Saturday: 3 miles
Sunday: Rest
Total: 29 miles
Remember when I said I was starting a “pregnancy taper”? And then I only ran 1 mile less than last week? Oops. I don’t really plan out my runs for the week and just do what I feel like/what I have time for each morning, so by the time Saturday rolled around I realized I had run quite a bit already this week. I also ran on Sunday of last week which means I ran 7 days in a row.
It worked out to do a much shorter run on Saturday because we had childbirth class all day. It was mostly informative but just a really long day. While I read some books about what to expect it was helpful to hear the information and also see/practice some of the different relaxation strategies.
Anyway- back to the workouts. It was nice to be running in cooler weather this week but on Friday it felt more like winter than fall! Luckily Saturday was back up to the 50s. I have a very limited amount of winter running clothes that fit right now so I’m hoping it doesn’t get too cold before the end of December! Or I’ll just be wearing the same running clothes for all my runs.
You may also like:
The “Pregnancy Taper” Begins
Second Trimester Running
A Peek Into Cleveland Marathon Training Weeks 5-9
Base Building Week 2
Running Through the Darkness
What other reminders do you have for running in cooler weather?
If you have kids did you attend childbirth class?
Ever run more than you planned in a week just because you’re not keeping track?
I didn’t attend childbirth class. I have heard though that it’s a super long day!
It was! I think they could have done it in like 4 hours and still relayed the same information.
Yes! It feels like we have been waiting months for this moment, lol. I enjoyed running in the cooler temperatures this week. I had to deal with a bunch of wind during my race on Saturday and it took me about 2 miles to adjust to it!
It’s so hard to get used to the wind! I feel like its something we forget about during the summer.
I have to wear a winter headband to protect my ears in the cold. It seems like I remember layers for everything else, and forget my ears. They can get cold pretty easily, and then hurt when they warm up.
I also like wearing headbands. Its also nice that they are easy to take off if it ends up being too warm for a headband.
It’s crazy how much cooler the wind makes fall temps feel! Sometimes I have to put out clothes so that I’m prepped for wind and no wind.
Yes! And you can’t really tell how the wind will be based on the forecast because it can change so much from the night before to that morning.
The weekend versus weekday runs are so different in winter as the dark runs feel so much colder than the sunny ones. I always have to remember to adjust. I hope you enjoyed your childbirth class. The first one (back in the dark ages) was pretty frightening for me. I think they wanted to make you fully understand what could happen. The other two I had (later) weren’t much better. Thanks for linking!
I wouldn’t say it was frightening but definitely a little overwhelming! I’m glad I went though. I’d rather have lots of information so I can try to make informed decisions- or at least know what is happening!
We definitely attended a childbirth class but I think it was a couple of hours in the evening. Certainly not all day. I never thought a super light windbreaker was necessary in this climate but ever since I got one, I wear it quite a bit. It was SO windy here this past weekend yet not that cold. Until the hail and snow started…haha!
Hail and snow?! Already?? I have a windbreaker but don’t run in it too much. I could see something like that being helpful when it’s windy but not too cold.
I love running in cold weather and I’m so happy that it’s finally here! I tend to track my runs throughout the week so I usually don’t run more than planned, unless the weather is really nice and I am feeling really good. Usually that does happen this time of year when the weather is so nice!
It can definitely be tempting to overdo it with running this time of year!
I also go with your plan of starting with “less” clothing and adding layers (that can be removed). I had someone ask me once why bother with a tank and arm warmers when a long-sleeved top would do the same. Ummm, no…the arm sleeves can easily be removed LOL and the long-sleeved top stays there or completely comes off 😉
Yes, exactly! At a certain point I just go with the long sleeves but if I’m not sure then arm warmers are helpful. Especially if its cold when I’m starting but I know the sun will come out during my run.
It really is all about the wind!! In the winter, I plan my route based on the wind direction. I like to have it at my back on the way home. If it’s really windy, then I just run in my neighborhood, knowing I’ll be changing directions frequently. I think I have dressing down to a science and then I over dress….
I also like having the option to change directions when it’s windy. Mentally its tough to know you have x amount of miles to go while running in the wind!
With my crazy work schedule I never have planned runs throughout the week, I just run when I can. I am glad I was down south this past week when it was chilly up north. I hope I luck out when it becomes much cooler too. You are doing awesome with your workouts for being that far along.
Thanks! Hopefully you can avoid running in the colder weather for a while longer.
I agree about the wind. I remember last winter running in mid 30s (no wind) and it felt wonderful but then same temperature with wind pretty much sucks.
So far it has been comfortable here and so far have been enjoying my runs. I am hoping we have a mild winter.
The wind makes such a difference! I agree that hopefully it is a mild winter.
I remember our childbirth class. It was a long day! I found it helpful but for mine they were almost promoting epidurals which I was kind of bummed about
Oh that’s unfortunate! Ours had very little about epidurals. It was led by a doula and she wanted us to know all the strategies for childbirth, and then would point out what would be different if we did have an epidural. I liked the style she used but I’m sure for some people who knew they wanted one no matter what they didnt care as much about the strategies!
Where I’ve really noticed the wind is when I go along the river. The spray can get chilly!
I need to look into arm warmers. I’m generally capris , tee and long sleeve right now.
My running more than normal definitely happened the other week at four days, but the weather was the best
It can be so tempting to run more than planned when the weather is good for running!
I am so glad you’re finally getting a cool-down over there…
It’s about time, right?!