Who else likes to run in terrible weather?

Imagine the scene.

The city shrouded in a grey haze, the sun feebly trying to break through. A half-inch (1cm) of light, powdery snow blankets the ground. The Google homepage weather says 9F (-12.8C). And the joggling schedule calls for a 16-mile workout.

My wife says, “You don’t have to go.”

But she knows I will. You see, these are the days you train your mind as much as your body. If you can run 16 miles while juggling during a frigid January day in Chicago, finishing 26 miles in warm weather should be no problem.So, after much heming and hawing, I remember these tips about cold weather running and prepare myself as follows.

Cold weather running gear

1. Standard cotton socks & underwear – Some might go with special socks like Coolmax Running Socks and Under Armour Underwear. But they aren’t critical.
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2. Spandex running shorts – To prevent chafing synthetic fiber running shorts like these Spandex running shorts are key.
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3. Under Armour turtleneck – This is the brand that I like mostly because that’s what my wife got me for Christmas one year.
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4. Under Armour leggings – These things really keep your legs warm. But you might get chafing between your legs so that’s why I wear the Spandex too.
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5. Long sleeve running shirt – No cotton here. Wear a synthetic fiber shirts. Nowadays you often get these for running races.
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6. Woosh-woosh pants – That’s just what my wife calls them. These are warm up pants that will help defect the wind.
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7. Light-weight running jacket – This third layer helps keep your core warm without inhibiting your juggling too much.
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8. Gloves – These Under Armour Gloves are good enough to keep your hands warm but lightweight enough to allow for easy juggling.
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9. Shoes – I’m still wearing my Saucony shoes although they’ve already got too many miles on them. But wearing an older pair of shoes in snowy weather is better than ruining a nice new pair. I’ll buy some new shoes in about a week.
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10. Head gear – For my head I wear a cotton headband and a wool cap. Finally, I wear a neck gaiter (balaclava) to keep my neck, chin & cheeks warm.

Podcasts to run to

The last bit of garb I put on was my trusty iPod. This I clip on to my pants. I string the headphones under my lowest layer & put the buds in my ears under the headband. This holds the headphones snug and keeps the wire out of my way. Yesterday, I listened to various podcasts such as Start-up Nation, NPR Technology, All-in-the mind, and Skeptics Guide to the Universe.

Obviously, winter joggling isn’t as easy as summer joggling but if you bundle up and have some great stuff to listen to, you just might enjoy yourself.