Running Attire and Tools to Keep You Safe Over Winter
By: Richard White
Tags: Exercise, Running, Running Tips, Fitness, Health

Image from Unsplash

Exercise is good for our bodies but it’s not always good for our finances.

Gym memberships aren’t cheap, while substantial home gyms typically require a substantial investment.

For people looking specifically for strength and resistance training, there’s no doubt that bodyweight routines are the most frugal. You can get by with as little as a pull-up bar. Then, though, you might decide to purchase an actual programme to follow, or equipment to increase the difficulty — weight belts, weight plates to attach to them, rings, and quickly it adds up.

Then, there’s running. What could be better for the person looking for exercise, cardiovascular health, weight loss, and a touch of frugality?

With the obvious exception of shoes, you might think that running has very little opportunity to affect your wallet. Surely you just lace up and head out the door…right?

Alas, no.

The climate where you live will, of course, play a major role in determining the specifics of what you need, and in milder places, the summer months may allow you to wear nothing but shoes, shorts, and for women, a light top.

It won’t always be that way, though, and as the training for my first marathon starts now, I need to be well equipped for the winter months. That means cold, wet, windy, and dark.

Fortunately, I won’t be running through deep snow and mud, so I haven’t had to consider shoes specifically to deal with those conditions.

Here’s what I’ve purchased recently to weather-proof my runs and keep me warm, dry, and safe over the coming months.

Shoes. Okay, yes, I know this is stating the obvious — of course, you need shoes. But they aren’t all equal. When I first started Couch to 5k in 2018, I ran in a pair of Sketchers gym shoes, as they were completely unused. Unfortunately, I quickly developed pain in my knees and shins. I attributed it to being new to running, but realising it wasn’t going away, I visited a sports shop for a gait analysis and took the shoes with me. They confirmed that the soles were wholly inappropriate for running. They were too hard, with no impact support and insufficient cushioning. Following my gait analysis, I was recommended a few pairs and I left with the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 34. The difference was remarkable: all I can say is it’s like running on a cloud, and my pain disappeared immediately. Recently I bought the Pegasus 37, and these two pairs will be rotated through my training.

Pegasus 34: Image from RunRepeat

Pegasus 37: Image from Nike

Snood. Aha! Not quite as obvious as the shoes, is it? At least, it’s not something I was familiar with until looking for something to make it more comfortable to run in the cold. When the air is very cold I find it can cause a minor irritation in my chest, which remains for the rest of the day. A snood — or, really, any face covering — helps to warm the air before you breathe it in. It can also be worn to simply warm the neck. The version I bought, pictured, has the added benefit of going above the ears, helping to keep the entire lower half of your head and face protected from the elements. The neighbours probably think I look like a criminal but trust me, it’s worth it.

Image from Nike

Jacket. Previously, if I was running when it was very early and therefore cold or lightly drizzling, I’d put a hoodie on. That’s fine for short runs but it gets too hot for longer distances and it wouldn’t keep me dry in heavier rain. So I needed a jacket, but something that was light enough to be comfortable but durable enough to be worth it. The Nike Aerolayer ticks both boxes (oh, if you didn’t know, I’m a huge Nike fan). When it arrived, I was stunned at how thin and light it is. I was equally stunned the next morning when I got very warm wearing it. If you’ve looked into running jackets for bad weather, you’ll know they get very expensive. I’m not currently prepared to spend £200 on one, but I was able to take advantage of Nike’s Black Friday sale and get this for a bargain price of £44.

While we’re on the subject of warmth, pick up some gloves, too.

Image from Nike. The Aerolayer looks puffy in photos, but in person it’s astonishingly thin and light

Sweat-wicking clothes. It’s easy to think these aren’t important in the cooler months — after all, it feels contradictory to be planning for both battling sub-zero temperatures and keeping sweat off our bodies. But those thermal layers and the increase in body temperature from the running soon cause us to sweat, and it’s important that the moisture doesn’t cling to our skin. With cotton, that’s what happens. Sweat-wicking clothes absorb the moisture, taking it off the skin and keeping us drier, warmer, and safer. While I do own a couple of Nike dri-fit tops (of course), I also own fantastic tops from other brands, including North Face. Really, you can’t go wrong and there’s no need to spend a fortune.

By the way, this also includes underwear. It should be sweat-wicking and stay in place while running. I’ve found there’s nothing more annoying and irritating than underwear that moves around, invariably shifting up my legs and causing my thighs to chafe. Your mileage may vary (excuse the pun) on this, so I’ll refrain from suggestions other than to mention it’s important.

Torch. If you’re feeling like a pro or want to keep your hands free, you can opt for a torch that you wear on your head. I may upgrade to one, but for now, I carry a small torch in my hand. Turning it on is as simple as tapping the rear of it, so I can do that while running. My regular routes have lights along the way, with some sections that are very dark. I don’t see a need for a light to be on constantly, which is the only reason I haven’t bought a head torch yet. But they’re essential for multiple reasons:

They help you to see where you’re going and avoid uneven ground. Other pedestrians can see you coming. Drivers and cyclists will see your light much more clearly than they’ll see you, and it makes me feel a lot more comfortable when I see a car approaching me knowing they can see my light.

The Lumintop AA torch. Image from Amazon

AirPods Pro. Perhaps a slight curveball to this list, but there’s a very good reason for including them and it’s not merely being a fan of Apple. Like many runners, I often listen to something on my runs. Music, podcasts, or training apps for that session. Whatever it is, the fact remains that it reduces our spatial awareness and increases our vulnerability.

The AirPods Pro come as close to eliminating that as is possible, though. How so? Because unlike most earphones, they have a “transparency mode”. This uses their external microphone to pick up noises (don’t worry, they also have noise-canceling for when you want silence). It means we get to hear much more of our surroundings than with regular earphones, and we won’t be caught unaware by cars, dogs, or somebody trying to use our apparent reduced awareness to attack us. For that reason alone, these are as essential as anything else on this list. (Disclaimer: I use these, which is why I’m confident in recommending them. I’ve no idea what other brands offer a similar transparency mode, but I expect they would do it just as effectively.)