It’s that time. Plan ahead, folks. 

If you live in a warm place, I imagine you looking down upon us in cold places from your cities in the sun-filled clouds and scoffing. Just remember that winter is when all of the bugs die.

So this week in suburban Illinois, it’s surprisingly warm and lovely during the day, which is so sneaky. Very tricky, Fall, but we know what’s up. We know what’s coming. We know what you’re trying to make us forget. It’s going to be f-ing cold soon, and we need a plan. 

• Layer. When it’s super cold, like below freezing, I still run. I might look a little like the Michelin man, but I do the thing. All of my layering tactics, were learned from rowing, so I generally wear spandex and synthetic fabrics that don’t hold onto the cold when they get wet. Wet/sweaty cotton is the least warm thing during or directly after running, so at least go with a synthetic base layer. Lots of races I’ve participated in in recent years have given synthetic fiber shirts as the race shirt, so I wear a lot of those. Then I wear a long sleeved shirt. Maybe two long sleeved shirts. Why not? Again, these are synthetic fabrics, and I have a couple that are even a tiny bit fleecy on the inside. I mentally refer to these shirts as the “big guns” when it comes to running in the cold: New Balance shirt and Nike shirt. These can be a little bit pricey, but I have been running in these things for years, and they’re still in great shape. I also wear spandex pants (sometimes two pairs), wool socks (again because of the anti-cotton feelings), and sometimes a vest.

• Make a plan. Maybe you’re like me. If I don’t plan ahead, look at the weather report, and tell myself I am going running the next morning, I will not go running if it’s below freezing. So I look at my weather app and plan my running gear accordingly THE NIGHT BEFORE. I set out my clothes in an obvious place, so if I am considering skipping, I’ll see the clothes and think twice about it. Then I set the alarm and don’t give myself the snooze option. I’m also pretty sure how far I’m going to run, if I’m going for speed or distance, and which route I want to take. It’s all fairly flexible, but if the whole thing is left up to chance, those choices can stand as barriers to getting out the door when it’s dark and cold in the morning. 

• Build in time for warm-up. It’s cold out. Your muscles need more time to warm up. Now listen, I understand that time isn’t something that’s easy to come by. The warm up doesn’t have to take long, as long as it’s done with intention. Most of the time, I feel fairly well warmed up after a quarter mile of walking, jogging and dynamic stretching. I also tend to take the first mile slower, so even if I’m only running 3 miles, the first mile is generally 30 seconds to a minute slower than the next two miles. I’m not training for anything right now, so I don’t care about this. If you care a lot about your overall average time, I suggest stopping your watch after the first mile and a quarter and restarting it to reflect your time after your warm-up is truly complete.

• Accept that it’s cold out. This is more important than you may think. Being mentally prepared is the difference between just getting through and succeeding in your winter workouts. Try to adapt and take note of the difference in how your body performs at different temperatures. I like to think of it as data or an experiment, rather than getting all upset over the cold. 

Just deciding to go is a pretty big deal, so well done for thinking ahead! And as with everything, like meal-planning or flossing, once you get in routine and it becomes just another thing you do, it’s a whole lot easier. The main point to remember is that you always feel better after a run. Right?