At the end of November I posted a round up of running outfits that I wore throughout month, when temperatures in New York varied from 35 to 50 degrees.

The temperatures did not fall far below that through December, but these are some of the items that I have added in to the rotation as temperatures have continued to fall:

KEY PIECES

Fleece lined tech shirts – I have two of these; one crew-neck with thumb holes, and one half-zip mock-neck with extra long sleeves to keep hands warm.

Hooded long sleeve top – I have one that is very lightweight, so the coverage offers just the right amount of warmth and it can be layered easily over tanks and under run jackets or vests.  The hood offers extra protection from the wind.

Down vest – This is ideal for windier days when the temperatures don’t dictate a need for a full jacket, but you still need the added warmth at your core.  Mine isn’t too puffy, so it doesn’t make me feel confined at all while I run.

Run Pants – I much prefer run tights for the added compression benefits in addition to the coverage; but for shorter runs, I will occasionally wear a pair of run pants.  I have a pair of Falke pants that I bought years ago at Paragon Sports.  They have a zippered pocket in the back that is big enough to hold my phone and keys or some gels, as well as mesh vents behind the knees.  I also have a pair of fleece lined boot-cut tech pants that I work in to the rotation on cooler days.

Gloves – At these milder temperatures, I prefer lighter weight gloves that wick away moisture.  I often remove them after a mile of running and do not put them back on until I am cooling down or walking home.

Run hat – I prefer to run with fleece headbands, but when I need more coverage, or just want to keep my ponytail in place, a lightweight run hat does the trick.

THE OUTFITS

For the most part, I followed a similar formula when dressing for runs in the month of December:  fleece lined tech shirt + sports bra + run tights + fleece headband + gloves (occasionally).  Here are some examples:

40 degree and windy tempo run outfit:  Lightweight half-zip long-sleeved shirt over tank and run crops.

Thoughts:  Gloves would have been a good addition for the first mile.

37 degree race day outfit:  Fleece lined tech shirt with thumb holes over sports bra and run tights, with fleece headband.

Thoughts:  The night before the race, after seeing what weather condition would be, I looked back to my previous post on cold weather gear and found that I had worn this exact outfit for a long run a couple of weeks before my 15K.  I decided to reprise the outfit, and it worked out perfectly for race day.

37 degree four-mile run outfit:  Fleece lined half-zip tech shirt over sports bra and run pants; topped with fleece headband.

Thoughts:  I kept cozy for this run!

33 degree and snowing six-mile tempo run outfit:  Lululemon hat and gloves; down vest over hooded tech shirt, sports bra an run tights.

Thoughts:  This was the ideal outfit for the weather conditions.  The vest kept my core warm and dry; the hat and gloves were necessities.  I flipped the hood up to help keep snow off of my face.  It worked out really well.

31 degree hilly road run outfit:  Down vest over fleece lined tech shirt, sports bra and run pants, plus fleece headband and gloves.

Thoughts:  Temperature-wise, I was pretty comfortable.  But this run would have gone better in run tights.  My calves were pretty sore and the hills felt extra challenging that day.  I think that compression would have made a big difference.

30 degree speed work outfit:  Fleece lined tech shirt with thumb holes over sports bra and running tights, plus fleece headband and gloves.

Thoughts:  I froze for the first and last mile, but was comfy – if not toasty – during speedy intervals.

Don’t let the chilly weather keep you indoors all winter. 

Run On™