Five years ago we moved from sunny North Carolina, where it was easy to train year round because of the mild winters. Pennsylvania, on the other hand, does not offer the mild climate that NC does, so what's a girl, that loves training outdoors, to do? This entry deals with beating the winter doldrums and staying on track with training.
I am a warm weather person. I love to run and cycle outside when it is 80 degrees or above. I love sunshine, so come November or December when the temperature drops and the days get shorter, I want to hibernate. Pennsylvania offers plenty of places to train but come December do you really want to venture outside to run and bike? The answer is yes! I know what you are thinking, sure it's 20 degrees outside, who in their right mind wants to go out and exercise? If you have the right gear and the right attitude you don't have to go indoors to continue your running or cycling.
Invest in a few pieces of running and cycling wear and you'll be set to conquer the great outdoors. Some of my favorite things are my running tights. I have several pairs and as soon as the temperature drops to around 40 degrees these babies come out of the closet. The running tights also serve as cycling tights that I put on under my bike shorts. They sell expensive long cycling shorts which are great too, but if you are on a budget the running tights can kill two birds with one stone. I have a pair of Under Armour Heat Compression tights, which can also be pricey, but they are well made and they wick away moisture, keeping you dry while compressing your muscles during your run(or bike). The tights are warm and if you air dry them they will last longer.
Another favorite piece I own is a Nike compression mock turtleneck. I wear it almost every time I go out to exercise when it is cold out. It is fleece lined and has the nylon compression material on the outside of it to help keep you dry. I love it and most of the time if the temperature is 35 degrees or above I can get away with wearing it alone with tights and I am set for an outdoor workout. If I am cycling I add a light jacket of fleece over it because of the wind and I am comfortable for a ride.
You lose most of your body heat through your head so another good idea when it gets below forty degrees is to wear a hat. I also like to wear gloves around forty degrees because my hands get cold. I have a pair of Nike running gloves that I adore; they come with a built in key pocket so I don't have to hide my keys somewhere. The gloves are made of a light fleece material that has some nylon mixed in to wick away sweat and keep your hands warm and dry. I wear these gloves cycling as well because they are light weight enough for me to be able to shift gears. My favorite hat to wear is a light weight fleece that has a synthetic lining in it; again to wick away sweat. It is light enough to wear under my bike helmet too. On really cold days add a face guard to your outdoor gear if you plan on a ride.
Believe it or not I wear sunglasses year round when I am training outdoors. The sunglasses in the Winter help to shield from bright sun reflecting off of snow, but also they help keep my face warm.
I just read an article in About.com that gave a wonderful idea of putting hand warmers in your running shoes when it is really cold. I loved this idea, although I haven't tried it, I thought I'd offer the tip. Be ware and take them out after the first mile to avoid overheating. Also make sure you wear a wool or acyclic sock to avoid frostbite and wick away sweat to keep your feet dry.
Another tip for finding inexpensive gear is to hit a TJ Maxx or Marshall's and search in their Active section of the store. I've found some name brand work-out gear for half the price; it may be a bit irregular, but who cares, you are using it to sweat in.
Triathlete or not just because it is cold outside doesn't mean you can't get out and enjoy some activity. Walking is a great way to stay fit year- round. Invest in some key outerwear and you'll be ready for shorts season come April without having to starve or jump start a program; you'll already be fit and ahead of the game.
Tri-on Friends,
Kelly
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