Hoping to be outside running more this year than on a treadmill. Wondering what tips and gear I should consider to stay warm and to not slip on the ice or snow!
Winter can be the best time for running! (I think so, anyway.) Dramatic weather can be thrilling to be out in. Nanospikes are good for running on hard-packed snow and ice. You can just slip them on over your favorite sneaks. I also like a light pair of gaiters to keep snow and slop out of my socks. My favorite gaiters for running shoes are made by Ice-Bug.
For the rest of it, I keep a variety of layers on hand: a few different weights of tights, the same for tops along with a wind-proof shell. I usually don't need a lot of insulation, especially up top, but wind protection is important on some days. Sometimes I wear a small pack so I can shed layers. For example: I often start out with cold hands and wear double layers of mittens, but by the time I've gone a mile or two I need to take off a layer.
I also keep two kinds of eye-wear on hand: sunglasses for sun-on-snow brightness, and also a pair of lightly tinted glasses for days when it's cloudy but the snow or sleet is blowing - they keep the ice-grains out of the eyes.
Go outside 'n' play!
I just remembered one more thing - I put vaseline on my exposed face when the temperature gets into the single-digits. It works well. I don't care for balaclavas.
@jbweb I love winter running, especially if you live in a location that has seasonal change. There is something to running the trails after all the leaves fall! Here are a few tips that served me well over the years.
I hope your winter running is amazing and inspiring!