Winter running gear (for when it's really cold)
We're still showing up outside when the real feel is 8°
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I knew when I started running again last year that this activity would not be a seasonal affair for me. Running simply makes me feel too good to give it up in the colder temperatures.
I guess I’m just not a fair-weather type of runner.
Running in the icy snow and bitter cold is a totally different experience than in the heavy humidity New York City experiences in August. It requires full focus and body weight distribution to avoid falling. I’ve fallen on the ice a few times (luckily never enough to cause injury) and to be honest, I like the risk. I think it’s fun.
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Right before Christmas, I ran through a snowstorm to Williamsburg and back. I nodded at (and sometimes laughed with) the other runners along the Brooklyn Bridge Park Promenade trail. It was almost as if we were saying to each other, “You, too, are crazy enough to be running in this weather”.
Running outside in the winter is beautiful: it’s less crowded, the ocean is heavy with icy puzzle pieces, and the snow on the ground sparkles. It also ensures you’re in constant communion with nature; you’ll be the first to notice the subtle signs of spring by way of the crocuses and extended sunlight patches on the parkway (haven’t felt any of those yet in NYC!) If you run outside year-round, you learn to appreciate the seasonal differences and challenges that come with training in all types of weather.
Of course, running in cold weather is miserable if you’re not dressed for it. I did a good amount of research before buying a bunch of unnecessary layers (just because a brand slaps the word “cold” on it doesn’t mean it’s any different from a springtime layer). I hate nothing more than a single-use item or something that doesn’t actually work. When it comes to winter running (and running in general), I focus on the long game. I gravitate toward key pieces made with smart, high-quality materials—even if they come with a higher price tag.
From top of head to bottom of foot, these products are tried, tested, and true, written by a girl who lives a mere 40 feet from the whipping winds of the Brooklyn waterfront.