Running in Cold Weather: Gear Up and Adapt

Running in winter isn't "normal running with an extra jacket." Cold changes what your body can do, what it risks, and what you need to wear. The good news: the official benchmarks are clear, and most runs go fine once you know them.

Here are the temperature and wind thresholds, what cold does to your pace, how to dress, who should get medical advice, and then a step-by-step plan for your next run.

At what temperature should you skip your run?

There is no magic temperature. What matters is the air, the wind, and the state of your skin. In air, skin freezes below -3 °C: that's its freezing point, not a cutoff for quitting. Frostbite hits the least-circulated areas first: hands, feet, head.

Two American guidelines give benchmarks that don't line up exactly:

The ACSM (2021 consensus, co-written by American and European authors) describes a low risk above -15 °C, with no advice to avoid running. The "avoid below -15 °C" guidance comes from the Wilderness Medical Society, which already recommends protecting your extremities once the air drops below 0 °C.

One thing to remember: from 0 to -15 °C, run while protecting your hands, feet and head. Below -15 °C air, or below -27 wind chill, reschedule or move to a treadmill.

Be careful with the "feels like" value in your weather app: it may be calculated differently from this US-Canadian index. Check the method, or stay cautious.

What cold does to your pace

Studies on the topic are few, but they point the same way: aerobic performance drops in cold environments. Strength and power also fall, mainly because muscles are less warm (Castellani and Tipton, 2016).

In practice, an easy pace you hold without effort in summer can feel harder in winter. At the same effort, your pace drops: don't push to get back your summer pace. Go by your perceived effort and your heart rate zones.

To start, run by feel: begin easy, then pick it up a notch when you feel good. Working at a sufficient intensity increases blood flow to the skin and reduces skin cooling (ACSM, 2021).

Dressing for the cold: layers, extremities and dry skin

The American Academy of Family Physicians recommends clean, loose, layered clothing to support circulation. Coaches build a three-layer system from it:

1. A base layer that moves sweat away from your skin. Moisture-wicking fabrics are preferred over wool or cotton.
2. A mid layer that holds in heat, if the cold calls for it.
3. An outer layer that repels water and blocks wind.

Two coach examples, practical benchmarks rather than proven rules. At 0 °C with no wind: base layer, one warm layer, a hat and gloves. With wind or rain: add a windproof or waterproof jacket on top, and keep spare dry gloves.

Protect the areas that freeze first: hat, gloves and suitable socks. Avoid shoes that are too tight: they reduce blood flow and cool your feet faster. Leave room if you wear thicker socks.

Moisture is the enemy. When you sweat a lot, wet skin cools faster, especially in the wind. If your gloves or socks are soaked, change them.

Asthma, coughing, heart: who needs to be careful

Coughing or wheezing during exercise in the cold isn't a diagnosis. According to the American Thoracic Society, exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (narrowing of the airways during or after exercise) is diagnosed with lung function tests taken after exercise. Cough, breathlessness, wheezing and mucus are not enough to confirm it or rule it out.

For your heart, cold also changes the picture. In people with coronary artery disease, it reduces oxygen supply to the heart muscle and can cause ischemia. Exercising in the cold often raises the heart's workload more than in mild conditions (Ikäheimo, 2018).

What you can do on your next run

For a first winter run, keep your usual easy duration, don't extend it, and choose a loop close to home so you can get back quickly if the wind picks up.

Before leaving:

• ✓I checked the air temperature and the wind (wind chill).
• ✓I chose my layers for the temperature and wind, not overdressed to limit sweating, with a hat and gloves.
• ✓My shoes aren't tight with my socks on.
• ✓Dry clothes are waiting for me when I get back.

During the run, keep moving: standing still when you're cold is a risk factor for cold, wet hands and feet. When you get back, change wet clothes quickly. If the cold or wind goes beyond your thresholds, the treadmill is a good option: the treadmill equivalence calculator helps you keep your effort on target.

KILYO reads your workouts from your watch, tracks pace, heart rate and volume from one week to the next, and adjusts your plan to what you can actually hold, including when winter slows your runs. To build a steady base, you can also read how to improve your running with 3 workouts a week.

Written with the help of AI.