Can I run in the winter? Absolutely! Many people prefer indoor training in the winter, but it is perfectly possible to run in colder outdoor temperatures on snowy and icy surfaces. Winter running has its own charm, and you can use the snow and darkness to your advantage to vary your running training. Prepare yourself properly with clothing and equipment and plan your running sessions during the week. This way, you are well equipped for wonderful running sessions in the winter.
Gococo had a chat with Johanna Bäcklund, responsible for the running groups at Runacademy . Johanna is one of Sweden's best runners with a solid track record, and is therefore the right person to ask for tips for winter running!
Benefits of winter running
What is the biggest appeal of running in the winter?
– For me, it's nice when I get to take off all my layers of clothing in the spring and feel like I've done the basic training. I've been running all winter, developing myself and noticing that I can run faster in the spring. The best thing is to feel like I can achieve those goals that I set for the races I want to run in the spring. It's about sticking to the running training, motivating yourself to go out despite the bad weather, says Johanna.
It is an advantage to take advantage of the winter and to go out even in the evenings with a headlamp, she continues. Runacademy's running groups run all year round. In the winter they run in the forest, on different surfaces and different types of workouts such as snow pulse (running in the snow that gives a pulse, editor's note). Taking advantage of the darkness and the snow gives an allure to running in the winter, says Johanna.
5 tips for running training in winter:
1. Regularity . Plan your weekly running session on Sunday and when during the day you will run; morning, lunch or evening. It is easier to find motivation for running if you have already decided in advance, especially on cold and dark days after work.
2. Make use of daylight. Most jobs have a fitness hour where you can exercise during working hours, for example during lunch. If you don't have a shower at work – leave an hour earlier and run home. Check the weather in advance and decide to run on days when the weather looks good.
3. Treadmill . Go to a gym and run if you can't or don't have the opportunity to run outdoors. It's perfectly fine to swap out a few sessions a week for an indoor session. One tip is to do an online session at Runacademy. They have different audio file sessions that you can listen to during your running workout and just follow the instructions. That way you get motivation, variety and don't have to think too much yourself.
4. Clothing. Adjust your clothing to the weather. It is easy to dress too much in winter, and then it becomes very difficult to run. Good guidelines are: if it is plus degrees of up to five to ten degrees, a thinner sweater and a windbreaker are enough. If it is around zero degrees, you can wear thinner tights or winter tights and regulate with an undershirt plus a windbreaker. If it is minus five or colder, you should wear underpants or shorter underwear under the tights to protect your butt and thighs. Regulate with a vest and windbreaker or a mid-layer sweater in functional material under a windbreaker. Also wear a hat and gloves on cold winter days.
5. Adjust your pace to the surface. In winter, you shouldn't focus so much on times and pace. Winter running can be slippery and snowy, and you might be running in the woods. Decide that you're going to run for, say, 30 minutes, and that's as far as it goes. If you live in the city, you can look for salted roads if you don't want to run with studs. However, if you like running in studded shoes, it's nice to run on snow, which makes the surface softer.
Gococo thanks its partner Runacademy - via Johanna - for the interview and the great tips regarding winter running. Gococo has running socks for all seasons in its range and a varied selection of socks for winter running.
See our range of wool running socks here!
