If you’re a runner who keeps up an outdoor running routine in the winter, you are strong and resilient, and we admire your dedication. But do you do it safely, healthily, and without unnecessary discomfort?
Whether you’ve been running in the colder seasons your whole life or just starting this year, this blog is for you. Keep reading for tips and reminders from our podiatry experts on maintaining your health, comfort, and safety while running in the winter.
Keep Moving, But Pace Yourself
Most people know from their childhood that you need to keep your blood pumping with movement to stay warm. Just make sure that your movement is not overexerting. It is better to keep warm and get exercise by running at a comfortable pace. This way, you can run farther for longer without tiring too quickly.
Do Your Warm-Ups Inside First
Everyone should warm up before going on a run—no exceptions. Even Olympic athletes stretch and warm up before every event and exercise. Warming up serves multiple purposes, including preventing injuries and cramps, getting into focus mode, and supporting blood circulation.
You don’t have to go warm up in the cold, though. Once you put on all your layers, warm up indoors. In this recent blog, we offer a free routine for warming up your feet with our podiatrist-recommended foot stretches.
Bundle Up in Layers
Order of Layering Clothes for Running in the Winter:
- Thermals: After your underwear, you first want to put on your thermals. This first layer is sometimes referred to by runners as the “base layer.”
- Running Basics: This in-between layer includes the lightweight, covering clothes you usually wear to run in the fall.
- Outerwear: This includes hats and thicker items that cover the rest of your clothes, such as jackets and hats.
Choose the Right Socks and Shoes
In one of our recent blogs, we discussed the right shoes and socks to keep feet warm in the winter.
Running in the winter requires shoes with weatherproofing material, good tread, and insulation. Check out our recent blog; you’ll find multiple inexpensive yet effective ways to add insulation to your shoes or between your layers of clothing.
You need to wear sweat-wicking polypropylene socks, but if that doesn’t provide enough warmth, layer wool socks on top.
When to Avoid Outdoor Running in the Winter
The advantages of outdoor running in the winter are not worth it if temperatures are below freezing and:
- it rained or snowed the night before,
- you live in an area with perpetually high moisture levels in the air (and always see a lot of dew on the grass).
Combined with freezing temperatures, the moisture on your concrete, grass, or dirt running path will turn to either cold, slick, slushy mush or sheer, slippery sheets of ice that are hard to see. All of this combines to create the perfect slip-and-fall hazard.
Indoor Alternatives to Prevent Injury
When outdoor terrain poses a fall risk, elect to substitute the aerobic, endurance, and flexibility training you miss by exercising indoors. Not only will you avoid potential injury, but you’ll also avoid walking home in wet, debris-covered clothes.
Exercise Machines
Our first suggestion for alternatives to running in the winter is to use a treadmill or elliptical.
If you don’t have a gym membership or one of these exercise machines at home, try calling local community centers or parks to see if they have an exercise room with a free public treadmill. You can also visit a local gym and see if they offer a limited trial period for new members.
Remember that (for those who celebrate) Christmas is almost here, so:
- Gyms usually offer discounts for new members around the holidays.
- If your loved ones want to buy you a gift, consider asking for enough months of a gym membership to get you through the winter. Discontinuing your gym membership once winter is over won’t cost nearly as much as buying a new treadmill.
Stairs
If you just can’t get to a treadmill, find some stairs with minimal foot traffic and run up and down them, pacing yourself to avoid running out of breath.
Double Your Steps When Walking
If you don’t have stairs, increase your steps and go for walks in different indoor spaces.
Runners often track each step with a pedometer (e.g., a manual clicker counter, digital fitness watches, or cellphone apps). Check how many steps you usually take on a run, then double or triple it; make that your goal for walking, which you can do anywhere—at the mall, the grocery store, or even from one end of your house to another.
Caring for Your Feet in All Seasons
Thanks for reading today’s blog post on how to stay healthy, safe, and comfortable when running in the winter. If coldness, discomfort, or pain in your feet persists without relief, even when you take great care of them, it could be a sign that you have an undiagnosed condition in your feet. Don’t worry, though—our podiatrists will gladly figure out what the issue is!
Please contact our staff at Foot Specialists of Birmingham today! We’ll gladly help you set up an appointment with our incredible team of podiatry experts and nursing assistants who are certified by the American Society of Podiatric Medical Assistants.
