Winter Running Gear

With winter in full force here in Ottawa, I wanted to share my favorite winter running gear. Our temperatures here this winter have fluctuated an astounding 50 degree Celsius (if you take into account the windchill), so being prepared for any type of weather has been key.

Here are some of my go-to winter running items. Obviously the warmer the temperature, the less of these layers I tend to wear but the key for winter running for me is just that – LAYERS.

From top to bottom:

1) New Balance touque with ponytail hole: I love this touque. I always had a problem with an uncomfortable ponytail while running with normal touques, so I was thrilled to have found this one last year. There are so many other brands that make them now, I have seen them everywhere this winter.

2) Running Room reflective jacket: I was on the hunt for a winter running jacket for a few months and was excited when I received a such a nice one in my Resolution Run race kit on December 31st. The jacket fits me well despite being a unisex item and has great reflective strips on it.

3) MEC 1/4 zip long sleeve dryfit shirt: I love wearing a 1/4 shirt under my jacket as I can unzip it if need be. This MEC shirt has been my favorite 1/4 zip for some time, and it never fails me on a run (any time of the year actually!).

4) Nike Hyperwarm long sleeve base layer: A new piece to my winter running wardrobe. I purchased this at a Nike Outlet in California while there on vacation last February. It’s a wonderfully warm base layer with a bit of a mock turtle neck. Not too high to be irritating, but just enough for some extra warmth.

5) Lululemon Brisk Run Gloves: Gloves are key for me as my fingers can never seem to warm up on their own. These Lululemon brisk run gloves are last year’s edition, and actually have a mitten portion that can either cover the gloves or tuck down inside them if it’s warmer. I love the versatility of them. They are lightweight but have kept me warm up to -20c. The reflective dots on them are a nice touch too!

6) Running Room Winter Running Tights: Another piece of winter running gear I was on the hunt for this winter was cold weather/winter running tights. In the past, I had always worn my normal tights and paired them with another layer of wind pants on colder days. I wanted to limit to one layer which would include a wind blocking front panel. I found the perfect pair on the clearance rack at the Running Room and love how they feel on cold, windy winter days.

*I have no good photos of these pants but as winter doesn’t seem to be going any where any time soon, I’m sure they will make an appearance in a future post at some point.

7) Yaktrax Run: These have been my newest purchase. I was given a gift card to Sail for Christmas and was able to pick up a pair of these in my size (after a few attempts at a few different stores). They slip on over regular running shoes and provide traction with their coils and spikes on snowy, slushy surfaces. A more detailed review to come in a later post.

And so, here’s a look at the complete outfit taken during the Resolution Run in London, Ontario:

You may have noticed one important piece of running gear missing from this list – SOCKS. I currently don’t have any winter running socks. I tend to either wear my compression socks as they are long enough to cover half my legs for added warmth, or just regular longer socks.

Any winter running sock recommendations??

M.