Your opinion.
Since moving to Chicago 3 years ago, I found myself gradually going from wearing an excessive amount of clothing to the bare minimum (shorts, shirts, gloves, beanie, warm socks) in probably 90% of my winter running outdoors.
Really just curious how you guys approach cold weather running. I own several pairs of tights myself, I’m just too lazy to put them on.
Anywhere around freezing I throw the tights on. Not sure what it’s like in Chicago, but around here it is DAMP and that cold, even though it’s only hovering around freezing, goes right through you and your multiple layers.
Anytime temps dip below 40 degrees here in central NC, I put on tights, but if it is 40-50 degrees I wear LG knee warmers. I hate to be cold!
Moved from Ohio to Raleigh about 3 years ago. 40ish degrees is my tights threshold. Lots of locals put em on in the sub 60s…about the same time they pull out winter parkas.
Below 30 and I reach for the tights. Unless it’s sunny, then I usually wear tri shorts with running shorts over the top.
When my junk looks like a button on a fur coat.
Probably pretty subjective by individual and at the point of being uncomfortable in just shorts. For me this is just about anything in the 30’s.
Tights are the last thing for me. Hat gloves long sleeve shirt compression socks then tights. So it’s gotta be like 15 degrees
I live in Canada and my rule of thumb is below zero C (32f) is tights and above that shorts.
Live in Chicago and I was the only guy who didn’t have tights on in my group yesterday. My rule is 30 and below
I love running in tights, I’ll wear them in anything under 50 degrees, and possibly even a little warmer than that if I’m doing a recovery run and/or it’s raining. I have some pretty lightweight pairs for running in those temps and some more fleecy ones for when it gets properly cold. I’m quite prone to a few twinges and tweaks in my calves and ankles in the first mile or 2 of a run if it’s at all cold, and they really help with that.
Conversely, I don’t really like wearing a hat and gloves - I have a thin merino hat that only goes on when temperature is close to freezing, and some thin cotton gloves that only go on when it’s significantly below freezing. Even then my hands and head often get uncomfortably hot if I’m doing any tempo or interval work. Maybe my circulation is just wired differently to everybody else!
If it’s windy, below 40; dead air, around freezing.
Whenever you’re more comfortable with them than without. Don’t overthink this.
Somewhere between 3C and 6C depending on the wind. I will wear my 3/5 length below 0C at races as long as there is no major windchill. I have several different types as our weather here varies a lot.
I am admittedly a wimp when it comes to this. Like the other poster, I have a couple different weights of tights, but I at least think about it anything below 50 with some of the thinner ones, and hats and gloves start coming around there too, depending on wind/precipitation. Another large factor in it is what’s clean in my laundry. If it’s 40 degrees and I don’t have any clean tights, I’ll run in shorts and just deal with it for the first mile or so.
This hasn’t mattered whether I lived in NJ, went to school in CT, or now live in VA.
For me when I was running, it was 10C or below for tights when training. For racing, I would push that to maybe 5C.
I cant cover my head above 2-3c maybe a lightwieght headband fron 0C (32) up to 3 ish, even then only when its windy. If I wore a tech touque at 50 (10C) it would be soaked so bad I could wring it out within 15 minutes. Its all relative I guess.
I …don’t. I don’t even own a pair…
Cold weather running - hit the treadmill. Unless its a race - If its not nice - don’t do it.
one thing i have learn from a great athlete, Greg Bennett… wear lots of clothing!!! when temp goes under 50 degres…i get the track suit pants on for warm up at least…and anything colder, i had layer. yes, you might be warm, but been warm is a lot safer for the muscle for good performance, prevent injury and recovery. So always be warm in the winter.
so, kept the legs warm…your muscle will thank you!!!