HEALTH

 

Even if you *love* running, you probably don't jump for joy at the thought of lacing up your sneaks in the morning when it's negative five degrees outside and still dark. Oh, and starting to snow. But before you drag yourself to the dreadmill, keep this in mind—running outdoors is a better workout because the increased resistance engages more muscles. (Of course, if the wintry conditions are unsafe, stay inside!).

To deal with the freezing temps, we chatted with Audrey Springer, marathoner and Instagram running babe (follow her at @audd13). Needless to say, she's a pro at pounding the pavement. Read on for Audrey's best cold-weather running secrets, her fave gear and what songs are at the top of her playlist.

 

Best advice for running in the winter: "My number one advice would be to dress appropriately.  Sometimes putting on all your clothes and doing a little warm up like walking or jogging in place in your house before heading out helps. You start breaking a little sweat so you aren't so cold the first mile, your muscles are warmed up preventing injury, and your running form will be more normal than if you were to be shivering and hunched over from being cold. Running with friends also makes it a lot easier to motivate yourself to get outside."

How to stop that awful burning in your throat: "The burning in your throat should only last the first mile or so.  You'll adapt! I've started wearing a neck warmer that I can pull over my mouth and nose the first few miles. This has helped so much with keeping out the cold air while I'm trying to get my breathing in rhythm."

What you should wear: "I am a girl of layers, always! It keeps the cold from breezing in and when you start to get warmed up, you can take a layer or two off. Also, I never leave the house in the winter without my headband, gloves and warm socks. Keeping your ears, hands and feet warm seem to set the tone for the rest of your body and make you relax a little more on the run."

If you *have* to run on the treadmill: "Do a 3:2 minute workout. Three minutes pretty easy and two minutes at a faster pace. Any combination of pace pick ups should pass the time pretty quickly. Keeping your mind busy with different combinations is the goal."

Top three songs on my running playlist RN: "Starving" by Hailee Steinfield, "Starboy" by the Weeknd, and anything by Jason Aldean."

Final words: "Don't forget to stay hydrated in the winter. A lot of runners forget this!"

Do you run outside in the winter? How do you deal? Let us know your tips below!

by Amanda Tarlton | 11/30/2016