If you like to run outside, like me, winter can have its own specific challenges in certain locations. If you are running regularly at 0°Celsius (32 Fahrenheit) or less, it can even be more challenging.

Here are some tips to run outside in winter time:

🤸🏽‍♀️ Warm up: if you are running outside, warm up at home or an inside place. Here are some easy exercises that can be done inside.

👚 Clothing: wearing several layers of sportswear helps your body to thermoregulate. When running in cold weather, feeling a little cold is fine, because when your body warms up you will feel more comfortable. Layering offers more flexibility, for example, you can take off the outer layer if you are too hot or put it back on if it is windy, if it becomes colder, or if it starts to rain. Thermal sportswear is favorable, a neck warmer, thin sports gloves and a headband for the ears also help keep the body warm. With more experience you will get a better feel for how much clothing works for you at different temperatures.

👃🏽 Breathing: if you can, try breathing through your nose. You may have to do it a little slower than when running in summer. This will help to warm and humidify the air in your lungs. Here’s an interesting book on breathing Breath: the new science of a lost art.

⏱ Pacing: in my experience with colder temperatures, our usual running pace becomes a little slower than with warmer temperatures. If you are used to a certain pace, be mindful, as you might need to slow down your pace a bit.

🧊 Ice on surfaces: always be watchful for ice and slippery roads, pavement, asphalt or paths. Broken bones can be a symptom of distracted runners, I know a couple 😉

👁 Awareness: Become aware of how your body feels while your run in particularly colder days (-5°C and below). Do you feel struggle? I like what Joseph Goldstein says about struggle, and I will paraphrase: What does struggle mean? It means non-acceptance of something. There is something happening in our experience that we are not accepting. So, struggle is very helpful feedback.

Instead of getting lost in the struggle. Use it as an invitation to be curious about your experience. If there is discomfort, be with it, as it is. Practice opening to the discomfort. Notice what you like and dislike. Notice your thoughts and inner commentary about struggle. Go beyond the content of thoughts and ask yourself: what is thought as a phenomenon?

Don’t take these words for granted, try it for yourself.

May you have a joyful run!