Running in cold is a layered process

It’s tempting to stay inside when the weather is in the 20s and your breath comes out in a puff of smoke. Yet, not only is it possible to run in the cold, it can also be enjoyable, and dare I say rewarding?On Wednesday afternoon, I went on what I had originally planned as a short run along the bike path in North Cambridge. I passed all the familiar landmarks – Russell Field, where Cambridge Rindge & Latin has played its football games; the Alewife MBTA station and the Alewife Brook itself (which, miraculously, did not appear to be frozen). Along the way, I realized two things: one, that I felt rather warm; and two, I wanted to keep going.I ended up crossing the quaint wooden bridge that spans the brook and running past two soccer fields in Arlington – Thorndike and Magnolia – before making a stop at Lake Street, a distance of about one mile from my starting point. Not too far from here is Spy Pond, where the ice business once flourished (not the greatest recollection for a cold day!). Shortly before the point where I stopped, I did see a fellow runner going in the opposite direction. I used a handy rock to stretch and reversed my course, for a total distance of about two miles.Looking back, and after hearing the advice of two experts, it seems that layering up is important for winter runs, but that this can increase how hot you feel.”When dressing for cold weather we often go overboard and wear too much by dressing to be warm for the start of the run,” Marblehead High girls track coach Mike Toomey said. “This approach almost guarantees that you will overheat by the end of the run ? especially a long one.”Ouch. I ran in a long-sleeved shirt, sweatshirt and bulky jacket, and yes, I started feeling warm soon enough.”A good rule of thumb is to go with 2-3 layers on those really cool days, with the first layer being a high tech material to get rid of moisture, and the outside layer protecting you against the elements such as snow and rain,” Toomey said. “Don’t forget gloves, hats and comfy socks!”I did wear a hat and mittens for the run, and felt this helped, especially since my ears felt freezing earlier in the day, when I had gone out to walk my Westie.Lynn YMCA fitness director Sharon Dobbyn also recommends protecting one’s face in certain cases.”I usually dress in layers of course,” Dobbyn said, “hat and gloves, and if it is extremely frigid I wear a ski mask to try to keep the cold from going into my lungs.”While we may have to pack on the extra layers, and while these come with their own caveats, there is no denying the pleasure I felt upon completing the run.”Once you start running you do warm up and when you finish your run you really do feel a sense of accomplishment for having done it,” Dobbyn said. “Sometimes when I really don’t want to run I have my best runs.”Rich Tenorio may be reached at [email protected].