Fun fact about me: I prefer working out in the cold months vs the warmer months. Which means I am so excited about the plus size cold weather options that are available today. Another fun fact, I am almost certain that my first pair of cold weather leggings were men’s just misplaced in the women’s section. Well, they were the only ones that fit and I wore them🤷♀️! You can read about the rest of my half marathon experience here.
I guess in my half marathon training blog post, I don’t go into much of the details. When you register for a long distance race, you register almost a year + in advance and in the midwest, you just say, “🤞🏼 to a mild winter.” Mother nature laughed in my face and presented a very snowy and cold winter! While I started on an indoor track with Couch to 5k, once I consistently ran 2+ miles at a time, I had to be outside. Below are a few of the items that I obtained to train through the winter. While I’m not suggesting anyone to train for a long distance race this year (although, if you’re interested, yay & let me know!), there is definitely a possibility that gyms will be shutting down and our only options are at home workouts and outdoor workouts.
Insulated Pants for Running and Walking
Insulated workout pants are key for outdoor workouts in cold temperatures. My first pair may be men’s but my second pair won’t be! For long runs (longer than 2 miles) it’s important for your body to stay warm but not overheat. Insulated pants provides a decent layer of warmth that is also breathable.
I included some lined joggers that would be excellent for walking around a neighborhood and not running.
Insulated Tops for Running and Walking
Just like your insulated pants, thick, breathable tops are necessary for working out outside in colder months. Typically, I would also wear a breathable top underneath this layer.
When I run, I prefer having the top with a half zip. My body overheats too much if I just have a crew neck and neckwarmer/gator. This is all preference though.
Protective Head and Hand Gear
You definitely can use any hat out there, but you still sweat when you train outside so therefore the hat will become stinky. This is totally your call on how you want to maintain your cold weather gear. I have a headband that I prefer because I tend to overheat when I wear full hats.
Your fingers are the first to feel the cold and the last to fully warm up but they are also the quickest to cool off if you end up taking your gloves off.
Running in snow
Winter is unpredictable. Walking or running in snow is made possible by these.