Days 20, 21, 22, and 23 - Run for Your Life.

8.5 urban kilometres on day 20!

The past few days have been all about running, with a few important lessons learned:

1. People wear trail shoes for a reason.

2a. Eating before running never works out well.

2b. As a corollary to 2a, half a wheel of beer-battered Brie is an especially bad idea.

2 very painful, Brie-filled kilometres...

One of the things that people often ask me is what I wear when I run outdoors during the winter. It's kind of a funny question, because I've been running for less than a year, so I'm definitely not an expert. I also really chafe at the idea that there is only one right way to dress for running - I figure that whatever you're comfortable in is the right thing. I also understand how uncomfortable it can be when you've got the wrong gear, though, so here's a run-down of what I prefer to run in when it's below freezing. Your mileage may vary.

4k for meta-day 22!

On my head, I prefer a Buff folded or rolled up into a headband. Mine is merino wool, and quite breathable while still keeping my ears warm. It also holds my earbuds in nicely! I don't like to wear a hat because I find that my head gets overheated and sweaty. I also like that I can pull the Buff down around my neck if my head gets hot.

Uh...day 23, you alright?

On the top half, I usually wear a long or short sleeved technical shirt and cover it with a shell to keep the wind out. I recently bought a pair of running gloves, and I like them because they don't hold all the sweat in like other gloves or mitts do (and if you've ever seen me run through a race water station and take a cup of water just so I can rinse my hands off, you'll understand why I prefer wicking gloves - I just hate sweaty hands).

On the bottom half, I usually stick with a pair of uninsulated running tights (those aren't the ones I actually have!). The ones I have right now are from Running Room, and I frankly do not like them at all. I find that the two important aspects of any running bottoms are the height of the waist and the location of the pocket. The ones I have do not have a high enough waist, which means that my chubby belly likes to squish its way out when I get into any appreciable distance (pretty mental picture, isn't it?). They also have a pocket in the front instead of in the back, the unfortunate consequence of which is that if I carry my health card in the front pocket it actually cuts the front of the my thigh! Worst!

Christmas Day run in Hamilton

Some people wear special winter running socks, but I usually just wear regular old all-season running socks. My favourites are Balega Hidden Comfort. I wear my regular running shoes, which are Nike Free Run 3s at the moment. If it is particularly snowy or icy, I strap on some YakTrax for extra traction.

Ultimately, running in the winter is all about what feels good for you. When I started, I couldn't afford any fancy gear, so I stuck with yoga pants, cotton gloves, and an old sweatshirt. I've slowly built up my gear, focusing on the most important or useful pieces first, and then increasing my comfort (and maybe my running cred...?) as I went. I see a lot of people running faster than me in some really crappy gear, which reminds me not to fall into the trap of believing that gear makes the runner...

Also, hello Phil and Shivonne - nice to know you're out there reading about my "365 days of craziness"!