Well winter has finally arrived. Today the temperature was in the 20′s with a strong wind making it feel even colder. Most hard core runners will brave the cold rather than run on a treadmill because of the boredom of being in same spot for what seems like forever.
Mild hypothermia (below normal body temperature) can occur within minutes of exposure to frigid conditions, even while exercising. You can help offset this by following a few simple rules.
You need to stay warm and dry and limit direct environmental exposure to your skin. Dress in multiple layers of thin, wicking materials (shirts and pants) with an outer shell that will serve to trap the heat inside. The colder it is, the more layers you need. Wear light gloves, if it is extremely cold wear a outer layer of mittens over your gloves. In the more extreme cold weather you may need to cover your entire head (i.e. with a balaclava). You could also uses Petroleum jelly on the parts of the face that is left uncovered.
The symptoms of hypothermia include feeling a sense of disorientation, lack of coordination, garbled speech, no shivering, weak pulse and a drop in blood pressure. After any run in the cold, once you are inside, put on dry cloths and eat something warm.
Filed under: Health and Fitness, Injuries, Running, Running Tips | Tagged: cold weather /exercise, cold weather injuries, cold weather tips, Running, training in cold weather | Leave a Comment »
