Juan, our friend Oakley, and I (and Buster and Ziggy) went for a frigid run along the Huron River on Sunday morning. It was 17º, snowing just a little, and it was beautiful. I've always enjoyed running in the cold, but this was the first time I'd run in sub-20º temperatures. Aside from having to carefully walk over patches of black ice, I loved it! We had the trail practically to ourselves, the ground was still covered in a thin layer of snow, and everything was perfectly peaceful.
Juan has always told me to dress for the temperature plus 20º when running. When I checked the weather Sunday morning, it was 17º, so I dressed for 37º: wool trail socks, wool long johns, running tights, an extra shirt on top of my wool undershirt, a fleece jacket, running gloves, an ear-warming headband, and a scarf (mainly to warm the air before breathing it into my lungs). Some of this gear I accumulated randomly over the years (like the cheap scarf I got from a discount department store in Germany when I was 19!), and others I have bought since moving to pure, frigid Michigan.
My best source for wool trail socks and long johns on a budget is Costco. You can't beat $12.99 for four pairs of merino wool socks. Unfortunately, they're not available on the website and are a seasonal fall item, but the Kirkland Signature merino wool trail socks are still available in stores; look for Paradox merino wool underlayers in stores next fall. SmartWool is another great, but pricier, option for wool socks and long johns. You can find SmartWool on Amazon and occasionally in a flash sale on Zulily. Luisa has SmartWool socks and I'd highly recommend them.
This Under Armour ColdGear half-zip is an excellent mid-layer between your wool undershirt and your jacket. It's so comfortable and cozy, you won't want to take it off. You'll mostly wear it as a top layer while running in slightly balmier temperatures (ha) in the 30s. Or to wear around the house, until you realize that your toddler is dressed better than you are. :) Really, any thin mid-layer will do; even a long-sleeved t-shirt will work in a pinch, as long as you have wool underneath and a jacket on top.
You can wear any fleece jacket that you don't mind getting dirty as your top layer. I have a Columbia Sportswear half-zip fleece jacket with thumbholes that I love. Amazon has similar jackets here and here, and is also a good source for running gloves and thermal headbands at all price points.
Do you have any favorite, budget-friendly items for cold running gear? Share in the comments!
(Image via MLive)
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