Walking in a Winter Wonderland: How to gear up for cold weather walking (pt. 2)

(This is a continuation of a prior post that talked about winter walking gear from the waist down. This one focuses on the area from the waist UP, as well as accessories.)

I had the pleasure of attending a “Winter Walking” seminar hosted by Marathon Sports at their Cambridge location. This seminar was free and open to the public. I’m writing this in order to share the information I learned and to spread the love for local businesses – especially the running stores that keep us all on our feet. No compensation was requested or offered in exchange for this post, although I did use the 20% off discount they provided that night to those of us in attendance. Links to Amazon are provided only because Marathon’s online shop doesn’t carry all of the gear available in their store. Use these links as illustrative – and if you can buy from your local running shop, that’s the way to go.

If you break down the basics of walking as a sport – or just as general exercise – into the top-most categories, it really looks a lot like this:

Four key components of walking success: nutrition, hydration, gear, and motivation

This post is going to focus specifically on GEAR for winter walking from the waist UP, as well as accessories. Part 1 focuses on gear from the waist DOWN. As I pointed out in Part 1, to learn more about what to do for gear in warmer times, check out the posts I wrote about gear for walking marathons (from my first marathon) or about how I geared up for my second walking marathon.

 

Fundamentals for walking/running in ANY season:

  • Wear synthetic, wicking fabrics and DON’T WEAR COTTON
  • Focus on FIT and FUNCTIONALITY
  • Live in LAYERS
  • Be VISIBLE

Moving from the waist on up…

Tops: Layer, layer, layer. Start with a base layer made from a synthetic, wicking material (such as Nike DRI-FIT or the awesome Craft base layer that I bought); tighter, more form-fitting shirts will tend to keep you warmer, but not everyone likes that style. Feel can also be somewhat important; my Craft shirt is incredibly soft–and that makes me far less likely to freak out about its body-hugging style.

Craft Active Crewneck

Craft Active Crewneck

Mid-layers, such as 1/4 or 1/2-zip shirts should also be made from synthetic, wicking material, and the zip allows you to ventilate somewhat if you start to find your layers too warm. The Saucony mid-layer that I bought is very comfortable, although in that 5ºF walk I referenced in Part 1 of this series, I was still somewhat chilly. Then again, let’s think about just how cold 5ºF is, and perhaps it makes sense. The Saucony top has those thumb holes that I adore, since they allow me to keep my wrists warmer while I’m walking, creating a better seal with my gloves or mittens. It also came with a rechargeable USB light (no batteries needed!), which my neighbor and I took for a spin on that rather cold morning.

While it may seem tempting to buy just a single heavy layer, such as a sweatshirt or thick fleece, these super-warm items don’t provide you with versatility and flexibility–features critical to success at all-year-round walking. The base and mid-layers allow you to take off or add on as you go, to help you regulate your temperature more easily.

Bras: Again – synthetic, wicking materials are key. The folks at Marathon recommended bras from Moving Comfort, a company they described as having many options and being well-regarded. They also noted that “your bra should never see a birthday”. (I chuckle as I write this, because I have sport bras that have seen more birthdays than my kids. Yeah, I need to buy new ones. Clearly.)

Moving Comfort Jubralee bra

Moving Comfort Jubralee bra

I tried on several styles, including the highly recommended Jubralee, but the size selection at Marathon didn’t work for my awkward frame. That’s not any reflection of Moving Comfort’s product or Marathon’s selection; finding comfortable bras (whether for exercise or more formal purposes) is always very difficult for me. Still, it was easy to see that these were jogbras at a quality level I hadn’t seen; the good old shelf-bra was visible, but many of these higher-end bras have velcro-adjustable straps and adjustable fasteners for the bust line; some even have underwire (if you’re into that sort of thing). No matter how you go, just make sure it’s wicking, to reduce chafing and keep your temperature better managed.

Jackets: These go in lockstep with your layers. Marathon’s team emphasized the use of products with DWR (Durable Water Repellent), because the water really does flow right off them. Granted, if you stand in a monsoon at a soccer game (which I have done), eventually some of the rain will penetrate the jacket. However, if you’re on the move, such as a walk, that’s not as much of a problem. Aim for jackets that will work well with your base and/or mid-layer, and consider potentially important features, such as: water repellency, reflective striping, and thumb-holes. I went with the Saucony Nomad Jacket, which hits on the latter two of those three features; it’s also slightly less form-fitting than the New Balance Windblocker jacket I also considered, giving me more room for layering.

Saucony Nomad Jacket

Saucony Nomad Jacket

Since I already have a great rain jacket, my purchase was more about cold weather management. Going back again to that 5ºF walk, I didn’t find that the base layer, mid-layer, and jacket were quite sufficient to keep my core as warm as it needed to be–but if I had added one more layer or bulked up to a warmer mid-layer, I think I would have found the arctic temperature more palatable.

Accessories: Technology has evolved aplenty to help keep you warm and visible while out on a walk, no matter what time of day or night. Touch-screen reactive gloves, like The North Face Etip gloves, enable you to fiddle with your smartphone without having to expose more skin in cold weather, and some hats, such as the clever one from TrailHeads that I bought (above), cover your head with a warm, comfy fleecy beanie while still allowing an outlet for a ponytail. My head was toasty warm on my chilly walk, thanks to that TrailHeads hat!

TrailHeads Goodbye Girl Ponytail Hat

TrailHeads Goodbye Girl Ponytail Hat

In the darker parts of the day, keep yourself visible to cars by wearing knuckle straps, vests, singlets, and/or attachable lights (such as one that came with my Saucony mid-layer or the Nathan Hyper-Brite Strobe light that DH bought me for Christmas). Given the shorter daylight hours and potentially snow or ice-covered walkways and sidewalks, winter walking often requires sharing the road with cars. It’s your responsibility to be visible, and even a small strobe can make a big difference.

 

Where to buy gear and accessories…

Depending upon your tolerance for returns, you can buy much of this gear wherever you find items that fit that ideal of synthetic, wicking, and NON-COTTON materials. That said, your local running store, like Marathon Sports, typically has a good selection of items that fit the bill appropriately, and that would ALWAYS be my first recommendation. Mass market sporting goods stores and discount department stores can offer less expensive gear – but the materials may not be of the right quality or fiber, literally. Of course, you can buy online…assuming, again, that you don’t mind the inconvenience of returns if an item doesn’t fit as intended.

(Next up: a separate post about how to save money on gear…!) 

 

If you have other tips or gear that you want to share with others, please feel free to comment. The community of those who want to be or stay active is large and supportive. Now get out there and get walking!

Walking in a Winter Wonderland: How to gear up for cold weather walking (pt. 1)

I had the pleasure of attending a “Winter Walking” seminar hosted by Marathon Sports at their Cambridge location. This seminar was free and open to the public. I’m writing this in order to share the information I learned and to spread the love for local businesses – especially the running stores that keep us all on our feet. No compensation was requested or offered in exchange for this post, although I did use the 20% off discount they provided that night to those of us in attendance. Links to Amazon and other websites are provided only because Marathon’s online shop doesn’t carry all of the gear available in their store. Use these links as illustrative – and if you can buy from your local running shop, that’s my recommended way to go.

If you break down the basics of walking as a sport–or just as general exercise–it really looks a lot like this:

Four key components of walking success: nutrition, hydration, gear, and motivation

Success in walking for distance and health depends greatly on eating properly, staying hydrated, being motivated, and using the right gear. Each person’s physique is different, and physical needs vary–especially when it comes to temperature regulation, so understanding your own body and needs is critical for getting the most out of every walk. While a mosey around the neighborhood may not require much advance planning or forethought, going for distances (like the 7-9mi training walks that I prefer, or the 26.2mi that I walk every September for The Jimmy Fund) really requires preparation and training.

This series of posts is going to focus specifically on winter walking gear from the waist DOWN. Part two focuses on gear from the waist UP, as well as accessories. To learn more about what to do for gear in warmer times, check out the posts I wrote about gear for walking marathons (from my first marathon) or about how I geared up for my second walking marathon. The third post in this series is about how to save money on this kind of gear.

 

Fundamentals for walking/running in ANY season:

  • Wear synthetic, wicking fabrics and DON’T WEAR COTTON
  • Focus on FIT and FUNCTIONALITY
  • Live in LAYERS
  • Be VISIBLE

Moving from toes to waistline…

Shoes: It’s vital to have good-fitting shoes. I love running stores like Marathon Sports because they analyze your gait (how you walk) in order to help find the right shoe for you. Many, if not all, of their store staff are runners, and they understand the importance of a well-fitting shoe. The shoes I’m currently sporting are the Brooks Addiction 11 (in Men’s EEEE, to handle my ridiculously wide feet). Before Marathon fitted me for Brooks shoes, I was only looking at women’s shoes, none of which were wide enough (and I got the injuries to prove that). So – really – think FIT, not fashion.

RunWarm ShoeGlove

RunWarm ShoeGlove

In wintertime, cold and moisture can get into the shoe through the ventilation built into the top of most running shoes. You can solve this transient problem by buying shoes with GORE-TEX uppers, but the recommendation from the folks at Marathon was do something more versatile: layer with your feet. Instead of having different sneakers for different seasons, they recommended that you get a shoe that works for you and then apply a ShoeGlove in order to keep out the wind and rain. I tried these out on a walk in 5ºF (+ wind!) and I have to say: these suckers work miracles. Consider also the use of another shoe add-on, like Yaktrax, to give you extra traction when there is ice or snow out on the path.

Since these items can be added or removed at any point, they give you a more versatile solution than buying multiple pairs of shoes. Pair your shoes with socks made of synthetic, wicking material or merino wool; these pull moisture away from your feet. The ones I’ve used for several years are made by REI, and it took several failed attempts with other brands before I settled on the ones I use now. Moisture can help create blisters, so you want to keep your feet as dry as possible.  (This is also why I change socks at least twice–often three times–during the span of a single walking marathon.)

Pants: Tight-fitting leggings or tights, preferably with an ankle grip, can help keep out the wind and moisture, and some come with wind-blocking panels or fleece linings built in. Synthetic materials also wick away moisture, helping to keep you drier. After the seminar, I picked up a pair of Craft Tights that were much like the Sugoi ones they showed us; they have a thin fleece lining for warmth and reflective dots for visibility. As I discovered with the Nike pair I tried on and quickly ruled out, fit is very important–and not all sizes fit the same. Try items on to make sure they work for you and your body shape. Looser pants, such as the Saucony Nomad pant, can also be more comfortable in some ways, but the heat-trapping effect won’t be the same as with tights that seal out air at your ankles.

Craft PR Brilliant Thermal Tights

Craft PR Brilliant Thermal Tights

I will say that the very same 5ºF walk found the Craft tights to be not quite enough to keep me from feeling somewhat chilled, but adding a layer over top of them will probably help the next time I go walking in such a ridiculously low temperature. Layering does negate the positive impact of the visibility marking on the tights, but I wear a small light when I walk in the dark–so this shouldn’t be a showstopper for me.

Underwear: Wicking underwear is fantastic stuff, and I use ones that I bought from REI. This past Christmas, I bought DH more of the Under Armour boxer briefs that he likes, and he wears those while going on runs in the colder months. Male or female, there’s a wicking underwear out there for you. Use it. DUMP THE COTTON!

 

Where to buy gear…

Depending upon your tolerance for returns, you can buy much of this gear wherever you find items that fit that ideal of synthetic, wicking, and NON-COTTON materials. That said, your local running store, like Marathon Sports, typically has a good selection of items that fit the bill appropriately, and that would ALWAYS be my first recommendation. Mass market sporting goods stores and discount department stores can offer less expensive gear – but the materials may not be of the right quality or fiber, literally. Of course, you can buy online…assuming, again, that you don’t mind the inconvenience of returns if an item doesn’t fit as intended.

For shoes, in particular, I strongly recommend going to a running store to get properly fitted. It doesn’t matter that you’re walking; the shoes are the same – just used at a slower speed! Ill-fitting shoes can lead to injury, so get yourself set up properly by making sure your sneakers are right for you.

(Continued in Part 2–tops, jackets, and accessories, as well as a separate post about how to save money on gear…!) 

 

If you have other tips or gear that you want to share with others, please feel free to comment. The community of those who want to be or stay active is large and supportive. Now get out there and get walking!

My 3rd walking marathon

I’m still not entirely certain that it’s sane to walk 26.2 miles but, if I’m not altogether there, at least I’m in good company. On Sunday, I walked my third marathon in support of The Jimmy Fund – the fundraising arm of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. That part is completely sane…so sane, in fact, that I’m super-proud to say that I made “Pacesetter” again this year (which, this year, meant raising a minimum of $1,500).

The day started early enough: my alarm was set for 4:00am. Since I get really edgy when I have my alarm set for very early times, I slept fairly poorly and woke up a few minutes before the alarm went off. DH and I crept out of bed, got dressed and headed out the door at 4:30am, heading to Copley Square to park the car. The theory is, if you park the car in Copley, you take the shuttle bus to Hopkinton and walk back to your car. And so, we repeated what we’d done in the two prior years, making great time to Copley and boarding the first bus we were able to get on. After a quiet drive out the Mass Pike and a quick pit stop at the registration area for dh’s hat, we grabbed a bagel (thanks, Dunkin Donuts!) and hit the course at 6:18am.

I know this sounds like I’m just making it up, but the first 9-10 miles are always the easiest. You’re excited. You’re enthusiastic. You’re fresh. We took a couple of stops along this part of the route, pausing to change socks at the 8mi “refueling” station (the first of three such changes I’d make during the walk), and then on we went. It was at this point that the bursitis I’d been fighting all week – and that randomly, rather cruelly hobbled me for DAYS preceding the walk – started to come into play. Following the advice from the nurse practitioner I’d seen earlier in the week, I iced my hip at the 8mi point, while we stretched and rested, and I took 600mg of ibuprofen at the start and partway through the walk. It helped, but it only really took the edge off and never really made the discomfort go away entirely.

Ashland

Welcome to Ashland…town #2 along the route

I felt like I ate my way through the course, though really all I ate on the course pre-lunch was a peanut butter and honey sandwich. My breakfast was a hardboiled egg eaten in the car, along with a granola bar, and half of a wheat bagel (dry, untoasted) before hopping on the course. Mostly, I tried alternating between water and Gatorade, just to try to stay hydrated. Lunch was a turkey and cheese sandwich, some chips and a couple of brownie bites. It was a fantastic balance of carbs, protein, sugar and salt to refresh myself. I only snacked minimally after that, although I have to say the Ritz Bits cheese sandwiches I had when we turned onto Beacon Street were all kinds of awesome.

The weather was rather lovely for the start – brisk without being chilly, and cloudy to a fault. But then, once we were about a third of the way through the walk, the clouds started to give way to the sun, and things started to warm up a bit. When we stopped in Natick, I changed my shirt from the long-sleeved “2012 Pacesetter” shirt to a tank top. I teased dh that I was probably challenging town decency laws, but he shrugged it off as, “Enh, you see more skin in a Target flyer.” Touché.

Joel & Jesse

An institution for NINETEEN YEARS, they follow the walkers along the route

The latter portion of the middle third of the walk was probably the toughest. When we were deep into the hills of Newton – which are steep and tall – there was virtually no cloud cover and the trees were spaced out enough that there was very little shade to be had. Worse still, there was almost no breeze. For the last two years, our arrival at the Boston College refueling station was where I would hit a wall that I’d have to climb over. This year, I started to feel a bit out of it while climbing one of the last hills in The Heights (the area that includes BC), but I only needed a few minutes to sit in the shade and rehydrate to get myself back on track.

The Orange Guy

Manna from heaven…and The Orange Guy

Then, up I went..and up WE went. My slightly awkward gait from the bursitis flare-ups, combined with sweatier feet from heavier padded sneakers, led to a couple of blisters atop the balls of my feet. These managed to pop – or something – as we were making our way through the five miles from BC down to the finish, but I didn’t really mind. Fortune smiled on us during the last portion of the walk and most of the final stretch was done in shade and with a cool breeze blowing on us. I was loving every minute of it, while dh was actually complaining that he was getting chilly. I suppose it’s the few extra layers of fat I have on him that probably meant I’m better in cold than he is.

Finish Line

DONE-ZO!!!

Regardless, right around 4:20pm – nearly 10hrs to the minute  from when we walked across the official start line in Hopkinton – we crossed the finish line in Copley Square. This includes about 1-1/2hrs of stops and breaks along the way, so we still made fairly decent time (averaging about 19-1/2mins per mile). We flew through the early miles, but the ones in Newton were much slower due to heat and hills. (I’m utterly convinced that the person who designed the Boston Marathon course loved hills and hated people.) In reality, the time we made is a little better than that, since we walked MORE than 26.2 miles (the finish line of the walk is a good block farther down Boylston than the official finish line of the Boston Marathon, and we start our walk from the official start line of the Boston Marathon, rather than the slightly-farther-down walk start). No womens tee here, folks.

Anyway, it was a great day…so great, in fact, that I did a post-walk, post-stretch plank, just to prove that I could. We had so many great supporters along the way, like Joel & Jesse, and The Orange Guy, and there were so many others who were new or regulars that clapped, cheered, gave us MOAR COWBELL and all that, and it was phenomenal to know that there are others out there who were helping us along the way.

Mile 19 marker: Keira

Why we walk…

 

I dedicated my walk to four people whose lives were directly affected by cancer. One year ago as of Saturday, we lost my dear, sweet aunt to lung cancer after a lengthy fight. Jackie had breast cancer twice before, and this was her second occurrence of lung cancer (most likely from having been a heavy smoker for years). Just a handful of weeks ago, we lost our friend Tim to mesothelioma after a battle that didn’t even last a year.  He will always be remembered as a sweet, kind, funny, and wonderful person. Within the last few months, a friend’s mother – Rosette – began her own battle with brain cancer. Rosette is another sweetheart, and she’s been quite perky in her updates as she has her appointments at the “Dana-Farber spa”, as she puts it. Clio is the only one of the four I haven’t yet met; she’s the young daughter of my sister’s neighbor, and she’s been fighting cancer for more than a year. It’s unfair that kids should have to deal with this crap. It’s bad enough that adults have to deal with it. If anyone ever asks me why I walk, why I’d be nuts enough to walk a marathon and spend a day on my feet, I can answer easily enough: because my marathon is nothing compared to that of a cancer patient.

I’ll leave with this quote, from a sign left to cheer on a walker up one of the nightmarish hills in Newton, because it made so many of us smile. It’s so true.

Your feet hurt because you're kicking butt!