4 tips to keep you running outside this winter

If staying fit in 2018 tops your list of New Years resolutions, why not take your cardio outside even when it's below freezing.

It might seem crazy, but winter running has its benefits: You don't have to stop training when the mercury dips, it can help improve your mental health and there's a rewarding sense of accomplishment in braving the cold.

"It's a little bit more refreshing," said Mike "Hogie" Hogan, who typically runs three times a week in the winter.

"The first five or 10 minutes, you're trying to adjust and you're breathing in freezing cold air. It would be easy to just stop and say this is too hard or it's too cold but if you run through it, then once you start to warm up, it doesn't feel a lot different."

Running Room's area manager Kris Acker says there's at least one more added bonus.

"So they can enjoy summer so much better," he joked.

If you're thinking of running outside this winter, here are four tips to make that brisk run a little less miserable.

1. Layer up

"Outside running in winter isn't actually that bad if you're properly dressed," Acker said. "It's just such a great feeling to know you're out there enjoying winter and taking Mother Nature on and winning."

Make sure you have proper running shoes and wear several layers so you can take some off if you get too warm. Acker said it's best to avoid cotton and wear tech gear that keeps you warm and, more importantly in the winter, dry.

"People will often say, 'To run, all you need is a pair of sneakers,'" Hogie said. "And while that is true, with running you'll find you'll need a lot of gear, so I've accumulated a lot of different layers long insulated pants, thermal layers, gloves, hats and a balaclava face mask."

Acker said said it usually takes 10 to 15 minutes to warm up outside. If you're running for 20 or 30 minutes and you're still cold, you're underdressed. If you step outside and you're warm, then you're overdressed.

2. Find a partner or group

Going out for a run with someone else or in a group is key.

"Groups are always good, they're good for motivation but also for safety," Acker said.

It's just such a great feeling to know you're out there enjoying winter and taking Mother Nature on and winning. Kris Acker

Another thing to be aware of, she added, is being visible to oncoming traffic, particularly if you're running in low-light times of day.

"Visibility is key this time of year," Acker said. "Being seen is so important especially since there's so little daylight right now."

The Running Room offers a free running group on Wednesdays and Sundays even in the winter months. Acker said the group sees anywhere from 20 to 40 runners join in.

3. Avoid open spaces

One thing that can really hamper your winter run on P.E.I.: the wind.

"It's probably more the wind than the snow that would stop me," Hogie said.

Hogie, who has run two marathons, said he sticks to the trails or Victoria Park in Charlottetown to avoid traffic and icy sidewalks.

"There's been a few times where after a major snow storm, that the Confederation Trail has actually been cleared before the sidewalks," Hogie said.

The cold wind can "make or break" a run, Acker said.

"Running on the Island, there's so much wind, so you want to keep yourself in sheltered areas if it's windy out," Acker said.

Instead of going on a long run away from home, do loops in your neighbourhood, hit the back streets, the downtown core or trails where there's tree cover.

4. Use common sense

Most of all, if you're thinking of heading outside for a run, use common sense, Acker said. Don't go outside if it's too cold, stay close to home, always take a cellphone and cut your run short if you need to.

Everyone has different comfort levels, Acker said, so it's up to individual runners to use their common sense when deciding whether to go out for that run.

Hogie said he's gone running in temperatures as low as -18 C. He usually runs in the morning, but said you have to take advantage of warm spots in the forecast in the winter months, which sometimes means heading out later in the day when it's not quite so frigid.

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