Running in winter

[Littletreefrog]

My 15 year old DS has started running regularly 2 x in the week and parkrun in Saturday. He is the kind of kid who never asks for anything and wears clothes until they are falling apart or I get sick if them being too small for him and get rid of them.

Therefore at parkrun this weekend he ran in essentially a monsoon in just shorts and t shirt. I have asked him what he would like me to get so he can continue running through winter but he said he's fine and doesn't need anything.

So Mumsnet runners please tell me what he needs. I looked at jackets but the other parkrun era in jackets also looked stacked to the skin so I'm guessing unless fully waterproof and therefore sweaty they won't really help.

What do you all wear to keep warm and dryish during the winter? I suggested running in tracksuit bottoms rather than shorts and he looked at me like I had two heads so I'm obviously out of my depth here.

You can get jackets designed to wear to run in the rain, but I wouldn’t usually bother - skin is waterproof! If you take something dry and warm for him to change into afterwards that will stop him getting chilly when he stops

😀😀I'm a slow runner (even by standards of 58 year old women) and in winter I wear thermal leggings, or leggings and a tracksuit if dry and cold, and sometimes two fleeces or a flece and a thermal top, and a very light water repellent jacket on top.I don't move fast enough to get hot in cold weather! I look like a large navy ball rolling slowly down the park path, which probably isn't the look your ds is going for...... My dh runs much faster than me and is in shorts and tees much of the year, he might switch to leggings and a long sleeved thermal top in winter.

Unless your ds minds about brands, I'd get him a pair of decathlon leggings and a ls running top if he starts getting cold and see what he likes. You want stuff close to your body that dries fast so not tracksuit bottoms with extra fabric that will flap around wetly (is that a word?).

For cold running it’s your extremities that get cold - so gloves and hats might be helpful. But at 15 he will probably need to learn that by doing!

Under Armour skins

www.underarmour.co.uk/en-gb/c/baselayer/

Skins might be a way forward but if he’s anything like me shorts and a T-shirt will be fine unless minus figures when I might go for a long sleeved running top. In about December I’ll probably swap my shorts for capri leggings, so maybe slightly longer shorts for a boy. I get too hot in jackets. It’s just about knowing that the first couple of km will be chilly but you soon warm up.

im currently still wearing a vest and short shorts. Just for comparison.

Get some running leggings and loose shorts to wear over the top (no one wants to see his bits) then suggest layering with vest & long sleeve running tops. Most of us get hot whilst running and don’t worry about the rain, it’s kinda refreshing.

Thank you everybody. I was marshalling and considering if waterproof trousers and wellies would look silly as I was so cold so I felt a bit bad for him in his shorts and t shirt. Skins/leggings do sound like a good idea. I will see if vinted have anything and see if he wears them before spending proper money.

I’m a runner and I’m still in shorts and T-shirt in this weather! I know many runners who will continue in shorts all year round, even in snow. Not many runners I know will wear jackets, it gets too warm. I switch to full length leggings and a base layer under my T-shirts when it really cold. Gloves may be useful though, and a buff, worn around the neck.

Gloves, waterproof cap (cap part helps shield the face from rain!), head torch (have seen body ones, too and ones that clip onto the back of the shoe for safety rather than visibility!), lip balm, reflective gilet (I also get really warm in a coat, but can manage a gilet, and obvs great for safety).

Tracksters and a thin running jacket.
Ronhill Core Heritage Mens Trackster - Blue – Start Fitness
Ronhill Tech All Terrain Mens Running Jacket - Black – Start Fitness (pref more reflective than that one)

Running cap/hat. Ronhill Running Beanie - Yellow – Start Fitness

MoreMile from the same retailer will have cheaper versions.

Decathlon seems pretty reliable.

Decathlon basics running gear is fine! I always run in shorts / capri leggings but in winter go for a long sleeved top and a hat. You can get running hats; I just run in a normal bobble hat.

however, the one absolute non negotiable if he’s running in the winter is reflective gear. Either a vest thing or straps for his wrists and ankles. He cannot go out in the dark without them on. I would also add a head torch to that.

if you’re on a limited budget for running gear I would prioritise that so he can be seen.

It's surprising how warm you get when running, so I'd focus on safety and dryness. Proviz gilets are great for running on dark roads as they're super reflective and perfect to wear with a top or hat in high viz colours so he can be seen when not directly in car headlights. A chest torch can help if he's on particularly dimly lit paths.

A cap with a brim definitely helps keep rain out of the eyes, plus gloves do help to keep the hands warm. For cold days you can get sleeves which you can peel off as you get warm. If running in the rain, good socks and some anti chafe product like bodyglide will help to avoid blisters. You can get waterproof/breathable running shoes which are good for keeping feet dry on wet pavements, but if he takes to the trails you don't want waterproof shoes as they just end up filling up with water that then can't escape.

Every runner is different OP, so it will depend a bit on whether your DS is a hot person, a cold person or something in between. For instance, I know several women who run year-round in shorts, while others (like myself) will only run in shorts in the hot, summer months.

I would guess though that your DS will want some running tights to wear under his shorts in winter, or a pair of thin tracksuit bottoms. I have some long-sleeved tops that I wear in winter, plus long-sleeved overshirts for really cold days. When it's subzero, I wear a lightweight gilet, a headband and/or beanie and running gloves as well.

I have two rain jackets - a light, showerproof one and a proper rain jacket for when it's raining steadily or hard. Summer rain is can be lovely and refreshing, but cold, winter rain is a different thing altogether and being soaked through on a cold day can lead to hypothermia, so it's important to keep your core dry.

I prefer to wear shorts and then put warm dry clothes on afterwards. I'd also tend to layer a running t-shirt over a vest and wear gloves rather than running in a jacket. He's right that tracksuit bottoms would be awful for running in the rain.

However, I have experience of going to cross country meets in winter with teenage boys and can confirm that they wear Skins and they never call them 'leggings', a garment they would not be seen dead in.

A 15yo running short distances is likely to be pretty hot blooded!

A cap to keep the worst rain out of the eyes and off the head and gloves to keep hands warm will go a long way.

A lot of males seem to go down the long sleeve top before covering the legs route.

A light jacket keeps cold winds off and delays rain soaking in until you're warmed up. You'll eventually get drenched from sweat anyway though, and being cold and wet through is more of a long, slow run issue.

Visibility is important though. Something neon with reflective is important for safety. Aldi can be good for things like that. Decathlon also takes visibility seriously.

I find it really uncomfortable running in anything apart from shorts and t-shirt. In very frosty weather I may wear a long-sleeved top and gloves

Can’t go wrong with a pair of Ron Hill Tracksters @UpMyself! My dad said he only ever had two pairs in his lifetime - one to wash, one to wear. I swear a pair nearly got out of the drawer and ran down the road after the hearse when he died.

I’m in shorts and t shirt until November time usually. Then legging and a t-shirt with a fleece thrown on top if needed. Never really bother with waterproofs - just try and run at a time when it isn’t raining or get a bit damp if needed. A baseball cap is good in the rain to keep the water off your face. I rarely wear a hat but do wear gloves when it’s freezing.

I'm so unfit I am boiling within about 500m of starting a run 😅 I'm sure your average 15yo is fitter than me but they also don't seem to feel the cold.

I agree with gloves and a hat to keep the rain off your face, and a body light. Headtorches make me feel like a lollipop and like they're going to fall off 😂

If he's doing mainly 5ks then he may not need a jacket but if he gets soaked he may find the t shirt chafes so invest in some anti chafe barrier and get him to apply in the areas that are most likely to rub - so under arms and sides (and feet). But I agree re reflective gear and possibly gloves - he can take them off and stuff in his pocket when his hands warm up.

It has to be extremely cold (in the minuses) for me to wear leggings. I’m in shorts all year round.

Buff and gloves are good as they are removable.

I don’t bother with a fleece or warm layer if I’m running from home, just a thin long sleeved top made from that fabric that dries quickly. For parkrun I sometimes take a coat and hang it up under a tree.

My motto is: be bold, start cold.

You quickly get hot running. And running in the rain is exhilarating.

When I was fully in my running era it was much the same in winter as summer. Maybe with the addition of long sleeves and gloves (I wore ski glove liners actually, because they’re wicking like sports kit), sometimes a baseball cap to keep the rain off my glasses. Anything actually waterproof is too hot. I’d have a towel, loose joggers and a big hoodie in the car for going home though.

Agree with a PP that running in the rain can be great. The most memorable run of my life was along the river in Salzburg. It started raining heavily and thundering, the noise bouncing off the mountains. I ran triple the distance I’d intended to as it was so glorious!

I'd wait until he actually asks for something, because some people do prefer to run in shorts pretty whatever the weather. Otherwise, you could end up buying things that never get used, particularly because at 15 he will still be growing.

Bear in mind that at 2-5k distances he's not going to be outside long enough to get properly chilled. It might just be that he needs something like a headband to keep his ears warm.

He's right that a tracksuit is the wrong thing to wear in heavy rain. It would get absolutely sodden and chafe. Bare skin is better in the rain as long as you can dry off afterwards

@PauliesWalnuts , I wear mine until they have holes too big to ignore. Once they have a hole, I only wear them at home.

@Littletreefrog , If he doesn't want anything, I wouldn't spend much.
I've not tried anything from Decathlon.
I've had MoreMile socks and they were fine, and I'm tempted to order these
More Mile Essentials Womens Running Tracksters - Navy – Start Fitness, based on price. (I'm aware that these and other tracksters aren't stylish)
If he's going to be running races, something warm to put on after the race is good, It can be chilly a lot of the year.