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My Winter Running Gear Guide

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Runners in warmer climates must think we are crazy here in the colder states. When the temperature drops well below freezing, many of us still go out and run. I’m no exception. In fact, I took up running in the middle of winter a couple of years ago.

I didn’t even really have the “right” gear. when I started. My first day out it was about 20 degrees (Fahrenheit) and had snowed a couple of days before. I threw on some cheap track pants I had gotten on clearance at Target a few years prior (that previously I had worn as around-the-house pants), a long sleeve t-shirt, a REI fleece jacket, and a knit beanie. I had just gotten some Newton Momentum running shoes on the recommendation of a friend and was eager to try them out. I think I ran for about a mile. I was drenched from head to toe in sweat and had slipped several times on patches of ice and slick snow. I was a mess, yet in no way deterred.

Eventually, I got wise and got better winter gear slowly along the way. In fact, I’m still learning a bit about the right clothing and layers based on temperature, speed, and distance. That said, having the right stuff really does make all the difference in the world when it comes to staying warm and feeling dry.

I’m pretty picky about my features and brands when it comes to this stuff as I now have had the experience to know what works for me. Also, a good portion of what I have is hand-me-downs from a friend who grew too skinny for them. He is equally picky, if not more.

If the temperature is below 25 degrees but above 5 degrees when I go out, as it is most days during the average winter here, I generally wear some long running tights, a long-sleeve base layer, a long-sleeve top layer, wool socks, and a beanie. Here is a rundown of the specifics in an easy to copy shopping list:

So, That takes care of things to a certain temp, but what when it is really cold and the temp drops below 5 degrees? Well, add more layers of course!

I switch up the tights and go with some pants instead. The right running pants will help keep a buffer of body-generated heat between you and the elements. Also, I throw on a jacket layer over the base and top, mainly to keep the wind from getting through. Also, a balaclava will help fully protect your head, face, and neck from the cold. So added to the above list is:

So, that covers the clothing but what about other gear? Well, there is one more thing I want to mention. I just got them and have only been out a couple of times using them so far but the seem like a winner. If you run where there are patches of rough ice and packed snow, you need these:

So, there you have it. Don’t let cold weather be an excuse for not getting in a good regular run. With the right gear not only is a doable but it can be just as fun.

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Book Review: Atlas of Remote Islands

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It is high time for cartography to take its place among the arts, and for the atlas to be recognized as literature, for it is more than worthy of its original aim: theatrum orbis terrarum, the theatre of the world. — Judith Schalansky

With this declaration in the preface of the book, the author then proceeds to create such a perfect final argument for her case. If there ever was or is to be map making as art and atlas as literature, this is it.
Atlas of Remote Islands is a stunning achievement. It is a book for lovers of geography, students of history, and dreamers of far-away places. But is is also an intelligent and compellingly written series of essays about each of the fifty remote islands presented. Instead of bland truths and interesting anecdotes one might find in a proper scholarly work, the author takes both factual details and myths and interweaves them into compelling narratives. She whisks you away to a time and a place that is literally in the middle of nowhere. She spins yarns of triumph and heartbreak. She addresses the practical and the fanciful with equal regard in doing so. Unlike any other Atlas you may have encountered, this is a work to be both studied and read.
The preface tells of the author’s life long love of maps and dreams of travel. She was born in East Germany, not long before the fall of the Berlin Wall and the subsequent reunification. Therefore, her perspective of going from dreams of travel that, under Soviet rule, would remain thus to suddenly having the dreams made possibility simply because someone had decided to change the lines on a map is very compelling. Thus her approach to maps is one where lines and borders are imaginary and impractical as any tale one might conjure. She understands that things such as history, maps, and borders are at the will of those that claim them.
This makes all the more sense when she says, “That’s why the question of whether these stores are ‘true’ is misleading. All the text in the book is based on extensive research and every detail stems from factual sources. I have not invented anything. However I was the discoverer of the sources, researching them through ancient and rare books and I have transformed the texts and appropriated them as sailors appropriate the lands they discover.”
This book is a wonder and a true gem. I highly recommend you appropriate it as a treasure for your collection.
Buy It: Atlas of Remote Islands by Judith Schalansky

Levenger 5-Year Journal Review

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Many of my long time readers and those that follow me on Twitter and elsewhere, know how long and deep my love affair with Levenger runs. I have been a customer for over 20 years now. Words are not enough to describe the quality of their products, the attention to detail, or the outstanding customer service. Properly maintained, Levenger products are made to last a lifetime and then be passed along to your descendants for theirs.

I recently purchased a Levenger 5-Year Journal and it is true to every word stated until now. For those not familiar with how a 5-Year Journal works, there are Pages for 366 days, including February 29, with 1 page per day, with 5 line entries – one for each year. It allows just enough to highlight the bullet points of a busy day but forces brevity. It is like Twitter for a private and bygone era. There is no pressure to catalog every detail of life or how you are feeling. Want to simply write a single thought or idea? Well, that is OK too. The beauty is that, those who have felt the pressure of maintaining a journal in the past (like myself) will likely feel far less so with such a low barrier to entry. Take just a few seconds at the end of the day and write what strikes you.

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The quality is extraordinary. The paper is bright, thick and takes fountain ink well with no feathering. The binding is clearly meant to last as a living document of record to be passed down for generations. The cloth and leather make it a stately addition to any desk or shelf. If I have one concern it is this – will I have enough for all of my years. I am seriously considering buying 10 more right now, for fear that I may not be able to 50 years from now.