Date 17 January 2015

Page 6,7

Cool running: why its good to train outside in winter

Forget the treadmill. Running outdoors in cold
weather will improve your performance and stamina.
It will speed up weight loss too, says Peta Bee

t can take monumental strength of

will to pull on your trainers and
step outside in winter. Cold air will
snatch at your throat during the
first minutes of a bracing run. Your
nose will drip. Yet a growing
number of people are realising that
such hardships are a small price to pay
for the weight loss and other benefits
that come with running through a cold
snap. More of us than ever are turning
our backs on whirring treadmills in
heated gyms to embrace the cold and
run outside. A survey of 50,000 regular
runners by Human Race, an events
organiser, reveals that 76 per cent of
runners now stick steadfastly to outdoor
running throughout the coldest months.
And with good reason.
As Cambridge University researchers
revealed this week that just 20 minutes
of brisk daily walking could add years to
your life, regular exercise has never been
considered more important for our
health. And theres no better time to
start than now. Colder weather can help
us to fight the flab, providing an extra
boost to winter workouts, University of
California scientists reported last week.
They found the boost hinges on the fact
that exposure to coolness triggers into
action a special kind of good brown fat
stored in our bodies. Unlike the blobby
white fat that settles on our hips and
stomachs, brown fat gobbles up calories
and helps us lose weight. Researchers
have shown that runners can burn extra
calories when they spend time in cooler
temperatures.
We acclimatise more quickly to cold
temperatures when we are on the move,
so the mind can be tricked into thinking
running is easier in winter. Although you
still sweat in cold conditions, you will
certainly sweat less than when it is hot
and humid, says John Brewer, a runner

and Professor of Applied Sports Science

at St Marys University, Twickenham.
Anecdotally, a lot of people not only
find running in cold weather more
pleasant but less of a slog since the body
does not have to deal with the challenge
of overheating that is faced in summer.
Hardly surprising, then, that hardy
types are flocking to enter winter
running events that enable them to tap
into these seasonal advantages. Next
month, in the inaugural Cancer
Research UK London Winter Run
staged in the capital, 15,000 entrants are
expected to toe the start line. The 10k
runs decidedly chilly theme features a
polar-bear hug when runners cross the
finish line the organisers have even
laid on fake snow zones in case theres
no real stuff.
There is a Great Winter Run in
Edinburgh or, for a real thermometer
plunging experience, you can head to
races taking place in the Arctic circle.
Theres a huge spike in people wanting
to run at this time of year, with everyone
trying to shift the weight and gluttonyrelated guilt theyve accrued over the
festive period, says Kerry McCarthy of
Runners World magazine. And now is
the best time to start, especially if you
head outside.

What winter running

does for the body
Its not just your mind that might take
extra coaxing to brave the cold. Your
body requires some extra preparation
too. Any exercise, running included,
causes core body temperature to rise,
then plateau at a level that is higher than
its resting value, which improves the
efficiency of chemical reactions that

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Date 17 January 2015

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produce energy and reduces the risk of

injury, Brewer says. This process slows
down when it gets cold. Warming up
properly becomes essential, and the best
way is to gradually increase the intensity
of a run, starting more slowly than you
might when its hot.
The heart is also forced to work harder
to distribute blood throughout the body
when its cold, making intense exercise
riskier for those who havent worked out
for a while. Heart attacks are more
common when cold weather causes
blood vessels to constrict, raising blood
pressure. Frigid temperatures increase
strain on the heart among those who
have other risk factors, such as being
overweight or people who have a history
of heart disease in the family, so its wise
to book a check-up with your GP if you
havent broken sweat for a while.
For most, though, a dip in
temperatures is less risky than searing
heat. Research shows that there is
greater strain on the heart in hot
conditions, when it has to pump blood
to the muscles for energy, and to the
skin to keep the body cool, Brewer
explains. Cool temperatures are perfect
for running.

What to wear
Layering up is essential, but dont overdo
it. Exercise generates a considerable
amount of heat enough to quickly
make you feel as if its much warmer
than it is. That extra fleece or merino
base-layer can make running feel much
harder work. Core body temperature is
closely related to how hard a person is
exercising, not the climatic conditions,
Brewer says. So while you may feel cold
at the start of a run, dont be tempted to
put on too many layers. It will restrict
the bodys heat-loss mechanisms, and
after only a short time, lead to
overheating and reduced performance.
So what should you wear? Terry
Lonergan, co-owner and manager of the
Complete Runner, a specialist clothing
supplier in West Yorkshire, says you
should start with a thin base layer of
synthetic material, like polypropylene,
which wicks sweat away from the body.
You can add a warmer layer on top a
fleece or wool top for insulation if its
really cold and if its very windy or wet, a
waterproof, breathable jacket. When its

extremely cold, blood flow concentrates

on your bodys core, so protecting
extremities is key. A lightweight, tightfitting hat and sweat-wicking gloves are
ideal, Lonergan says.
Wearing the right shoes can make a
difference. The new breed of winter
trainers is waterproof and features heavy
gripping on the soles to prevent slipping.
My own winter running experience was
transformed with the discovery of trail
running shoes that keep the rain and
mud out. In extreme weather, studded
shoes can help avoid slipping and sliding.

Are there any risks?

Safe winter running tips are a hot topic
on social media sites. If conditions are
really icy, stick to less slippery gravel
trails or parkland, Brewer advises.
McCarthy says that its much better to
stretch muscles after a run when they
are warm. Always factor in some
stretching time after your run, he says,
as skipping this could lead to injury.
Sometimes, though, weather conditions
are simply too brutal to endure. Its the
combination of wind and cold (or the
wind-chill index) that can make it feel
uncomfortably cold, even when running.
Risk of frostbite is less than 5 per cent
when the temperature is above -15C, but
if the temperature dips below -18C (0F)
or the wind chill is extreme, youd be
wise to stay indoors. If conditions
become too treacherous, the loss of a
days running is going to have little effect
on your long-term fitness, Brewer says.
Stay at home and chill.
Peta Bee is the author of The Ice Diet
(Penguin 5.99)

Winter races
Winter running events are growing in
popularity both here and abroad:
6 Cancer Research UK London Winter
Run, February 1 (humanrace.co.uk): a
10km route that takes in many London
landmarks. It features guaranteed (fake)
snow and polar bear hugs.
6 Arctic Ice Ultra, June 5
(beyondtheultimate.co.uk); a four-stage,
230km ultra-marathon across Sweden,
Lapland and in the Arctic Circle.

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Date 17 January 2015

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Requires crossing frozen lakes and

running through ice forests.
6 Polar Circle Marathon, October 24-25
(polar-circle-marathon.com): bills itself
as the coolest marathon on earth, it is
run on the vast ice sheets of Greenland,
one of the most remote parts of the
world. There is a half-marathon the day
before run both to complete the Polar
Bear challenge.
6 Great Winter Run, January 2016
(greatrun.org): a 5km race through
Edinburgh that attracts 2,500 entrants
(theres also a junior run).

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Date 17 January 2015

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