When my wife and I run together, she relies on me to help determine what to wear before we leave. Her running wardrobe is limited compared to mine (she’s been running consistently for just over a year) and mine consists of baskets and baskets full of gear and clothing with random necessities mixed in between. For instance, here we have my closet.
- Level one contains two baskets of random gear, one for running (old running logs, compression socks, iPod arm bands etc.) and one for cycling (extra tubes, C02 cartridges, fingerless gloves, etc.). In the middle, we find Nip Guards, a chain cleaning tool, and some brakes I’ve been meaning to put on my commuter bike.
- Level two contains one basket of bib shorts for cycling and one basket of cold weather cycling gear (booties, gloves, arm warmers, etc.). In the middle I’ve thrown three pair of sunglasses, an anti-chaffing stick and shammy cloths.
- Level three contains running shorts and cold weather running gear (hats, gloves, arm warmers – before you ask, there are running and cycling specific arm warmers, etc.). In the middle is a jar of Vaseline (you do the math) and a box of gels for long runs/rides.
- And last but not least is the shelf for current shoes. Three pair that I rotate through and one pair for my wife.
I actually didn’t start this post to give you a tour of my closet, it just sort of happened. Be glad I didn’t decide to go through everything and all the other places I store gear (cabinet, dresser, under the bed, to name a few). What I started to talk about is the fact that when I told my wife what to wear today, I was wrong. Conventional wisdom states that when you run outside, you generate 20 degrees of heat. So, if it’s 45 degrees when you head out, you’ll feel about 65 at the height of the run.
Needless to say, I didn’t heed conventional wisdom before we headed out today. We were both super hot during the run and uncomfortable.
This is knicker season. One of the best articles of running clothing I bought last season was a pair of Sugoi Titan Knickers. They are heavy enough to keep me warm when I start the run and short enough to keep me cool when I heat up after the first few miles. What I should have done was pair that with an base layer, I love the Giordana base layers found here and either a long sleeve tech shirt or a short sleeve with arm warmers (my go-to this time of year is the Sugoi Sub-Zero, warm enough to keep you happy in the cold and easily rolled down your arm if it gets too hot).
While the calendar states that its spring, NYC has yet to respond. Mornings have been in the low 30s and afternoons can get all the way up to 50. The weather gods need to make a decision already, I’m over it.
I consult my cold nipple calculator.
Perfect. However, mine are usually buried under Nip Guards! 🙂
I don't like knickers. They just don't make sense unless you're going to be standing around for a while. Once you get going, your legs will warm you up. I've also become a convert to wool–though I own only a few pieces. Stuff like Icebreakers is soft, and they don't stink even after you wear them a few times.
I hear you. Some of the folks I run with swear by wool, I find that if I use a port detergent, I can keep my stuff pretty less stinky.