Runners, Do You Suffer From WTW Syndrome?

Well, it finally felt like fall today. When I headed out for my long run this morning it was around 39° to 40°. It was nice to have a little nip in the air. That cold air filling my lungs was a nice change from the moisture-laden air of our typical NC summers. It's this time of year though that many a runner is struck ill with a very common disorder that's pretty common among runners—WTW Syndrome.

Some runners have such a bad case of this syndrome that it may make them late for a group run or it may even make them miss the run entirely. What are the symptoms of WTW Syndrome? Well it can vary from runner to runner but most with the disorder experience some degree of

·         anxiety

·         fretfulness

·         panic attacks

·         dread

·         nervous stomach

·         mental confusion

·         neuroticism

·         problems with decision making

This very complex disorder usually affects runners (possibly cyclists too) during the onset of fall. Not to worry. It's not an airborne contagion. Usually a runner with WTW suffers in silence the first few weeks of fall and then it mysteriously disappears. So what is WTW Syndrome?

Each year during those first few days of fall when there's a nip in the air on those early morning runs, thousands of runners all across the world are struck down with WTW or What-To-Wear Syndrome. One weekend you're running in shorts and a singlet and the very next weekend you're faced with how many layers do I need? Coat? Gloves? Hat? Tights? To make matters worse, this nerve-racking angst, is compounded by the fear that you'll be the only one to show up for the group run looking like an Iditarod dog-sled musher. So what often happens is that the runner goes out way underdressed and experiences the most body-numbing run of his life. He's scared to even bend at the end of the race in fear that something important might break off.

Or, you'll have the runner that drives to the group run all slouched down in his car as he scopes out the rest of the runners deciding if he's overdressed only to put the pedal to the metal if he is. Not realizing that his pals are saying, "Wasn't that Bob!"as you pepper-spray them with dust and gravel pellets fish-tailing out of the parking lot. "Yep, he must be overdressed again."

Well, there is an easy way to avoid WTW Syndrome all together. It takes a little planning, but nothing you can't handle. First of all, a good rule of thumb to use when planning your running attire is to dress as if it's 10°-15° warmer than it really is. So, if the forecast says 40°, then dress as if it's going to be 50° or 55°. As you run, your body temperature will increase and once you "warm-up" it will feel as if the outside temperature has warmed-up.

Secondly, it's a great idea to bookmark a weather site or download a weather app to keep on your tablet or smartphone. Then the night before your run, just before you go to bed, check the forecast for the next morning. Go ahead and lay out what you'll wear based on it being 10°-15° warmer than the predicted temp. Weather predictions can often change overnight, so it's a good idea to double check the temp when you wake up to see if you need to make any wardrobe modifications.

Dressing for those early-morning runs will be made easier too if you stick to a routine. Find a spot to place your clothes, shoes, socks, and other runner gear each night. (My spot is my chair and space at the kitchen table.) Be proactive and plan ahead. If it's calling for rain the next day, go ahead and find your rain gear and put it at your spot. If you're going for a dark early-morning run, go ahead and place your headlamp by your shoes. Going to need water on that next long run? Go ahead and fill your bottles, put them in your hydration belt and put the entire thing in the fridge. (Can't tell you how many times I filled the bottles and put them in the fridge the night before only to wake up and not be able to find the belt...only to discover later that my youngest was using it as a tool belt.)

On cold days, it's best to wear layers. Layers act as insulation. Also, as you sweat, the perspiration will travel from the lower layers to the outer layers keeping you dryer (if you're wearing technical fabric clothing and not cotton). And, if you overdressed, you can easily remove a layer. Here are a few of the types of layers you'll need:

Base Layer: This is the layer closest to the skin. This layer should be made of a technical fabric such as polyester, CoolMax, DryFit,  polypropolene, Thermax, Thinsulate, etc. This layer may also have some technical fibers that provide some stretch such as Lyrca or spandex. The technical aspects of the fabric and often the weave of the fibers, allows perspiration to be wicked away from the body and to the outer surface of the base layer. When it's 40° or warmer, all you may need is a base layer for your top. On colder days when it dips around the freezing mark and below, you may need to top the base layer with a warmth layer

Warmth Layer: On colder days (mid 30s or below), a warmer layer may need to worn over the base layer. Insulating fabrics like fleece are perfect for this. Be sure that the fleece fabric is also made from a technical fabric such as microfleece, Dryline, Polartec, polyester, Thermax, etc. (Note: on really cold days, I'll often wear two base layer shirts and then a microfleece layer on top.)

Outer Shell Layer: On cold windy or wet days a protective outer shell may be in order. Be sure to purchase an outer shell made from a technical fabric like Gore-Tex, ClimaFit, or Supplex that will protect you from the elements while at the same time breathe so you don't overheat.

Running Tights or Pants: Shorts can be worn during cold weather, but when the temps dip near freezing and below, running tights or pants are great for keeping the ole gams warm. Running tights come in snug and loose-fitting styles. Be sure the tights or pants are made from moisture-wicking fabric to help prevent chafing. 

Every runner is different. For example, I can wear shorts in very cold temps with no problem, but if my core gets chilled, I'm done for. So, I'll often run with three upper layers and shorts while my running buddies may only have one or two top layers. So, experiment and see what works best for you.

  

A few more cold-weather tips for runners:

Remove any metal jewelry from body piercings (yes, ears included) before running, if it's freezing outside? Metal conducts low temperatures to your skin with amazing efficiency. So efficient, that it can increase the risk of frost bite! Ouch!

You can prevent the burning sensation in your lungs during cold runs by doing a 5- to 10-minute warm-up inside before heading outdoors. Doing this gets rid of the chemicals that cause that pain-inducing inflammation in your lungs. Try it. You'll be surprised.

If it's zero degrees or a wind chill of -20 degrees outside you should find a treadmill or an inside track for your run. Running in these conditions vastly increases your chance of frostbite.

Cover your hands and your noggin, not only to protect them from the cold, but to help retain your body heat. A runner with naked digits can lose up to 30% of his/her body heat! A naked head can let 40% of a runner's body heat to escape! Yikes!

Be sure to hydrate! You can sweat just as much in the winter as you do in the summer. The dyer air allow the perspiration to evaporate more easily so you may not look like you're sweating as much, but chances are you are.

What Motivates You To Go On Cold Winter Runs?

Ah, the nip is in the air (well not really, today it's almost 70°F here in NC). Oh, but I know it will be here to stay soon enough. We've already had a few cold-spell teases. Winter is always a challenge for me to run. I'm a warm-weather runner by nature. I run year-round, but it's just harder for me to get myself up and run in 25° temps. I know, I know...you die-hard northern runners as well as my Canadian and Northern European friends are all laughing at me and my "wuss-ness", but my body just prefers running in warmer weather. Many of my running buddies love it when the cold weather arrives—I'm not as thrilled.

Don't get me wrong. I don't love the humid North Carolina dog-days of August, but I do like the warmer temps. The shorter days also make it harder to run during the winter months. So, I can either hang-up my running shoes for 4 months or I can dig deep for motivation to get out there and run. I choose to dig deep.

Earlier this month, I posted the 12 Tips for Cold Weather Running . Those are important tips to keep you healthy and safe during your winter runs, but in looking back at that post, I realized I left out the most important tip—Motivation. You don't really need to worry about fueling-up, frostbite, drying off, and wearing bright colors, if you're not actually running. So, tip #1 for Cold Weather Running is "Find Your Motivation."

For you cold-weather lovers, this won't be hard to do. You probably already pop-up at the crack-of-dawn raring to go! Even if it's 2° outside! For the rest of us, we need to dig deep. What motivates you to don 4 layers of clothing, gloves, hat, and a headlamp?

The flood of "feel-good chemicals" is what motivates me to get going on those really cold days. No matter how hard it is to get up and no matter how uncomfortable it is to run in a multitude of wet layers of clothing, I know that if I don't get the natural boost of "feel-good chemicals" (more scientifically known as endorphins) flowing through my body, I'll have one miserable day. There's nothing better for me than that warm shower after a cold run. I feel revitalized and my brain is warmed-up and ready for the day. Research has actually shown that your "brain power" increases after exercise. On days that I don't run, I feel like I'm walking around in a fogbank. So I just ask myself, "Want a fogbank day or a great day?" I opt for the great day.

Winter Motivation Prize Drawing!

What motivates you to run during the cold winter months? RunnerDude Would like to know. Send your winter running motivation tip to runnerdudeblog@yahoo.com by November 30th and your email will be entered in a drawing for a $25 gift certificate to RoadRunner Sports. Be sure to put "Motivation" in the subject line and put your name in the body copy of the email. Each email will be assigned a different number based on the order that the emails are received. The winning number will be selected by The True Random Number Generator at Random.org . The winner will be announced on December 1, 2009. After the winner is announced a post will added to the blog featuring all the motivation tips along with contributors' names. "Whatcha" waiting for? Email RunnerDude today!

12 Tips for Cold Weather Running

For some of you, cold-weather running has already arrived. Here in North Carolina, we've had a little cold-weather tease or two, but true winter weather is still a month or so away.

In most parts of the country, if you dress well, hydrate well, and fuel yourself well, there's no reason you can't run outside year round. Of course, some of you deal with several feet of snow that may hinder your running, but on those days, maybe you can hit the treadmill. I hear from my Canadian readers all the time about their winter runs, so I know it can be done. They are hardcore runners! 

Listed below are a few tips to keep you safe and help prepare you for cold weather running.

1. Fuel Up!—When your body temperature drops, your appetite is stimulated. This happens because food provides the fuel needed to warm the body. Because of this, runners need to “feed the fire” before a winter workout as well as after. Make sure your feeding that fire with quality complex carbohydrates such as whole grains. Refueling after a run is important too. A 4:1 ration of carbs and protein will help restock your glycogen stores as well as help your muscles recover quicker after your workout. Lowfat chocolate milk makes a great post-run snack. It already has that 4:1 ratio!

2. Protect Your Hands!—Be sure to wear moisture-wicking gloves on your winter run. Wearing a snug-fitting gloves topped with weather-proof mittens works well. The double layer insulation keeps your hands quite toasty. On milder days, just the gloves or the mittens may be all that's needed. Mittens may look like kids' stuff, but they tend to keep your hands warmer than gloves, because the fingers can share their body heat which then gets trapped in the mitten keeping your whole hand warm.

3. Don't Forget Your Feet!—Remember to keep your piggies warm too! Moisture-wicking socks made of synthetic fibers (not cotton) will help keep your feet dry. On really cold days topping those moisture-wicking socks with micro-fiber or wool socks will help keep your feet toasty. Because of the added bulk, you may have to go up a shoe size for your winter runs.

4. Look Out for Frostbite!—Typically your appendages will warm-up fairy quickly on a winter run, but be sure to keep a check on your fingers as well as your toes, ears and nose. Patches of hard skin that look pale may be a sign of frostbite. If this is the case, get inside ASAP and begin to warm the affected area very slowly (do not immerse the affected area in hot water). If sensation does not return, seek medical help immediately.

5. Check the Temperature!—It can get too cold to run safely. It's best to hit the treadmill if the temperature goes below 0°F or the wind chill goes below minus 20°F. Better safe than sorry.

6. Layer it!—Dressing in layers is the best way to stay warm on a winter run. A thin moisture-wicking shirt makes a good base layer. A top layer made out of something such as nylon that will breath, but also protect you from the wind, is a good idea. On really cold days, you may need several layers. Garments made of fleece or micro-fleece are good for the additional in-between layers. Treat the lower half of your body the same way. Running tights will help keep your legs warm. On cold and/or windy days, pairing the tights with wind or fleece pants will keep you warm. It's important to have fabrics that breath so you don't over heat or get chilled. Be careful not to overdress. Remember, your body will warm-up as you run. Dressing as if it's 10°-20° warmer than it really is will help you accommodate for the body heat you'll generate.

7. Top It Off!—Around 40% of your body heat goes right out your head, so cover it up! Trapping this heat will help your body have more heat to distribute to the rest of your body. Be sure your head covering is made of moisture-wicking material (not cotton). Ever been on a winter run and your body's all nice and toasty, but your nose feels like it's going to fall off? If it's really cold or windy, investing in a neck gaiter (a neck muff) or a full face mask is a good idea.

8. Drink Up!—Be sure to hydrated well. Runners often think because they don't sweat as much in the winter, they don't need to hydrate as much. Actually you can perspire as much, if not more, in the winter as you do during the summer. Your skin may look dry because the moisture-wicking materials you're wearing are taking care of the moisture. Also, cold air has a drying effect which keeps your skill free of visible perspiration. This drying effect can also lead to dehydration, so drink up (before and after)!

9. Pucker Up!—The dry winter weather can be tough on your lips. To prevent chapped lips, be sure to apply some type of protective lip balm before and after your run.

10. Save It!—Your body takes longer to warm up during cold weather. Overdoing it on a cold day can spell trouble—a pulled muscle. Be sure to start out slowly to help your muscles warm up. Save your really hard workouts for milder days or do them indoors on a treadmill.

11. Be Seen!—Winter runs are often done in the dark or at least some of the run may be done in darkness. Be sure to wear light-colored, reflective clothing and/or a reflective vest. A handheld flashlight or a headlamp is a must on early-morning and nighttime runs. If you're running in the snow, wear brightly colored clothing so you can easily be seen. Remember, it's your job to make yourself as visible as possible.

12. Dry Off!—When you're finished, get out of those damp clothes and into dry clothing as soon as possible to avoid getting chilled.