When kids step off the bus at Fort Snelling State Park for a winter romp through the woods on snowshoes, naturalist Kao Thao immediately spots the ones who are going to get cold.
Some would be obvious to anyone—the junior high kids wearing low-top Adidas and a windbreaker when it’s 10 below zero, for example.
But he also keeps his eye out for other, more subtle outfits that could pose problems.
“I’ve seen people wear shorts and a T-shirt and then a snowmobile suit, and they go out for about 15 minutes and get really sweaty and hot,” he said. And when the sweat freezes? “They don’t know what to do.”
Although December was Minnesota’s warmest on record, “real winter” is returning this week, according to local meteorologists. For most people, especially people of color, that means hunkering down indoors. A 2017 Minnesota Department of Natural Resources survey showed that just 55 percent of all Minnesotans went sledding, the most popular wintertime outdoor activity. And while overall winter sport participation increased slightly nationally during the pandemic, participation remains predominantly white, at almost 70 percent. Hispanic people made up 14 percent of winter sports participants, Black people almost 10 percent, and Asian people 8 percent.
The benefits of spending time outdoors are not confined to the warmer months. In fact, exercising in winter boasts specific benefits, including exposure to sunlight, which boosts Vitamin D levels and may help improve mood, and converting white fat into healthier brown fat.
So how do you avoid the scenarios that make Thao shiver? Sahan Journal also spoke to cyclist Low Kling, who hasn’t found their cold limit in 14 winters of riding, and ultrarunner Verna Volker, who finds jogging in cold weather exhilarating.
Here are their tips for staying warm and happy outside, whether you’re biking, snowshoeing, running, ice fishing, or skiing.
General tips
- While it might be tempting to reach for your biggest/thickest/heaviest article of clothing when the temperature plunges, that strategy doesn’t work when you’re active outside, our experts agreed. Instead, wear multiple layers that can be taken on or off as your temperature fluctuates. Keep it simple, with three basic elements, Low suggested: 1. Wear something that wicks moisture away next to your skin. 2. Add a bulkier layer of insulation. 3. Top it off with a windproof shell. This layer could also be waterproof, depending on the sport and whether zippers can provide some ventilation.
- Any form of moisture, including sweat, is the enemy of outdoor exercising in cold weather. So don’t overdress! That may mean that you start out feeling a little cooler than desired, Low said. “If you start out warm, you’re going to get sweaty and hot,” they said. If you want to avoid that initial cold, which can feel especially chilling on a bike because of the air flow, “get your blood going before you leave,” Low suggested. Run in place or do some jumping jacks before stepping outside.
- Check the wind direction before you leave. Always start your workout into the wind, Thao said. Otherwise, you may start sweating and risk freezing when you turn around and face the wind going home. And going into the wind takes more energy. “If you face the wind first and you can’t do it, you can just turn around,” he said. But if you let the wind push you on the way out, “then you’re in trouble if you can’t come back.” The same goes for hills, he added: “Pick the most difficult part first.”
- When the temperature is below your comfort zone but you still want to get outside, consider shortening your workout. Even Low, who has a high cold tolerance, doesn’t hesitate to shave miles off of a ride in bitter cold. When the water in Volker’s hydration pack freezes on a run, she takes that as a sign to head in. If you’re determined to keep going, take breaks to warm up indoors or in your car (just change into dry clothes before heading out again if you sweat).
- Stay hydrated, especially on longer outings. To keep water from freezing, fill your bottle or pack with hot water instead of cold. Backpack systems with straws are prone to freezing, so consider a hand-held option for running, or an insulated waist belt for cross-country skiing.
- If you’re driving to a park or trail to exercise, pack a complete change of clothes to put on when you finish. Volker likes to add a hot beverage and blanket.
- Warm up your clothes and footwear next to a heater before you get dressed.
- Some skiers swear by Vaseline, WarmSkin or KT tape to prevent frostbite on small areas of exposed skin.
Safety
- If you can, run or ride near a bus route and carry bus fare so you have an option to hitch a ride.
- Write down emergency phone numbers in case your phone battery dies.
- Carry hand warmers.
- Keep your phone next to an activated hand warmer, tucked somewhere warm.
- Run on well-populated trails.
- Tell someone where you’re going and when you’ll be home.
- Consider a simple alarm or other safety device—Volker likes the GoGuarded.
- If you wear headphones, keep the volume low.
Sport-specific tips
Biking
Biking down snowy streets may seem hard-core, but it doesn’t have to be intimidating, Low said. And if you have a bike, you probably have everything you need.
“You don’t need bike-specific gear,” Low said. “You need a basic understanding of your body, whether you run hot or cold or have bad circulation.”
Think about how you’d dress for shoveling snow, and do the same for winter biking.
Some additional considerations, via Low:
- Wool liners inside leather mittens should keep your hands at an ideal temperature in most riding situations.
- “Your eyeballs need a little extra protection in winter,” not only from UV rays, but also from snow and ice and even salt and other particulates thrown by cars. The key is to find an option that won’t fog up. Low uses a buff that sits tightly on their nose, for example. Some bikers swear by ski goggles or safety goggles.
- Check the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board’s app to find a plowed bike path. If you have to use roads, choose side streets instead of main streets, and pay attention to the street plowing schedule.
- Consider studded tires. If you’re worried about slipping on frozen streets, swap out your summer tires for extra-grippy tires—or make your own.
- Wear waterproof, insulated footwear with room for thick socks and wide, grippy soles.
- Carry a small kit with extra dry layers, including socks, and emergency phone numbers written out in case your phone dies.
- Do a dance party if you have to wait at a red light.
- Use wide plastic pedals; “metal is a heat sink,” Low said.
- Lastly, getting out in harsh conditions is great exercise—but lower your expectations for speed. “Don’t expect to go fast in the winter,” Low said.
Running
If you’re running on plowed trails, you may not need extra traction. But if your path is icy, you’ll want to add some grip to your regular running shoes, or switch to waterproof shoes with extra traction. YakTrax and Kahtoola make running-specific ice cleats.
Exploring
Remember that the season offers some only-in-winter options. Thao’s winter activity of choice is snowshoeing: “You get great exercise and don’t have to stick to the trail,” he said. “Snowshoeing is the best way to explore a park—you can go through the woods, on top of a frozen lake, explore all sorts of places.”
He also suggests sledding (if you’re the adult, think of it as a hill workout), skijoring, and winter birdwatching.
Gearing up
To keep purchases to a minimum, go for versatility and basics, Low suggests: a jacket with pit zips for ventilation, for example, or a buff that can be used around the neck or ears or under a helmet, liner gloves that can be used with or without mittens. A good hat and gloves and basic running jacket keep Volker going.
Other advice
- Organize a gear swap with friends.
- Thrift-shop at Goodwill or Savers.
- Put Vaseline on your eyelashes or eyebrows to prevent frost. Or not: “I feel hardcore when I have frosted eyelashes,” Volker said. “It makes for a good picture.”
When it’s dangerously cold, Volker heads to the gym. But she prefers to run outside. “My Tucson friends are like, ‘What the heck are you doing?’ But I feel better because I was outdoors.”
