PART 1: Chicago Endurance Sports Winter Warriors Coach Richard Peyton Answers Your Chicago Winter Running Questions

COVID-19 created a running boom. Recent events have forced many of us to revisit what we’re grateful for and what brings us joy. For many, those feelings were found in getting outside, breathing fresh air, and moving - and thus a new slew of runners was born. 

But winter is coming in Chicago and the winter is when motivation slips through the cracks - when sometimes the comfort of your home gets the best of you. Accountability and proper gear and a change in your thought process can make running throughout a Chicago winter possible - and even enjoyable.

We gathered winter running questions from Instagram and then asked our Chicago Endurance Sports Winter Warriors coaches to answer them. For part one, we talked to Richard Peyton, the Chicago Endurance Sports Winter Warriors coach from the Fleet Feet South Loop location.

Winter Warriors is a 10K and 10-mile winter training program which begins on October 31st. You can learn and more register here.

@plaidnotpolkadots: Trail shoes, do they actually help with running on snow and ice?

RP: Both snow and ice are going to take different types of shoes to accommodate each surface - depending on if the snow is soft or if it's packed really tight. A traditional running shoe that's in good condition can give you the traction you need. There are things like Yaktrax that that can help if you're running on ice specifically,

What’s more important while running in snow or ice is having good core strength because that's going to help you stay upright, keep you from falling, and keep you from slipping. Shorter strides are also always going to be better. A shorter stride can help keep your center of gravity where it's supposed to be and help keep you upright. The most important thing about running in any kind of adverse condition is staying on your feet and understanding that you're not going to be able to run the same way you would when it's 85 and sunny. Adjust your expectations.

@mstrad18: If the RealFeel is 32 degrees, should I be dressing for 50 to 55 degrees?

RP: We typically say dress for weather 15 degrees what the temperature is. When you start running your body temperature is naturally going to warm up. I usually dress for temperatures 10 to 15 above what the temperature actually is when I'm wearing Mizuno. Mizuno’s Breath Thermo tights and baselayers help keep the body and the core temperature warm because of the technology it has in it. If I were wearing another brand, I’d dress for 15 to 20 above the actual temperature, but when I'm wearing Mizuno, I usually do about 10 to 15. A good thing to do is make sure you're wearing a jacket or half zip or quarter zip because that way you can help vent yourself by simply zipping up and down as necessary to help regulate that temperature a little bit.

@ant_the_average_runner: Which bottoms would you recommend for cold and wet weather?

RP: We’re all about layering. Wear a pair of tights. The tighter to the skin the better. But you can also wear a running pant that is a bit looser on top of those. Mizuno makes a pair of running pants to put on top of your tights. As far as a specific model, Mizuno bottoms, whether it be the tight or the running pant, they’re both zoned with comfort compression and have Breath Thermo technology woven throughout the fabric in key spots that will help you warm up.

@mdebelak: How do I prevent my joints from hurting? They are great post-run during the summer.

RP: By warming up. Even if it's as simple as starting every run with a quick brisk walk. It could be as short as just five minutes. At Chicago Endurance Sports Winter Warriors training sessions we have conditioning warm-up exercises that we do; things like high knees, butt kicks, walking lunges. Your body is a mechanical apparatus. You need something to oil those joints. Warming up helps keep the body moving before running is advisable

@spanish_horseman: Is it safe to run slow and work your way into running a little faster during breathing control?

RP: If it's a really cold day, the air is also really cold and it's hard to get your breathing under control. Yes, it’s safe. Wearing a balaclava or a product like a Buff helps not only to protect you and everyone else from COVID, but also it helps warm the air as it comes in your lungs.

As far as adjusting your speed and breathing control, I always tell people as long as you're breathing, you're doing well. So, do whatever comes naturally. I don't want to get into too much of the physiological aspects of it, but there are some books you can read on good form running and different theories to help regulate your breathing. But what I found in my experience is to just get out there and run. Don't worry about breathing right away. Worry about staying upright, worry about having the right stride and when you do that, the breathing will become second nature.

@karbowskiemily: What are the best things to look for when trying to buy gloves and socks? Just moved to the Midwest!

RP: The key things to look for regarding socks specifically is wearing something that goes above the ankle. If you're wearing tights, it actually covers between the shoe above the ankle then into the tight. Avoid the desire to wear multiple pairs of socks. Don't do that. Wear one pair of socks, preferably made from merino wool. Merino wool can absorb up to 37 percent of its weight without feeling wet, pulling water vapor away from your body. Plus it’s odor-resistant.

For a glove, just like a lot of the things I talk about layering. Use a thin liner, to begin with. Mizuno’s Breath Thermo fabric actually warms up as soon as you start to sweat. On a really cold day, I'll wear a Mizuno Breath Thermo liner and I'll wear a mitten over top, and you can take the mitten off if you get too warm.

@camilabrilramosa: What are your top three tips to stay motivated and run in the winter?

RP: Number one I’d say is to schedule your run. Put it into your day, like everything else. If you're going to work or if you're a stay at home parent, you schedule things out. Running is no different. I found that when I put it on my calendar, as an appointment, I'm more likely to do it. There's no excuse because you already have it planned out. Another thing I like to do is lay my clothes out. If I want to run in the morning or even in the evening, I like to set my clothes and my things out ahead of time the night before. Then when I wake up in the morning, I see them and everything's ready and good to go.

Number two is having an accountability buddy. Whether that be a training group like Winter Warriors or a friend that you can text before and after running is good and awesome. It also has the added benefit of being a good safety measure.

The third thing is to reward yourself. For a long time, I would give myself a dollar or 50 cents for every mile I ran. I would use that for coffee. Use it for a massage. Use it to buy more running gear. I had a running shoe habit for a while that was a little unhealthy.

@_jamoncito: Shoe recommendations? :-)

RP: People think they want to have waterproof clothing and shoes, but that’s not necessarily correct. Unless you're going to be out running in trails that are going to be waterlogged, you don't want something that's waterproof. You want something that’s going to be breathable with water resistance.

As far as technology, there are shoes that are better at withstanding really cold temperatures. Mizuno’s shoes actually work well with the Wave Plate, because it separates the shoe’s two foams. In the wintertime, the EVA foam can get hard. The Wave Plate helps eliminate that. The shock that's absorbed into the plate kind of dissipates.