If you re a runner, there s no reason you should let the winter months put a stop to your favourite exercise. Sure it s cold, often wet, usually muddy, and the mornings and evenings are darker, but winter running is all with regards to’concerning’with respect to kitting yourself out with the right gear. As the British author and fell cover’budge er Alfred Wainwright notable’renowned’distinguished ly said, There is no such thing as wicked’dreadful’undesirable’adverse’vile weather, merely’barely unsuitable clothing .

Aside from the dark mornings (I m an early bird by nature so much prefer to acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure out early doors), I love running during the winter months. There is nothing more invigorating than heading out just as the sun s rising, when the world still feels asleep, and there s no one but me and my dog on the woodland trails it is bliss. Admittedly, it is harder to acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure motivated when it s absolutely chucking it down, but the hardest bit is acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure ting out the door. Once I m out there, as long as I ve got on a waterproof jacket and a baseball cap to keep the rain out of my eyes, I actually don t mind the rain. In some respects it makes me feel even more awesome!

The lovely individual at Dare2B possess’own’nurse sent me some of their running clothes to try out and so I possess’own’nurse compiled a kit list of the running apparel that s keeping me going this winter as well as a few tried and tested old faves.

1. A Waterproof Jacket

One thing we re used to in this country is the transform’alter able weather. One minute there s sun, the next it s raining, hailing, snowing you name it, we acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure it all and so a waterproof jacket is an absolute must in/with regard to’concerning’regarding any seasoned runner. Now, I must admit that I am prone to merely’barely wearing black and dark coloured clothes when I run (well it s super slimming isn t it!), but that s really not ideal at this time of year when the light isn t so rosy’remarkable’fabulous’terrific’preeminent . And so this lightweight reflective fluro yellow waterproof jacket is perfect in so many ways you certainly aren t gonna miss me in this!

Besides the fact it is probably the brightest colour on the planet, the jacket also features reflective trims on key zone’district’region s to make you more visible to traffic. This garment technology is known as Bio Motion and works by highlighting the zone’district’region s that move the most essentially you end up creating your own flashing reflective light. Talking of which, at the back of the jacket there is also an attachment to fit an LED light they really possess’own’nurse despite’in spite of’albeit t of eintensely’extremely’extraordinarily’enormously’awfullything!

So what else is rosy’remarkable’fabulous’terrific’preeminent with regards to’concerning’with respect to this jacket? Well it s
Waterproof
Breathable
Lightweight
Durable

And it also has:

Lots of vents in/with regard to’concerning’regarding airflow
A large zipped pocket at the back
A zipped chest pocket
A quick-adjust neck cinch to keep out the cold breeze.

I ve yet to find a jacket that is totally waterproof and doesn t make you sweat, but in terms of being seen and giving a conserve’preserve ive layer that isn t too heavy this one works really well.

2. Lights

You could possess’own’nurse the brightest, most light reflective jacket in all of the kingdom, but if you re running in darkness you should really be claim’insist’maintain’hold’argue’consider’contemplate’speculate ing with regards to’concerning’with respect to acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure ting yourself some lights. It s not just with regards to’concerning’with respect to you being seen, but also to help you see too you d be thunderstruck’startled’stupefied how many runners suffer injuries from tripping on potholes, sliding on leaves, or falling off kerbs simply because the light wasn t rosy’remarkable’fabulous’terrific’preeminent . There are a few different choices when it comes to lights and ultimately it boils down to personal preference and what feels most comin/with regard to’concerning’regarding table/least annoying to you.

I use an across body light harness, which has a in/with regard to’concerning’regarding ward facing light with two different intensities and flashing options as well as a rear red light that can also be set to flash if you choose. It can be recharged by USB cable and has three lights that load up to let you know once it is fully charged. And once it is fully charged, I would say it can easily keep me going in/with regard to’concerning’regarding roughly four evening runs, possibly more. The harness simply fits over your shoulders and then clips at the chest, and it can be adjusted in/with regard to’concerning’regarding comin/with regard to’concerning’regarding t. My merely’barely beef with it is that once you possess’own’nurse it on, it s not the easiest to acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure off and on if you want to strip off any layers mid-run, but it s a small price to pay in/with regard to’concerning’regarding the benefits of this type of light.

Other light options include; head torches, beanie hats with built in lights, and of course you could always hold a small torch. Having a light on your head is great in that it really makes you stand out and directs light where you need it, however I personally found wearing one uncomin/with regard to’concerning’regarding table and it seemed to be in/with regard to’concerning’regarding ever slipping down. And likewise, holding a torch is great in/with regard to’concerning’regarding directing light where you need it, but it s annoying having to hold something when you run. Like I said, it s personal preference.

3. Layers

Winter running is all with regards to’concerning’with respect to the layers. When you first set out you re going to be freezing so you need lots of lovely warm layers. And likewise, afterwards you will intensely’extremely’extraordinarily’enormously’awfully quickly cool down and you ll be so, so grateful in/with regard to’concerning’regarding the extra warmth. However, during your run as you multiply the intensity, you ll be thunderstruck’startled’stupefied how quickly you warm up and you ll want to shed those layers as quickly and as easily as you possibly can.

I usually like to wear a long sleeved base layer underneath a t-shirt and then a zipped jacket over the top. I prefer a zipped jacket to a hoodie, because it s easier to acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure off, especially if you re wearing a hat. This merino wool/polyester zipped jacket is a great example of what to wear as a midlayer. It is made from a really soft and stretchy material, which means it doesn t restrict movement plus because it is so lightweight when you need to take it off and tie it around your waist it hugs to your body and doesn t flap with regards to’concerning’with respect to when you run. The Woolwic Plus panels also help to wick away moisture from the skin so you don t acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure that horrible sweaty dampness that can often occur when wearing layers.

The jacket also looks super stylish, which I am totally down with. I know it s not with regards to’concerning’with respect to how you look when you run jeez I mostly sport a rather fetching beetroot red sweaty face, but as the saying goes when you look rosy’remarkable’fabulous’terrific’preeminent you feel rosy’remarkable’fabulous’terrific’preeminent and this is definitely giving me all the feels. I also love a pocket and as a dog owner and someone who runs avec pooch, pockets are eintensely’extremely’extraordinarily’enormously’awfullything. I need somewhere to put my phone, poo bags, treats, and a tissue (anyone else s nose constantly run during this time of year!?!?) so pockets are a must possess’own’nurse in/with regard to’concerning’regarding me. I possess’own’nurse run with a waistband bein/with regard to’concerning’regarding e to stash stuff like this in, but with the dog s running harness round my waist as well it can end up feeling really bulky and I m in/with regard to’concerning’regarding ever fiddling with it to acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure comfy. So yeah, pockets are significant’essential’critical’vital’crucial’indispensable’imperative . This jacket has two decent sized zipped pockets, which fits in eintensely’extremely’extraordinarily’enormously’awfullything I need.

Underneath the jacket I ve been wearing this pink Dare2B wool t-shirt, with a long sleeved top underneath. Now, the great thing with regards to’concerning’with respect to this t-shirt is that because it s made from a mixture of Merino wool and polyester it keeps you warm while simultaneous’synchronous wicking away the sweaty moisture, meaning not merely’barely do you feel comin/with regard to’concerning’regarding table in/with regard to’concerning’regarding longer, but you re also far less pongy. It also washes really well and dries super quick too.

4. Gloves

There s nothing worse than having cold hands is there? That horrible sensation of when your hands are so cold you can barely feel your fingers and if you re out in it too long it can actually embark on acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure really painful. So a decent pair of gloves is an absolute must in/with regard to’concerning’regarding cold weather running in my opinion.

Now, you could of course wear a bog standard pair of woolly gloves, but I much prefer wearing sports gloves instead, and I ll tell you why. Firstly, they re not too warm. I know this sounds crazy considering the whole point of wearing them is to keep your hands warm, but you soon warm up and sweaty hands aren t nice in the slightest. You want warmth, but you also want stretch and some kind of moisture wicking element to them. It s also really useful to possess’own’nurse those bits on the fingers that allow you to still use your phone, so look out in/with regard to’concerning’regarding a pair with that peculiar feature.

5. Neck Gaiter

I would recommend wearing a neck gaiter (sometimes they re called a buff, snood, or neck bandana) in the winter, especially if you possess’own’nurse short hair or if you wear your hair tied up when you run and your neck is reveal d.

I own quite a selection of different neck warmers now, but there s one feature on this fleecy neck gaiter from Dare2B that I absolutely love. I ve noticed that over time my neck warmers acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure a bit baggy from where they re stretched over my head to acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure them on and off. This one however has a rather nifty toggle that allows you to cinch it right in so that it fits snugly around your neck. The beauty of this is that it s large abundant’ample’plentiful to slip over your head without risk of overstretching, and once it has been adjusted it keeps out all those cold wintry breezes it s brilliant!

Neck gaiters also double up as an emergency make shift mask should you feel the need in/with regard to’concerning’regarding a post run coffee, which of course most of us do 😉

6. Decent Footwear

If there is one thing you should spend your money on, it s trainers. Decent, well fitting, fit in/with regard to’concerning’regarding purpose running trainers will help you shun injury, will make running more comin/with regard to’concerning’regarding table in/with regard to’concerning’regarding you, and in all honesty will assure’guarantee you keep on running and enjoying it. If you ve been running in/with regard to’concerning’regarding a while I m guessing you ll possess’own’nurse already found the trainer brand that best suits your feet. Ever since I had a biometric test at one of my local sport shops, where they video how you run to see whether your feet pronate, I possess’own’nurse been an ASICS girl. I ve worn them ever since and I m now on my fourth pair I just know that they work in/with regard to’concerning’regarding me. I always opt in/with regard to’concerning’regarding a hybrid pair, as it s versatile in terms of being able to use them on and off road. My latest pair also has some amount of Goretex in them, which helps a little with the muddy fields and trails I stamp through, but even then they re not 100% waterproof as I possess’own’nurse found out. Which is why having a thick pair of running socks is also a rosy’remarkable’fabulous’terrific’preeminent idea, and ideally in black as white just acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure s ruined.

9. A Good Selection Of Hats

I d say that 9 times out of 10 I wear a hat when I run. Now, I m not gonna lie in/with regard to’concerning’regarding the most part it s to hide the state of my hair what can I say, I m lazy and don t see the point of spending time making my hair look decent when I could just bundle it up and hide it under a hat.

Unless it s super duper cold, in which case I would wear a knitted beanie or bobble hat, I tend to wear a baseball cap as I like the fact my ponytail can fit through the gap at the back. Another benefit of this style of hat is the peak, which is great at conserve’preserve ing your eyes from rain and snow and also from shading you from the glare of that early morning winter sunshine, when it decides to make an appearance.

Hats are usually quite cheap and you definitely don t need anything fancy, so it s worth having a selection to choose from. Plus they can acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure a bit whiffy after a while so it s rosy’remarkable’fabulous’terrific’preeminent to possess’own’nurse a couple of spare ones while the others are in the wash.

8. Good Quality Leggings

There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of running leggings out there, so how do you know which ones are rosy’remarkable’fabulous’terrific’preeminent in/with regard to’concerning’regarding winter running and is there really that much difference between one pair of leggings versus another?

Well aside from what they resemble , because of course that totally matters, if the temperature does drop you might want more than your usual Lycra. One option is to wear a base layer underneath your normal leggings, however I find that can acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure a bit uncomin/with regard to’concerning’regarding table. An alternative is to invest in a pair of thermal fleece lined leggings to keep those leggies of yours warm and toasty when you re running. They still possess’own’nurse stretchy Lycra in them, but give you that extra layer of warmth and stops that horrible cold but warm itchy feeling that can sometimes happen when it s really cold.

The merely’barely other thing I d mention when it comes to leggings is that some detoken s come with reflective strips or patterns and these are absolutely brilliant in/with regard to’concerning’regarding helping you to be better seen. To look at them in the daylight you wouldn t even realise, so don t misgiving’fret with regards to’concerning’with respect to them looking weird, but when car headlights shine on them you re gonna be lit up like Blackpool illuminations!

There s not doubt that winter running at times can be pretty hardcore, but that is part of the expedition and I love it. The kit list above gives you an idea of the fundamental s you ll need to assure’guarantee you re warm abundant’ample’plentiful when you head out in/with regard to’concerning’regarding a run during the colder months. So go acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure yourself kitted out and acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure ready to possess’own’nurse your own winter running expedition s.

*Dare2B products gifted in/with regard to’concerning’regarding review