Heads up! Here’s your massive list of sports tech deals! This includes the Garmin Forerunner 965 for just $499, Garmin Epix for $429, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 Black Titanium for $735, the GoPro Hero 12 Black for $299, (or Hero 13 bundle for $339!) and plenty more! Go check out the full list here!
I’m DC RAINMAKER…
Here’s how to save!
Wanna save some cash and support the site? These companies help support the site! With Backcountry.com or Competitive Cyclist with either the coupon code DCRAINMAKER for first time users saving 15% on applicable products.
You can also pick-up tons of gear at REI via these links, which is a long-time supporter as well:
Alternatively, for everything else on the planet, simply buy your goods from Amazon via the link below and I get a tiny bit back as an Amazon Associate. No cost to you, easy as pie!
You can use the above link for any Amazon country and it (should) automatically redirect to your local Amazon site.
-
Check out my weekly podcast - with DesFit, which is packed with both gadget and non-gadget goodness!
-
5 Easy Steps To The Site
1
In Depth Product Reviews
You probably stumbled upon here looking for a review of a sports gadget. If you’re trying to decide which unit to buy – check out my in-depth reviews section. Some reviews are over 60 pages long when printed out, with hundreds of photos! I aim to leave no stone unturned.
2
Read My Sports Gadget Recommendations.
Here’s my most recent GPS watch guide here, and cycling GPS computers here. Plus there are smart trainers here, all in these guides cover almost every category of sports gadgets out there. Looking for the equipment I use day-to-day? I also just put together my complete ‘Gear I Use’ equipment list, from swim to bike to run and everything in between (plus a few extra things). And to compliment that, here’s The Girl’s (my wife’s) list. Enjoy, and thanks for stopping by!
3
Have some fun in the travel section.
I travel a fair bit, both for work and for fun. Here’s a bunch of random trip reports and daily trip-logs that I’ve put together and posted. I’ve sorted it all by world geography, in an attempt to make it easy to figure out where I’ve been.
4
My Photography Gear: The Cameras/Drones/Action Cams I Use Daily
The most common question I receive outside of the “what’s the best GPS watch for me” variant, are photography-esq based. So in efforts to combat the amount of emails I need to sort through on a daily basis, I’ve complied this “My Photography Gear” post for your curious minds (including drones & action cams!)! It’s a nice break from the day-to-day sports-tech talk, and I hope you get something out of it!
5
The Swim/Bike/Run Gear I Use List
Many readers stumble into my website in search of information on the latest and greatest sports tech products. But at the end of the day, you might just be wondering “What does Ray use when not testing new products?”. So here is the most up to date list of products I like and fit the bill for me and my training needs best! DC Rainmaker 2023 swim, bike, run, and general gear list. But wait, are you a female and feel like these things might not apply to you? If that’s the case (but certainly not saying my choices aren’t good for women), and you just want to see a different gear junkies “picks”, check out The Girl’s Gear Guide too.
Running on the Bethpage golf course in shorts in winter. I ran thru a thicket of thorn bushes to get away from security and the bloody scratches froze shut. . . Until I got home. At least I eluded security!
Did two triathlons last month a week a part both sharing the same swim course. Swam both with a suit but the first one was a really comfortable temp, around 66F. The next week, in the same piece of ocean it had dropped to 56F. Numb face, hands and feet… Can’t say I enjoyed that much and felt sorry for the folk that arrived without suits after the previous week’s warm water… I was very glad to get onto the bike to warm up :)
My coldest run was a rainy one.
it was around 10 degrees C but what almost caused me to stop was the pouring rain and car splashes that got me completely wet :(
I think these last couple of days have been the coldest ever for me (Monday 8 deg, Tue: 3 deg and Wednesday 0) none of those include wind chill which were around -20 the whole time. Everyone asks how do you do it, I just answer, ” the dog has gotta run, and i just layer up! Kinda like suit up =)”
Training for an early spring marathon. (bad idea in New England!). My camelback froze it was so cold and it was UNDER my thick cold weather running jacket. But I still got it done!
Competed in a 5K New Year Day Run at Lincoln Park, Chicago Il. USA along Lake Michigan. Temp was 0 degrees Fahrenheit, but with a wind chill of -10 degrees running in snow over ankle height.
-5°C in Cordoba, Argentina. Really Cold for me, not used to run in that temperature.
Went with my dog in the park when it was snowing, it was a great experience but I had to keep running otherwise we were freezing :)
I remember a run when I was stationed in Vicenzo Italy in the army. We ran 5 miles to the top of Mount Baraco in a blinding snowstorm it was definitely the coldest run ever.
Cross country skiing in Ely, Mn. and camping – sleeping outdoors when it was 20 below
Last winter was really cold in Finland.I was doing 1h running 5.2.-12 -29C and few days after was -25C and I was skiing 3h.I think it was quite cold:)
Riding in Strasbourg, France this winter. It has been pretty consistently below freezing with ice and snow! Right next to Belgium and I am gaining a new appreciation for the Spring Classics.
Love to run in the snow! Yesterday we got another 30cm here in Austria. I use my S-LAB 5 with Yaktrax. No problems at all! But all in all I’m lookong forward to summer :)
Philadelphia Marathon several years ago. So cold that at the aid stations, when runners dropped their water cups, the water instantly froze when it hit the ground. Volunteers were putting cut-up cardboard boxes on the ground to cover the ice.
Coldest run.. Hmm? About two weeks ago. During my lunch hour. I don’t think it was the coldest day that we’ve had so far in ny.. But it was soooo windy. Applied a&d on my face and wore My new running sweater my husband got me, and I was good to go! (Training for my first sprint triathlon in August). Yay!
The coldest I ve ever been was on last years IM Wales bike course the zip broke on my gillet out of T1 so I had no wind protection against the September cold in Wales :( it took me 8 hours and started lashing rain for last 4 hours I was soaked through . My hands were so cold I couldn’t peel my gels off my bike and it was so wet my back wheel was losing traction up the hills :( the best part of the day was when I got to change my soaks before the run :)
Mountain biking in the middle of winter at 6 am, temp -7deg celcius.. Canberra Australia. We rode for 2 hrs. I ended with a mild case of frost bite on my toes.
Awesome ride though!
Living in South Louisiana, can’t complain with too much cold. Have gotten caught out cycling as a front was passing through, went from raining and 70 to cold windy and 40’s. almost hypothermia!
I was out for a 20 mile long run. The night before I put out drinks every couple miles. When I got to the first one, it was frozen solid. My run was cut short!
I live in Ottawa Canada. Yesterday Ottawa was the coldest capital city in the world at -40ish degrees Celsius. I am currently in the late stages of recovering from a broken ankle but most winters I drill screws into the soles of my running shoes, slap on a balaclava and run through the icy streets. In late january there is a long canal that is groomed for skating (longest in the world I believe called the Rideau Canal) where you can also run. It is part of a winter triathlon every year (ski, skate, run).
0 degrees C here in Michigan this week- coldest run of the year!
Running in Phoenix last week. Normally it is quite hot or hot in town, but last week temperatures were around 25F and people even covered their cactus to protect them from the cold. It was cold! Run with our pug to keep warm.
Polar Bear swim in the Arctic Ocean off Barrow Alaska
3 years ago, a huge blizzard hit NYC. the city was mostly shutdown and I had to get a speed workout in. I armored up with my face mask, lobster gloves, running shell and trail shoes and decided to have a go at running the Brooklyn Bridge after 8″ had already piled up. the wind was fiercely cold and ripped across the bridge. the snow was coming down sideways and felt like pins and needles hitting my face. I was slipping and sliding everywhere. what made this the most memorable run, wasn’t that it was in the middle of a blizzard, rather, for the first time in my life, I was the only soul on the Brooklyn Bridge… I had it all to myself. call me hardcore or call me stubborn, but blizzard and all, I will never fail to miss a run!
Running up the middle of Duke St. in Alexandria all alone the day after Snowpocalypse….and sliding back down…the entire street was an ice rink.
End of fall 2010, Quebec-Canada mountain biking in a trail close to a lake, it was -7 C but felt -15 C, and then started snowing!
Went to school in wisconsin so running during the winter got me used to not being able to feel any part of my face after my run. ALso needed to wear two layers of socks and gloves just to keep the feeling in my hands and toes. Many days it was below 0 F but thats not going to stop me!
Living in Toronto from 1988-1994, and being strictly a runner then, many winter runs caused frozen eyelashes. One run in particular stands out. We were volunteering at a youth track meet at York University, so I and two friends went for our run, in -25F It was so cold, i got a bad headache towards the end, but we finished. When we finally went inside to the warm indoor track, we saw our Coach doing laps in shorts. “Where were you guys”
Ran in -55 degree weather with 40 mph winds in New Hampshire. Yikes! At least I got my training in!
I’ve had a bunch of cold runs over the years, but the coldest bit of exercise that sticks in my head was a ride a few years ago.
So there I was… Head cold. Stuffed up. Sniffling. Can’t breathe. The works. We’ve all BTDT
Picture the scene, it was a lot like yesterday (in the DC Area) snow on the ground, fierce headwind, and below 20deg. I calculated it out, the temps + the wind and it ended up feeling -20deg or so.
I live SW of DC out in the cow fields. The road takes me up a little rise and back down to the ‘main drag’ past the high school. Before I even got to the top of the rise, my nose was running like a firehose. I won’t go into details, but if you’ve ever run/ridden in the winter, you know how it goes. Add a cold on top of just riding in the cold, and things got… …well… colorful.
I got most of the crud out of my sinuses on my hour-long ride and could FINALLY breathe!
…right till I got done riding and stuffed back up before the bike was put away. Grrrr Oh well. Least I got in a ride!
M
Living in Québec province, Canada, I always get outside for a run and wear too much clothing for what I need. I should get better at this, but I am not…
Love to run in the snow! Here in Austria we got another 30cm yesterday. I use a S-LAB 5 with Yaktrax if there is much snow on the street. Never had problems! Nothing is better than snow and a shining sun.
My coldest run ever was this past Wed morning (the weather said it was 14 degrees and felt like 5 degrees) at 6am in the dark on the National Mall. It turned out to be a great run because I ran with a group of people. It sure made the run “warmer” with the company I was with. I hope I win :-).
My coldest ride was with a friend of mine who was training for RAM and we rode on the Natchez Trace in our ski gear for about 6 hrs. The weather was in the single digits.
The most recent I can remember was my half marathon at the end of october in 2012. My cousin and I got to the start line at 6:30 for the 7 am start, we shivered inside trashbags until the start…it was cold but when the race start it got much warmer
Well, my coldest run, I had actually two!! The first one was in a 60 km race, starting at 6 am in Córdoba, Argentina, July 8th, 2012 (in July is winter in Argentina), in the Comechingones Sierras. It was 10 celsius below zero! The race was named Amanecer Comechingon, becuase after 2 hours you got to see a beautiful sunrise from the top of the Sierras!! the second coldest, Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc, also in 2012, we started 7 pm raining, ad by midnight we got to a high point, over 2000 meters, where it snowed for a while, the thermometer was minus 10 celsius!! BUT, next week I will be in Ryouan-Noranda, the forecast says highs will be in the minus 10 celsius, and of course, I will not miss my training sessions!!!!
Running at -26 in Russia- that was really cold!))
Last Winter I run in some hills with round -5°c, hard training.
When I did my first OL Triahtlon I was 12° and water was 16°. ON the second km of biking I got rinse from a local storm. My feet got out of ice only up the 5km of running
my coldest ride was about 4 years ago on december 30th in approximately -5 degree celsius, just to hit 9000 km in a year :) it was succesful
i once ran in alaska….it was really cold
Did a short run at minus 40 last year. Was a bit cold.During these runs you always end up looking like a snow n ninja
Did a short run at minus 40 last year. Was a bit cold.During these runs you always end up looking like a snow ninja
December night, it was dark an about -10*C. I wanted to take a new Route in the woods, but could not find the way back. Took me 1:30 hour and 15km more than i wanted to run this night…
Ran 15k in -16C on Tuesday. Yesterday was equally as cold so I decided that enough was enough and did my 800m repeats on the treadmill. Hate treadmills. Should have run outside.
My first 1/2 Iron distance race the water was sub 50. It was so cold my T1 was over 5 minutes because I couldn’t feel my fingers to take the wetsuit off.
My cold adventure occurred just a few weeks ago.
Now that winter is here we have been riding mountain bikes and getting in touch with our inner child in the mud! On that 20 something degree day we decide to try a new mountain bike trail that only one of us had ridden before. Well about two miles into our adventure (already numb from the cold) I decided to take the path least followed and cross a small stream… Well, before I knew it my front wheel went out from underneath me and I was spread eagle in the middle of the stream. My immediate worry was to avoid getting soaked so I quickly gathered my self and moved out of the stream. While doing so I looked at my left hand and the pinky finger of my glove was bent in a 45′ angle away from my hand. Saying to myself “that looks really odd” I proceeded to grab the glove and found that there in fact was a finger in there! Without thinking and with a little pop I moved the finger back to the position that it normally resided without any pain. The guys asked if I wanted to turn around and go back? After not feeling any pain from being numb and not wanting to be “that” guy I decided to press on.
After 16+ miles of tough riding we arrived back at the bike shop where I removed my glove in front of the guys for the first time after the fall. To my amazement the finger looked completely normal. I brushed it off (not having a dislocated finger before) saying it must not be a bad dislocation. While we chatted my finger slowly thawed and started to ache. What I didnt realize was that along with the ache, my finger was swelling! It was double its size inside of 20 minutes!! What a day
I guess the morale of the story is, if you are going to go A$$ over tin cups and dislocate a digit, do it on a super cold day!
Oddly enough my last run on Tuesday. I was doing 1600m intervals head on into gale force winds on the sea front with hail. Fortunately I’d brought a cap along which kept the hail stones out of my eyes(!)
Early AM run in dark, went commando under running tight….wind chill was lot colder than i could believe…ended up stuffing gloves downfront of my tights and letting my hands freeze….thawing out was not fun at all !!
Running in -35°F wind chill through knee deep snow. It was one of the best threshold workouts I’ve ever done!
After living in Atlanta for a number of years I just happened to be home in Minnesota visiting my parents for Christmas during the first 10+ mile run in the training program for my first marathon. Back then I didn’t have any of the correct gear, so I slogged around Lake Harriet, Calhoun, and Lake of the Isles in loose sweatpants and a ski jacket in -10 degree F windchill. Bad idea.
I recently performed an evening track workout this winter. Nothing like watching ice build up on the track, as you run.
Running in Buffalo, NY with the windchill at -5 and Lake effect snow!
Just ran this morning in 31 degrees weather. That’s as cold i will do.
Thanks Again for the amazing giveaway.
Clinton
Coldest run ever: in the rain at 32.000001 F: much colder than anything colder.
My coldest run was earlier this month. It was 23F with high humidity and light breeze. It seems like the humidity is always high in N. Georgia (U.S.A), which makes the temp. feel so much worse than if the humidity is low. I run in the early mornings, when it’s still dark outside, on a 2 lane highway. Traffic is low near my house in the early mornings, so I don’t have to worry so much about getting hit by a car. Running at any time of the day when it’s cold is an experience. But, I love it!
Coldest run? -20F in Bend, Oregon. Wore glasses (stupid); every breath condensed on the lenses. Legally blind! But at 0530, no cars out, so it was a pleasure cruise down Wall Street in the business district with no traffic, just me on the double yellow line grinning like a fool…
I have done lots of colds runs in the single digits (F). Most memorable for me was a snowshoeing at -15 below zero. Luckily no wind and lots of sunshine. You had to keep moving or else you would become a Popsicle.
I did a road ride on New Year’s Day a few years ago in very cold temps and also strong winds; wind chill was probably in the single digits. I looked around and I was the only rider with Summer shoes and shoe covers; everybody else had Winter specific riding shoes.
So while I do enjoy swimming, biking, and running. In the off season I do quite a bit of volunteer work. So here’s where you should give props to those who volunteer… Last weekend I volunteered at the 20 mile aid station of a 50k in Melba, Idaho. The start of the race at 7 am was -3 and the temperature rose to a smoking high of 6 degrees by 4:30pm when my volunteer duties were done. Let’s just say little hotties do not even feel warm in your shoes or gloves in that type of weather! But in the end the runners had a great time and they always had great aid when they arrived!
My coldest run was just a few weeks ago. I ran 20k in -20C (-30 with the wind) with about 5cm fresh snow. I wore 2 pairs of socks, wind briefs, long johns, thermal pants, 2 long sleeve shirts, long sleeve thermal jacket, wind jacket, balaclava, toque, and a pair of running gloves with mitts over top! It was a lot of laundry for one run!
I run and swim in warmly Israeli conditions, so even in the coldest run it was about 10C (50F) nothing to compare to northern countries.
Trying to ski in -25 over the xmas holidays in Canmore, Alberta. Even after putting on every layer of clothing I brought with me, I barely made it 2km down the trail before throwing in the towel and calling it a day.
Or trying to get a practice swim in Osoyoos Lake before the Oliver Half Iron in early June. I think I saw an iceberg float by.
Coldest Ride ~2 years ago: Start at +6°C ended with -9°C in a blizzard. German prealps
Ran 11 miles this Tuesday in 13 deg. F. Wasn’t too bad, except for my nose.
I passed a cross country skier on a 12 mile run (on what I thought were cleared trails) when I first got my 305 and couldn’t wait to get outside and play with it.
I once did an hour long swing practice in 59 degree water. No wetsuit but stages of hypothermia
Had a mountain run the other day (-25C). Not too bad!!! :D
No whether surprise you after such an experience! :)
I met my wife on March 26, 10 years ago. It was my birthday. We were at a conference in Williamsburg, VA. My boss and I were having drinks, my wife and her colleagues were having drinks. We all started to chat it up, turns out she was a runner. We all had our running gear, and she and I decided to run the next morning. It was a very cold 15 degrees. My boss who didn’t bring anything for running in the cold, decided he was going to join us. I tried very hard to convince him to not run because it was so cold, and well I wanted to run with woman I met. He did not get the hint, and he joined us anyway. Us in our cold weather gear, and he in a tshirt and shorts. The three of us ran, and 1 mile in he stopped, said f this and headed back to the hotel. My future wife and I continued our run, and unfortunately for her, she slid on some ice and did a face plant. Not the best first date for her, but it started a relationship that resulted in marriage, kids, and seeing our 10 year anniversary approaching. If my boss hung in there for the cold run, who knows how it would have turned out.
Just been to a Winter School in Geilo in Norway for grad student. Skied around the lake, which they call a fjord, a couple of times.
On the coldest it was -26 C, I was using an Airtrim (link to airtrim.se) cold-mask, which actually got icicles on the outside, I was looking like a creature from Star Wars.
When I think about it, cold-masks is a sporting technology where a lot is happening right now. Maybe something you can cover?
Swimming at 5 am at the Amercian University Swimming pool in Washington DC for morning practice. so frigid the coach actually through a hot water hose into the pool that we passed around to warm ourselves with in between sets. Couldn’t stop my teeth from chattering when not actually swimming!
Trail running western Nebraska. Plus 5 degrees. Helped to numb the legs from the tumbleweeds cutting through my shins.
We trail run as a group every Sunday morning. Last year we ran in 0 degree weather 2 weeks in a row. the second of which, every person had ice on there eyebrows. Never fun!
Cycling in 15 degree weather, semi competitively. Couldn’t feel my hands, which makes shifting a bit of a chore. Thank god for Under Armor!
Live in Houston, so my coldest run is only around 28F…not cold at all by other folks standards.
It was January 2012—27 degrees(F) with freezing, pouring rain and 20mph winds. My shoes were soaked and sloshing. It was only a 6 mile training run, but it was the worst 6 miles of my life.
My coldest run ever was a few years ago in Indiana. It was -9 degrees not counting windchill…..and it was snowing! I ran on a trail near my apartment. It was snow-covered and icy, but beautiful! I had “icicles” on my eye lashes and frozen snow on my jacket collar by the time I was done, but I had a blast!
well here i am in tropical Singapore so its a tad difficult to get a run that’s freezing cold but here goes. I used to run in the still of the night and once while on the run i got caught in the rain.its wasn’t a drizzle but more like a storm. to be fair i thought the weather would hold til i finished the run but i was totally drenched and the wjnd made it worse. without a windbreaker i was exposed to the elements and had to wait at abus stop in the cold til the rain stopped.
My coldest run was this week around -5 degrees C when I did my interval run-training.
After I ran I was warm again….
Love to run on snowy roads! Feeling the cold air running through your lungs, hearing the snow under your shoes and the warm bath after!!
I was visiting my girl friend in CT and decided to go out for a morning run (4:00am) it was snowing but I starting out it didnt look too cold. I wore a hat, some tights, long sleeve compression shirt and gloves. The problem was that my hat only covered the top of my ears. I got back from the hour run and I had gotten frost bite on my ear lobes. it turned out to be -13 degrees without the wind chill factor. Ooops.
Ran into an incoming blizzard. Start of the run was 32 degrees, thought I could get it in before the bad weather hit. Not the case! Around mile 3 I was running into a 30mph wind, wind chill down into -20’s F and both water bottles on my belt froze solid in less than 40 minutes. End of run temperature on my wall clock: -3 F. Dropped 35 degrees in about 80 minutes. Brrrrrr!
Living in Minnesota, I am frequently faced with weather that is well below frezing. I can vividly remember a run a few years back when the temp was around zero, but the wind made the wind chill somewhere closer to 20 below zero!
I live in Canada and let me tell you these days around Montréal are so Cold (-30 Celsius and more) so i was stock at home but…..Last week i made my running (i’m addicted) and had good feelings to be in this cold temp, the light was so wonderfull on the snow and my pace was perfect.If you have good clothes and you protect your face there is no reasons to go out and do what you love to do….So, thank you for your good advice on your blog and keep on your all your workout. (sorry for my poor english i am french speaking)I live in Canada and let me tell you these days around Montréal are so Cold (-30 Celsius and more) so i was stock at home but…..Last week i made my running (i’m addicted) and had good feelings to be in this cold temp, the light was so wonderfull on the snow and my pace was perfect.If you have good clothes and you protect your face there is no reasons to go out and do what you love to do….So, thank you for your good advice on your blog and keep on your all your workout. (sorry for my poor english i am french speaking)I live in Canada and let me tell you these days around Montréal are so Cold (-30 Celsius and more) so i was stock at home but…..Last week i made my running (i’m addicted) and had good feelings to be in this cold temp, the light was so wonderfull on the snow and my pace was perfect.If you have good clothes and you protect your face there is no reasons to go out and do what you love to do….So, thank you for your good advice on your blog and keep on your all your workout. (sorry for my poor english i am french speaking)
I live in Canada and let me tell you these days around Montréal are so Cold (-30 Celsius and more) so i was stock at home but…..Last week i made my running (i’m addicted) and had good feelings to be in this cold temp, the light was so wonderfull on the snow and my pace was perfect.If you have good clothes and you protect your face there is no reasons to go out and do what you love to do….So, thank you for your good advice on your blog and keep on your all your workout. (sorry for my poor english i am french speaking)
Coldest run was I’m Northern Finland literally running on the arctic circle: 3 miles to Santa Claus Village and back home. -12 C, snow everywhere. Near darkness at 12 in the afternoon. Amazing
Training runs with the University of Toronto tri club. It was very, very cold, but also very beautiful when there was a lot of snow and a full moon!
Used to live in Montreal when trained for my first Ironman…
Nothing is colder, for us Californian’s, than a chilly swim in Aquatic Park in the San Francisco Bay. No snow or sub zero temps, but it is cold:)
It’s not that cold in California, but I went on a ride in 25 degree F (again, not that cold compared to other parts of the world). I wasn’t prepared enough so my fingers went numb and I couldn’t feel my toes. My whole body was shivering so now I always make sure to wear enough layers.
Running in alaska in the a rain/sleet….
Mine was last week, in my garage on the treadmill. It was -5 IN THE GARAGE!!!
My coldest race was the Cherry Tree 10 miler in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, over President’s Day Weekend. Usually I run warm, but I just never warmed up in this race. It was a great course but I shiver to think of doing it again.
The first winter I lived in Michigan I made a rule to run outside every day no matter how cold the weather. I remember running in -16 F. After 9 miles in an open field I had ice everywhere. Even my eyelashes had ice within them.
My dog had ice on his little chin. The last stretch home was a quarter mile of road that had been salted. My dog’s paws were raw and he was not a fan of the salt. Funny part is that he never hesitated to head back out for another run no matter what the weather was like. Needless to say, we’ve both slowed down a bit.
Coldest run to date: 26°f. Not as cold as most others, but I froze my boys off for the first 2 miles. Later, I learned to layer up.
The Philly half marathon a few years ago. It was so cold their bullhorns wouldn’t work.
XC ski in Chic-choc mountains ( – 45 celcius with wind chill )
A few weeks ago I rode my training commute to work by bicycle as usual. It was -16C.
Ran the other night when it was 20 degrees F with 35 mph winds. Wind chills well below zero. Eyelashes froze.
I can’t recall the exact temperature Wednesday night, but we’re going through a COLD spell :-) It was approximately -24, feeling like -32 with the wind chill. Bundled up, vaseline’d the areas that were exposed and headed out for our group run! :-)
I skiied at Alta, Utah three days in a row last week and the temperature was -4F, -10F and -13F on each consecutive day. I actually suffered slight frostbite on my nose on the second day. It did not deter me.
Growing up in Minnesota every winter run seemed like the coldest I can remember. That said, running the Securian Frozen Half Marathon at -13 degrees is the one that stands out the most. Not only for the temp but because there were actually guys running it in shorts. No joke.
Believe it or not, coldest run so far was in Houston, TX. Really, it snowed that day (happens every few years). Around 30F I think. Otherwise I stay away from freezing zones on purpose. Last big bike ride had a good half-hour stretch of 27F though, in a canyon with no sunlight. Brrrrr! Especially after being 75F on the coast just 15 miles away…
My wife and I attended our teams weekly track workout this past Tuesday in harford county MD. 17F or 18F. Coach told us for every runner we had over 15 people he would do one interval shirtless in the freezing cold. We only had 8 show up. Either way its a good session to put in the memory bank for the next time it gets really cold out!!!
I am in the midst of training for the Phoenix Marathon (March 2, 2013)and Saturday was my long run (18 miles). a quick check of the thermometer placed outside had it at 24 degrees. I stashed my nutrition and water at the mid point of my out and back. Well, as I retrieved my water around mile 9, it was frozen solid. As a mater of fact, so was one of my gels. a few uncomfortable minutes of a frozen bottle in my tights and I was good to go…I sure could use the 910xt.
Everyday at around 11 I grab a quick 4 mile run before I wolf down lunch. Yesterday it was 13 degreesF and I had on 2 pairs of gloves, one finger tip sticking out for controlling my iPod and then socks over gloves (with a hold for iPod finger) to keep my hands toasty. Funny how feet, hands, and face are always freezing but my legs, trunk, and arms are warm.
A winter trail in the alps. -17°c. 30cm of snow….
Coldest run was the train race outside Bloemfontein in South Africa. We wore back bin liners at the start so we could throw them out when we were warmer. Kept them on for the entire race, 15km in all. Brrr!
One of my coldest runs was last week, lots of snow and an icy wind. I’m already looking forward to the summer.
3 days ago. -10 celsius and the Wind blowing. Nice to finally use all the warm clothes
My concentrated mix of gatorade froze in my handheld.
-20C earlier this week. And the wind!
Last year’s Granollers half-marathon (the most famous half-marathon near Barcelona) was really cold. The day before, I went to the running store just to buy a beanie and the shop was full of people buying long tights, handgloves and all kinds of extra layers for the race. It was a cold but nice run!
Bosnia, intervals in one foot of snow, good for high knee drills.
I can’t remember my coldest run but I definitely remember my coldest swim so I hope this counts. I think it was around 65 degrees WITHOUT wetsuit! It was my early days in tris and I hadn’t invested in a wetsuit yet so I had to suck it up. THAT was a foggy memory. All I could think was “just a little further”. It didn’t help that it was an overcast, foggy day – quite Jurassiac park-esque.
running through 24 inch deep snow in the hills of scotland, cold but a good way to build leg strength…
Being a native Texan, it doesn’t take much to feel cold for me…but I did get the chance to run in snow and 70 degree weather only 1 week apart…on the same route! Oh the joys of Texas weather…where you can experience summer, fall, winter, and spring not just in the same year, but in the same week!
I worked at an international school in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, for three years. In the winter there were days when the high would be about -17 F (-28 C), and I would go running. The liquid crystals in my Garmin watch would begin to freeze so when the numbers changed, the previously displayed number would fade only slowly. I wore a balaclava and hat on my head, with a coating of Vaseline on the exposed skin. Multiple layers on my body, of course, and heavy gloves. REI expedition weight socks on my feet. I would run on a road along the Tuul River to the Sky Resort which was about 7 miles from my apartment. Near the resort it was very exposed and often windy.
In 2012 I ran the Baikal Ice Marathon in Siberia across the frozen lake. I trained for the marathon by running on the Tuul River in UB, which turned out to be nice because there were fewer cars on the river than on the road. The Baikal Ice Marathon turned out to be much warmer than most of my runs in UB (in the mid 20’s F), and I had to strip off some layers because I had dressed like I did for my long runs in Mongolia.
I am so happy that this year we moved to Jordan!
coldest run was two nights ago 11F ran in shorts i think cold weather consumed all the juice in my current watch.
The coldest race : Nordic skiing training during preparation of la Transjurassienne last year : -25°C outside : -35°C apparent with wind
Lost a finger
This evening, when I get home from work, will be my coldest run. Bring it on NoVA cold snap!
One day on december here in Valencia, had to wear gloves and couldnt breath properly ;) immglad cold weather dont last long here haha
Had the mixed pleasure of a snow storm run just before Christmas. The first km or so was horrible, but after that it started to make sense. You feel awesome when you push your own limits a bit. Going into the wind I couldn’t really see anything, and coming home I looked liked a snowman. I felt great !!
Did My first run when i got my Cyclocross in -9 c and snowing and very under dressed. Hard learning but fun :-)
The coldest run was part of a soccer tournament I was part of. A cold rainy February Midwest weekend. I still think I am feeling the affects 10 years later. Brrrrr.
Went for a run a few days ago here in New York – 9*F here. Got home and had some, uh, problems…
Quickly ordered a pair of shorts with a “wind proof” panel in the front!
Hi Ray, did a some very cold runs when I was in the military some at -25 but don’t count them as didn’t have much of a choice! The coldest I’ve done for ‘fun’ well fitness was during a real cold snap in the UK. I’d been running to get fit and loose weight so was determined to keep going, I remember it being -15 and bitter but wanted to get out as the bug had me. Two years on a lot fitter and lighter with a number of races under my belt and I’m hooked. So much so I went out this week in -2 with my winter kit on and loved it! Summer 10k races will be getting booked soon!
I remember a triathlon in Fruitia Colorado last year where we got in the water when the air temperature was 35 degrees. It wouldn’t have been such a bad triathlon except I wanted a fast time so I didn’t waste time with socks or gloves. Needless to say, I was frozen during the swim (still had a good time), my hands and feet were frozen during the bike, and I couldn’t feel my feet till mile 4 of the run. That wasn’t good :(
I live in houston, so the coldest run i had was a blistery…. 25F.
It was also the first time i saw snow in houston.
naturally, i ran shirtless with gloves and beanie.
Phoenix, AZ. Not cold to most people but it was in the upper 30s. Pool swim was ok, while running to transition it started sleeting & lightening. As I was standing by my bike wondering what to do my husband exited the pool & ran to transition. I asked him “what do I do?” He looked at me and said “get on your bike already!” So my feet were frozen and we had to run through multiple puddles during the run!
Coldest swim for me was at the Russian River in Napa during Vineman 70.3. Coming from a tropical island sure didn’t help!
Coldest run in years was today. 6 predawn miles @ 17F in Bethesda. Broke out the balaclava! Been swimmin outside all winter as long as air if about 32 Y pool is OPEN!
I’m an Army Engineer, and like to jog it out, to and from work, often in ACU’s and boots with a backpack. Well, it was so cold up in northern NY (-20 degF) that my boot soles hardened up and slid around like hockey pucks. Add super-hardpack snow from cars spinning their tires and I couldn’t run, hell I could barely walk! The cold killed my Garmin 405, should’a worn it under my sleeve. It hurt to breathe, and my breath condensed like snow on my hat. I even developed eye-cicles… link to dropbox.com
Essayons, -Nadz
Im in Adelaide, South Australia so im going to assume cold is a relative term as it never goes below zero here (Centigrade). I once rode down from Mt Lofty in about 3 degrees, toes turned into icicles and fingers froze on the handlebars.
The coldest ride I have ever had is every morning riding to campus for class. Early morning, freezing rides are what save me a lot of money on coffee.
No real crazy stories here, Ray. I just try to run outside when I can. I always make sure to dress one layer colder than I’m comfortable with at first. Works every time.
Coldest cycling moment was descending Lake when it was 10 degrees at the top. (Not that cold I know, I live in Oz so we don’t get that cold here! :) )
Last year in winter, running in the St Aubin bay in Jersey Island. It was very windy and heavy hailing, no place to get protection so no other way than run back 5 Km to the hotel completly wet an with some hail marks in face and legs
Cycling with temperatures in the teens with sloppy, slushy, salty snow on the roads. You’ve gotta love training in the winter time.
A chilly run last week in Provo Canyon in Utah when it was 5 degrees F and the wind was a blowing.
I did my first team triathlon last spring, and we had to do a lap around a lake in Washington. I survived the swim and ran proudly to the transfer point. Only later did I realize that I was bleeding from the stones that had jabbed my feet…I couldn’t feel them while I was running!
A couple of winters ago was the coldest in the UK with all major airports closed for many days. I went for a run which ended up more of a walk because of everywhere being icy. Never got my heart rate up so never got warm. Brrrr. Got home and stood under a hot shower for half an hour.
3 degrees C here in Sierra Nevada, Granada, Spain. I think it was my coldest run , after it , a bath and a hot chocolate!!!
It doesn’t get cold in South Florida. Coldest run was probably 55. Ran in shorts and tee, same as any other run
It doesn’t get cold in South Florida. Coldest run was probably 55. Ran in shorts and tee, same as any other run.
Two days ago it was 0 with -15f windchill. Last year the coldest was -5 with -25 windchill. It’s below freezing for most of Dec-Feb so we get a lot of cold weather running in.
When I first moved to Wisconsin, I ran in -13 degrees just to see what it was like. I ran wearing multiple layers and used a scarf to cover my face. Didn’t make it very far before I turned back.
Last weekend I did 13 miles in windy, below freezing conditions – without lip balm! That was the worst part of the run, other than not charging the battery on my JayBird headset beforehand.
Last night was my coldest run. I thought I was heading into the wind on the first half of my run only to make the turn and find that I was wrong. 16F into a 15mph wind. I tried to sheild my face with my gloves but it did not help much. Every part of me was cold when I made it home.
Since I run barefoot, I can only tolerate the near-freezing temperatures when the pavement is dry. My coldest run so far this season was three miles and change on Dec 28th when it was 30°F.
I’ve fortunately been saved any really abominably cold runs, growing up in Arizona. But the coldest run was probably a fall half marathon in Vancouver that turned into a thunderstorm (incidentally one of only 2 thunderstorms I witnessed in 7 years of living in Vancouver) and the rain was drenching and relentless. Hands went completely numb. Toes numb, back shivering. Whole nine yards. For about an hour and a half. First time I ever took one of those blessed blankets they had waiting at the finish line.
a 2.5hour hidden forest trail run on the first day of chinese new year 2012 in 9degrees with mega windchill and in the rain, even heard a wild boar and that made the next section of the run ALOT faster!
During my stint in England, decided to do a HellRunner crosscountry race in late November. Temps were just below freezing at start and barely got above by the time we were done. The trails weren’t soft at all as they were frozen solid, and the waist-deep lake we had to wade through still have chunks of ice floating in it….
Doesnt get too cold here in Australia. Zero degrees was the best I could do, on a day at the snow when I chose running over skiing.
December of 2010…Annual Santa Run. It was 7* F with a -10* windchill. 11 miles while wearing a santa hat and singing christmas carols. My snot froze to my face and my eye lashes had icicles………it was a blast
My coldest run was in New Braunfels, Texas two years ago in the River Road Half Marathon. It was below 30 degrees (cold for me) and rainy. The route goes along a river so not only are you feeling the cold of the atmosphere but you get an extra dose off the already frigid river. Memorable for sure.
Anything below 20 with wind is cold for me
I once went running at 2am in the middle of the winter in Pennsylvania during the pouring rain. I got lost and wound up walking back to college on the side of a highway. I didn’t feel any arms or legs for quite a few days and almost got blown off the road by the borealis effect from the passing semi-trucks.
A 16 mile Saturday long run on Magnolia road outside of Boulder in January with snow blowing and single digit temps. One of my favorite memories of college. Also slightly hung over… :)
I remember going for a run at 5 am in – 36 C while living in the northern parts of Norway about a decade ago. I can remember that no matter how much effort I put into the run, I never managed to get warm. Such a miserable experience..
Coldest run was on a trip to the San Francisco area and I only had running shorts and a t-shirt with me. 38 degrees wasn’t terrible, but cold enough in that gear.
Coldest ride just last week in 10 degrees F – was out for 2hrs & my water was frozen after about 30min!
Arrived in New Jersey from Australia last Sunday.
Left Sydney close to 47C, but listened to tv on arrival in hotel room, encouraged that it was 12 DEGREES the next morning.
Mentally prepared for a quick 30 min run after 22 hrs on plane.
Sorted out route in the warmth of hotel room ( over New hope/ lambertvillehouse bridge in NJ)………
Pretty soon, or rather immediately after exiting hotel, realized that I had gone from a 47 metric to a 12 F…….
Realization of my mistake was emphasized by use on the river, and my chest feeling like it was being hit with a bag of ice with every breath.
My ” 30 min relaxing run” rapidly turned into a 15 min sprint across the bridge and back before hypothermia set in!
Q: does the 910XT automatically switch between C and F for idiots?
Cheers from a cold NJ.
Not sure if this is the coldest run, but the difference between a bike ride in +40C and a run at 12 F one day later was an interesting experience.
Great site btw
SJ
My coldest bike was was 45 degrees F which was cold for me since I’m just getting into cycling & don’t have all the great cold weather gear :)
Mt. Taylor Quadrathlon: bike 15 miles uphill, run 5 miles uphill in snow, x-c ski another 2 miles uphill, then snowshoe 1 mile uphill to the top of Mt. Taylor at 11,000 feet. Then turn around and do it all in reverse…
Trying out a 100 mile ultrarun this year. Strava has me up to break 200 miles in Jan. I live in Michigan, and this week has been under 20 consistently. Ran 12 miles at 5 F (-8 windchill) and a few other 12-18 milers at sub 20 F. Snow makes running a challenge, but I like to think of it as running on a sandy beach on the Gulf.
I’m from Canada, so pretty much every day from September through July is cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey.
My coldest run was actually during a soccer game in -10 Celsius weather. It was an exhibition game and we were in our soccer jersey’s and shorts. Freaking cold!!
Coldest event was last Sunday, the Cascade Half Marathon. 29 degrees and fog. Anyone not wearing a hat had real frost highlights in their hair. My mustache was frozen just like I’d been skiing.
Delhi doesn’t get too many super cold days…. I guess my coldest run would have to be this January when I misjudged the weather and went out in short sleeves. The chilly winds, short sleeeves and no headgear made it a tough tough run. Ended up with an aching head and paining ears. But still beats running in Delhi summer!
Not much beats cycling on my mountain bike in the snow, in sub-zero C temperatures. Beautiful location in Mont Royal park, in downtown Montreal Canada, to keep up with some cross-training in the winter.
Just me, the ice skaters and … the polar bears out there… :-) Didnt have to race them, fortunately!
For me riding to work at -2 or -3 C, but going downhill it feels much colder with the windchill!
Running round local streets at -5 boring i know but truthful. Some of us just have a boring life………..
Ran in a park in Berlin (was living there at the time) in the winter 2005 at -18Celsius with a balaclava to protect my skin and spikes under the shoes. It was the most beautiful scenery with deep snow and a clear blue sky.
My coldest run was last year in Mosjøen, Norway, where I live. It was minus 17C, my hand froze to the doorhandle when I got back. Luckely I managed to pull my hand away just in time. And my nose bled that evening. That’s when I desided that a tredmill isn’t such a bad option afterall…
And my coldest bike ride was 2 years ago from Bodø to Mo i Rana, north Norway. A 250 km ride over a mountain they call Saltfjellet. It was raining all the way and on that mountain it was minus 2C, so the rain turned into snow. It snowed horizontally! I already had to let the maingroup go, so the follow cars were in front of me…I had no other option than to ride to the finish line. I had waterproof gloves, which only meant that the water running into my gloves from my arms, stayed there. I couldn’t grab my waterbottle anymore, let along unwrap a bar. So I was quite empty when I finished after almost 8 hours of misery.
It took me a week before my thumbs became opposable again. Last year I didn’t enter and the sun was shining all day.
:-/
My coldest sport moment… That was few years ago, on a 24th of December. After several days of rain, finally a sunny one. It was a beautiful winter day, so I went whitewater Kayaking in small rapids near Nantes on the Sevre Niortaise. I was student at this time and couldn’t afford proper equipment, so I just went with a swim short, a pair of shooes, a couple licra and a rain jacket. I realised it was maybe not enough when I saw the ice on my kayak seat. Anyway, I took the bull by the horns jump on the river. All the rains of the previous days have made the water level level much higher than usual, and it was a pretty exciting ride in the rapids. I guess it’s the adrenaline levels that kept me alive after several rolls in the icy water. When I finish, my hands were completly blue and my fingers frozen in the position like I was still handling my paddle. Then the pain started… It tooks for ever to warm up back in the car, but I still remember it like it was yesterday. And the X-mas eve that follow that ride was one of the best ever.
Running with 8º and high HR, with summer clothes…result? I´m Cold!!!! :-(
Coldest day ever was during a Spartan Beast with rain, wind. At the end it took over 2 hrs to start warming up again.
My most memorable COLD run was a half marathon in April of 2012. Yes, that is correct APRIL. Good old Michigan weather – It was suppose to be (according to the weather man on Channel 4 in Detroit) a high in the 40’s – which turned out to be in the 20’s. Of course since we are in Michigan we ran by one of our Great Lakes – lake effect temp – in the teens. I have ran in colder weather but was dressed for it. Dressing for 40 and running in the teens = one very cold runner. By the end of the race my legs were so cold I felt like I was running on stumps!!!!!
My coldest Run was on the morning of 31 december last year. It was a dark and freezing cold morning and the wind was strong, up to the strength of gale or near gale. I Ran 24km with the wind into my face more then half of the way and then I blew away the rest ;)
Frozen nose hairs….need I say more?
Running in Chicago along Lake Michigan two days ago. Brutal cold wind chill! It was lovely run though.
Living in Belfast we don’t get many really cold days or much snow but last week it was -1c with an inch or 2 of snow on the roads (don’t laugh that’s a lot for here!). Really enjoyed going out and doing a few miles in it the conditions, definitely different from my normal runs.
Living in Wisconsin, about half of my runs are on the cool side of the thermometer, and about half of those are pretty darn cold, and too often, some of those are on the side of painful. I’ve run in some -20 weather, and when you factor in the wind…well…you get the idea. I had one epic run where thermal fleece, topped by windshell pants, and 4 layers of torso covering surly would do the trick. Nope…having a layer of frozen sweat frost caking the inside of my shell was enough to encourage a rest day until the spell broke.
an early am run at 10 degrees last week not taking into account the wind:(
i am going to run this evening and its freezing cold out here
My coldest run would have been a snow shoe race I did a couple of years ago. Maybe 15 below zero (celsius) but with a bitterly strong wind. Ended up stripping down to a t-shirt for the second half though as I was sweating so much!
The coldest i have ever been was whilst i was in a snow hole just outside Saas Grund. We did it for fun. Weird i know. We had to sleep in the cable car station after my mates sleeping bag froze.
Cycling wise i commuted during the UK’s recent snow fall and hit wheel deep snow. My feet felt it for 3 days afterwards.
I work for an airline company and i travel a lot too. My coldest run this year was in Helsinki. (-10ºC wind chill -15ºC). My iPhone died from the cold. When I arrived at the hotel I had to unfreeze my feet with cold water.
The coldest run I can remember was one that didn’t really happen. I had a sudden, sharp, unexpected pain in my hamstring after about 200 feet, so I had to turn around and come home. So I got all of the cold of going outside, getting my watch set up, etc. But none of the warming effects of actually running. My big toe was literally purple when I got back inside.
HI, me and my friends went on a decent 40 mile ride in the cold rain. Half way through we had to stop huddling together to regain heat :( we tried to continue back to home but had to stop as our hands were to cold to use the brakes so got a taxi for the rest of the journey :S all in all a very sad cold ride!!!!
recently started running 5km in 0 degrees and single digits Celsius in UK, but considering I’m from the Caribbean and accustomed to 30’s that’s quite an feat for me
The coldest? The Disney Half Marathon in Orlando, Florida. How can this be? Well it was January and it was actually snowing at race start. And by the time the sun was up it was sleet. We were wet and cold and by race end, my hair was a bit crunchy.
A five mile New Years Day “Hangover Handicap” was my coldest in memory. An out and back course along the lake shore with freezing 25 mph winds hitting you at all times and plenty of black ice on the path. Great fun!
ran in -7 C when I was training for my marathon last year.
-10 degrees C in Scotland mountain biking over the new year holiday.
The is a race inside ski Dubai where u have to run up the slope.. Isn’t the coldest iwas running but one of the coolest..
I did a run at -17 degrees celsius in 2009 while preparing for ironman 70.3 germany! 1h25mins and it was soooo cold that i hardly could breath, but well, train hard – Race hard!
Today was the coldest this year. Not sure how could it was, but it was freezing! It was also beautiful with the fields and trees white in snow. Definitely worth it!
-10 C. 40kms in January in Hungary. It was fun. :)
Last two weeks in preparation for escape from Alcatraz I have been swimming in the San Francisco Bay. You really never get used to swimming in 51 degree water
Living in Chicago meant for many many outdoor runs in some pretty frigid weather. Thank goodness for Yaktrax! My coldest experience was on a spring bike ride where I got caught 50 miles from home with two flats (only had one tube :I) and got caught it sleet. Ended up walking a few miles back towards a train stop, but that was certainly the coldest I ever was out training in Chicago!
Houston marathon 2013
I paddled on a dragon boat team that trained during off season until the water in the boat club nearly froze over. Every time the paddle would go into the water and splash water, the water droplets would turn into snow. The paddle actually get heavier and heavier as water froze along the blade…… Ah…. good times.
-4° on a run at the highest mountain in austria – grossglockner berglauf. it was raining at the start in heiligenblut and 1500 meters above at the finish we had nice snowfall (which is not to common for that time in the year). Wasn’t my coldest run but remarkable.
Cant remember the coldest run for sure, but the recent streak of cold weather here in Scandinavia is beginnning to worry my girlfriend due to the size of the sausage in my pant after these freezing runs.
My coldest run was this morning: -20 C (-4 F). I was running with friends who are training for the Hypothermic Half Marathon in Montreal on February 17th. It was sunny and not windy so it wasn’t at all as bad as I thought it would be… I recommend everyone to try it sometimes.
only local roads……wish could run better places … oh hum….
February 2012 in Stockholm, a run around Kungsholmen, don’t recall the temperature but, for sure it was the coldest time I have ever run…
I just ran in Toronto this week in 12-13 degrees with 0 degree windchill. That’s plenty cold for this Southerner!
I run about 5 mornings a week at 5am, and haven’t had a run in months where snot hasn’t been pouring down from my nose. I used to live in FL, and the move to GA has been interesting from a training standpoint. Heck, the last couple of morning runs have been sub 30 degrees and because I don’t run in pants, my legs actually start freezing up after about 5 miles.
I feel like a wimp….my coldest run was in the low 40s. Wore the warmest things I had and I still thought I was going to keel over on the spot! I guess living in Southern California isn’t all that bad!… :)
(Great to read that you’re in Sweden! Hope you learn that it’s not all polar bears and blond girls…) My coldest run was when me, my brother and a friend was in a sauna by the ocean on new years eve. Every now and then we went out and took a quick dip. Because of the snow we had our shoes on, which was a good decision when the sauna door locked behind us and we had to run naked in freezing weather back to the house. Only 800 meters, but man it was cold, and man I was fast!:)
This past Christmas Eve had a 17 mile trail ride with my brothers in 20F weather. First ride since ACL reconstruction surgery in September. Slipped in some mud and fell into a shin deep puddle 8 miles in. For a couple hours after the ride I thought I was going to lose my toes from frostbite…I didn’t.
I’m not sure it’s the coldest temps I’ve ever run in…but this morning I ran 7 miles in 22 degrees Farenheit. I never quite warmed up!
Being from San Diego I had no concept for what temperature freezing actually was. While in Chicago visiting family for Thanksgiving I decided to go for a run around the River Forest area. I had already used my long sleeve tech tee, so all I had clean were my trusty Nike dri-fit shorts, my SD rock n roll short sleeve race shirt and a visor so out the door I went into the 25F degree weather for a quick 5 miler. I run warm, so it was actually pretty pleasant, although I couldn’t feel my nose, ears or (strangely) upper thighs when I came back. Good times.
Well my husband and I live in New Orleans so it doesn’t get cold like you are talking about but it does get chilly. Anytime I have to put on gloves and a headband, it’s a cold day!
No stand-out cold runs, but did my first winter surf on lake Michigan in quite some time…30° air and 40° water. Kept amazingly warm and toasty with my Xcel wetsuit though….
Please don’t freeze to death, I really want a free 910! :)
A marathon in Madrid. It was 32F when we started but I got my PR that day!
My platoon and I had to hike with our backpacks for over 10 miles in the middle of the night. At first the cold was the barrier that I thought would get me at the end. Then in the middle of our hike I realized that it was not the cold, but my minds reaction to how my body was reacting to the cold. I reorganized my thoughts and made it through one tough night. I took my body forever to feel normal again, but the experience is one I will always remember. It showed me how strong the mind can be either when I work with it or against it.
Houston Half marathon this year. Cold, rainy and windy. Miserable time. I know not too cold by most standards but it was by Houston stds.
Coldest run was on Wed last week in CT. Car wouldn’t start at 7am in 12 degree weather so I ran in full dress suit, tie and shoes .75 miles to the train station to get to NYC. Train was late. Never again.
Coldest run along the atlantic city boardwalk a couple of years ago during a trade show.
Doesn’t get that cold here, the coldest temp I’ve been riding in is 34 F. However I’ve been drenched in a cold spring rain plenty of time, even if its in the high forties, low fifties, and you don’t feel like you’ll ever warm up.
Running in Chicago where your breath freezes when you exhale. Brrr!
Annual 10K road race last January temperature at the race start was -21C and with the wind chill felt like -25C.
Coldest ride for me, it probably wasn’t THAT cold outside, but I had not bought shoe covers. About 20 miles away from the house my toes were so cold that I ate two power bars and tried to put the wrappers around my toes to block the wind from coming in my shoes. In case you’re wondering… it didn’t work. Now I have booties ;)
Yesterday I was running and it was 2degres. Then it started to snow, what a beautifull run was!
Most of my coldest runs were done in Bucharest, Romania where I lived for 2 years. The first week I arrived was particularly tough – running at night, in the dark, in a strange city. I was cold and jet-lagged – but so stressed from the new environment that I needed to run and was glad I did.
Running this morning at 18 degrees F. Coldest run for me ever.
My coldest run was in Lithuania, in December two years ago, when the breath was freezing to snow on the scarf over my face.
Wow, I’ve lot’s of memories of running in crappy, cold weather, having started running back in west central Illinois back in the ’70’s. The land there was so flat that the state has to install picket fences along the sides of the interstate during the winter to keep snow drifting off of the roads. Just plum-cold, with none of the technical gear that we have now. You always looked a bit like a hobo going out for a run then, unless you had the buck to shell out for one of those gore-tex running suits ($200+, not too cheap in 70’s dollars). Lots of frozen fingers, toes, frozen snot on your face. Soggy, corn-flake snow that ended up freezing your jacket zippers shut. All sorts of fun, but it made you tougher!
Training for boot camp I would run every morning at 5 am, in December Indiana gets slightly cold, average about 10 degrees . What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
I did my coldest ran in January last year. I live in Poland and temperature here from time to time drops to -25C. It was so cold that I had to wrap my toes with the duck tape :) When I’ve returned from the long run my wife noticed that the sweat from my cap formed a nice icicle, but it was fun!!!
Over 2k replies but worth a shot!!! My coldest run was at the Disney half… nose running, toes numb, and lots of fun!
last month ran through Ute Valley park, no so cold at 18 deg.
Coldest run didn’t last long… went outside, saw ice on cars and floor, turned back around after 1 mile. Florida blood couldn’t handle it!
Riding in 38 deg for 40 miles with snow on the side of the road. Took one hour bath to thaw out.
Several years ago I ran the Hypothermic Half in Calgary…..in February……there is a reason its called the Hypothermic Half. I can’t remember the exact temp but think minus 10 – 20 celsius. My brother in law from Houston was in town and ran with me for a bit to cheer me on. He said he wore every piece of gear he had and was still cold!
My coldest run was most certainly of my own making. Instead of going for my workout at a more reasonable time and temperature, I instead went at almost ten at night. The wind was so cold it physically hurt my face. The run wasn’t so much to workout as it was to just preserve my body temperature. It probably didn’t help that I’m often stupid about bundling up, and wore just shorts and a tshirt. Not my best plan. But I put in my miles, and made it through! Only took me about 30 minutes in the shower to warm back up.
I actually enjoy running in the cold, but try to avoid temps below -15 C. Today it was -6 C and a strong wind, the coldest ever has been -20 C.
I live in Massachusetts and train year round for marathons. Being a overworked, self employed contractor with a 2 year old means I train at 3:00 am. My cutoff is usually -15F. Just last week it was -12 for my 15 miler. Then I spent the day roofing! Very grateful for my beard and lots of warm clothes!!
I live in Massachusetts and train year round for marathons. Being a overworked, self employed contractor with a 2 year old means I train at 3:00 am. My cutoff is usually -15F. Just last week it was -12F for my 15 miler. Then I spent the day roofing! Very grateful for my beard and lots of warm clothes!!
My coldest run was the 2011 Oklahoma City memorial marathon. After a week of warm, sunny weather, the weather turned nasty with rain and a biting north wind that drove temperatures into the mid 30’s. It rained the entire way and even hailed on us at the finish line.
My coldest run was today, in a 10K race in Trevias, Asturias, Spain, It was raining and with 5ºC i did my best and I finished in 38′, then I had to wait for my teammates for about 10 mins in the cold, raining like hell with no roof, I’m having a stomach ache right now.
St. Patricks Day 8k a few years ago, prior to investing in some winter running gear.
Coldest swim was in my bath tub filled w ice first thing in the morning to “speed up” my metabolism & lose TONS of weight . . . best advice from a diet weight loss book yet . . . NOT!!!!!
Mine would have been a bike ride two years ago, started out well for a 90 mile trip but about quarter of the way into it we ran into a thunderstorm with nowhere to go for protection. After making it to a house’s front porch for protection we were soaked head to toe and waited for the storm to end and after an hour resumed the ride. The temperature dropped into the 30’s so the temperature wasn’t terrible but being wet made it feel like zero out. Finished the ride but it was rough for awhile.
Bit tough to find a cold story in South Africa, but running the Two Oceans Ultra in the pouring rain for 6 hours dressed in a black bin bag for warmth – probably about as bad as it gets
I’m from the tropics so last week’s 5k run along Lake Geneva at 3 deg C was my coldest run. I caught a cold and missed a week of runs.
If I could run right now I would have a more recent story, but since I am recovering from knee surgery (meniscus tear) I am unable to run right now. I have many cold weather running memories since I live MN. However, one run worth sharing is when my first born was young. I was a single mom at the time and because it was roughly -10 degrees (colder with the windchill) taking him running with me in the jogging stroller was out of the question. So, I did laps in the cul-de-sac while he watched through the window. I can’t say that it was funnest run, but it was fun to see him wave as I ran by the house many many times :)
Just last week, out on the track. Snow, ice, gale force winds and an interval session. Yeeha! Topped it off with some speed work at the end. Doubt I could’ve been running/sliding very fast though!
-15°F cross country ski marathon!
This is the reason that I own two pair of wind briefs.
This winter, training in the evening after work at 0 C. The lower was in the night walking at – 16 C several year ago, literally risked to freeze!
Training in a 9° C in Fort Lauderdale for the Walt Disney World Goofy and a Race Challenge! I’m from Brazil and normally, almost the whole year, I run in hot days, so this one was different!
Took off on a group ride 2 weeks ago and it was 30F (supposed to hit 40F). 10 miles in the temp dropped to 25F and we hit freezing fog. We ended up going less than 8mi/hr for the last 16mi. 30 miles took over 3hrs…
Coldest run by far was in Chicago in early January 2010. There was icy snow on the ground and the temp with wind chill was close to -15 F. I did not wear warm enough gloves and ended up putting my hands in my armpits for the last 3 miles to stay warm. That sucked!
My coldest run was not supposed to be a run at all. I live in central Alabama and a couple of years ago we were suprised with about 5″ of snow in the middle of a regular work day. The weather men vastly under estimated the forcast and by the time they released us from work the damage was done. I made it to within 4 miles of my house before coming to a dead stop. We are not equipped with snow equipment or salt so the roads were basically a parking lot. I pulled over to the parking lot of a church and began what was the worst 4 mile run of my life. Dressed in my blue jeans, wolverine boots and a hoody, I made the 4 mile journey in just under 2 hours. I was so cold my wife put me in a hot shower clothes and all. Some how I still have 10 fingers and toes. The up side is that those 40 degree bike rides during the southern winter months are now a piece of cake.
Ran in Rip in Czech Republic mid winter and got lost. Brrr.
-3 w/ wind chill this week may be the coldest. Lips still cracked 5 days later.
I´m from Brasil and there is no cold run here!
Hi Ray. No real winter fitness stories here, just dropping a comment to enter the drawing.
New Year’s Eve 5k – all the water and fake champagne froze solid!
My coldest runs were when I lived in NH many years ago. It was so cold I moved back to England. I’m now in NJ, my coldest run here still isn’t as cold as NH!
I was born and raised in Southern Cali so I am pretty spoiled weather wise, but lately it has been really cold (for me…) I get up and run before work so I get out at 4:30am and with it being 38 degrees F was freezing for me and again being a SoCal guy I don’t have much cold gear. You other guys with colder weather I gained much respect for haha.
I rode in Baltimore back around Winter of 2004 and I purposefully went out because it was -5F windchill one particular night. My nipples (I’m male) froze to my jersey. Should’ve put on the bandaids before I went out…
My husband and I were doing some base miles in preparation for our Italian cycling honeymoon. It was about 26 degrees F when we left the house, with a chance of flurries. About 25 miles from home, the sky opened up, and dropped 2 inches of heavy, wet snow in a matter of thirty minutes. We turned around, but were still about 11 miles out when I got a flat! Talk about cold!
Coldest ride bike ever happened late november last year. It was first snow of the year down in Quebec (CAN) and I was trying to get one last ride before the winter. Riding on blue ice with my mountain bike, dressed like a cross-country skier…I was cold from head to toe, but jeez that descent on the ice at 60km/h was fun!!!
A hike and a night in a one-side-open shelter in -18C, the sleeping bag did not deliver according to the marketing..
It’s been pretty cold in SW VA that past couple of weeks with more than a 1′ of snow in a week. Coldest run was last week with a windchill of 0F but the temperature for the run was in the low teens.
Hope you’re enjoy the Parisian life!
Riding my bike to work on a windy and snowy day at -13C. Bridge was all frozen and I kept thinking of getting myself tires with snow chains :)
Nothing crazy but in the low 20’s. It’s tough trying to do the speed work in the snow!
Hmmmm… windchill of -40 C last week in Ottawa! a warmer -20 the last few days :)
I haven’t been running too long, however I remember about two months ago I started training for my first big race. It was my first long run ever and it was below 30. I normally run cold anyways, after much debate I finally bundled up and went out in the cold. I finished the run and felt very accomplished. It might not be the coldest story, but at least I know with the right clothes anything is possible!! Thanks for all your great stories and motivation. Keep up your great work and the great stories!!
Running on 12/24 this past year in International Falls -11, -20 with wind chill.
Sleigh ride on lake at Mt. Tremblant in December years ago turned into a run to avoid frostbite on fingers and toes.
After committing to start running again (after a lenghty absence) i hit the treadmill for the winter, it breaks after a month! So in keeping with my goal I hit the street- it’s in the single digits with below zero wind chill, the coldest it’s been in a while- just my luck! It’s not easy but I’m sticking with it!!!!
My best cold run was when snow delayed school, but the delay wasn’t announced until I was already there (snow is rare where I am at). I had only shorts and a long sleeved shirt. I ran sockless so that I would have dry socks for the rest of the day. It was a really awesome run despite the frozen feet.
Don’t do cold. Under 60 = treadmill. Did a half in the 30’s swore never again.
First open water swim in the Pacific (Santa Cruz). And pretty much every one since (but that one was the worst – temp 50-52)
Drove from my house -25F up to the mountain for a snowshoe jaunt. On the mountain it was 3F, water froze in my backpack during a 4.5 mile trail breaking snowshoe. Great morning!!
I guess my story is more sad than anything. My coldest run was about a year ago. Just getting some miles in, did a 10K with the temperature 42F. Ended up with a respiratory infection. We just don’t get a lot of frigid temps in south Alabama.
Training for a winter marathon means I run outside at night in the dead of a Canadian winter. Honestly i could deal with the -20c temps, but I’ve had some runs that as much as I tried to avoid them, I inevitably end up stomping into a huge slush-puddle. No gore-tex shoes here. Just mesh shoe uppers, performance socks, and cold feet.
Probably my coldest run this year was trail running up our local mountain with my dog. It started out great, but as I climbed it got colder and crisper. Until it eventually turned into ice/snow. My dog had no trouble at all, and was actually very excited, she was only 5 months old at the time! Although I was having a hard time with grip because at the height were the snow started the trail was mostly rock faces. Eventually I slipped and the strap on my Timex ironman broke. So hopefully I can get a new garmin!
coldest run this winter was today so far. 23*F and with the wind chill was 14* but it felt great. Only did 10 miles though :-(
Triathlon training in Cleveland, OH back during my undergrad years. I used to run in full cold weather gear down to -20 degree temperatures–so cold that any exposed hair would immediately freeze!
Coldest swim was when I was in my teens, our swim coach made us swim in the outdoor pool while there was a pretty decent show shower going on. The pool was heated but man my arms and back cold!
Well neither a run nor a bike ride but it was -11F (-24C) during my Cosmic ski mountaineering race two weeks ago. That was wee bit chilly, especially hitting 30+mph on the downhill with a broken zipper on the front of my jacket.
I live in the Florida keys so my coldest run was horrible. It was 49 degrees with a nasty north wind blowing 25 knots. When you’re surrounded by water the north – northwest wind blowing off the mainland cuts right through you.
I’ve never been out on a really cold run. I have horrible circulation and can loose feeling in my feet in my house barefoot. I tend to hit the treadmill when it gets cold out. ;)
We’ll it’s summer here in Melbourne at the moment. I went for a run on a 37 degree C day at noon. Does that count as being cold?
It was 22F at the start of a local ride. Cold enough that my water bottle froze mid ride. I also forgot to factor wind chill when going downhills at 30+mph (-11F). I had to stop at a gas station to warm up in order to make it home.
Coldest run was in Vermont two years ago when I went out for a long run of about 15 miles. I significantly underestimated the wind chill and even with a balaclava my entire face was an face-cicle by the end of the run with the moisture of my breath freezing instantly. A little embarrassing, but the worst part about the run was not being properly prepared for the ice cold wind cutting right through my shorts, tights, and underwear. I spent a lot of time in severe pain after that run. Suffice to say, I am now the proud owner of windstopper underwear. I love running in winter, but one must be prepared for the elements!
My coldest run began knee-deep in water with temps down to 45F. That may not be as cold as today, but when you start a high school cross country race knee deep in standing water, you may as well get ready to freeze your butt off. That was a tough race. And it was pouring rain the whole time!
Two years ago, on Christmas morning it was about 10F in NYC. But I had to try out my new cold weather gear to see how it held up. I survived and thankfully live in Cali now, so now cold weather is anything below 50F.
Around -5F and very windy in Ohio. I cut a long run short when I became seriously concerned about frostbite somewhere. (I was the only man in the group.)
Swimming in Lake Tahoe in the middle of winter…. Burrrrrrrrr!
My coldest swim was the oceanside HIM… 1/2 an hour in 54 degree water…
4*F. A quick out and back. Not a great idea. Haven’t run in temps less than 20*F since.
Tears always coming out only from left eye, somehow, in the cold. But I guess it’s not cold enough because tears don’t freeze…
-15C one year ago and my face felt like a ice wall…
-7*C at the start of a race here in SA, Rhodes Ultra Marathon, it was a little colder in the valley as we climbed the mountain!
Pacific Crest triathlon. Water temperature was 58 and air temp was in the 40’s! Left on the bike on the verge of hypothermic, but fortunately dressed right and warmed up on the bike.
I’m from Texas. If its below 30, I ain’t running in it.
My coldest run was last year at Los Angeles, CA going to Sta. Monica Beach. I was about to do 28km LSD but due to cold weather, and I’m not really used to it since I’m from tropical country, I got injured and only finished 14km.
Last year we did a 50km trail run in the Drakensberg (South Africa/Lesotho). We started at 5:00 in the morning, the previous day it was snowing on the peaks and raining the whole day. It was probably only -1 C or so at the start (in the dark) the only problem was that we had around 4 stream crossings in the first 2 km – the first one coming around 200m from the start. Due to all the rain the stream was flowing quite strongly as well coming up to thigh height in some spots. The good thing was that after the first two crossings everything got completely numb and the water from the next crossing actually felt nice and warm upon entering.
I have done the frozen fools challenge for several years here in Wisconsin. We bike at least 5 miles every day from 1/1 to 4/1 as contest and fundraiser. I’ve seen evening from 20 below to 10 inches of snow on my bike.
Running at 5 degrees an New Years day. Cycling at 15 degrees to work a few years ago. Swimming in 48 degree Lake Michigan during a early tri (wetsuit does not help much). I will go indoors before going any colder than these. . . . Will not do that swim again . . .
If it is above 30 degrees I run in shorts and a t-shirt. When it’s colder I add gloves as my fingers are about all that bother me in the cole. While it wasn’t the coldest run, I recently ran in Dallas at ~45 degrees and EVERY other runner wore the equivalent of a parka and snow pants. I just smile and keep going. They think I’m crazy for sure.
Coldest run was a couple of years ago training for a winter half marathon. I was on the Brooklyn bridge at night, 20 mph winds, and actual temp was 20 before windchill calculations. I had two pairs if socks on with a Subway sandwich bag in between them.
Coldest indoor swim was in high school. Hell week in Michigan, during winter break and the heater in our new state of the art pool broke. Ended up swimming in <65 degree water. One kid threw up. His new nickname was Rice Cakes. Coldest outdoor swim has always been the New Year's Day Polar Bear swim in Coney Island.
Summer here in Adelaide at the moment. Did a 11km session in 35C (95F) last night. The beer was cold afterwards.
I hate training in the cold. Anything below 5C means lots of pain. So my coldest run was last November in Washington State. It was 0C, but my hands were screaming in pain.
I’m never, ever, ever going to live in a cold place anymore!
Well, my coldest run was probably today, and I’m not joking! -20 C with 30km/h winds, the first few km were headwind and a bit of a pain for the few inches of exposed skin around the eyes, but after that I turned and it was so good I ran a few more km than expected (10 total)… so why would one need a threadmill? Mind you, with this cold air, running intervals is too tough for my poor lungs, so I can’t really push. But it’s still better than watching TV :-)
The SuperSprint Kinglake Ride of 2011. Started off not raining and warmish. But as soon as we started it rained and then rained some more. And then it was cold. And what made it colder was the wind. And then going up Kinglake Hill I got hot and sweaty. And then going down the other side in the wind and rain I got colder and wetter. I didn’t finish but was a great day.
Thanks for the chance. Coldest run was back to my towel after a Polar Bear a few New Years ago. Somehow I’ve been busy or away every 1/1 since….
Denver, 28* cycling, 35 mph winds gusting higher… It was bloody cold and I didn’t notice the wind till I had to loop back and it became a headwind. No wonder I was making good time on the “out” portion!
Texas is the only part of the country warm right now. I’ve only been running for two months. It hasn’t been cold yet :). One if these days that West Texas wind is gonna freeze my face off. We’ll see my commitment then.
Quick jog at -40 degrees C in the Gobi desert… had an ice beard after that one!
Training run a few years ago, greater Vancouver area near freezing and lashing down with rain. Only had my windbreaker on and got soaked to the bone within 10 minutes. The next hour was one of the most miserable runs I’ve ever had. But I’m still running!
Saturday, January 17, 2009. I was living & working in Montreal, Quebec for November through January. The day before I left the city it was -13F temperature, I suited up in a wind proof jacket, pants, gloves and hat and ran 5 miles through Mont Royal park. Gorgeous park in the city, and I actually stayed warm through proper layering. Makes you feel proud of yourself for toughing out a run in those conditions and enjoying what is one of my favorite cities now! I’ll take ca cold run over a cold swim *any day*!
Coldest bike ride was Ride the Rockies a while back. It was in the summer but it didn’t feel that way getting out of my tent at 6am in Vail, Colorado. Bike gloves were inadequate and gripping the handlebar, my fingers were *freezing*.
My coldest run was my first race ever – a 10K in NYC with temperature of 7*F (adjusted for wind chill). This week came pretty close though – 17*F for my 7 mile run tonight. Didn’t see many fellow runners in the park.
Barcelona, Christmas 2008, I recently started biking and I was eager to go out, I wasn’t really prepared, a 10$ rain jacked and shorts, when I hit the peak it started snowing, so all the way down with snow flakes hitting my legs like knifes. When I entered the shower I didn’t know if the water was freezing me more or burning my skin.
Resolution run, Edmonton AB. Jan 1, 5K run @ -30c, (-35 with wind chill).
June 2 2011, Perth Western Australia… it must have been 2° C and believe me, that’s as cold as it gets here. :-)
Bugger, I can’t compete with your coldest, but then it’s all relative. We get over 40° here in summer, and now is summer..
Sunny greetings from Down Under. Marc
I went out just a few days ago when it was 5 degrees, forgetting to check the windchill which was at -16. Gotta love that Minnesota winter running. Kicking off 2013 race season on Saturday where we expect a balmy 13F day.
I did a bike ride on Monday, right at freezing. The coldest I’d ridden before that was around 10F warmer than that and I wore similar clothes, not realizing that those 10 degrees would make a huge distance in my (stationary) forearms, fingers and toes. Luckily the way back had more uphills and my lack of speed and increased heart rate took care of all but the toes.
Relatively recently along the Charles River after the sun went down and the wind picked up. How cold could it be in Boston? Cold enough that around mile 10 it was necessary to reconsider the best use of my gloves… By mile 15 they were stuffed into my pants.
Would definitely be a ride. Doesn’t get all that cold in Australia, but zero Celsius can be plenty if you’re riding downhill for long enough in inappropriate clothing.
Dec 8 2009, it was only -6F. Eyelids started to freeze shut towards the end.
Ran in the USATF Masters Club XC Nationals in Spokane several years ago. During the race it was 15F with a cold 15mph wind out of the north. The ground was frozen solid. Finishing became the objective – racing wasn’t even a consideration.
Living in Brisbane Australia (sub-tropical) temperature almost never drops to zero (Celsius). Coldest run for me was a couple of years ago where it dropped down to 1 degree C and I couldnt stop shaking for the first km or so!
I was out running in freezing weather a few years back trying to exercise my way out of a nasty head cold. No problems on the run because I was wearing warm gear and my cold seemed to go away, but when I got back inside I looked in the mirror and noticed icicles coming out of my nose . . . .
I don’t go out running when it’s cold outside.
But then again, it rarely gets below 20C in these parts.
My coldest bike ride is much more memorable than my coldest run. I was living in the SF Bay Area and decided on a very cold December morning to try to ride Mt. Tam (3,000′ climb), Mt. Diablo (3,300′ climb) and Mt. Hamilton (5,000′ climb) in one day. (driving between the three). It was 35F at the top of Mt. Tam at 7am and I was under dressed for the descent in the cold fog. My hands were numb by the bottom.
Even after driving to Mt. Diablo with the heater on and a cup of coffee I still didn’t warm up enough by the top of the climb. It started raining / hailing on the way down Diablo and I was shivering uncontrollably. I had to pull over half way down and get a ride the rest of the way down to the car from the Rangers. I passed on climbing Mt. Hamilton that day. I had to stay bundled up the rest of the day indoors.
Hmmm… every single memory that I have when I used to live in Canada. I remember running through -25C + windchill in a 10k, ice everywhere on the roads, and somehow everyone was still smiling? Canadians, eh?
While training for my first marathon a few years back the temperatures got down to -25C, and with the wind factored in it was in the -35C (-31F) territory. I was scheduled for a 16 miler that day, and soldiered through despite my face covering freezing solid (moisture from my breath + cold) half-way through and making it difficult to breath through it. I ended up popping into an indoor mall and doing a half mile or so inside to allow it to thaw out before I headed back outside. I’ve run in colder overall temperatures than that a couple times (IIRC the lowest was -41C with windchill), but they were all shorter runs so it didn’t quite hurt as much as that one :OP Either way, still orders of magnitude better than running on a treadmill!
Fortunately, the last few winters have been pretty tame around these parts so we’ve been lucky. Had a stint going down to -20C (-4F) this week, which has been a reminder of what we’ve been missing. The joys of running in Canada ;)
Been colder than usual here in California (Silicon Valley).
I ran in the hills 2 weeks ago mid-afternoon on Sunday, and wide areas had not defrosted through the day.
I ran through the same place last Saturday morning..and looks like these spots had not defrosted for the entire week…the frost had “grown” up making beautiful crystals! Wished I had my camera with me…
Coldest run: Lake Tahoe in the middle of a snow fall. Thank God for thermal wear…
I forgot to bring my wetsuit during Wildflower a few years ago. That was a very unpleasant 30 minutes I will never get back. I live in the tropics now, I forgot what it is like to be cold.
Tempo run at 2 degrees F. Happened to cruise past an elite ultramarathoner that lives in the area (he was on what was probably a very easy recovery run and I was barely faster :)
I remember going out in Seattle after that big wind storm in 2006. It was around 15°F. It was a weird experience having to navigate all the fallen pines and branches. I had just moved from Mexico and was really not prepared for the cold. Good times.
Always doing some short weekend rides (up to 2 hrs) if the temperature drops below -5 deg C so that streets are kind of dry again. Hate the wet streets between +5 and -5 deg C.
Running (and sliding) on a snowed over golf course in Queenstown NZ
That’s what treadmills are for…
Coldest run was a sub 10C trail run last March with my buddies in Baguio, Philippines. All of us were wearing single layers since it was a humid 32-34C morning. Weather quickly got worse as the day got on, temps plummeted and we were suddenly caught in a crazy downpour on top of a mountain. Visibility was down a few meters and we couldn’t feel our limbs by that time, being drenched and chilled to the bone. One of my friends was also dangerously near hypothermia. Fortunately, we found shelter in a nearby house and arranged for someone to pick us up in a car. Will remember to prep according next time
Hi, 2 weeks ago with my MTB in the mountain near Udine – Italy, it was all white for the snow, -8°C!!!!!
Cheers
My coldest run was when I was working in Sweden. Coming from Australia I had no idea what cold was so I only brought my shorts, shoes and a singlet to run in. Not sure what the temperatures were on my runs but they were all shorter and harder than I would have normally run.
Been on plenty of cold run’s. The coldest I have ever been though was training on my bike on a cold morning wearing my summer gear. My planned two and half hour ride was over after 40mins. When I got home I had hyperthermia. Nuff said!
I don’t cycle outside if it goes below 5 Celsius, I would rather do twice the k’s on the indoor trainer than risk it outside. :)
Minneapolis business trip 1995. We were dumb brits so went for a jog in the evening. Minus 17 or something – I forget – windchill, no people or cars in sight, until a taxi pulled over and driver shouted “you guys are nuts, get in”. We did. Unnerving experience!
ghost lake alberta (home of the calgary 70.3). you are white as a ghost when you come out.
The coldest run I ever experienced started slightly below freezing, but ended well into the very freezing temperatures. The big problem was that the sweat on my running beanie plus the freezing rain and sleet that started halfway into my run caused it to freeze to my ears by the time I finished. I had to go inside the house and thaw out a bit before I could take the beanie off. Ouch.
-Guillermo
ghost lake alberta! home of the calgary 70.3
I remember one commute last spring where the temperature unexpectedly fell below freezing: I was sol cold when I arrived home that I had to soak my hands in hot water to get the blood going.I felt nothing for some time, then I cried.
Gotta love Canada.
Thanks for the opportunity Ray
Evening run in the dark when it’s five degrees out with a little wind… It wasn’t very fun.
This is not the coldest run but maybe the coldest to warmest run done in a 24 hour period. I ran outside yesterday at 5 degrees in a suburb of Boston and then tonight in Honolulu at 80 degrees. Sweated like pig!!!
Coldest ride was the Chilly Hilly in WA in 2009. It was also my longest to that point and we took the shortcut which lopped off the last 10 miles or so.
Minneapolis business trip 1995. We were dumb brits so went for a jog in the evening. Minus 17 or something windchill, no people or cars in sight, until a taxi pulled over and driver shouted “you guys are nuts, get in”. We did. Unnerving experience!
Because I live in Central Florida, running in the cold is very hard to come by. But I still could still make good use of that watch.
Coldest run for me is about ~30F in Sacramento, CA.
Coldest run this year was a 10 mile run a few weeks ago. Temp was about 8 deg when I started but a cold wind picked up about 2 miles into the run and when I got back the temp was right at 0 deg. My man parts hurt for a few hours while everything thawed out.
Well, my latest business trip took me to -9 degree weather….so my “run” was from the cab to the building! and then, um, to the hotel gym :). My actual coldest run found me slipping on ice along the Charles River.
Thanks, as usual, for the great posts and great giveaways!
Coldest run was not actually a run, but rather acting as a course marshal for a NYRR 1/2 marathon in Central Park a couple of January’s ago. 14 degrees without windchill, 2+ hours of directing runners, managing pedestrians, cheering, and freezing in a full snowsuit. Wow that was a cold day.
Training for the Tokyo marathon, doing laps of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, the moat of which was frozen solid – confounding the ducks!
We had freezing rain. Everything was covered in an inch of ice. Not good for running
Last year I jumped into a glacier lake in high Sierra in Sept brrrrrrr ~~~~~
The coldest run I can remember was along the Chicago lakefront a few winters ago. There were several, really, and the wind always made it much worse. I was leading a half-marathon training group, and the usual policy was to cancel the run if the temperature was below 0 F. The run wasn’t cancelled (but barely), but the only people who showed up were me and my co-leader. We ran anyway, and on our way back the snow turned icy, so we had ice shards pelting our faces.
For what it’s worth (and I hope this won’t disqualify me), it was sunny and 63 in Golden, CO, today, and I ran in shorts and short sleeves.
You guys are crazy! I’m from Georgia, if its under 35 F, I’m staying inside!
coldest swim… Boy Scout camp in Montana near Glacier National Park… The lake is glacier fed and around 50 degrees. No wetsuit and had to pass a swimming test to be able to participate in other water activities like canoeing and rowboats. Brrrrr!
Coldest? Recently on a group walk, I had a sore back so packed as light as I possibly could imagine, the group normally has a good pace, so you warm yourself up.
But someone brought a friend. He walked at a truly g.l.a.c.i.a.l. pace. I ended up running in circles and jumping up and down like a puppy as we got higher and higher into the mountains and it started to snow…
Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
my coldest runner was last week. I went to Versailles to see my gf and took all my running stuff with me to the pleasure to run one more time into the versailles park. But it was snowing big cats and big dogs! it was very very cold and I run just 15 minutes -just to say my stuff didn’t made an useless trip-. At the end I has ice on my eyebrowse and nose. Finally, I was tired as I run for an hour. ;-)
Cycling in Switzerland for the first time in late fall. I dressed with the theory that you should “start cold”. What I wasn’t prepared for was just how long and steep the climbs would be, and how much colder it would be up top (I was new to CH). I was ok going up the first climb, but going down my teeth were chattering and my limbs were shaking.
Do not worry: it seems that the weather in Stockholm won’t be that bad.
link to yr.no
Coldest training, cross-country skiing 3hr@-20, coldest run 20k@-18, coldest marathon 42,2k@-11 (+ wind 10m/s) on snow.
Not very cold here in Thailand. But as I remember last 2 year in December, morning run at 10c made my feet very cold in VFFs.
The coldest I’ve ever been was in July in Johannesburg on a ride averaging around 5°C, specifically the lowest point where it hit -7°C.
This may not seem that cold by Northern Hemisphere standards, but bear in mind that we believe that it never gets cold in Joburg (and ignore the annual six week period where this is patently not the case). As a result, we have absolutely no clue about properly insulating our houses or about proper cold weather gear. I thought my hands and other important extremities were going to fall off.
My coldest run i Think is in 2009 in the French montains By -10C under and on snow in the clouds
I was sent to work in vladivostok for a few days and I run one day, guy, the faces of the people looking at me were incredible. I still have the cold in my bones.
This past Monday, a nice run in 7 F weather. It wasn’t a long run, but I still had a good crop of ice crystals on the beard. Its interesting how 17 F is not too bad, but my hands get really cold in gloves when it is just ten degrees colder.
I’ve never ridden my bike on a cold day since my racing days back in the 80s. I prefer my trainer instead.
Seven years ago I was lucky enough to get to Scott Base, Antarctica. While there I joined in a 10K race in cold (Ukraine cold) and windy conditions. With several layers of clothing and with mukluks on my feet it was more shuffle than run and that 10K felt like an ultra marathon.
I LOVED EVERY SHIVERING MINUTE OF IT!
Coldest run just yesterday, -5°C link to connect.garmin.com
Coldest ride earlier this month, -3°C link to connect.garmin.com we had to turn back soon after leaving town, as road bikes with slick tires do not go well with ice (falling with 5 km/h in a turn, priceless :D)
About two weeks before last christmas temperature dropped to -15°C during one of my runs. So cold my chest hurt… won’t be doing that again
First I want to say welcome to Sweden and my home country!
One of my coldest runs was just a few days ago. -15 and a perfect day with 1 dm newly fallen snow and clear skies.
I live in Hawaii so ummm….I got nothing. Crap. Well, I DO get chilled swimming at the pool for night sessions. That’s gotta count for something!
Running in -8°C last tuesday
A few years ago, riding along the ocean in Victoria, B.C., Canada. It was on my birthday in November, my carbon frame was pretty new and I feared it would be too cold and break because of the vibrations (later I found out that I didn’t need to worry). I also got new long tights for “winter use” and a friend had crappy gloves.
During the ride he went buying new gloves, since his fingers got blue, while me and my wife were waiting for him outside the store, making sure the bikes are fine. Keeping warm while waiting was a challenge, and I returned my new pants the next day, making sure to get the “extreme cold” version of them this time.
We all agreed, that even tough the weather looked so nice (clear sky and sun), the chilly wind near the ocean was just too much.
I don’t know how cold it was, but the wind and wet air from the ocean must have made it so much cooler.