What's Worse - Running in the Heat or the Cold?

[Stitch&Co.]

I’ll take the heat. I can wear a headband and keep wiping away the sweat from my face, but the runny nose in cold weather drives me insane.

 

[Naomeri]

One other reason why cold is better than heat: the annoying bugs have returned to “the other side” where they belong—speaking as someone who swallowed several bugs in her half hour run tonight

 

[Grabnar]

Heat for sure, there comes a point where you literally cannot run without getting heat stroke; most of the South has been there at some point this summer. I had a heat index of 100F at 9pm the other day, it's terrible.

 

[GreatLakes]

Both have plusses and minuses but heat is worse than cold.

 

[RuntheMouse]

I’ll take the heat. I can wear a headband and keep wiping away the sweat from my face, but the runny nose in cold weather drives me insane.

My headband became useless after about 3 miles today. I had to wring it out more than once and then wash it out at the park. So much sweat in my eyes….so much sweat everywhere! I did manage to finish my six by oh my, so unpleasant.

 

[Scootin'By]

What I'm hearing is that I need to repost this about the middle of January and see what the opinion is then

 

[Disney at Heart]

Both excessive heat and cold are awful! I don’t like heat stroke, but I also don’t like running when I can’t feel my numb feet hit the ground and my mouth can’t form words. I prefer 40-70*, leaning toward the warmer side.

 

[sandam1]

I'm going to go with something that I learned from Jeff Galloway - heat can and does kill runners. I've never heard of a runner dying from running in the cold.

Now, admittedly, I am a northern girl and have run outside in 45 degree temps in shorts and a t-shirt so naturally I would say that the heat is worse. But I have been legitimately worried for some people going long runs outside in the south this summer. Treadmills exist for a reason, folks, use them!

 

[DisneyMountainWoman]

You can always put on more layers... there are only so many layers you can take off. So cold is better than heat for sure.

 

[camaker]

You can always put on more layers... there are only so many layers you can take off. So cold is better than heat for sure.

I hear this a lot, yet find it hard to run following this philosophy, as I end up looking like this:

 

[DisneyMountainWoman]

I hear this a lot, yet find it hard to run following this philosophy, as I end up looking like this:

View attachment 787489

Lol I mean there is times I have felt this but since I am a skier I can pool from some really good winter clothes if I need too.

 

[matt and beth]

Tore my fasciitis running in winter and slipped on some ice. Way more dangers running in winter

 

[dobball23]

The first mile might be a little rough in the cold (I'd say <15 degrees) but if you're dressed appropriately, you eventually do warm up*.

Agreed, although I can never get my hands to stay/get warm!

 

[Scootin'By]

Agreed, although I can never get my hands to stay/get warm!

Same!

I can't get my nose to stay warm either. It runs just as much as I do! I've tried a few masks, but they all fog up my glasses. And I just cannot do contacts!

 

[AZMermaid]

I’m having a rough time with the heat this summer. we've just had so many 110+ days which creates lows in the low 90s. It is just so dang hard to get up at 5AM to run when it’s 90 degrees out! The school said it was 96 when I ran by at 6:30 on Saturday… although I do think their thermometer is a bit off. But…. I’ve also never run in extreme cold so I cant compare it. Heres this week…

 

[xjillianpaige]

Pros of the heat:
- none
- there are none
- no

Cons of the heat:
- it's hot
- even early it can be humid and feel hot
- even early it can be hot
- did I mention the humidity?

Pros of the cold:
- I can layer lots of clothes on and remove them if I decide I don't need them

Cons of the cold:
- there are no cons
- it's 100x better than the heat

 

[mmm_texas]

Pros of the heat:
- none
- there are none
- no

Cons of the heat:
- it's hot
- even early it can be humid and feel hot
- even early it can be hot
- did I mention the humidity?

Pros of the cold:
- I can layer lots of clothes on and remove them if I decide I don't need them

Cons of the cold:
- there are no cons
- it's 100x better than the heat

In the spirit of Jillian's post :

Pros of the cold:
- none
- nil
- nada

Cons of the cold:
- you need enough layers to keep from freezing
- you have to not have too many layers to keep from sweating, THEN freezing
- where do you put those layers you remove...?
- runny and/or cold nose
- watch out for ice patches!

Pros of the heat:
- free sauna experience!

Cons of the heat:
- okay, definitely slower times

 

[xjillianpaige]

In the spirit of Jillian's post :

Pros of the cold:
- none
- nil
- nada

Cons of the cold:
- you need enough layers to keep from freezing
- you have to not have too many layers to keep from sweating, THEN freezing
- where do you put those layers you remove...?
- runny and/or cold nose
- watch out for ice patches!

Pros of the heat:
- free sauna experience!

Cons of the heat:
- okay, definitely slower times

does this make me a running influencer? am I starting a trend?

 

[jmasgat]

Who'd have thought that on the last day of August, I would be reminded of one of the hardest parts of running in the cold....the bracing feeling when you first step outside in the cold.

Today my run started at 49F (T+D=95). It was great....once I got slightly warmed up! But not complaining.

 

[azrivest]

Same here... 50F when I went out at 5am this morning. It felt amazing.

My vo2max went up a point just by running in colder weather