Monday, September 30, 2013

No Excuses... 9 Tips for Running in the Windy Fall Weather

Yesterday I looked outside and saw the grass out in the field whipping around and went from looking forward to my run to looking forward to catching up on Grey's Anatomy on the elliptical.  We all know that an elliptical session is in no way equal to a real run so today.. wind or no wind and they are calling for wind, I am getting out there in my running shoes.  I will probably cuss the wind the whole time, but I know when I am done I will have a satisfaction that I didn't get yesterday.

Since it tends to get pretty windy here in the spring and fall, I will share my best tips for dealing with the wind.

Here are my tips for running in windy weather

  1. Get a treadmill.  Don't have that option right now like me or you just want to take it outside because you are badass like that, (also like me) read on.
  2. Given a choice always start by running into the wind and ending with the wind at your back.  Getting half way through a run and then turning around and running into the wind makes me cranky and my sweat feel icy if it is cold out.
  3. Relax your pace goals.  Running into a 10 mph headwind can slow your pace by about 8%, with it at your back it speeds you up by about 5%.  Now imagine what 20 mph winds must do! Just think of all the extra calories burned by fighting the wind.
  4. Layer up. I often find on a cold, sunny, but windy day, I need to drop a layer (at least on top)  while running with the wind and add it when running into the wind. 
  5. Play mental games tell yourself how much stronger you will be for having done this, imagine you are a jet plane flying through the wind, slicing through it, the wind is your friend, nothing can hold you back, etc, you get the idea.
  6. Chapstick  because who wants dry cracked wind burned lips?  Not me. \
  7. Run earlier or later.  At least where I live it seems like the wind is the calmest first thing in the morning and later in the evening, but will blow the feathers off a chicken all day.
  8. If you can run cross ways with the wind.  It never seems as bad to me this way, unless the gusts are hurricane force and they blow you all over the road.
  9. Have someone drop you off somewhere so that you can run home with the wind at your back.  I tried to get my husband to do this once and he mocked me for not being a real runner and dealing with it. 
I really only meant to do 5 tips, but I kept thinking of more great tips.  Tell me I am not the only one who opts out of a run sometimes to avoid the wind.  Cold doesn't bother me as much as wind does.  Wind is so aggravating!

Ever had a run where you felt like you weren't going anywhere because the wind was so bad.  I have.

What is your best windy weather running tip?

21 comments:

  1. Great post! I love #9! Running in windy weather is probably my least favorite thing, so I will keep these in mind this fall and winter!

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  2. I love number eight.
    who knew?!

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  3. Not running related but we hit monster wind on our climb this past Saturday-- literally so strong that it was blowing me downhill and I am not tiny! Wind is the worst!

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  4. Growing up on the Oregon Coast, I have had some pretty windy running. Wind that is so strong I barely move or wind that almost can knock you down. I really would rather not run in it if I can help it!

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  5. I've heard wind is a hill in disguise. Something about the wind resistance being similar to the extra exertion needed for running uphill. All I know is it's extra fatiguing.
    One more tip: wear a hat/headband that covers at least your hairline and ears to avoid headaches. I get the worst ones if I'm out in the wind without a hat!

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  6. Great set of tips. Sometimes I think wind is the worst element. It was fascinating to me this summer when heart rate training how much of an impact headwind had on it--it's worth it to slow down!

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  7. It is rarely windy where I train, but I am not a fan at all and always avoid it if possible! I'm running a half along the shore this weekend that's known for being windy, I'm a little nervous!

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  8. We had the remnants of a typhoon hit the PNW this weekend. I needed to do a long run and tried to wait for a break in the weather. Finally I bit the bullet and did my 8 miles in the wind and pouring rain. And it wasn't as bad as I thought. I was soaked to the bone when I finished, but felt pretty badass for getting out there and getting it done.

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  9. Santa Ana winds blow around here for several months. I can handle 15-20 mph, but when gusts are >30, I say forget it! Definitely wear a headband to keep my hair out of my eyes. When it's really blowing a hat will just fly off! I tell myself I'm getting stronger and the same route will feel easy when the wind stops.

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  10. Yesterday we had 70+ mph gusts here so I opted for an inside workout. Where I live it's windy more often than it's not. I usually will run if the wind is <35 mph. Above that and I make almost no progress per step, and it feels like I'd go faster by crawling on the ground. I also advise covering ears to avoid an earache.

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  11. Great tips! We don't deal with wind a whole lot here, just really hot summers. I definitely have a treadmill for those days! :0)

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  12. Yeah wind can be tough. I like it in summer because it relieves some of the heat. In winter the wind is downright brutal. So in fall I remind myself that it can be a whole lot worse. It's definitely calmer here first thing in the morning too.

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  13. Great tips! I went out for a run at 5am this morning with a friend- without realizing how windy it was. We found ourselves running into 20+ mph winds. Not my idea of a good time ;). Zapped all the energy from my body! Lovely wind.

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  14. I definitely agree with starting out against the wind and finishing with it (if possible) it's really hard to fight it when you are tired at the end of a run.

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  15. THAT wind has been something lately!!! i hate it. I would rather run in SNOW!! but then i think of snow and wind...and tell myself to quit bein a wuss and get out there! :-)

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  16. All good tips, yes. And I especially agree with running into the wind FIRST. I hate a headwind after a long time out there!

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  17. Running in the wind can just be miserable. Once I did opt for the treadmill instead, but there were dangerous weather warnings that day. There was a freak accident where a tree fell on a runner ...

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  18. I feel like wind is so bad because it's a mental game! I can lie to myself and pretend it's not "that cold", but laying in my nice warm bed hearing that wind whipping is a real buzzkill! I agree with all your tips!

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  19. I grew up along the Mississippi River across from St. Louis Mo where I had a choice of endless flatlands laced with corn fields or the flat Great River Road along the big river north and south. I was both a runner and a cyclist. I was discovered by a bicycle road racing team at an event in St Louis in the 1970's as a powerhouse when it came to Time Trialing or racing solo against the clock for 25 and 50 miles. Little did I realize in all those windy miles that the wind was preparing me for a 23 yr and 750,000 bicycle road racing career. I retired from cycling about 11 yrs ago now and fell back in love with ultra running.... Barefoot most of the time now. I live on the side of a mountain in So. CA. So wind has become my friend again. ��������������������☀️��

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