Ahead of the Deejay Ten on Oct. 11, together with New Balance, we have created content specifically for those who want to run it. But also for anyone who has decided to start running and wants to do it the right way.
I would very much like to be able to give you direct advice on how to dress, it would also be easier to tell you “wear a tank top in August” or “use long pants in January,” but besides simple, it would be a big mistake. In fact, it is almost impossible to give precise advice on how to dress because there is one great mysterious variable: personal perception of temperature.
Indeed, there are the coldest people who just can’t tolerate being dressed too lightly, and on the other hand, there are the “warm-weather” people you see running around in tank tops and shorts even though they are being chased by polar bears in Lapland. Which then I don’t know if there are really polar bears in Lapland. Whatever.
The only correct approach to giving you advice on what clothes to use when you run is–in my opinion–to provide you with precise rules about which clothes are the most suitable and which are not, based on different weather situations; all seasoned with basic advice that allows you total autonomy to decide how to dress based on your personal perception of temperature.
1. The ground rules.
The main advice that I will never tire of repeating is to consider the temperature as if there were 10°C more than the actual conditions. The fact that sports raises our body temperature is a fact but we forget it the moment we have to get dressed to go out.
Therefore, if the temperature outside is 12°C, you may see people running around in shorts and a short-sleeved T-shirt. And you see them looking good while you still have your coat on and, almost, twist the scarf around your neck!
In fact, in the first few minutes of winter running, during the warm-up, you may feel a little cold. Sensation that passes as soon as you start running.
In parallel, when running in summer, you can easily imagine why we do not go out to train under 40°C on an August day: perceived temperature would be too high and we would be in too uncomfortable conditions to run.
However, let’s say that under normal conditions, it is always better to go out with one less garment rather than one more. In fact, as soon as the warm-up is over, you will feel like shedding any flap of skin that improves your thermoregulation and curse the moment you decided to overdress.
Yes, because it is really a matter of thermoregulation. Our body has the ability to lower its temperature, and it does so mainly through sweat, which, on contact with air, cools the skin.
Building on this point, let’s see what the “Do’s” and “Don’ts” are regarding running apparel.
Things to do
First, let’s start with the consideration that it is very important to use clothing made from technical fabrics created specifically for runners. These fabrics have the ability to absorb excess sweat and carry it to the top layer, thus allowing the skin to thermoregulate in the most correct and efficient manner. And this applies to both winter and summer. Even in the half seasons even though we know very well that they no longer exist (ah, my lady!)…
Find the rest of the article on RunYou.co.uk, the site dedicated to the project
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