70 degrees on Saturday. 18 degrees on Sunday. Bright sun, rain, or snow? Spring races are a real pain to plan for when it comes to attire. For a point of reference, here’s my local weather so far this month.
82 one day…32 a few days later. Huge 30-degree swings in a single day.
Workout runs aren’t a huge deal. At this point, I’m used to wearing layers and usually wear something with pockets so I can stash a hat and some gloves if I get too warm.
Races are a different ballgame. First of all, there’s a LOT of waiting for the start; lots of time just standing around in the chute with hundreds (thousands?) of your friends shivering. Then, once the gun goes off, accompanied by the ritual throwing of extra clothes into the people around you.
–public service announcement: if you plan to discard clothes, trash bags, gel wrappers, water bottles, please start at the sides of the chute so you don’t hit or trip others…thank you.–
About a mile or so in, you’re warm and really wishing you weren’t wearing all those clothes, but you don’t want to weigh yourself down with pockets and sweatshirts tied around your waist. At the finish, you’re cold again until you can get to your bag (or unless the race has foil blankets).
Here’s my approach. It’s not perfect. I’m not comfortable throughout the experience, but it gets me through.
Pre-race (all degrees F):
- Sweatshirt (with hood if I’m not wearing a hat)*
- Knit hat (if below 40), cap if above
- Tights (long if below 35, short/compression if above)
- Shorts
- Long sweats (if below about 45)*
- sleeveless shirt (base layer)
- short sleeve shirt
- Long sleeve shirt (lightweight
- Gloves (if below 40)*
- Jacket*
- Headphones*
- Shoes and socks and running watch
- Waistband (w phone, gels)
Starred things go in the checked bag pre-race. I’m a straggler…I wait until the last possible moment to get rid of those things
So, if you’re doing the math, you’ve figured out that my race wear includes:
- Knit hat (if below 40)
- Tights
- Shorts
- Sleeveless shirt (base layer)
- short sleeve shirt
- Long sleeve shirt
- Shoes, socks and running watch
- Waistband (w phone, gels)
If I get warm, I can take the long sleeve shirt off and tie it around my waist. I can tolerate my hat in my shorts pocket if it gets too hot. If I’m still warm, I can lose the short-sleeve shirt and tuck it into my waist band. If the weather turns colder (which HAS happened), I can put stuff back on.
At the finish, I go straight to my bag and get my warmer layers back on. I sometimes bring a spare shirt or two to throw on after so it’s dry (don’t stand around wet…misery!).
It’s, by no means a perfect routine, but it has gotten me through. What’s your strategy?