WINTER WARMERS!

As winter approaches and the temperatures begin to drop it is important to dress accordingly for your runs. It may seem macho to trot around in a vest and shorts on frosty evenings but it does not make much sense.

Muscles need to be warm to work efficiently and are prone to damage in cold weather, particularly if you speed up suddenly. Hills, whether running up or down them are particular points of danger. Even something as simple as stepping down a pavement can cause damage to a cold muscle.

The answer is to dress to suit the weather. On cold nights, the minimum I would wear would be a pair of tracksters or tracksuit bottoms, a long sleeved T-shirt,  windproof top and a woolly hat. The last two items, which allow your body temperature to rise rapidly at the start of the run, can easily be removed and the windproof top can be tied around your waist if necessary.

One of the best items of clothing for winter running is what is referred to as a ' Lifer ', A long sleeved thermal Tshirt which is worn next to the skin. The garment wicks away the moisture as you sweat thereby keeping you warmer, drier and much more comfortable. They normally sell for about £25 to £30 but if you look in one of the running magazines you can usually find them on offer. A very good one is made by Helly Hanson.

All the best and have an injury free winters running.

Chris Firth