Triathlon: Winter Dressing by Lance Watson

Written by: Lance Watson, CTS Multisport Head Coach

It’s here. We all try to hide from it but inevitably; the cold weather eventually finds us! The temperatures start to dip and the sun sets earlier every day, and we face the unavoidable: it’s time to break out the cold weather gear and brave the great outdoors. It’s always harder to train when it’s cold outside, but dressing properly allows us to continue to train and prepare for the following season. And while bundling up seems quite simple, it is a bit more complex than “more clothes=more warmth.”

First and foremost, when getting ready for a cold weather workout, examine all the variables such as air temperature, wind speed and direction, and precipitation help to make the decisions on which clothes to wear. Key factors to keep in mind are:

Lower air temperatures mean more precautions. * Wind speed plays into the wind chill factor and wind carries heat away from the body. * Moisture from rain, snow and sweat severely compromise the body’s ability to conserve heat. * Excess clothing leads to overheating.

Secondly, you must remember the cold weather affects your body’s normal routine. The body constantly works to maintain homeostasis (equilibrium) in all conditions, and body temperature is one of the most important variables. In order to maintain normal core temperature (37 C or 98.6 F), the body must react to avoid losing too much heat during exposure to cold weather. To conserve heat, your body reduces the amount of blood delivered to your skin by constricting blood vessels. When training in hot conditions blood vessels below the skin receive a lot of blood so heat from the body can be dissipated, using your skin as a radiator. In cold conditions, you restrict blood flow to the skin because you’re trying to conserve heat rather than dissipate it. Another means for maintaining core temperature is to produce heat through shivering. With these changes in mind, it is also important to remember that utilizing energy to stay warm causes extra fatigue on your body, resulting in reduced max heart rates and VO2.

However, with the right combination of clothes and proper planning, you can exercise outdoors in many weather conditions while minimizing the negative effects cold can have on performance. Today’s clothing manufacturers have come a long way since the days of cotton and wool and offer an array of fabrics that breathe, wick, repel and stretch. Following the tips outlined below will help lead you to very successful winter training.

Wear a Base Layer
To get the best performance from your clothing, layering is essential. Heat gets trapped between the clothing layers, and each one is designed for a specific role. Basically, layering is the key to temperature management, keeping you warm and allowing you to adjust the amount of clothing you’re wearing as you heat up or cool down. The layer closest to the skin, better known as the base layer, is the primary moisture manager of your clothing combination. The base layer serves to keep you dry and comfortable by wicking perspiration and water away from your body, as well as acting as an insulator in cold conditions. Treated polyester and polypropelene are the best choices of fabric for your winter base layer.

Remember to Insulate
On top of your base layer comes the insulating layer. Your body is generating heat, and the outside environment is cold, and by the laws of thermodynamics, areas of heat try to move toward cold areas. With an insulating layer, more of the heat produced by your body will be captured and kept right next to your body, keeping you warm. Two of the most common choices for an insulating-layer include fleece and wool. While fleece is a good choice, wool is heavy for the amount of insulation it provides, and becomes even heavier and less of an insulator when it gets wet. A better option would be compact synthetic material, which offers a lot of warmth, is very compressible and performs well wet or dry.

Hide from the Conditions with an Outer Shell
The outer shell, or top layer, acts as a barrier to wind and moisture. The key here is to choose a material that will keep the wind and moisture out but can also be easily modified or removed when you start to warm up. Many outer shells are made of fabrics that keep you dry and warm, but they can do their job too well. Your outer layer needs to be able to breathe, allowing some heat and more importantly, moisture, to escape. If the moisture remains inside your outer shell, it will eventually condense and pull heat away from your body. One key thing to look for is a shell with armpit zippers and other adjustable forms of ventilation built in. You want to be able to open or close these vents as necessary to increase the amount of heat, or decrease the amount of moisture trapped inside.

Cover Your Extremities
So now that you have your layers on, it is also important to remember to cover your extremities. A great deal of heat is lost through the head, and blood flow to areas such as hands and feet will be reduced if these extremities are allowed to get too cold. Gloves, boot/shoe covers (cycling), hats, ear covers and even a facemask are essential pieces to any cold weather ensemble.

Pack Your Pockets
While any triathletes workout attire needs careful consideration before heading out, cycling is a bit trickier because the speed, wind and terrain have large effects on your ability to maintain body temperature. When you’re riding with a tailwind, the front of your clothing will tend to get wet with sweat. When you turn around and ride into a headwind, it is important to stop and put on a wind-resistant or wind-proof layer so your body temperature doesn’t plummet. Whenever you head out into less-than-desirable weather conditions, like a cloudy day with the chance for rain or snow, make sure to plan ahead and pack extra gear. You can only put on extra clothing if you have it with you. Packed pockets are much more enjoyable than a cold ride home!

Stay Hydrated
Many people inadvertently reduce their fluid intake when they train in cold weather. Since there’s cold air blowing in their faces and they don’t think they’re sweating as much, they don’t consume as much fluid. Your ability to keep yourself warm is heavily dependant on your blood volume, and when your blood volume decreases through dehydration, it is harder for you to stay warm. This is on top of the other detrimental effects of dehydration on athletic performance. If you hate the idea of drinking cold fluids while your out in cold weather, get an insulated water bottle and fill it with water, sports drink, or even tea.

15 Degree Rule
Although you may look out the window and see snowmen and sleds, preparing for a run workout should involved dressing for temperatures 15 degrees warmer than the actual air temperature. You might be cold for the first few minutes after you step out the door, but your core temperature will increase substantially once you start running, and wearing too many clothes can cause excessive sweating and eventually a chilling effect.

Cover your Legs
When you head out for a run in cold weather, always wear tights to keep your legs warm. Having a layer directly on your skin will help prevent the warmth generated by your body from escaping. When you wear sweat pants or loose running pants, you’re losing body heat to increase the air temperature inside your pant legs. In extremely cold temperatures, it may be necessary to wear an insulated pair of tights or both tights and looser pants to keep from losing too much body heat.

Strip Down
If climbing on the bike, you will inevitably heat up and will be wearing too many clothes for your current work level. It is important to have layers on that are easy to open up or take off. If the climb is short, just unzip jackets or jerseys. If it is an extended mountain climb, it’s better to remove layers and store them in a back pocket. At the top of the climb, before starting the descent, either zip up your jersey and jacket, or put them back on if you removed them. The keys to climbs and descents is to strip down on the way up and bundle up on the way back down.

Slather Up!
There are a variety of creams available, which prevent against chafing. As well as chafe prevention, some of these creams can be great barriers to wind on your face. If you are headed out and the wind is howling, slather up your checks to prevent windburn. Also remember that you can still sunburn in cold weather. During the winter, you have less exposed skin, but still need to be careful to put sunscreen on your face and neck to prevent burns. If the sun is shining and there’s snow on the ground, your risk of sunburn is even higher.

Work Inside and Out
Many of us have a tough time staying inside at all. The very idea of pounding away on a treadmill or stationary trainer is not very appealing, especially not for extended periods of time. But you can split workouts up to stay warm and complete the intended workout. If you’re supposed to ride for two hours and complete four intervals, ride for an hour outside, then go home, strip off most of the layers, and complete the second hour (including the intervals) on the trainer. The same is true for running. If you enjoy running outdoors, but can only handle 30 minutes before your feet or hands get too cold, complete a shorter run outdoors and finish it up on a treadmill indoors.

The winter weather is always a combination of mixed feelings: Happiness for the end of a good 2003 season and the start of the winter sports season, or frustration because the season is over, the winds are cold and workouts take a lot more planning for. However, following these tips will allow you to successfully complete and enjoy your winter workouts, allowing you to come out strong for the 2004 season.

CTS Multisport Head Coach Lance Watson is the personal coach of Olympic Champions Simon Whitfield and Brigitte McMahon; Ironman star Lisa Bentley; and top ranked Olympic Distance athletes Laura Reback and Greg Bennett, to name a few. He can be reached at www.trainright.com.