Runners

26 RUNNER’S WORLD JULY 2018 PHOTOGRAPH BY ROBERT WARD### PERSONAL BEST^ TRAININGSOME OF MY FAVOURITE RUNS havebeen during the dead of winter,guided by the glittering city lights. I love theway the cool breeze feels on my face, howthe crisp air makes my skin tingle, how thechill gets me moving just to warm up. I likethe sort of thinking I can do on quiet, emptystreets. Plus there’s nothing quite likefinishing a hard, cold run, walking into awarm house, and reaching for myfavourite hot chocolate.But the struggle to catch yourbreath when you get out thereis real. Every year I hear aboutcoughing fits and burning throatsfrom runners trying to survivetheir first real winter, and even vetswho’ve run through 20 seasons ofsub-zero temps. Unless you live ina tropical climate, you too may have foundyourself on the side of a road, trying to catchyour breath, wondering if you’re crazy to beout at all.Here’s the good news: despite thediscomfort you may feel, running in thecold isn’t dangerous. To work out how tobeat the burn, here’s a breakdown of what’shappening – and my pro tips.COLD COMFORTDRY AIR AND ARCTIC TEMPS CAN MAKE BREATHING ASTRUGGLE DURING OUTDOOR RUNS. A RUNNING COACH(AND COLD-WEATHER PRO) SHARES HOW TO COPE.BY ALEXANDRA BRILLAUD1. Stay hydrated.Being on top ofyour water intake isespecially importantduring the winter.It can be tough toget enough fluid intoyour system whenit feels like you’renot sweating (youstill are!), and youdon’t crave a coldglass of water likeyou do in the heat.But in order for yourbody to properlydeal with cold, dryair, hydration iskey. If you run firstthing in the morning,drink 250ml ofwater when youwake up to reducenatural dehydration.If you run later inthe afternoon orevening, keep awater bottle with youall day to encourageregular sips.2. Wrap up.Investing in a comfyscarf or breathablebalaclava to put overyour face and mouthcan help moisten theair as it’s inhaled.I like mine to be asfunky and bright aspossible for maxvisibility. There’s alsosomething motivatingabout putting on aneon polka-dottedscarf before headingout the door to bravethe cold! I love full``````balaclavas – I liketo keep my wholehead warm! – but ifyou don’t like yourwhole face covered,there are also neck-warmers available,and a plethora ofscarves.^3. Breathedeeply.Focus on takinglonger, more relaxedbreaths as you run.Part of what makesyour windpipe burnis the big gulps ofair you suck in whilerunning, comparedto the controlledbreaths you takewhile walking.Keeping your breathseven and relaxed willminimise the stresson your respiratorysystem. If you canget enough air, try tobreathe in throughyour nose and outthrough your mouth.4. Ease off.Take the intensity ofoutdoor workoutsdown a notch – atleast until you’rewarmed up. Ifthat doesn’t helpthe lung burn andwheezing, reserveharder eorts forthe treadmill. There’sno shame in taking iteasier outside, andbringing it inside toempty the tank.``````Alexandra Brillaud is a Nike+ RunClub coach, Heartbreak Hill RunningCompany Studio Instructor, and founderof the popular women’s training group#sheSQUAD. For more tips, follow her onInstagram at @coach_allyb.``````FEEL THE BURN?A burning sensation isn’t actually from freezing air, butdryair. Breathein, and your nasal cavity and windpipe instantly work to warm up cold air to your body’stemperature. The heat exchange happens so quickly thatcold air never actuallyreaches your lungs. Dry air has to be humidified, so your nose and throat donatemoisture, leaving them feeling scratchy and irritated (hence the burning). And thisprocess happens in overdrive when you breathe faster and deeper while running.