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Welcome to winter, my favorite time of year to run! No sweating through my running top, no sun trying to burn my scalp — well, at least here in New Jersey.
In collaboration with Wirecutter, a New York Times company that reviews and recommends products, here are some tips that'll keep you warm when running in frightful temperatures.
Hand warmers
Sometimes it's just too cold for gloves to keep your fingertips warm, which is where hand warmers come in. I used a pair of disposable Hot Hands (which you can get at just about any drug and hardware store) for all but two miles of the Philadelphia Marathon this year.
For reusable warmers, Wirecutter recommends the Human Creations EnergyFlux Ellipes 5200mAh, which can last up to six hours with one charge.
As much as I like crisp, cold winter air, my lips do not. That's why I apply lip balm before and after I go out the door — and on super cold days, around my nostrils. Like Wirecutter, I like Aquaphor, but Vaseline works in a pinch too.
If you're getting miles before or after work in the long darkness of winter, you'll need to alert cars to your presence. The Amphipod Singlet Vest is a reflector vest that lights you up in a way that's not too bulky and designed to fit you so it doesn't muck up your running motion. Be bright. We want you to stick around, you hear?