Winter Running Must Haves

Running at night in the wintertime is my favorite. My seaside tourist town clears out, and the cold, briny wind coming off the Atlantic soothes me. It’s lonely. It’s frigid. It’s wonderful.

Of course, running in winter and running at night require some specific gear. Here are a few things I cannot run without when the Snow Miser shows up.

Head Wrap

I prefer a Spyder headband because it covers my ears but isn’t bulky. And I can use it for skiing.

Spyder, $20

Convertible Mittens

It might be cold as f*ck when you start out, but 5 miles in, my body and hands warm up. For some reason, I can handle being hot in just about every place on my body except for my hands. That’s why I only run with convertible mittens. As my body temp climbs, I peel back the mittens and the fingerless gloves keep my hands from overheating.

Trailheads, $30

Yaktrax

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Don’t be this chick. Running on snow is no joke, and if your city clears sidewalks like mine (aka TERRIBLY), strap on some Yaktrax for traction.

Yaktrax, $39.99

Headlamp

Petzl is the only brand you need to consider. It lights up your life. Debbie Boone endorsed.

EMS, $82

LED Light Arm band

Don’t get run over. I mean, blood might look cool on the snow, but your life isn’t Game of Thrones.

LED Arm Band from Eddie Bauer, $10

MUSIC!

Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean we don’t need some hot new tunes.

Of course, be careful running at night with music. I tend to stick to areas with sidewalks, even if I am well lit with my headlamp and arm band.

Some good tunes I’ve added to my iPod:

White Flag by Joseph

I’ll be an army, no you’re
Not gonna stop me getting through
I’ll sing a marching song and
Stomp through the halls louder than you

I could surrender but I’d
Just be pretending, no I’d
Rather be dead than live a lie
Burn the white flag
Burn the white flag

Hamilton Mixtape, My Shot by The Roots, Joell Ortiz, Busta Rhymes & Nate Ruess

You need this song on your mix for the Busta Ryhmes raspy portions alone. It’s genius.

Every city, every hood, we need to rise up

All my soldiers, what’s good?

We need to rise up

We ain’t got no other choice, we need to rise up

Rise up!”

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Listen to full version here.

Move by Saint Motel

Head, shoulders, knees, toes
Look alive it’s time to go
Head, shoulders, knees, toes
Look alive it’s time to go

Gotta get up, I gotta get up
Move

Welcome to Your Life by Grouplove

We’re back in business
You’re such a big mess
And I love you
La la, love you

Been wondering, I take a chance
That chance is circumstance
‘Cause nothing ever comes without a change

A-Yo by Lady Gaga

I can’t wait to smoke them all
Whole pack like marlboro
Blow it in your face, blow it in your face
Blow it in your, blow it in your face

I can’t wait to rev you up
Faster than you can say ferrari
Tearin’ up the gravel, watch you unravel
Now it’s a party

I Need Never Get Old by Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats

I needed to try
I needed to fall
I needed your love I’m burning away
I need never get old

Devil’s Teeth by Muddy Magnolias

Bury It by CHVRCHES (featuring Hayley Williams)

I never promised you anything I couldn’t do
We tried to bury it and rise above, bury it and rise above
You, you, you never promised me you were seeing differently
Bury it and rise above, bury it and rise above

Sit Still, Look Pretty by Daya

I know the other girlies wanna wear expensive things
Like diamond rings
But I don’t wanna be the puppet that you’re playing on a string
This queen don’t need a king

Oh, I don’t know what you’ve been told
But this gal right here’s gonna rule the world
Yeah, that is where I’m gonna be because I wanna be
No, I don’t wanna sit still, look pretty
You get off on your nine to five
Dream of picket fences and trophy wives
But no, I’m never gonna be ’cause I don’t wanna be
No, I don’t wanna sit still look pretty

We The People… by A Tribe Called Quest

All you Black folks, you must go
All you Mexicans, you must go
And all you poor folks, you must go
Muslims and gays, boy, we hate your ways
So all you bad folks, you must go

The fog and the smog of news media that logs
False narratives of Gods that came up against the odds
We’re not just nigga rappers with the bars
It’s kismet that we’re cosmic with the stars

Shout Out to My Ex by Little Mix

Shout out to my ex, you’re really quite the man
You made my heart break and that made me who I am
Here’s to my ex, hey, look at me now
Well, I, I’m all the way up
I swear you’ll never bring me down
Shout out to my ex, you’re really quite the man
You made my heart break and that made me who I am

Are y’all ready for winter running? What are your winter running “must haves” and tricks? What tunes are we missing on our mix?