Fall is probably the best season to run. The air is crisp, the colors are beautiful and you've had all summer to train. On the other hand, when the colder days arrive, you may wonder how to choose your clothes for running in the fall?
Here are some tips for dressing well, from head to toe
Choosing your shoes for running in the fall
Obviously, to have fun running in the fall, you have to have the right shoes. Many people add walking or trail running during this period to take advantage of the colors of the trees.
If this is your case, you will need trail running shoes. The vamp (the top of the shoe) is usually woven a little tighter than road running shoes, allowing less dust and debris to enter, as well as being a bit warmer. The studs will also be more prominent, in order to grip well on the trails.
If you run more on the road, you don't necessarily have to choose different shoes, but you might benefit from choosing warmer bottoms:
Choosing the right stockings (socks)
If you run on trails in the fall, you have a good chance of running in mud. Indeed, during the fall season, the temperatures are cooler, which means that the trails dry less quickly. You should therefore plan to wear socks that dry quickly and retain heat. Alpaca and Merino fibers are ideal for this type of use.
These are also the materials used by the Dahlgren stockings (partner in our events). They use a composition adapted to each part of the low to maximize your comfort.
If you're running on the road in the fall, you'll probably be less likely to get soggy feet, but you'll probably need a little warmer socks than on your summer rides. For this too, the merino wool stockings are all indicated.
Choosing your running pants in the fall
Choosing the right clothes for the lower body for fall is quite easy. If you are a person who is very hot, who runs fast or who is preparing for a competition, shorts or short pants will generally be preferred.
For outings at lower intensity or when the temperatures become cold, it becomes preferable to favor unlined pants or leggings.
Choose clothes for the upper body
In early fall and on warm days, a simple long-sleeved t-shirt may suffice. On the other hand, as the temperatures cool down, it will become more important to add an insulating layer over the t-shirt.
This is the principle of onion skin. We dress in layers so we can add or take away. As the temperatures often change quickly, going with different clothes can be a good idea.
For example, if you're going for a run and the weather is nice enough, you could simply wear a t-shirt and an insulating layer at the start of your run. If along the way it's hot, but it starts to rain, you could take off your insulating layer and put on a waterproof windbreaker instead. And if the temperature cools down afterwards, you could put on your t-shirt, your insulating layer and your windbreaker.
Thus, with only 3 garments, you have 4 possible combinations:
- Long sleeve t-shirt only;
- T-shirt + insulating layer;
- T-shirt + raincoat;
- T-shirt + insulating layer + raincoat.
Cover your extremities when running in the fall
Finally, it is essential to remember to cover your extremities during the fall race. Indeed, it is often in the extremities (head, feet, hands) that you can suffer from frostbite.
For your hands, during the fall, small thin gloves (magic glove style) may be suitable.
For your head and neck, I often use two tube scarves (Buff or otherwise). As they can be used in different ways, they can be adapted to all temperatures.
There you have it, I hope that with these few tips, you will be able to run comfortably this fall!
The timely article! With these equipment tips, there's no reason to miss training because of colder days 🙂 A very good checklist to make sure you're well dressed this fall.
Thanks for the kind words!
Thanks for your good advice! Always good to remember them!
Thanks! your articles are always very interesting!
Thanks for the kind words!