Gearing up for winter marathon training.

As the temps continue to hover in the upper 20's, anyone running in Chicagoland is well aware of the need to put way more consideration into what we wear for a run.  Gone are the days of throwing on a tank and shorts.  The irony being, for the Dublin marathon, it was in the 40's, and i wore a tank and shorts, with arm warmers.  Now that it is 15 degrees cooler, i wont even look at my running shoes without wearing pants, a long sleeve shirt, a jacket, two pairs of socks, gloves, an ear warmer, a hat, and possibly a scarf.  How does 15 degrees make such a huge difference??

Last year, when i started marathon training about this same time, i showed up looking like this:

No.  Seriously.  All of this is cotton, by the way.  Just throwing that out there.  This is a laid out inventory of all that was worn.

The only thing i wasn't wearing is that flask in the corner.  That was for after.  

Obviously, i do NOT like being cold.  

I am pleased to say I am better prepared this year then i was last year.  Other than the amazing upgrade to actual running tights, rather than american eagle sweatpants with SEQUINS on them, I also now sporting proper hand protection technology.

Not because i'm prepared....haha, no.  Because Erin is prepared!

I recieved (stole) these sweet Saucony running gloves at a recent Chicago Running Bloggers holiday party, and now that i have taken them out for a few spins, especially this week now that the temps are actually below freezing, i though i would share my thoughts.  

First off, they're pink.  And they match my running shoes.  So thats exciting!

Secondly, the mitt part is actually a second layer.  If you get too warm, you can flip it off.  You'd be surprised how warm your hands will actually get - i ended up flipping the mitt off within 2 miles, and it was pretty darn cold.  

There are also mini hoods for your thumb and index finger, you know, in case you need to text someone while you're running.  I find this to be totally pointless, as i am not usually using my phone on a run, and if it was an emergency, i would just take the glove off rather than fiddle around with the tiny little finger hoods.

Probably the best feature is this little snap that keeps the gloves attached when you are not wearing them.  I can't tell you how many single gloves i have floating around.  

I lied.  The best part is this blinky light.  Granted, i am never alone running in the dark, it's always nice to have a blinky light.  Always.  

All in all, i am a big fan.  They kept my hands surprisingly warm, and the biggest improvement was that they kept my hands dry.  I tend to end up being a snotty mess when i run in the cold, and cotton gloves usually end up wet, gross, and cold.  

In summary, cotton gloves work.  Although, sometimes you need two pairs.  But running tech gloves are awesome.  And apparently you can find them at places like Marshalls and TJ Maxx for a very reasonable price.  

I have proven that you really don't need anything but shoes to train for a marathon.  But having some tech gear is definitely a bonus.  And sometimes more fashionable.  

I MEAN, SERIOUSLY????

***For the record, Saucony has no idea i even exist.  I stole these gloves from Cary during the yankee swap.  Winning.