help- cold marathon race day attire

[chitownbelle]

High for Sunday's Chicago Marathon is 52, low is 40, but dry...the coldest I have run in all summer is maybe 60.  I honestly do not remember what it feels like to run in 40 degrees, and need to change up my game plan!  I am thinking LLL running leggings, race singlet (i'm running for charity and need to wear it), cap, and arm sleeves.  Looking back at photos from my last chilly marathon in MN, it looks like I wore a long sleeve Nike shirt, but no idea what pants I had on.  I'm thinking I may be too cold in capris, but haven't done a long run in my leggings...  What would you wear?  

moreace01, what's your plan?

[wanderingback]

I typically don't like cold weather, but I think it'll be perfect weather for race day. I hadn't looked at the forecast yet, but for those temp I'll prob plan to wear leggings and a long sleeve shirt. My legs typically don't get that cold (and again I hate the cold weather) when I run, and a temp range of 40-52 isn't that cold, so if you want to wear capris you'll probably be fine. My hands always get cold so I'll likely also wear a pair of thin gloves. Yay for dry!

[Wines Not Whines]

40s is perfect. I would wear shorts and a tank, plus gloves because my hands are the first things that get cold.

[lilypad1126]

I plan to wear a pair of captri’s (i didn’t train in any this training cycle, but I’ve worn them for races before, so it’ll be fine), a tank, and some sort of lightweight long sleeve top. Plus my long sleeve top has zippered pockets so i can carry my fuel. I’d rather be too warm running than too cold, and if the high for the day is 52-ish, then even with long sleeves on I won’t be too warm. Oh, and also some sort of gloves b/c my hands get COLD at any temp under 60.

I’m so excited that Sunday’s forecast. This is the first week of fall like weather I’ve had in my town and I’m so ready for it. It was 90* the day I did my last long 18 miler. I’m so over summer running.

[bullygirl979]

I wouldn't wear tights. I'd do capris or shorts. I just did a half and it was 52 at the start and got up to 55. I wore shorts, a tank, a long sleeve throw away tee over that and homemade arm sleeves that I made out of long socks. By the second mile I ditched the long sleeve and by mile 6 I ditched the socks. I would be afraid by the time it got to the high 40s you would be dying. I do tend to run hot, though.

Have you played around with the Runner's World tool? I find it pretty spot on with its recommendations.

www.runnersworld.com/training/a20803133/what-to-wear/

[brooke77]

That’s perfect marathon weather! I would wear shorts or capris and a tee with your singlet over it.

Ditto the Runner’s world what to wear link. It’s spot on.

[scm1011]

That's the dream! I would wear shorts or capris with a singlet and throw away sleeves, you'll warm up quickly.

[wambam]

This was almost exactly the conditions for my last marathon. I wore shorts, short sleeve shirt, and arm warmers (cut tall socks). I ditched the arm warmers around mile 15. I probably would've been comfortable in leggings if I had worn them.

[luckystar2]

I’m always cold but I’d do capris for those temps! Will it be sunny or overcast/rainy? My half last year were those temps. Probably even colder to start and it was rainy/overcast. I wore capris, tank, long sleeve and a fleece zip up. The fleece was meant to be a throwaway but I never actually felt like I wanted to get rid of it. Had it been sunny or out there longer like a marathon I wouldn’t have needed it though.

[mrshandy]

Clouds or sun make a big difference

I would do shorts, tank and arm warmers.

I just did a marathon this past weekend with slightly warmer temps, but no sun.

[chitownbelle]

Thanks! I will wear my capris, and definitely forgot to mention gloves. I'm thinking capris, singlet, and arm sleeves. It should be partly sunny, but when running downtown through wind tunnels and shade, it's chilly. Thanks!

[moreace01]

Ha! I've been having a little bit of a freakout too chitownbelle. Last week it was 86 degrees. I have no idea what this is going to be like this weekend in the cold. Weather is also calling for a bit of wind. So I've changed my plan a little bit:

- short sleeve (was going to be a tank. I don't think this change makes that much difference but maybe... Now people in this thread are making me second guess this - I might go back to a tank)
- arm sleeves to toss (or stick in my fuel belt)
- gloves to toss - mainly cause of the wind factor (target had some for $3)
- shorts

beforehand is where I'm freaking out a bit since we'll be hanging out outside for at least an hour. I'm probably heading to Salvation Army to pick up a sweatshirt to toss. And bringing a heat shield blanket mylar thing for my legs.

I have been panicking for about a month that it was going to be too hot and humid. And now I'm panicking cause I'm going to be cold at the start. Can't win.

[chitownbelle]

Oct 8, 2019 9:35:38 GMT -5 moreace01 said:

Ha! I've been having a little bit of a freakout too chitownbelle . Last week it was 86 degrees. I have no idea what this is going to be like this weekend in the cold. Weather is also calling for a bit of wind. So I've changed my plan a little bit:

- short sleeve (was going to be a tank. I don't think this change makes that much difference but maybe... Now people in this thread are making me second guess this - I might go back to a tank)
- arm sleeves to toss (or stick in my fuel belt)
- gloves to toss - mainly cause of the wind factor (target had some for $3)
- shorts

beforehand is where I'm freaking out a bit since we'll be hanging out outside for at least an hour. I'm probably heading to Salvation Army to pick up a sweatshirt to toss. And bringing a heat shield blanket mylar thing for my legs.

I have been panicking for about a month that it was going to be too hot and humid. And now I'm panicking cause I'm going to be cold at the start. Can't win.

haha same.  i need to get to goodwill tomorrow.  i think i'll even get sweatpants for my legs.  i am so rundown from everything in life lately, my kids are both sick and getting me sick, and im leaving town for 36hrs thurs-sat for a wedding in NC (with a crazy early flight saturday), so i'm basically planning to limp my bum leg and feverish body through this finish line to get my legacy status!!  I'm really not looking forward to it because i have so many other things on my plate.  I am hoping the expo on saturday will boost my spirits.  

my singlet is so thin, i may even wear a tank underneath it.  

[moreace01]

Oct 8, 2019 10:32:29 GMT -5 chitownbelle said:

haha same.  i need to get to goodwill tomorrow.  i think i'll even get sweatpants for my legs.  i am so rundown from everything in life lately, my kids are both sick and getting me sick, and im leaving town for 36hrs thurs-sat for a wedding in NC (with a crazy early flight saturday), so i'm basically planning to limp my bum leg and feverish body through this finish line to get my legacy status!!  I'm really not looking forward to it because i have so many other things on my plate.  I am hoping the expo on saturday will boost my spirits.  

my singlet is so thin, i may even wear a tank underneath it.  

Legacy is huge. Good luck! I have nowhere near as much going on and I just want to get this over with.  Watching Spirit of the Marathon always gets me in a good mood - required watching for the weekend.

[wambam]

Oct 8, 2019 9:32:36 GMT -5 chitownbelle said:

Thanks! I will wear my capris, and definitely forgot to mention gloves. I'm thinking capris, singlet, and arm sleeves. It should be partly sunny, but when running downtown through wind tunnels and shade, it's chilly. Thanks!

FWIW, it was 80+ most of my training cycle and I felt amazing in 40-50 degree weather. Like, it was so much easier to breathe!

[hurricanedrunk]

Yes lower temps are the dream! I think you have a great plan. At my marathon this past weekend it was 47 at the start with a tail wind and was close to 60ish once I finished. I had on shorts, a tank and arm sleeves. I started with knit gloves and they were tossed by mile 3, arm sleeves were down around mile 15.

[al320]

Thats not cold, thats perfect.

Id be in a tank and shorts.

[starburst604]

That's dream weather! Close to what I had last year for NYC. I wore throwaway sweats and sweatshirt to hang out at the starting line. I almost wore a long sleeve under my singlet during the race but ditched it at the last minute and I'm glad I did, so I wore a singlet and capris. I didn't think about the weather one time, which means it was perfect, especially after training in heat all summer. If you're worried about being cold, sleeves are a great option.

[chitownbelle]

I ran NYC in this weather and remember wearing shorts, but long sleeves. I wore capris for Twin Cities and one Chicago with similar weather too. I just ordered some socks to cut for my arms so I can toss them and not care, and won't have to tuck my arm sleeves into my belt. It really is dream marathon weather, thanks for the reminder ladies!

(my 1st Chicago in 2010 was 78 at the start and 85 at the finish!)

[foundmylazybum]

Shorts, long sleeve, gloves, ear warmer.

[gt7301b]

Another vote for shorts, tank, and arm warmers.