Clothing opinion

[jessmarimba]

So the weather - right now - is looking to be kind of nasty for my half marathon this Saturday. Unfortunately it's in what I consider to be a gray area for clothes (no pun intended) - low of 31, high of 45, and 50% chance of rain.

For me, over 50 is definitely shorts, under 40 is definitely tights...and I don't have capris. What would you wear on the bottom?

(Just a note - I am considering buying capris and do not want to wear my current shorts, mostly because the looser material of my favorite shorts rubs in unexpected places if it gets salty from sweat...so I am curious if you guys would do tights, capris, or compression shorts...or shorts and knee socks, or what)

[GLC1968]

Considering that I'm planning to run in the exact same weather (I'll be in Denver this weekend) on Saturday, I opt for capris. That's what I'll be wearing. Long tights would be too warm for me, even at those temps. I don't wear shorts for long runs due to potential chaffing, so that leaves capris as the best option.

What I'm going to wear on top is a mystery. When I looked at the weather when packing, the ran chance was only 10%, so I didn't bring ANY rain gear with me!

[OakLeaf]

I'm cold-natured anyway, but if you want my opinion, with a chance of rain I'd say definitely tights. If they do get wet they're less likely to pull out of shape, ride up and chafe. Plus, if it's wet you'll feel colder anyhow.

I've never run in capris. But I would NOT buy a new garment right before a longer event. (A friend of mine has this huge hickey on his neck from a rain jacket he bought just before a trail ultra last weekend. :p )

[GLC1968]

But I would NOT buy a new garment right before a longer event.

That is a really good point. I would buy more capris like the ones I have and feel comfortable wearing them when new for an event, but if you don't own capris and have never run in them, race day is probably not the right day to try them out.

[jessmarimba]

I wouldn't get any that I'd be iffy about, but I have a pretty good idea (for tight bottoms) what will work and what won't.

I'm leaning towards tights, just b/c it's a trail race and I'll be muddy if it's raining...

...but another weather source is saying 56 for a high and a 20% chance of rain. So I guess I might wait and see. That's too hot for pants (for me).

(and up top will be a tank top and arm warmers. I don't bother with waterproof clothes on foot)

(ETA - as far as new clothing - I already KNOW that the shorts I own are not good for long runs. So new capris couldn't really be much worse!)

[TsPoet]

I'm a very inexperienced runner, just do cycling and hiking. But, I would wear sweats to keep my legs warm until just before the race. I'd wear a light long sleeve shirt and shorts for the race. I find my legs warm up very quickly when I'm moving and I don't need more than shorts.
I also would not get something new right before.
I would also make sure I have sweats to put on right after the run, so I don't get a chill.
I have a pair of Capri I really love, but I don't really consider them to be any different from my tights as far as warmth goes. If it's too warm for tights, it's too warm for capris.
I also don't like pants in the rain, I'd rather deal with wet legs than slimy pants, even if we are talking good tech-type material, I don't like wet pants.

[spokewench]

Here's an old bike racing tip that I know a lot of people swear by. If it is raining and cold (and your clothes will just get wet anyway) wear shorts ( i would wear compression shorts) with petroleum jelly smeared on your legs.

It is supposed to keep you warm. I really have not tried it; but I know my husband has done it

Just a thought

[bmccasland]

Unpadded bicycle shorts under your own shorts (in lieu of undies/knickers) might prevent the chafing problems.

[Crankin]

I couldn't run in the sun with shorts on, if it was below 60!. My legs, esp. my knees get freezing. I can wear capris for running down to about 48, but below that, it's tights. I am often amazed at runners who can wear shorts when it's 38, like I saw this morning. While I am better at not overdressing on the top half for running, my knees need to be covered. If it's raining and cold, I want to be covered or I'll be shivering. Sleeveless and arm warmers? Yikes! I must be a wuss.

[Becky]

Capris (first choice) or lightweight tights- my knees get cranky when they're cold.

[jessmarimba]

I think I'm going to compromise and cut off an old pair of tights. They have a hole in them anyway so it won't matter if they look rough :) Plus I know they're comfy.

Thanks for the input!

[Bike Chick]

I would take everything I think I might wear on a test run first---right down to the socks--just to be sure nothing rubs or is uncomfortable. Mile 6 is a bad time to find out those old tights rub up and down on my calf where I cut them off. That's just me though and I know you don't have much time before your race. I've had blisters pop up at mile 10 because of socks that I had only used for short runs.

Good luck on your race and be sure to let us know how it goes.

[jessmarimba]

Just FYI, this is neither my first nor longest race. I just rarely race in weather between 30-60 degrees.

But as of race morning, it's raining and snowing, 32 degrees with 20+ mph winds. "Feels like" 20. white out conditions on the drive down. It's a day for tights and arm earners under a light long-sleeved top.

The race directors forgot safety pins for the numbers & told us to just put them in our pockets. I don't think I have a pocket, but I'll figure something out!

[OakLeaf]

arm earners

Gotta love autocorrect. Sounds like you ARE going to earn this one! Good luck!

[jessmarimba]

Hahahaha oops :)

The first 9 miles were pretty good. Then the trail turned to slime, and I had to slow to a crawl just to keep my balance, and it went (figuratively) downhill from there. Unfortunately it went literally uphill for another 2 miles. I started crying when I heard people and thought I was near the finish and it turned out to be an aid station at the 11.5 mile mark (someone had incorrectly told me we had 2 miles left about 15 minutes earlier). I couldn't feel my hands, feet, or face by the end of the race (I'd taken my mittens off when I got warm, but put them in pockets that I've learned I can't unzip with cold hands). Some poor little girl was trying to hand me a finisher's medal at the finish line and i finally had to tell her that I couldn't grab it, could she just hang it over my hand? No one stuck around afterwards so I'll have to see my time online later. I really don't care, I'm happy enough to have finished.

I guess it should've been a bad omen when race registration was set up in the bathroom because it was the only warm place at the starting line!

[skhill]

Wow, that's awful. But it's awesome that you ran anyway, and finished...

I thought my first HM was bad-- temps in the mid 40s with wind and thunderstorms. Sounds like a piece of cake comparatively!

[Bike Chick]

Holy cow! How awful! You get the tough award for the day, that's for sure. Great job hanging in there. I wonder how many people didn't even show up for the race?

[jessmarimba]

Looks like over 400 people pre-registered (for a full, a half, and a 5K). There were 195 finishers total. I don't know how many started and didn't finish, but seeing as it was a trail course that'd be pretty difficult.

They cancelled the full (two laps of the half) at the first aid station, then apparently reinstated it for select people (meaning, the fast people).

So far the race is rated 1.5 stars on the active.com page.

My time was 2:48 :eek:
If I had done a road half, I would've been aiming for 2 hours. I wish I hadn't looked up my time now :p

[OakLeaf]

Yikes! Wow. Good for you!

[TsPoet]

I'm in awe! what a great accomplishment.
What did you wear? :p

[jessmarimba]

Haha. Not enough!.

Ended up in tights, long sleeved shirt, mittens (too hot) and a rain coat I hadn't worn before (thankfully fine). Needed something for that wind! It was pretty good clothing for the first 9 or so miles, but once I had to walk I got too cold very quickly. Coincidentally, I started walking when it started snowing heavily, so that probably didn't help.

Wish I'd found last year's running gloves before I left. Thought I had some in the car but I couldn't find them. I'm apparently down to one gray glove and one green, purple, and black striped glove that I found this morning & wore to volunteer at the Denver marathon.

Here's a pic from the start to show how bundled up we were - I'm at the left of the photo with a purple-pink jacket and blue buff.

13795

[limewave]

Congrats on your race! That looks like a tough course . . . and crowded too.

[GLC1968]

Wow, Jess - good for you! I opted out of running that day because I felt like I was coming down with a cold. I figured that running in cold rain when I was totally unprepared clothing-wise was a bad idea. I flew home that day and spent Sunday and today feeling awful with sore throat, congestion and body aches. Yuck. I'm SO glad I didn't run!

I'm sorry your race was so miserable, but you should be damn proud for even being out there. It was a nasty day - and that's coming from someone who runs in cold rain all winter long! Kudos to you!