Here are some ways of making it easier to get your morning cardio in.
Always lay your workout clothing out the evening before. Then you don't have to think or search in the morning--just wake up, get dressed and out the door.
Get a digital indoor/outdoor thermometer and install it in your bedroom window. This will make it much easier to get dressed. You don't have to go outside to feel how cold it is. This also saves energy, and is more scientific, than opening the doors. I bought one for under $10 at Home Depot.
Here is what I wear for outdoor morning training according to temperature:
| C | F | top | bottom | other |
| 30 + | 86 + | TRAIN INDOORS | ||
| 20 - 29 | 68 - 85 | Tank top | light knit or nylon shorts | ankle-length socks |
| 15 - 19 | 59 - 67 | Short-sleeve T-shirt | cutoff sweat shorts | crew-length socks |
| 10 - 14 | 50 - 58 | Long-sleeve T-shirt or T+shell | light tights or sporthill pants | crew-length socks |
| 5 - 9 | 41 - 49 | T+sweatshirt or T+jacket, or LS T+shell | light tights or sporthill pants | gloves |
| 0 - 4 | 32 - 40 | T+sweatshirt+shell or LS T+jacket | sweatpants | gloves, knit hat |
| -5 - -1 | 23 - 31 | LS T+sweatshirt+shell or T+sweatshirt+jacket | sweatpants | gloves, knit hat |
| -10 - -6 | 14 - 22 | LS T+sweatshirt+jacket | tights+ sweatpants | gloves, knit hat |
| below -10 | below 14 | TRAIN INDOORS |
You can adjust this according to your needs.
In terms of when to train indoors: in the summer, I train indoors on the hottest mornings, maybe once a week, or on consecutive days during a code-red air quality day and heat wave. In the fall and spring, I train indoors on the coldest days. For example, in the early fall, when we get those first cold spells and it hits 41 in early October, I will go inside that morning. However, 41 in early Devcember would be warm, so I will train outside.
My tolerance for cold increases as it gets deep into winter. In the spring, it is opposite. In the spring, it is primarily rain that drives me indoors.
Remember, there's no bad weather, just bad clothing.
Shell-a one-layer unlined nylon top that will break wind and provide minimal warmth. It may also be water resistant and prevent underlayers from getting soaked in rain.
Jacket: an lined top: a nylon outer shell with a lining that will provide more warmth than just a shell.
Sweatshirt: alternatively, a fleece pullover top or jacket. Minimal rain protection.
Sporthill pants are those cotton-lycra blend bottoms that fit looser than tights, but are more tightly fitted than sweatpants. Sporhill is a particular brand, but they come in other brands. They are the best for everything except cycling. Only for cycling do I prefer tights to sporthill pants because tights don't flap around in the wind. Sporthill pants are more flexible than sweatpants.
Nylon pants are not flexible enough for me to keep my hips loose, so I don't wear them except for warming up. I wear them to and from the gym on an indoor training day in the winter.
Last modified 10Mar03 comments
http://www.geocities.com/aedziepak/training/dress.htm