The following information is what I’ve learned and gathered from years of running and riding outdoors through the winter months. Let me apologize up front for stating only the general case. I like to keep this as simple and as readable as possible.

The basic equation is your body generates heat and your clothing helps retain it. The key is finding the steady-state balance where your clothes release the same amount of heat your body is generating, keeping you warm but not letting you overheat.

Convection (Wind) Heat Loss

• Convection heat loss is less of a concern for runners except in very windy conditions. Nonetheless, male runners should consider windblock briefs.
• Cyclists are more susceptible to convection heat loss because of their higher speeds. Off road cyclists generally experience less convection heat loss due to their lower speeds and the trees and rolling terrain that block or slow the wind.
• There are many windblocking clothing materials on the market including nylon and Windstopper. These should be your outermost layer where possible.
• Windblocking materials tend to be less stretchable (hence their baggy fit) and don’t breath well despite the marketing banter. The better clothing has venting, e.g. back draft flaps and pit-zips.
• One often overlooked clothing feature is a wind flap on the backside of jacket zippers.
• Cyclists primarily require their windblocking on the front of their clothes.
• Windblocking head gear greatly decreases your ability to hear, which may pose a safety issue in urban settings.

The 170-year-old Assumption Grotto Church sits quietly on Detroit’s Northeast side. Behind the Church, nestled in the Parishioner’s Cemetery is the Lourdes Grotto, an outdoors Marian shrine. Since 1881 this Shrine has purportedly bestowed miracles. Since I’d soon be starting the toughest, longest mountain bike race of my life, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to have a miracle in my back pocket.

But my 20 mile pedaling pilgrimage ends at a disappointing sign — “Closed at Dusk.” I had assumed it never closed because you never know when you might need a miracle. Oh well. I was at least on the Grotto grounds and hopefully that that was good enough for a partial miracle. (more…)

It was a cold, snowy, windy winter day. I was training hard for the Iditasport 350 so it was perfect riding weather. The radio station announced Isaac Hayes was in town for a book signing at a northwest Detroit book store right along my training route. What luck!

Everyone knows he wrote and performed the Theme From “Shaft”, but he also wrote some great tunes for Sam & Dave (e.g. Soul Man) and recorded some of the best make out music ever, including the classic Hot Buttered Soul album. More recently he’d been the voice for the Chef character on South Park and was now promoting his new Cooking with Heart and Soul cookbook. So I rode the fifteen or so miles to the famous Apple Book Center along Outer Drive. I brought a compact disc for him to sign and bought a cookbook as well.

Mr. Hayes has not lost his popularity for the autograph line wrapped completely around the store. This line was mainly made up of moms who split their attention between keeping tabs on their bored kids and conversing with others in line.

I was doing my best to act normal as I stood there in my winter bike gear and helmet. I was definitely hitting the upper reaches of the dork scale.

When I finally got to Mr. Hayes, he dutifully signed my items, looked at me and said in that unmistakable “Shaft” voice, “Did you ride your bike here?” To my acknowledgement he replied, “You are one brave individual.” So cool.

Jumping back on the bike, the wind was at my back and I was making good time through the City. Being a dork isn’t always so bad.

Sometimes you can learn too much on the Internet.

It’s a week before the 1999 Iditasport 100-mile race in Alaska and I’m surfing the Anchorage weather web sites. “Worse cold snap in 10 years!” Even the old-timers are having a hard time remembering such cold weather. A day later and I’m calling to confirm my motel reservation near the race start. “It’s only 45 today. It’s been 55 for the two weeks.” There’s no need say “below zero.” Welcome to a brutal Alaskan winter courtesy of La Nina.
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The International Ice II Race is from Drummond Island (U.S.) to St. Joseph Island (Canada) and back for a total of 22 miles. The trail follows the ice bridge which marks the main snowmobile route between these two islands which are at the very east tip of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

It was a balmy 5 degrees Fahrenheit at the start.
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