Have you ever heard your mom or coach warn you not to run in the cold?
Or maybe you’ve thought it yourself: At what temperature will the cold air damage your lungs?
Well, you can stop worrying.
Research shows that runners are not in danger of freezing their lungs, even in the coldest places on Earth such as the North and South Poles. Thanks to our body’s brilliant design and adaptability, air reaches body temperature by the time it greets our lungs.
That said, frigid temperatures aren’t great for you.
“Cold, dry air and increases in minute ventilation are both stimuli for bronchoconstriction, which manifests with shortness of breath, chest tightness and a cough,”
says triathlete and doctor Cathy Koger.
To prevent the runner’s cough induced by cold, dry air, be sure to wear a scarf or balaclava to aid in warming and humidifying the air. The material will allow you to recycle your natural water vapor that gets trapped in the scarf when you exhale – the outlaw look may not be the fashion statement you were going for, but at least you won’t be hacking up a lung.
If you’re in doubt or feeling under the weather, don’t run. One day of rest won’t cost you a Boston qualifying time but a couple of weeks off with pneumonia might.
[Image via WENN.]
