When the weather turns cold, dry, and rainy, and the north is frozen in ice, Guangzhou begins to take on a touch of winter. For those who enjoy morning jogs or night runs, the large temperature difference between day and night is particularly noticeable. A single breath of cold air during running may cause uncontrollable coughing, and might even affect your fitness plan. Sports medicine suggests that you can prevent winter running-induced coughing by warming up properly, controlling your running pace, and adjusting your breathing rate and method.
　　 　　During outdoor running in cold weather, muscle activity intensifies, metabolism speeds up, and the body consumes a large amount of oxygen. Breathing through the nose alone cannot meet the body’s needs, so runners are forced to open their mouths to help breathe. The cold air entering the mouth, without being warmed, directly stimulates the throat and trachea, drying out and inflaming the mucous membranes in these areas, increasing secretions, and causing coughing.
　　 　　How can you avoid coughing while running?
　　 　　First, start your long run at a moderate speed and only increase your pace once your breathing becomes more rhythmic. Also, don’t stop abruptly when you finish running—continue with a slow jog and deep breathing.
　　 　　Second, pay attention to your breathing rhythm while running. Try to adopt a pattern of three steps for inhalation and three steps for exhalation, inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth, or two steps for inhalation and two for exhalation. Developing this habit can effectively prevent coughing during running.
　　 　　Third, if you feel you can't get enough air by just inhaling through your nose, slightly open your mouth to let cold air in through the gaps between your teeth, avoiding direct exposure of cold air to your throat and trachea. This is also very helpful in reducing coughing symptoms.
　　 　　Finally, since running against the wind can easily cause choking coughs, runners should try to run with the wind at their backs. If you’re running on a circular track and there's a headwind, adjust your breathing method—inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth. Make your exhalations short and forceful, slightly lower your head, and tilt it to one side to avoid directly inhaling cold air that may irritate your throat. If the wind is too strong, you should stop your long run.
 　　Of course, the frequent occurrence of smoggy weather in many areas recently is also a major obstacle for long-distance runners. As winter approaches, foggy days become more common. Mornings with fog have high humidity, and the air near roadsides tends to be polluted—it's not suitable for running along busy streets.
　　 　　Additionally, what you wear during winter runs is very important. Pay attention to the timing of putting on and taking off clothes. When you first step outside from indoors, wear thicker clothing, and only remove your outer layers once you’ve warmed up. After sweating, use a towel to dry off and avoid exposure to cold wind to prevent catching a chill.