I like that this year is more inclusive, but next year we might consider introducing a below-freezing classification, along with the general classification, to give those of us who don't have mild winters a chance . . . I guess the first year of the Winter Challenge it was all below-freezing, right?Yeah, the German team has surely profited a lot by the the extension of the temp. range and will probably go on doing so. Long-term weather forecast says we may stay around 5-10°C in March.
I only ended up using Vaseline a couple times too. Its just so much of a mess and yucky and I don't think it helps enough to be worth while. For weeks here it wouldn’t have made enough difference anyhow (temps well below my threshold).
I tried the dog paw stuff. No help at all.
Gloves though are a must usually for me. Especially with the wind lately. That's the biggest problem in clothing I have had is finding the right gloves.
My mitten/glove system is to start with Icebreaker Legion Gloves, which are pretty thin, then a little bit colder, slip Icebreaker Sierra Mittens over the gloves, which are also pretty thin but the extra layer adds a lot of insulating air, and you can easily take them off if you find your hands getting hot mid-run. Then on really cold days, I like Deerskin Leather Mittens (ASIN: B00487O7N2). They're good down to -30F to -40F windchill. The hands stay nice and toasty without getting sweaty, as is the case with some of the ultra-thermal synthetic materials.