The air is colder, the wind is stronger and days are shorter.

But for elite runners like Zac Freudenburg, 31, of St. Louis, and Jackie Pirtle-Hall, 27, of St. Charles, running outdoors nearly always beats slogging away on a treadmill.

The same goes for hard-core cyclists, says Brian Van Pelt, a competitive cyclist who works at Big Shark Bicycle Co.

"If you're committed to it, environmental conditions are something you just deal with and prepare for," said Van Pelt, 31, of St. Louis. "It's usually just a matter of having the right gear."

Freudenburg and Pirtle-Hall logged hundreds of miles outdoors last winter preparing for the GO! St. Louis Marathon in April.

Freudenburg took first-place in that race and the St. Louis Track Club half marathon Sunday. He's now training to break the world record for fastest marathon while pushing a baby stroller at the Route 66 Marathon in Tulsa, Okla., on Nov. 22.

Pirtle-Hall was the second-place woman finisher at the 2009 GO! St. Louis Marathon and is training for the St. Jude Memphis Marathon, to be held Dec. 5.

Sometimes, the weather is so fierce that they'll hop on a treadmill, run the stairs of a tall building or plop a bike onto a trainer and pedal away. But that's rare.

"I love to look at the beautiful colors of the leaves and listen to them crunch as I run in the fall," Pirtle-Hall said. "And when winter comes, I get excited to slip on a new pair of running tights and a wind breaker. Then there's summer — sports bra weather!"

She, Freudenburg and Van Pelt offer tips for safe, comfortable running and cycling during coming months.

GETTING DRESSED

Freudenburg — Once cotton gets wet it stays wet. Stop running and you get cold a lot faster. (Wicking fabrics) suck sweat away from your skin. But it does get a little stinky because the sweat doesn't wash out as much. I try to make sure to have dry clothes in my car so I can put them on immediately after running.

Van Pelt — Layering is important, and most important is a windproof outer layer. If you're riding at 20 mph, it's whatever the temperature is plus a 20 mph wind. That's a nasty windchill. You need to keep your hands warm with gloves, and there's a windproof cycling mask called a balaclava that covers everything but your eyes. Cycling shoes are designed to breathe so your feet can get ice cold in them. There are booties that cover shoes to insulate the feet.

PUSHING AGAINST WIND

Pirtle-Hall — I stick to trails surrounded by trees to break the bitter cold whips of wind. Start your runs going against the wind in the first half and run the last half with the wind to avoid sweating early on. In races, I draft behind another runner who can break the wind.

Freudenburg — You can go slower (pushing into the wind) and get the same quality workout. Look at it as a hill workout.

Van Pelt — For cycling, there are tights that are windproof in the front but not the rear so perspiration can wick through.

WARMING COLD MUSCLES

Pirtle-Hall — Cold muscles are never a smart way to start a run in the cold. It's a sure way to pull a muscle or injure yourself even worse. Try jumping rope for five minutes before going out for a run.

Freudenburg — When it's cold, give yourself more warm-up time (jogging slowly) before going fast.

BURNING LUNGS

Pirtle-Hall — My lungs burn in the bitter cold, but the more runs I do in the cold, the more I become acclimated to the conditions. A scarf around the mouth helps.

Freudenburg — Hunting hats cover the mouth, but after you warm up they form ice.

Van Pelt — Wear a balaclava (face mask), then when you get warmed up, roll it up and wear it as a hat.

NAVIGATING SNOW, ICE AND SLUSH (OR NOT)

Freudenburg — Again, you need to go slower and look at it as a different workout. Run in the grass rather than on hard surfaces. It's more of a strength workout, but you're less likely to slip and fall. I've done extreme races, so I have YakTrax (spikes that strap onto shoes). They work really well in a lot of conditions. I also have shoes with gators attached so snow doesn't slosh into them. (Gators are rubber sock-like shin guards used for mountain running.)

Van Pelt — (With bicycling) You have to leave more room for braking and can't go as fast downhill. You also must pay more attention to turns to make sure your lines are smooth (no sharp tangents). When there's snow, you can't see potholes so you must slow down. Also, invest in some studded tires which have nubby metal studs. They come in all shapes and sizes for all types of bikes. And people who commute by bike should use fenders to prevent splashing themselves.

AFTER DARK

Freudenburg — Because I'm running so many miles, I don't have a choice but to run after dark. I find I run faster after dark because of tunnel vision, I can't see as far. Tower Grove Park is a good place because it's well lit. There's lots of reflective gear out there and a lot of winter running gear already has it on it. Then there are those little LED lights for bikes that you can now pin on running clothes. It's best to put it on your back, since you can see what's in front of you and get out of the way. I've also done trail runs with a headlamp on. Also it's best to run on the sidewalk.