Running in the Winter

One of the benefits of living in Rhode Island is that it generally doesn't snow too much, in part because we're not too far from the coast and stay warmer than areas farther inland. But it still snows (last winter we had storms on Wednesday for a month straight) and it's still something to be aware of if you plan to run outside in the winter. I'm actually disappointed that I haven't had a chance to run while it was snowing. Of course, now that I've said that, we're guaranteed to get snow.

Some more tips of random that I learned in my first winter running outside:

1. Be very mindful of your feet. Yes, you will slip. But you may not fall. Your balance will improve as you learn how to catch yourself when you slip.

2. Packed snow and "crunchy" ice are OK.

3. Deep snow and sheets of ice are not OK.

4. Be on the lookout for ice patches, especially black ice patches or ones that are hiding under thin layers of snow. If you are on the road, look out for potholes and sand piles.

5. Yaktrax or other contraptions provide extra traction. They slide over your sneakers. My current pair is designed for walking, but I've ran in them with no problems. Plus I couldn't beat the price. $1.99 still in the package at a thrift store. I'll upgrade to the Pros if/when my current pair breaks.

6. Sun + snow on the ground = blinding snow glare. Wear your sunglasses.

7. Like Christmas lights? Grab a running partner and run around a neighborhood in the evening.

8. Get creative with your running routes. The bike path I use for long runs isn't passable when snow is on the ground. So I switch to a 3ish mile loop on a road with a wide shoulder. It is always plowed and clear down to the pavement no later than one day after significant snowfall. Lemme tell you about the fun I had doing 20 miles around and around and around and around and around that loop. Yeah. Not sure if I'd call it fun, but it certainly gave me practice at using my mental skills.