Winter Training - Newbie Question (Read 169 times)

There are tons of options, but it depends on what your goals are.

If you just want to slog some slow miles, regular running shoes in soft snow are usually good enough.

If you want to slog some slow miles in deep snow, snowshoes may be your thing.  It will feel different from regular running but is a good workout.  XC skiing is another aerobic option; will get you wicked fit, but not running-specific.

If you're worried about traction but don't care about running fast, there are adjustable "cleats" that you can buy to attack to your shoes.  Yak Trax is the brand that comes to mind, but I haven't used them.  Another option is to stick very short (sheet metal) screws into the soles of your shoes.  The screw heads will provide minimal traction.

As for getting dark early, a running headlamp that is at least 100 lumens should be fine on roads.  Get something a lot brighter (200+ lumens) if you want to run on trails or really need to see the ground clearly, like if you were running a fast workout on roads.

Find a conveniently located gym with treadmills that you like.  Some people can't stand running on a treadmill, but I find they are a great last resort when the weather is absolute shit or you need to run a workout and want to hit certain paces.

See if there's a school near you with an indoor track.  Again, decent option for a workout in a controlled environment.

FWIW, my goal is to run fast, and I have a lot of 200m-1000m workouts planned.  If the roads are clear and there's no black ice, I'll run some workouts on the road by garmin pace, knowing that it's not totally accurate.  I'll get on the track for workouts whenever possible.  If I have an easy run planned for the day, and there's snow cover, I'll tool around the roads and snowy bike paths slowly.

 

 I tore my ACL skiing in 2013.  Good times.    

Why I don't ski.

(Never mind the other parts I've torn running...)

I've been living and running in Northern Wisconsin since 2003, and have run every winter since then.  I dress for the weather and carry a 150 lumen flashlight at night. My avatar photo is after an 11.5 mile run at -10 deg F.  I had better icicles after a similar run at -20 deg F, but could not find the camera before they melted.

I run on roads, sidewalks, and snowmobile trails.  I used to deal with glare ice by running very carefully, but yesterday I broke down and bought a pair of Yaktrax.  Those things are terrific.  I can run fast downhill with them on.

I occasionally go for a walk in the woods with my snowshoes.  I also have a pair of cross country skis I am still learning to use.

I started running this summer to help recover from a broken leg (Ski Mishap) and I really fell in love with it.  I was doing 40 miles per week (max run was 7 miles).

Key words. There is a progression in running where you adapt to the challenges that winter presents over a period of time. How long that takes is different for everyone. The biggest challenge usually is snow, and depending on how much you're talking sidewalks can be impractical and oftentimes treacherous. Running in the street is an option for most but not for me. I'm just not doing that.

My first winter saw my runs relegated to the weekend, where I drove a million miles to the park to run on plowed paths. I alternated weights and the elliptical during the week and never really considered the treadmill as an option. It sounds silly but at the time, I didn't view it the same as running outside.  It wasn't until my third year of running that I really started running on the thing consistently and even then I pissed and moaned about it constantly. I hated it with every fiber in my being and it took another year before I really embraced it.

Temperature can also be a problem and I have run in my share of single digit temps and sub zero wind chills over the years which is a whole 'nother level of stupid. These days, I generally will run in anything until the temps get to about the mid teens or the wind chill drops to single digits. At that point it just gets to be ridiculous, and I'll usually head to the treadmill instead.

Running in the dark was the last hurdle I jumped and I hate it as much as I hated the treadmill if that even makes any sense. First off it's depressing as hell. Secondly, it's depressing as hell. It makes it seem as if it's colder than it really is and I have to really geek myself up to step out into the freezing cold at the ass crack of dawn to do it. Most days I do, but there are days when I just don't have it in me.

Anyway, you'll eventually figure it all out. It usually comes down to how bad you want to run, versus what level of stupid you are willing to go to in order to do it.

Treadmill & podcasts.

20 below this morning with a light breeze and I had just the right number of layers.  Unzipped the top layer halfway running downwind, zipped it back up running into the wind, and worked up a good sweat.

When I run at night, I carry a good 150 lumen flashlight.  I originally used a puny little weak flashlight, but upgraded after coming within a few inches of kicking a live skunk one night.

Inova STS headband flashlight-great product