Winter Running
By Kate Liebers |
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With the final leaves falling from the trees, runners know they are nearing the end of their fair-weather season. But is it time to closet your running shoes?
With the risks of winter running ranging from chapped lips to broken bones due to slippery-street-related injuries, runners would have to be crazy to run in below-zero-degree weather. But then again, runners are used to being called crazy.
Winter weather is no excuse for serious endorphin-addicts to give their running shoes a five-month vacation. Whether you are a novice jogger or a marathon athlete, a runner's muscles won't care. Spring will find you on your way to atrophy if they are allowed to slack off until the snow melts.
The first challenge encountered by the would-be winter runner is determining your workout wardrobe. You want to wear enough clothes to keep your muscles warm, of course, but remember that excess clothing leads to excess sweating, which could lead to dehydration or serious chilling as you slow your pace. Since cotton holds moisture, wear synthetic materials, such as Under Armour compression shirts, closest to your skin. Layering allows for temperature control, yet even if you strip down to your shorts, don't lose your hat or gloves. Body heat will most rapidly escape from the head, so keep that cap low over your ears.
Conquering the dangerous street conditions is your next obstacle. Some runners purchase shoes with tailored grips or even insert sheet metal screws into the soles for extra traction. An easier approach may be simply watching out for the glossy parts of the concrete. Many runners, attempting to find grip on icy surfaces, adjust their strides, making them vulnerable to pulled muscles and unbalanced, jarring gaits. Increasing your traction, as opposed to altering your step, will help keep your stride consistent with that of your previous training, insulating you from injury.
Drivers present yet another danger to winter running, as they have less control on icy roads and a harder time seeing you in the diminishing daylight. Wear a reflective vest or run with a light to prevent unobservant drivers from cutting your run fatally short.
If you survive the actual run, your winter adjustments must continue, even after you return to the warmth of the indoors. Although stretching is important year-round, it is critical that you allow yourself time to warm up, and be sure to cool down after being exposed to such harsh elements.
In the face of all these factors - however unappealing snow-spitting wind or ice-glazed streets may seem - fighting the cold in your running shoes is a reward in itself. For those in need of a little more motivation, finding a buddy who is equally committed to enduring the weather makes long runs that much more interesting. Training for races together is a way to stay motivated, and a quick Internet search for Columbus winter races will present a variety of running events to spark your competitive spirit.
Of course, for those who simply detest the cold, you should at least maintain your running status. Treadmills are an easy solution to winterizing your regimen. But no matter how you fit running into your schedule, remember that muscles tend to forget more quickly than they remember.
However difficult winter running may seem, running again in the spring will be all the more grueling if you let your running shoes see more closet dust than snow this season.
Originally Published: January 1, 2010
