January 11, 2009 – 8:49 am
Flickr: di_the_huntress
Yesterday the snow kept coming down, 2″, 4″, all the way up to 8″ by the time I walked out the door, ready to run for the first time in the snow.
Sure I have ran track in the early spring while the snow is melting, but that was quite a few years ago and it was also not in 8″ of fresh snow.
Before I set out, I had a few concerns:
- I only had very low rise ankle socks for running.
- Would I be slipping around on the snow (or hidden ice) with my shoes.
Ankle Socks
The problem with ankle socks becomes glaringly apparent when attempting to pull a pair of tights low enough to cover the area just above the ankle. Running will naturally pull the tights even higher, leaving more and more exposed ankle for the snow to bite.
The obvious solution to this problem is to own a pair of running high rise socks. After my snow run was successful, I purchased such a pair.
Since I didn’t have a pair available I cut the bottoms off a pair of long socks, then pulled those tube over my ankle. This proved to be sufficient coverage to prevent the snow from penetrating my socks.
Slippage
There are running horror stories of people slipping on the snow/ice and tearing AC ligaments, being out of running for years. That sounds a bit more painful than I’d like to risk without a little research into traction.
A few simple searches turned up a novel approach, simply take an older pair of running shoes and screw some hex (think gutter) screws into the tread [1][2]. I found a few more elegant, if not expensive methods were available as well [3].
After modding my older pair of Mizuno’s, I was ready to venture into the winter wonderland.
The Experience
As I walked out the door, I wondered if I would be warm enough, or too warm. I had on a pair of NB running tights, shorts over the top. Of course I had my ankle socks and homemade ankle warmers. My torso was covered with a long sleeve running shirt and my Gortex windbreaker. I covered my hands with a pair of gloves and my head with winter hat.
The win initially bit at m legs, but after a few minutes I was comfortable. The only complaint body wise was the issue with the falling snow. Since there was a bit of a wind, I couldn’t avoid the snow blowing into my face. This didn’t bother my skin so much as my eyelashes. The snow would stick to the lashes and freeze. This made it difficult to see at times. Goggles or glasses of some kind would have probably rectified this.
The run was exhilarating. I spent a few minutes adjusting my slowed stride, learning to pull up slightly before extending forward. This made my gait easier since I wasn’t dragging my foot though uncompressed snow.
The snow acted as a cushion, each step landing lightly with little reverberation.
Summary
Running in the snow proved to be an enjoyable experience, one that I would recommend to others as long as they understand that they will need to run significantly slower than they would on dry pavement. Layer your body to ensure you have adequate warmth. Don’t worry about your feet getting cold, after 3 miles in light running shoes it wasn’t even on my mind.
Sources:
- Screw Shoes
- Value of Snowshoes
- YakTrax
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