Yesterday I woke up not feeling too good or let's say too fresh...but what do you expect after a New Year's Party? I had promised Mark C I will meet him at Troutbrook at 8am.
The day seemed beautiful, not too cold where I live, sunny perfect for running in the trails.
Well it was a great run but SO hard! My legs this morning are very sore!
Mark and I ran/walked for 1 hour in the snow. Heart rates soaring, sweat dripping down or faces and bodies, hills up and down, nobody else crazy around!
The trails were fine to start with, packed snow no ice but uphill. Then it became almost virgin snow and deep snow. It was getting harder and harder to lift our legs.
The trails with packed snow will give you an incredible workout, will boost your cardiovascular system and work stabilization muscles, all the way from ankles to hips. Mark and I could feel every single muscles in our legs but also our core muscles working. It felt like a strength workout.
There is one thing to remember with running on the snow: do not expect fast times, it will probably not happen, try to just enjoy the workout, the scenery, beauty and everything else that comes with running on great snowy trails.
Be ready as well with hydration and proper clothing and shoes. Also try to run on familiar trails to avoid getting lost!
Marathoner and Olympic bronze medalist Deena Kastor shares her tips for running in the snow:
For light snow conditions I have a pair of the Asics Gel-Arctic shoes, which have little studs on the bottom for better grip and are water resistant. If I need extra traction, I add Yak Trax (yaktrax.com). As the snow deepens I will use Kahtoola Microspikes (kahtoola.com) or crampons over my shoes. If there is a huge storm that is dumping multiple feet of fresh powder, I use snowshoes with a narrow back so I can run in them. Sometimes these are difficult workouts, but that is when we often feel the most gratification.
I wear form-fitting, water-resistant clothing. If the conditions are on the harsher side, I wear a thin layer of Vaseline on my face to protect from the wind and snow. (Do not use Vaseline if it is sunny—you will burn!)
In the winter months I run about 15 to 25 miles a week in packed powder and deep snow, depending on what Mother Nature brings. My snow runs are always an easy evening run where I am not straining to run a certain pace but rather enjoying the weather and scenery that winter brings.
We finished our workout with a 35mn run on the roads and it felt so easy!
I highly recommend everyone to take the trails this winter and run or walk them. Make sure to wear the proper clothing though, you will sweat and your feet will get cold at some point.
See you all out there!
Here is what you want to do after such a run: rest and sleep. I took a long nap in the afternoon yesterday.
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