Do you love winter? It sure is beautiful with snow on the ground and falling upon the ground. But the cold, the wind, the ice, the slippery nature of snow/ice/sleet presents challenges which we all must consider and find ways to navigate safely.

Warmer weather is my preference, no doubt. But I’ve been training myself to try a little bit of winter exercise outside, even if it’s uncomfortable. I have my limits with the cold with asthma so I have to be careful. But I’ve found that limiting my mileage to the 1 mile-5k range outside if it’s colder really helps. Some of the miler runs this month have been extremely challenging with the cold and wind chill. I prefer to see it as an adventure, perhaps even a snowy adventure. But before embarking upon that journey, we must have layers. And lights. And reflective gear and shoes. Yaktrax too. (I highly recommend you get 2 pair of Yaktrax as sometimes coils snap, especially in snowdrifts at times~or if we slip on a slippery patch.)

Winter is the hardest time for me to exercise. We have this strong human inclination to relax a little…or a lot…some days we even want to hibernate. But realizing we are not our dogs (or a bear or any other animal that prefers to hibernate, we must resist that urge as strongly as we can. Don’t lose the momentum that you’ve gained over the year. The saying about winter training makes for great spring/summer/fall races is true. Consistency counts.

There’s nothing wrong with taking rest days, designating it as an ebb day. But if we have lots of energy or great weather, go with the flow and go! Add some speed work/intervals on the treadmill. Adjust the incline on the mill and make it hilly once in a while. Variety is important so we don’t get bored and to condition our bodies to all kinds of workouts.

It used to be the case that if it snowed, I would just take the day off from running/exercise. But now, it’s more of a balancing act between inside/outside running making safety the most important factor in winter. If I need to run 10k, sometimes I split the 5k inside: 5k outside and that works well.

Some days with extreme cold (with the dreaded polar vortex), we have to be extremely careful. I noticed on the coldest day of the month my lungs were really feeling the cold even on the treadmill inside so I had to lighten the speed a little bit.

With the Launch your Toughness challenge this month sponsored by the Lincoln Running Company, I ran a mile or more outside 29 days (they bent the rules and gave us the coldest day inside as an exception for safety reasons to still be able to count it). That’s remarkable and unusual. But I’ve found that now my body has adjusted to the cold mostly. I’ve learned where the windbreaks are. I know how fast I can go with Yaktrax safely. And I know sometimes I just have to shorten the runs outside for safety (there’s no shame in that).

I rely more heavily on the treadmill now, combining iFit workouts with Zwift virtual runs. Sometimes I draw my own maps with the treadmill or use courses I’ve used before. Virtual races are fun too.

Most importantly, adjust your exercise regimen to something that works for you. Maybe 3 days a week or more outside and 3 days inside? Or combine them some days. If you need an extra rest day, take it. If 5 days a week works better for you, do that. Try alternating days: workout, rest day…etc. If you’re tired trying to run without walk breaks, try adding them and see what happens.

Once you find your natural flow of what you can handle in wintertime and throughout the year, stick with it. Make sure you have some easy days and rest days. It’s important for recovery.

We have a habit of frequently checking the temperature but not always the wind chill. That’s important to know both this time of year, as well as when high winds are supposed to start. Always keep that zone of safety in mind and don’t take unnecessary risks. Be smart.

With wintry light being more limited, make sure you have some reflective clothes and gear. If you lack reflective elements, try adding Brilliant Reflective safety strips. I add these to my clothes, gear, and shoes and it works very well in helping me to be safe and to be seen…if you know what I mean. Here’s their website if you are interested, check it out: BrilliantReflective.com. They have new family packs so kids can attach them to their clothes, gear, and backpacks.