Dashing through the snow!

The weather outside may be frightful but (with the right preparations) it can be so delightful (apologies to Sammy Cahn for co-opting his song).  Yes, there’s snow and ice.  And I can confirm that the temperature has dropped significantly from July (even here in Canada) but that shouldn’t stop us from getting out and being active.   After all, there are a host of winter sports we can enjoy from skiing and skating to curling and hockey.  They’re all fun and excellent ways to stay active but they’re not necessarily sports you do every day.  I want to talk about the simpler daily activities like walking or running and strategies to keep us out safely or without freezing our you know what’s off.

Listen there are days when I’d rather curl up in my Lazy-boy and watch re-runs of Gilmore Girls…er…I mean Breaking Bad…yeah that’s it.   The catch is Lola the wonder dog.   Part of the reason I got a dog was to get me out the door daily.   In fact, I picked a dog that I knew needed a fair bit of exercise.  My research may have not been as detailed as it should have been as I got a little more than I bargained for.   You see Lola is a high energy German Shorthair Pointer (GSP) basically a hunting dog.   If I don’t get her out for a run/walk, there’s a pretty good chance she’ll firebomb the house.   Someone once said that if dogs were TV shows, then the GSP would be Jack Ass.  (If you don’t know Jack Ass check this out: Youtube Jackass –  Warning: Not for the faint of heart).  So, Lola and I have gone out the door snow or shine for more winters than I can remember.   Along the way I’ve picked up some tricks and tips about enjoying, okay tolerating, winter which I’m happy to pass along.  Oh, these tips apply whether you’re walking, hiking or running.

I won’t harp on it as we all know winter is cold, no matter where you live.  Hey, my Ontario cold may not be Gail’s Saskatoon cold or Nora’s Pensacola cold but we’re all cold.  Cold is relative.  So, staying warm is the key to enjoying winter.  However, you want to stay warm but not too warm.  The last thing we want to do is to overheat and sweat.   Moisture is the enemy in cold weather as it will cool you down quicker than anything.  This can potentially lead to hypothermia which on a list of “things no one wants” ranks really high.  The best way to stay warm and dry is to dress in layers so that if you start to overheat you can shed a layer to keep in the Goldilocks zone, you know, just right.

Always start by checking the weather to see how many layers you may need – more if it’s colder and fewer if it’s mild.  With all our clothing choices we want to choose materials that will retain heat but also wick moisture away from your skin.  Dressing for outdoor winter activities is about moisture management as much as keeping warm.  Man-made fabrics are better at wicking moisture.  Cotton is perhaps the worst material for winter wear as it retains moisture and is a pretty lousy insulator, so avoid it.  The two natural fabrics that work well in winter are silk and wool.   Wool is an excellent insulator and perfect for winter activities because it will retain heat even if it gets wet.   Silk does a good insulation job and will wick to a degree.  Plus, it just feels so darn…well, silky.  Who doesn’t want that?

As a base I generally start with compression shorts then layer a pair of tights over top.  It’s the same story for my upper body.   I start with a winter compression layer to keep the heat in – the bonus with compression clothing is that it is very slimming.  Think of it as the athletic version of Spanx.   I make sure the top tucks into my tights as the last thing I want is a cold breeze blowing up from the bottom.   Overtop, I layer a light wool sweater.   I finish it off with a jacket (shell) or heavy running jersey depending on the temperature.  Either way I make sure I can zip down or take off that outer layer should I get too hot.   When it comes to a jacket, look for one that’s waterproof, windproof, and breathable.  It needs to keep you dry from the outside but also dry on the inside by wicking moisture away.   Most good running gear will do this.

My mother always used to bark at me to wear a scarf.  Of course, the teenaged me never bothered as I ran out into sub-zero weather dressed in a jean jacket.  Looking cool always trumped frost bite.  Not so much now.  I’ve learned over the years that the neck is key to keeping warm.   I always wear something around my neck like a gaiter (basically a tube for your neck).  This is the first piece of clothing to come off once my temperature starts to rise but it’s indispensable in cold weather.   It’s amazing how much of your heating, cooling and comfort comes from your neck.   Protect the neck!

The head should not be forgotten.   I always wear a hat when I run/walk.   Typically, it’s a baseball style cap.   The hat has three purposes:  The first is to keep the sun out of my eyes and off my head.  The second is to keep rain/snow off my glasses.   The third is to prevent scaring small children with my “bed head” hair – on the bright side I still have hair!  But a baseball hat in winter?  Ah, this is one of my hacks.   I wear a baseball hat, even on the coldest of days, but I wear an ear band over top to keep my ears from freezing and dropping off.  It ain’t pretty but it works.

Next are the hands.   In moderate temperatures I wear gloves but when the temperature dips I trade them for mitts.  When you run/walk your blood flow tends to prioritize the lower half of your body as the legs are working hard.   Because of that, it’s easy for the hands to become cold even in relatively mild conditions.   Mitts are much warmer than gloves as fingers help to keep each other warm.   On very cold days I’ll even layer light gloves under mitts.   Anything to keep my digits toasty!

Last but not least are shoes.  Most running shoes are designed to keep your feet cool.  They have fabrics and materials that allow air to flow across the top of the foot helping to keep it comfortable.  This is fantastic for those hot July runs but not so much on a snowy January jog.   In winter you don’t want air flowing through the shoe to the same degree.  What you want is to keep the cold, slush, and snow out.   Most major manufacturers have shoes that are built to run in cold, snowy environments.   Look for a model that has Gore-Tex to help make them waterproof.   The tread on winter shoes also tends to be a little more aggressive to give you added traction in slippery conditions.   Sure, you can run in a normal shoe, but it is way more comfortable with a shoe made for winter.   Think of them as snow tires for your feet.

Winter brings with it a host of specific concerns and conditions.  The number one being traction on ice and snow.   No one wants an unexpected fall (or an expected fall for that matter).  But you don’t have to fall to hurt yourself.  I’ve pulled and strained more muscles and tendons trying to keep myself from upright than I have from actual falls.  You know the scene, you slip, and then instinctively overreact to save yourself, in the process you pull, strain or jar multiple body parts.  Hell, just the slip can stretch something that wasn’t meant to move that way.  And if you do fall, it can be devastating – enough said.  We want to avoid slips and falls at all costs.

The first line of defence when the sidewalks and trails are icy is to simply skip the day.   If there’s been freezing rain and skates are more appropriate than running shoes, stay home.   For days when the sidewalks or trails are packed with snow and ice you can get “traction aids” to help keep you on your feet.   Traction aids are a cross between your dad’s old goloshes and winter sandals for your running shoes.   They’re rubber bands that slip over your shoes and have small spikes embedded in the soles.  They give you traction in the iciest conditions.  There are several brands to choose from with different degrees of spikiness (is that even a word?) from those you could use to scratch your back to others you might pack for a hike up Everest.   Regardless, they work and are key to keeping you outside and upright in the toughest of conditions.   You will however sound like a you’re a tap dancer.  A small price to pay for keeping your hips intact.   Here’s a short video about traction aids.

The other significant safety factor in the winter is being seen.   The days torturously short in the winter months making the chance of having to run in the dark greater.  Cars, trucks, and people have a hard time seeing runners/walkers if they’re not properly lit.   It is always recommended to wear clothing with reflective markings and even better if you’re wearing a light.   These days LED lights are small, affordable, and efficient so it’s easy to be well lit for an early morning or evening outing.   There are dozens of headlamps and other products specifically made for active people to see and be seen.   You can look like you belong on the Vegas strip with some of the products available.  I’ll happily be lit up like a slot machine if it’ll keep me safe.

A couple of final points to remember:  Lip balm is essential.  Chapped lips suck no matter who you are, and winter is tough on lips so pack a lip balm.   For sunny days, be sure to wear sunglasses.   If there’s snow and sun the reflection can be unbearable so be sure to protect your eyes and wear sunglasses.  Once you get moving keep moving.  Stopping is a sure way to get cold and once you’re cold things can turn dangerous quickly so keep moving.

Sure, we can be like bears and hibernate through the winter but that would be a shame.  As we age, being active year-round is vital.   Remember a body at rest is open to rust.  So, get out and show winter what your made of.  After all it won’t be long before we’re bitching about the heat.

 

Click here to join our secret club!

(Actually, it’s our mailing list but a secret club sound so much better)