The Winter of running

So there you have it…It’s late fall. All the major local races are in the books. The plethora of social media newsfeeds of runners with their newly acquired medals, sharing proud moments of PRs and boasts of super achievements are dying down. The crowds that used to clog up the trails on those hot summer days have dwindled. The gear and apparel crazy frenzy at the running stores have subsided. Folks are hanging up their boots ..er..(sorry)… shoes for a few months to take a break. Yes…In these parts, the running season is over.

Then again…is it?  For some,  maybe. But there are those who keep the same running schedule whether it is 70 degrees or 20 degrees outside. What? Really?… Running…as a winter sport?…You can’t be serious!  Well, it’s an easy transition really. Once you get into the habit of effective layering up…Once you get into the realization that after the first few (albeit difficult) minutes, your body is all warmed up and once you figure out that it’s all a state of mind, winter running is a cinch. And it is a completely new feeling of excitement and satisfaction. And here is the bonus. You don’t need to do anything different to keep those holiday pounds off…or worry about fighting the ‘New Year resolution’ rush at the gyms in January. Staying in shape over the holidays has never been easier.

So revel in the liberating cold wind when it gusts into your face, eagerly await the soft crunch of fresh snow under your feet and enjoy the amazing beauty of the black-and-white landscape on the trails… And oh yeah… wipe that snot of your nose, runna. This IS the winter of running.