During a normal snowy winter, I swap the running shoes I keep in the back of the truck for a hodgepodge of planks, boots, and poles. Although the set up for skiing is more complicated than it is for running, I gladly retrain myself to operate the system while remaining (mostly) upright. After all, there's no greater feeling than gliding along the trails for miles on slippery snow.
This year is different. Skiing is the exception rather than the rule due to poor snow conditions, and the weather is relatively warm more often than not. I don't run because of the health benefits. I run to stay sane. Running is a very easy shortcut to a badly needed mid-winter high. It's cheap, no fancy gear is required, and it's doable even on the ice and, yes, in the lovely January rain.
Here are my tricks for running during this unusual winter.
Dont break
If you don't have them yet, you need studs in your running shoes. It's an ice luge out there more often than not and studs provide both stability and peace of mind. Don't waste your time trying to run on Yaktrax or other traction accessories, which make terrible nails-on-chalkboard noises whenever they hit pavement, and fall off every five minutes. Instead, put screws in your old shoes, or invest in a pair of pre-studded shoes called Icebugs. Of course, there are stretches of trail that are totally fine with regular running shoes, but often access to these trails or detours will be icy, and studs free you from worries.
Equally important is not breaking the running habit. I promise, it will take a monumental effort to get out the door. Robes will be fuzzy and warm. Work will suddenly be overwhelming and in need of undivided attention, especially if it happens to be raining outside. Food is always quite delicious and distracting, not to mention happy hour.
Just go. The most difficult part is tugging on the running shoes and kicking myself out. The most delightful part is getting back. Turns out, the fuzzy robe didn't go anywhere.
Keeping my lungs happy
Air quality in the winter in Alaska is hard to gauge. There are many variables. When it gets super cold, there are inversions that trap exhaust from everyone's car warming in the driveway, and airplanes buzz overhead leaving heavy, fuel-scented air in their wake.
Luckily air isn't (usually) something you can see; and Alaska views are half the incentive for the run. In Anchorage, the view over Cook Inlet changes day to day. Shadows on the Chugach shift even on cloudy days, and the woods along the Turnagain Arm trail on the Seward Highway are surprisingly dry like spring. I spend much of the winter indoors and behind a screen, and running gives me an opportunity to be part of the scenery.
Still, I protect my lungs from what's invisible. When it's colder than 20 degrees I wear something over my mouth. Smartwool makes great neck warmers, balaclavas work, or a wide fabric headband like a Buff can fit both over my mouth and ears. When I breathe through the fabric, the air is warmed by the time it hits my lungs. If I forget the mouth covering, I'll cough the rest of the day.
On inversion days or when there are air-quality warnings, I have to decide whether to run at all. If I can, I'll try to go above the inversion -- this is a good time to check out the Prospect Heights trails in Chugach State Park or see how icy Powerline is these days. Or, I do something else (walk, swim) and wait for a better day to run. I'm not a fan of forgoing the run overall and I'll usually err on the side of running rather than not, but there's also a point where the costs outweigh the benefit.
Make a plan
Several times this winter I have accomplished the incredible feat of having completed a run by 8 a.m. As you may have guessed, this is not something I did alone.
Every distraction becomes a powerful deterrent when it is time to get going. However, someone waiting for me trumps all else, even if it is 7 a.m., dark and cold during January in Alaska -- a state some consider so extreme it could be a figure of speech in the Lower 48. "It was as cold and dark as January in Alaska."
Having a plan with a friend helps me overcome this and get outside anyway. Even better, while I'm running, I feel on top of the world because against all odds and fuzzy bathrobes, I have succeeded at getting myself outdoors.
Mid-winter it's important for me to be jolted from comfort into the cold. Despite the skis remaining for the most part in the basement, running allows me to get outside and stay healthy during the winter. Most importantly, running helps me put everything in perspective, keeping my head on straight.
Even in January.
Alli Harvey lives, works and plays in Anchorage.