Adulting 101: Running safely in winter

What comes next after learning to “adult” and walk safely? Why, running of course! Until recently I would’ve never considered going for a run at night in the winter. Why would I leave my warm house to gallivant in the snow and ice? One of my goals is to do a triathlon so I decided I needed to break it down and work on one piece of it: you guessed it – running!

So there I found myself: running outside in the winter. I realized that contrary to my old beliefs, life and being physically active doesn’t stop because it’s winter! I’ll admit the cold and darkness didn’t encourage me to jump out the door, but I do know I felt really good once I was out there. In fact, there was a whole group of us that felt pretty darn good in the snow! I decided to join one of my local running groups, the PG Road Runners, for a Wednesday night group run and even made some friends while tromping through the slush. Other perks: I learned snow is weirdly satisfying to crunch under my feet and I got a much needed dose of vitamin N (nature!) from being outside! Plus, it was fun to try something new and I felt so good after!

Are you interested in taking the icy plunge and running outside this winter? Here are five things I recommend for winter running.

Five tips for winter running:

1. Stay safe and wear reflective gear! Making sure you’re seen is really important when out running in the dark. Nearly half of all crashes with pedestrians happen in the fall and winter due to the dark and low visibility! Leave the all-black clothing at home and stay safe by wearing bright, reflective gear!
2. Get a grip. My biggest worry about running in the winter was slipping and falling. I’d heard that wearing ice grippers over your running shoes could help, and when I showed up to my running group, everyone was wearing them! I tried running in them and felt much more sure-footed. That said, you still need to be very careful and watch your step! I thought they might be uncomfortable but they were barely noticeable for me. If you do get a pair, I’d recommend them for walking too!
3. Light your way. I didn’t have a headlamp for my first winter night run and I wish I did! I thought the street lamps would do the trick but I didn’t account for the dark spots between the street lamps. Oops. I picked one up for my next night run and it made a huge difference being able to see where I was stepping. If you do decide to invest, you could use it for other winter activities like snowshoeing!
4. Don’t get cold feet. Thanks to the freeze and thaw weather in Prince George lately, I ran through a lot of slush puddles. My feet were wet but they stayed warm thanks to my wool socks. Unlike cotton, wool helps trap heat and keep it close to your body so you stay warm. I’d highly recommend a pair.
5. Dress lighter than the weather feels – I learned this the hard way. It gets hot when running! I didn’t check the weather before my first run, dressed too warm and overheated halfway through. Make sure you check the weather before you go and then choose your layers accordingly.

As an amateur runner I’m probably just skimming the surface when it comes to advice. Are you part of a running group? Do you have any winter running tips? Leave your comments below! Stay safe and happy running!