Got the following question from Julie:
Where are you running now that we have the lovely white stuff outside? I ran once on the streets a week ago when the roads where clear, and the Turkey Trot was fine too. Is the Peninsula a good choice? I just don't always want to drive over there.
Winter running around here is definitely challenging -- especially if you're a die-hard outdoors runner like me. (I will run on the treadmill, but it is the absolute last resort for me and I despise almost every step.) I'll take my chances on the roads.
The fortunate thing is that out in the country we have more snow. Normally, that's a bad thing for me (not a snow lover), but...for a runner it's way better than that slushy, soft slop that takes over the birms on all the streets in the city. Out our way, we also have less traffic, which means we can often run right down the middle of the snow-covered streets and avoid the sloppy sides altogether. (Plus, less cars traveling the roads mean they're less sloppy altogether).
So, when it comes to winter running there are three things I avoid like the plague:
1. Rain. Unless it's a light drizzle on a fairly warm -- above 40-degree day -- running in the rain in winter is like begging for hypothermia. It's always a miserable experience for me.
2. Slush. Nothing worse than trying to run in soft slush. Wait...yes...there is something worse...getting spray head-to-toe with it by a passing car.
3. Thick ice. Black ice is one thing -- it's dangerous, but it's avoidable. However, the thick white ice that's on the roads right now is impossible to run on. There is no running on a road like that (and you have to be aware that cars can't stop on it either). When the roads around my house are icy like this, though, I know that I can go inland and they'll probably be clear.
So....where am I running?
If it's icy (#3), I go in town. I run from work. I run from the gym. I run from my parents house. I run from my church. I just park it and run in town.
If it's snowy, I head south for the country roads, there is nothing more beautiful and enjoyable than a run on a snowy, traffic-free country road. If the snowplows have been out...sadly, they've often wrecked the run, but..not always. Depends on how much snow there is.
If it's raining, I run on the treadmill. Hating. Every. Step.
In general, in the winter, I run a lot more country roads. They may be snowier, but it provides safer footing and more pleasant running (than getting splattered by stuff from passing cars). In the winter, I avoid my typical summer routes on 38th Street & the Bayfront Connector trail (it's not maintained in winter) and I run the back roads.
Believe it or not, Julie...I've been running through your neighborhood a few times now that they've FINALLY finished the bridge work over there. I'm not fond of running on Lake Pleasant, but...I don't mind it for a 1/2 mile or so. I either go down & loop through your area or over Langdon toward the Pennbriar or...I go south and take another road left over to Route 8 and head down Old Wattsburg and run around the back roads of Harborcreek (Kuhl, Harborgreene, etc.).
The peninsula trail is NOT maintained in winter. Well..correction...it is for a few miles, but after that, it's used by the cross country skiers so it's not plowed. This means you'll have to run on the road -- which is not a bad thing because there aren't many cars out there this time of year. But...on the other hand...as one woman runner to another...take caution that there aren't many cars out there this time of year and running along on the backside of the peninsula could be dangerous -- it's very isolated.
COMING NEXT: I'll elaborate on winter running in my next post -- 5 things you MUST have to be an outdoors winter runner in Erie, Pa.