Snow training: running tips to stay healthy and injury-free this winter

Winter is officially here, and with it comes the challenge of running in the snow. Whether or not you like running in the snow, you’re going to have to face the elements for some outdoor runs in the next few months. Running in the cold and on snowy and potentially icy roads is not the easiest task, and if you go about it the wrong way, you could get hurt. Here are a few tips for snowy, cold-weather running to make sure you stay healthy this winter and get the most out of your training.

No PBs in the snow

We know that you love running fast and want to post some impressive times on Strava, but when there’s snow on the ground, it’s not the right time to be chasing PBs. You need to focus on the road when you’re running in the snow, because at any point you could be approaching a patch of ice. If you decide to run fast, you’ll be more focused on your pace and how you’re feeling than on the task of not slipping, and all of a sudden you might wipe out. If you want to run a PB this winter, wait for the snow to melt or, better yet, find an indoor track.

Layer up

There are plenty of tough people out there who pride themselves on being able to wear shorts in any weather, but if you’re going for a run, you should ditch that mentality and wear proper layers. You might think you don’t need tights or a jacket, but these will keep your muscles warm, which will help to prevent injury.

Always warm up

Going along with the point from the last tip, it is incredibly important to warm your muscles up when running in the winter. Warming up is always necessary, but especially so when it’s cold outside. If you’re going for an easy run, don’t stress about warming up, but if you have any sort of harder effort planned, take the time to ease into the workout.

Wear traction spikes

You can get a set of winter spikes that are designed to keep you upright and on your feet when running in the snow on icy conditions. These stretch onto your shoes, creating a much more secure outsole for winter running. You will feel much steadier on your feet when wearing these, and they will allow you to run with ease all winer long.

Stick to a plan

It’s frustrating enough when you run out of energy when you’re far from home in the spring or summer, but in the winter, it can actually be dangerous (depending on where you are). You do not want to run 10 kilometres into the middle of nowhere only to be forced to go all the way back on your own and in the cold. Before your long runs in the winter, come up with a plan for where you’ll go and how you’ll get home (maybe you can have a friend or family member on-call and ready to pick you up) if things go wrong.