SNOW!! Yes depending on how old or grumpy you are this is either good news or bad news, it tends to split people down the middle. Runners are no exception with those that love getting out early on fresh snow for a good long run, and others who hate it and see only the risk of injury. The truth, as is so often the case, is somewhere in the middle, in the grey area, where you assess the risk and trade that off against the beauty of cutting your path through a frozen landscape and enjoying feeling the sensation like you’re the first person on the planet. Like it or loath it, you cant deny that running in icy or snowy conditions takes more effort. It definitely takes more effort and seems to leave you feeling like you’ve run a race when all you did was run around the town. Which is good, right? If you run the distance you were planning then I guarantee you’ll need more effort for this on snow or ice. LFR went out today in the snow ‘en masse’, as it does best, here there and everywhere. Some went along the canal, some in the woods, some along country lanes and some and, well, some forged their own paths.

But many runners shy away from going out running in the cold, the icy weather, the snow. Its somewhat understandable. Anyone who is a runner will have been to some degree injured at some point and none of us like it. No sir. So why add to the risk of getting injured? That’s the real question….but there are ways to minimize the risk. A couple of great articles here on how to minimize the risk of running in snowy, icy conditions.

https://runneracademy.com/how-to-run-in-snow-and-ice/

http://www.runandbecome.com/running-training-advice/how-to-run-in-snow

People site risk of injury for not wanting to go out running in such weather, but really running is something that is already a risk-laden pastime, but this truly only represents one of the additional hazards that exist, rather than being a deal-breaker. Its surely something to cautiously embrace?

That said, its crucial as ever to take precautions and by being sensible, running where you are unlikely to encounter fast moving traffic, where roads will have been gritted, in daylight, in high-viz, with grippy shoes, taking care where you place your feet, etc, etc you can have a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Next time we get some white stuff, lets get out there!!