Don’t hibernate this winter

By Ross McDowell of Run Away Shoes

Running in the winter can be a challenge, but only if you let it be. Here are some of the things I tell most runners and walkers throughout the winter and spring.

1.     Consistency is key. It does not matter if you are training for a race near the end of the year. Starting now and running through the spring helps prepare your body for when training truly begins for those races later in the year.

2.     Don’t just wait for your goal race that may be later in the year! Find a race or two in the spring to have a mini goal to work towards and to keep running at this time of the year motivating and interesting! Then you’ll really be ready for the Community First Fox Cities Marathon or the ThedaCare Half Marathon in September.

3.     New year…so new shoes? New shoes can be very helpful in keeping you injury free.  Here are some of the basics, as well as how to care for you shoes in the sloppy months.

• Running shoes last between 300 and 500 miles.
• Running in cold, rain, sloppy snow can shorten the life span of shoes. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it (who doesn’t love a good puddle), but take care of your shoes when they are a little under the weather.
• DO NOT put your shoes in the dryer.
• DO stuff your wet shoes with newsprint after your runs – it helps absorb the water!
• Rotate your shoes. Give the ones that got a little wet some time to recover and throw on your other pair for your next run. Your upfront investment for two pairs of shoes will actually pay off in the long run (no pun intended) by making them last a little longer!
• Shoes do have a shelf life! What does this mean? It means that just because they look new (for example, they were strictly your indoor gym shoes) doesn’t mean they have fresh cushion and support on the inside. Keep track of when you got them and how you’ve used them. If you’ve shopped with us at Run Away Shoes, we keep track of your purchases and can also help you identify if you need new shoes if you’re unsure how you’ve wore them.

Warmer weather is coming, but is it worth putting away your shoes and waiting 6 months for it? Wisconsin and other colder state runners don’t hibernate! We just need to prepare for our runs a little differently than the other half of the year. There are too many miles waiting for you out there right now not to be enjoyed.