and feet

Now that winter is come, it is time to get these out again:

My Merrell trail running shoes. These are zero lift barefoot runners which are about to be put away actually until later. This winter, like most, I will run in a pair of burned out New Balance trail runners which have packed up quite nicely. I prefer thin soled shoes for running, so the lack of cush is not something I care about. Tonight? Ran about two or three km. 50 paces running, 50 walking, 60 seconds stretching. Rinse and repeat with longer running intervals thrown in. Ramp it up, ramp it down. Every Single Time I start running again, I tighten up my lower calves. This year, lots of walking, lots of interval work, lots of mid run stretching until I can float through a 10 km run sub 50 minutes again. Then, do that five times a week - this was how I survived winters a few winters ago.

It is time for my annual foray into the world of running.

During the winter months, cycling as I prefer to do it becomes more difficult and more challenging. I have no problem with riding in the cold. No fear of ice, snow, the dark, slipping, falling, or winter drivers. I may not like these things all of the time, but I have no fear of them.

The problem for me in the winter is getting any kind of good work out. During warmer months, it is possible, and easy, to get out on my cyclocross bike and spin at a good clip for hours on end. Stress, excess energy, as well as unneeded and unwanted extra pounds melt away. It is good for me, body and soul.

However, maintaining this is more challenging in the winter.

While it is true that I don't fear winter from a cycling perspective, I do respect it. Wandering great distances from home in unpredictable or very cold weather while exposed to the elements (even when dressed right) is not smart. We don't live in a world anymore where a stranger, caught unawares in the country in the winter, can just walk up to a random farm and ask for help. While I might get help should such a thing occur, I am not willing to deliberately put myself at risk. This means as a rule that I am confined to city riding during the winter months. Shelter there is a locked bike and a cafe away.

This means stop and start cycling. Lots of slogging on a heavy commuter bike with heavy tires. It means lousy footwear for cycling (I won't buy specific boots for cycling because I won't ride my fast bikes with clipless pedals in the winter). It means maintaining a baseline of fitness, but not really pushing it the way I would want to. It means that effortless float I get from hours of spinning takes a back seat to reality.

It means, in short, running.

Running, as much as I loath it, is the single best way for me in my current situation - gymless, warm climateless - to float through the winter months with the same manic level of fitness I maintain during summer months.

Wish me luck, because I truly hate to run.