Besides looking like a total badass plowing through snowstorms (or "a crazy white lady", as my friendly neighbors call me), there are TONS of reasons running in winter is way better than running in summer:
- don't have to look nice - no one can tell who you are under those 7 layers of clothes, so there's no pressure to look like a supermodel [reference: Summit Avenue in summer].
- you HAVE to go shopping - because you need those extra 7 layers. And they have to be GOOD 7 layers if you're running in the Polar Vortex, so you might as well go here or here.
- there's no stopping - it's so damn cold and you can already not feel your butt, so you have to KEEP RUNNING.
- you'll go faster - similar to the reasons above, the faster you run, the quicker you get done, and into a nice, steaming, hot shower.
- it's so dry that you're basically training in the desert - the low humidity of the frozen months makes for springtime to feel like a veritable flood of oxygen on your poor, dried-up respiratory tract.
- you might as well double your distance - not finding purchase on slippery pavement means your strides are cut short. All that slipping and sliding and perceived effort for a 3 mile run? I say, 6 MILES.
- automatic cross training - all the snow and ice adds up to an abductor, adductor, ankle flexion, balance, and coordination exercise.
- easier to correct your form - with the long shadows, you can quickly check your form.
- steaming is neat - when you rip off your hat at the end of your run and see the steam rising from your head, you can't help but think you are awesome.
Running + winter > running + spring/summer/fall
Two years ago: LLLL, in which I pretend I'm on Facebook.
