Me hibernate? No way
Running in the winter has its little challenges. Of course you have the tempature factor. Then you have the road surface to deal with it. In addition to that it’s dark so early in the day.
The temperature factor is something that one can easily overcome. As long as I dress in layers there isn’t a problem. I basically add a layer of clothing for about every 10 degrees it gets below freezing. I figure I can get down to 10 below 0 and still be able to run. I have quite a variety of clothing to choose from that will meet the needs to run comfortably.
Up until yesterday I have never had a problem with the temps and the wind chills that can accompany the temps. Basically I screwed up and didn’t wear a wind break layer. Fleece does not stop wind from getting through to the under layers. Lessons in life never stop.
Dealing with the surface conditions is by far the trickiest part of running in the winter. You never know what’s around the corner sort of speak. Some streets get plowed very nicely while others don’t seem to get plowed very well at all. I need to occasionally go out and do a little inspecting before I run. I need to concentrate on my stride a lot more during my winter runs.
The other factor is the darkness which gets better over time. The worst is from December to January. After that there is generally enough daylight to get the runs done by dusk or right after sunrise. I counter this by making sure I wear a highly visible outer layer so people can see me.
Winter running is an enjoyable time. There’s a little more solitude than spring, fall or especially summer. Not so many people out there running. The best thing is that there is no goose sh!t to have to run around on the trails.
Please feel free to come an join me sometime.