By KLAS STOLPE
Sentinel Staff Writer
The shortage of daylight during the winter holiday season isn’t a reason to stay inside and find solace with a renewed interest in TV offerings.
That’s the observation of some elite Southeast athletes, who say anyone, regardless of fitness level, can avoid the wintertime blahs by the simple expedient of getting outdoors.
“Everything feels quieter and more serene in the winter,” says Juneau endurance athlete Geoff Roes, who invites elite and beginner runners to his camps in Juneau.
“The trails are much more empty so it’s easier to find a sense of solitude,” said Roes, who holds the record for the 350-mile Iditarod foot race. “It’s also really fun to experience terrain that we get used to all summer in such a different way. Under a blanket of snow a trail or a ridge can feel completely new, even if you’ve experienced it dozens of times without snow.”
Ultra-distance runner Geoff Roes, center, watches as a group of his hikers move down a snow path along a Juneau mountain ridge in this file photo from July. (Photo by Klas Stolpe)
Ultra-runner Chris McGraw of Sitka also looks forward to running outside in the winter.
“I feel there are a couple of advantages,” McGraw said. “First for people that are trail runners it allows you to continue to train on trails and get the aerobic and strength benefits from the climbs and descent that we so much enjoy on the trails. While you can set a treadmill to an incline, it isn’t the same. I also think that all of us get to spend so much less time outdoors in the winter because of the daylight. Continuing to train outside gives me a reason to get outside. The weather isn’t always the best, but typically once you’re out the door, I forget about the weather.”
The key is being smarter, these runners agree. Especially in Alaska. Most of which apply to outdoor training year-round, not just the winter.
But in the long darkness, especially, keep your outings to places you’re already familiar with, they say, and take a cell phone.
“Water, food, extra layer of clothing, extra gloves – wet, cold hands are no fun – and a small emergency kit including a fire starter and an emergency blanket,” Roes said. “And always let someone know where you’re going and when you expect to return, especially in the winter when your survival time is much lower if something does go wrong.”
Also, he says, wear a headlamp and reflective clothing to let others know you are on the road or trail.
Depending on where you’re going, micro-spikes or even crampons may be needed or shoe/boot attachments such as cross country skis.
Snowshoes and hiking poles open up a winter wonderland that allows for a slower, more intense, outing if one chooses, or a leisurely calorie-burning walk.
The experienced wintertime runners advise that you start out cold regardless of your fitness level. You can take off layers as you warm up, but you’ll need them all when you cool down.
“My most important piece of gear is a very good running shell,” McGraw said. “Then I change up the base layer depending on the temperature. The colder the temps, the thicker the base layer. I also always typically run in fleece mitts with waterproof mitt covers in the winter. I bring hand warmers along just in case Another thing I do if I’m going to go out for more than about two hours is to bring an extra base layer just in case.”
“One thing that I like about winter outings is that when the weather is really crappy it adds to the mental side of the training,” he said. “After a long run in the wet/cold southeast Alaska weather, you feel a strong sense of accomplishment... and it really makes you appreciate a warm shower.”
Don’t underestimate how much water you’ll need, Roes cautions.
“It’s easy to assume that hydration isn’t very important in the winter because it’s much cooler and you’re not sweating as much,” he said. “In this sense you don’t need to drink as much fluid, but in the cold it becomes almost even more important to drink enough fluid. You can get away with less, but you do need to be sure to get an adequate amount.”
The same goes for a supply of high-calorie snacks. Hiking in temperatures below 32 degrees Fahrenheit can burn up to 10 percent more calories than hiking at 50 degrees.
Winter can be a great time for a social outing, Roes said.
“I think winter running is especially great for this because running in the snow becomes a great equalizer,” Roes said. “Even the fastest runners are slowed down so much in the snow that it’s much easier for a group of mixed ability runners to stick together and enjoy some social time at the slowed pace.”
For all the enjoyment they get from outdoor training, it’s not an excuse to stay away from the gym, these athletes say. Weight training, cross training and stretching are still vital aspects of strengthening.
“Running in the winter is a great way to stay in shape year round but without continuing the impact on your body,” Roes said. “Running in the snow and snowshoe running is so much softer of a surface that it acts in many ways as a break for many of your joints and muscles.
“But with the continued activity and time outside you can go into the spring without being out of shape and without feeling so bummed about all the dark, cold, dreary weather November-March.”
