Yaktrax Run

It's always a challenge to keep running through the winter in New England, but it's certainly possible, as many thousands of past Boston Marathoners and local fat ass ultra runners can tell you. You just have to be creative, patient, persistent, resilient, and determined. Sometimes all at the same time.

Aside from just getting out there and running on the roads regardless of the weather (I've accumulated several bins of warm winter clothing over the past 2 decades or so), I also like to mix it up with cross-country skiing, ice skating, and snowshoeing. But sometimes I just find that I really miss being free out on trails, which, at least here in western Massachusetts, are often just ribbons of ice no matter what the snow depth.

And this is where Yaktrax and microspikes come in. When the conditions are right, these studded-snowtires-for-your-shoes can be just awesome little pieces of gear. As was the case yesterday, when Jen and I set out for a four-mile run on the Chapel Brook to DAR Trail (last seen by me here). There was about an inch or two of new snow covering the ground, concealing lots of icy strips and patches where you might have thought there was only bare ground. It was about 30 degrees out, partly to mostly cloudy, and we only saw one other person the whole time. The Yaktrax gave us just the right amount of purchase and traction to enjoy the entire run.

Some more photos: