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Winter Running TipsIs this the time of year you need some winter running tips because your devotion to master's running gets a little low - or - does your winter running get you only as far as the nearest couch?
Have no fear! Winter running gear and the right winter running shoes can help you enjoy the great outdoors all year! By the end of November we're usually in a deep freeze here in Edmonton, Alberta but there are a crazy number of runners out pounding the trails - or maybe, we just have more crazies! Here's our best winter running tricks and tips!
Here's the top 10 tips for winter running: 
Winter Running Tip #1Just do it! Get out and run! Yes, in the dark! We master the unfamiliar by making it familiar. Forget about that old tale about your lungs freezing. If that were true we would be losing a lot more snowmobilers! Most of us run in cities, anyway, and you can bet you will never be far from a warm place - or light - in the city. Go to your central park when it's fifteen below.You'll be in the city, but the only company you'll have will be the the cross country skiers and speed skaters. If you need to re-dress, or de-layer there's always the car or a nearby fitness centre. Winter Running Tip #2 -Take a light. You may not really need it, but it sure makes you visible to any traffic around. Tiny LED lights have come a long way in the last couple of years. I lost my old LED somewhere in my running gear (they're tiny, right?), so I picked a new light up at Running Room - the house brand. Straps on your forehead, and - wow - it's so bright it's practically embarrassing. A real miniature headlight that lasts for 100's of hours on a few AAA batteries. It has a wide field of light so you don't get that light blindness you used to see with the old halogen lights. Just turn it off if you jog into a Starbucks for a coffee.Winter Running Tip #3 -If you go onto the trails and away from traffic take a cell phone. It's never happened to me but accidents do happen and ankles get sprained! If you're in the city parks you'll appreciate it if you just have to get to the nearest road - the road 10 kilometers away where you left your car...Winter Running Tip #4 -Hydration is just as important in the winter as in the summer. The Running Room has insulated running belts that keep your water in a liquid state longer. Besides, it looks silly to be sucking on your water bottle trying to thaw out the nozzle... (Another reason why running in the dark isn't so bad!)Winter Running Tip #5 -Slow down, as the Mexicans say (disminuya su velocidad). Speed may not kill you when you're running, but the less you slip and trip the better off you and your tailbone will be in the long run. Cold weather running uses more energy than warm weather running.Running on slippery surfaces means more [proprioception], if that can be a verb. Proprioception is your muscles' sense of place and balance, particularly the ankle and feet muscles for running. These minute adjustments to slippery running conditions take a little extra energy for every kilometer we run. Plus, proprioception is a learned skill, although it's done at a subconscious level - so that's why we get more confident at winter running as the season wears on.
Winter Running Tip #6 -Good socks. Winter is not the time for thin, worn out socks. Go with wool and it won't matter if they are wet or dry - they will still be warm! Synthetics work well for summer, but wool is still the best for winter running.Winter Running Tip #7 -Layer up, and no cotton. A number of light layers adds surprising insulation. Three light summer garments worn in layers do double duty as winter running gear. When you are buying running clothes, keep this in mind and get some clothes a little larger than the rest so you can wear layers in the winter! Stay away from cotton. It's a summertime fun fabric, not for serious winter exercise!Winter Running Tip #8 -Wear your heart monitor. You will not believe how many calories are burned running, particularly winter running. You won't be setting any speed records, but you'll be burning off your holiday turkey!Winter Running Tip #9 -Remember frozen surfaces are hard. Running across a frozen lake is like running on cement unless you weigh as much as a gravel truck. Frozen trails don't have much give to their surfaces either. Winter is a great time to work on a nice, smooth running form. Think about investigating chirunning! Chi running reduces injuries and improves your form.The Last and Least Tip for Winter Running #10 -OK, you're crazy for running all winter. Just have fun doing it! You'll be maintaining your summer condition, controlling your weight and appetite, and you're going to meet some very interesting people out on the trails!
Check out how the get the right winter running gear here! Top of Winter Running Tips Winter Mountain Biking Back to The Benefit of Running
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