I often ponder why in the world my relatives decided to settle in Minnesota…Why didn’t they continue to venture further west or at least make it a little further south? This winter has already gotten pretty long and it is easy to get discouraged trying to brave the icy sidewalks day in and day out. Here are a few of my coping mechanisms:
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| This picture explains the love-hate relationship with Minnesota |
1.
There is hope! The days are already getting
longer; we are gaining over a minute of sunlight every day! Halleluiah! And by
the end of the month we will be gaining over 5 minutes a day (Thank you Casey
Graham for the information).
2.
Come to run with us at Mill City Running- Check
out our calendar of events-http://www.millcityrunning.com/events.html,
it makes a world of a difference getting out the door with old and new friends!
3.
When there is a slight film of packed snow or
ice, I love using YakTrax. This year I bought a pair of Yak Tracks from Mill
City Running. They are called YakTrax Run. They are very elaborate- they have 4
very small “spikes” on the front and coils on the back. In the past, the
Yaktrax I have used have the coil on both the front and the back, and I am
aware of them on my feet and I don’t feel like they are very responsive. With
the new model, however, I barely notice wearing them, I get good grip, and I don’t feel like I am sinking into the
coils. Strapping the YakTrax onto my feet make running on the hard packed and
semi-slippery roads and paths much less frustrating and help me ensure I still
get to run in the fresh air.
4.
Some days it is impossible to get out on the
roads due to too much snow and ice…On those days, rather than getting bitter, I
get better and celebrate that I can just go Cross Country ski! I can’t say enough
about what a great cardiovascular workout it is. Not only that, but it is good
strength training- engaging your core to maintain balance and both the arms and
legs. Finally it is low impact and a great way to cross train. It is such a
gift to be semi-excited when it snows because I know I can still get a workout
outside that even has the potential to actually enhance my running performance!
Unfortunately you cannot just
throw on a pair of skis and go out your back door like you can with running.
Not only that, but you need equipment. Fortunately there are tons of groomed
trails throughout the city and surrounding areas. Also, there are a variety of
locations that rent cross country skis to give you a chance to test it out.
Below is a link for locations that rent cross country skis. There are some stores
such as REI and Hoigaards that allow you to take equipment to any trail for a
day, weekend, or week. Other locations will rent skis at the trailhead. I would
strongly encourage you to rent for a few times before investing in equipment-
but make sure to try it a few times because it can be initially frustrating! http://www.skinnyski.com/trails/display.asp?Id=17851.
Just remember we are Minnesota tough...and Old Man Winter
will eventually go into hibernation! We should be proud to be thriving in Minnesota
winters and we can do it together!
