Nine in six…

This past Wednesday, I had hoped to go to my local run club but in the mid-afternoon, heavy snow started coming down and it became apparent that getting to the store where we meet would be a challenge. Along with the snow, the temperatures were frigid. At 3:45 it was twelve degrees and forecast to go down from there.

I texted a friend of mine and we agreed to run to a lake close to our houses to do some loops there. I figured we’d keep it short due to the conditions but when I got home, I’d logged nine miles. Time flies when you’re having fun.

A few years ago, I mentioned that I use YakTrax when running in slick conditions and they continue to work well. While I still need to exercise some care and they don’t allow me to take off at a dead sprint or even run at a fast clip, they do help keep me upright. The only times I started to lose footing were the occasional ice patch or if I was on a slight slope. In those cases, if I slowed down all was well. The only downside is that while they’re excellent on snow, if you hit any concrete or asphalt surfaces, you definitely feel the impact on your legs. I prefer to use them if I’m sure that the vast majority of the run will be on snow or ice. The latter is also hard but I’ll take the impact over falling.

I also continued to appreciate the durability of my heavy pullover. Unfortunately, I can’t point to a website where it’s for sale because it appears that the manufacturer no longer exists. I bought the pullover in the fall of 1998 while training for the Columbus Marathon. While I don’t use it exclusively throughout the winter, I do wear it quite a bit and twenty-three years later, it is going strong. In fact, unless it’s in the low teens or colder, I can get away with just a short sleeve shirt underneath it. The brand name is Tri-Fit and at least for that product, they hit a grand slam. (I did find a company called Tri-Fit but it was formed in 2013 so I don’t think it’s the same one.)

Mentioning a jacket from a company that isn’t around any longer doesn’t help anyone in their search for solid winter gear. However, it is a reminder to hold onto good gear. Some will wear out or it may be that new technology dictates a replacement. If it doesn’t, don’t ditch it.

I reviewed my Nathan visibility light earlier this year. This can serve as a re-endorsement. I used it that night for the full nine miles and while it was six degrees and the light was partially caked with snow when I cruised back into my driveway, it was still blinking.