You can run on snow? Winter Snowshoe Running Guide by Cole Crosby

As the weather begins to get colder by the second, the clocks have fallen back an hour, and snow soon becomes a word in our vocabulary again, it means its time to prepare your running snowshoes for another season of fun races, festivals and events.

What I am referencing is the wonderful winter activity of "Snowshoe Running".  As a relatively new sport in terms of national recognition, snowshoe running is actually the fastest growing endurance sport in America. Why is that?

1. It's fun
2. It breaks up the monotony of winter
3. It is by far one of the best workouts you ever had
4. Races are cheap: 10-25 dollars for a 10k with royal amenities such as hot chocolate and embroidered give-aways.
5. It's different than road running and a little more adventurous than trail running
6. It is a great way to achieve a beach body by April (okay not proven science but many would argue this statement's validity as fact)

So you are interested in snowshoe running. Where to start?

1. Look Into the USA Snowshoe Association.

The website provides all the information needed for snowshoe racing across the country. Every year there is a National Championship held in a different region of the country each year and the race weekend usually at the beginning of March is more like a running festival than just a race site. In order to run at nationals, you need to be a USA snowshoe member: a price of $30 gets you a ticket to qualify for nationals and a top age-graded performance at a regional qualifier. Most people can qualify for nationals as the sport is still growing and qualification standards are not outrageous like other running divisions.

2. Check out your local running store.

They may have all staff that love to snowshoe run and have connections and maybe even sell running snowshoes so that you can try them out.

3. Ask around your community.

A lot of endurance athletes such as triathletes, ultra runners, and road racers have gained the benefits
of snowshoe running and so should you!

The Running Snowshoe!

There Are a lot of questions going into the running snowshoe. Here is my tutorial on them.

Running snowshoes are light: made of airplane grade aluminum and come either with a binding system or are direct mount. They come in all different shapes and sizes: Running snowshoes usually come in at 21-24 inches in length and there are some now even smaller yet fit the USA Snowshoe Association Regulations of 120 Square Cubic Inches of Surface Area.
Here is the link to the applicable snowshoes: http://www.snowshoeracing.com/legal_size.htm



As you can see my Dion Snowshoes have a strap system or binding that holds my foot in place. The snowshoes have an articulated ankle suspension so your foot is not directly stuck to the snowshoe itself so the snowshoe flops  up and down and allows for a natural running stride. Know that running in snowshoes is a demanding physical activity and is extremely snow condition dependent. Add at least a minute to your overall road running training per mile pace is a good rule of thumb for running in snowshoes. When dealing with deeper powder....time goes out the window.

Running in snowshoes is very easy to get used to. Your running gait will be slower and you will naturally have a winder stance when running in snowshoes because of the shoes on your feet and the drag associated with snow.  It takes a couple times of testing out snowshoes to get used to them. Once you have practiced in snowshoes a little, running in them will be second-nature.

There is nothing like strapping on some snowshoes for a brisk winter run. It allows for you to connect with winter in such a way where winter becomes FUN AGAIN!

Most of these top-of-the-line racing snowshoes are going to set you back about $250 but you do not need a new pair every season. I have had my snowshoes for going on 3+ years and still looking good. They are a great investment to your health and for you to try out something new and refreshing.

Putting snowshoes on are as simple as unstrapping the binding and then placing your foot into the bindings and then tightening around your foot. Taking the snowshoe off is just the opposite fashion. Everything is very easy to do with minimal time wasted.

Apparel for Running:

Dress how you would if you were going for a standard cold winter run: Hat, Gloves, Tights, Baselayer(s), Midlayer, Jacket, Vest, etc. The interesting notion about the activity is once you begin to start moving, you warm-up extremely quick and those extra layer you started out with are left only to a baselayer and tights. I try to shoot for water resistant gear as the snow will melt with your body heat on you and usually refreeze on your garments so having a thermal running jacket with wind-proofing and water repellent properties is highly recommended or even a running vest can give you those properties with a full-on jacket without all the extra restriction.

Here are a bunch of companies that offer great snowshoe running products:

Atlas Snowshoes is based in Colorado, USA and offer a very nice light frame with a very nice binding system.  The two models you would be looking for would be the "Race" or the "Run".

Made from Bennington, Vermont by Bob Dion himself; these snowshoes offer a full-on customization from selecting the Frame, Bindings, and Cleat which no other company out there does. They hold up great and are the most trusted pair of snowshoes in the Northeast.  You would be looking for the 121 Racing Frame or the 132 (Yellow) which is cheaper.

WHoOOO Green!  Redfeather is based out of La Crosse, Wisconsin and has been making performance snowshoes for a LONG TIME!  They have this really cool bird tail design for better flotation and offer great characteristics similar to DIONS and Northern Lites. Popular in the Midwest! The model you want to look for is the Vapor 21.

WHoOOOO More Green!

Big following in the Midwest and Northeast, Northern Lites based in Wisconsin as a family business have produced some of the lightest and most durable snowshoes out there. They also give you the best option for bolting your shoes into a pair of them (Direct Mount) for a more race-oriented light weight experience. They have one if not the best decking system around. Great Value!

Course 721 is a new snowshoe to the market, extremely light weight but from what I have heard from testers in the Upstate NY area, they do not provide the best traction in powder but are solid for nice groomed trails. For those product techies, this one is for you.

Another Colorado-based company in Boulder, they make some really cool looking snowshoes that have won awards for the best bindings on the market. They do provide direct mount but why miss out on the binding. The Gold 12 is the Race model and offers a unique tear-drop shape and at 24 inches long, this is longer than other racing snowshoe products yet gives great movement and seamless flotation

.

Concluding:  Snowshoe Running is a great winter endeavor for anyone looking to "trail run" through snow-covered trails or is looking for getting the fitness edge during the winter season. Snowshoe Running provides participants light impact that is almost at a contact point near zero. I have never heard of any stories of snowshoe runners getting injured from too much running in snowshoes. The activity itself requires more effort than regular running and even trail running but it is a great way to stay fit in the doldrums of winter and to enjoy what nature has to offer. Snowshoe running builds immense aerobic strength, coordination/balance, and strengthens your stabilizing core (abs, glutes, ankles) unlike anything I have ever come into contact with.

Once you try snowshoe running, you are going to be hooked.  

For any additional questions or for snowshoe running/winter running coaching, you can email me at colecrosby88@gmail.com.

I would love to help in any way I can. Stay warm and see you out on the trails this winter!

Tom B Trail Run---A Historic Event in Trail Running For the Finger Lakes Region

Let me begin here by mentioning that the Tom B Trail Run has been around for quite some time and is labeled as the annual "kick-start" to the trail running season here in the Finger Lakes Region of Upstate NY.  I have used this race as my tune-up event each year and have enjoyed the opportunity to really test myself a this event.

The details that surround this race will follow as I have the chance to race this Sunday as my trail running opener which I am very excited to get out on the soft stuff and away from the slushy snow as much as I enjoy running in the snow (only for one season out of the year).

Get excited as the weather seems amazing and race-day is going to showcase great stories as people put themselves to the test!

Thank you Mammut North America, Fits Socks, Acidotic Racing, Karhu/Craft and Dion Snowshoes for all the help and support!  Lets have fun out there!

Photo from start of Virgil Crest Ultra (I am in the green and black centered in the photo)

So race day could not come quicker…..

As I gathered my gear early Saturday morning, I was excited about getting in my last quality long run (race simulation) of the year. Earlier this past Thursday, I twisted my ankle while running out along the rail trail (Lehigh Valley) towards Limehollow Nature Center. To my dismay, I was foolish how I foot planted and bruised my inside ankle pretty bad. With diligent icing, I felt it would be fine by Saturday. I  also forgot to signup online for the Tom B 52k option the newest option this year. Luckily, the Race Directors were kind enough to get me into the event. 

Back to the race…

So I loaded up my Honda with all my gear and my new Mammut running apparel for this year and off I drove the 20 minutes to Hammond Hill State Forest. Hammond Hill offers some nice uphills and downhills as the majority of each 13k loop offers more sustained climbing the first half and then solid downhill running the second half. I arrived at the race site, got signed in and prepared for the race event. My goal would be to run somewhere around an hour per loop which would be a solid pacing from last year where I averaged 49 minute loops. The day was a nice morning with tons of bugs from the rain the other day and humidity that had warm fog everywhere. With my new Ultimate Direction 20 oz bottle, I knew that with the warmer weather and high humidity, that hydration and nutrition was going to be even more key. 15 of us lined up and we were OFF!

I followed the nice 800m uphill which is the steepest portion of the race and then easily progressed into the main trail. I felt good in the early going just running nice and calm and relaxed. I could feel my head heat up some with the fog bank of humid air nearby.  I wanted to run the first 2 loops like a walk in the park. Due to the excitement of a race, I ran a pretty solid clip the first loop never letting up on the ups or downs. My ankle felt just fine and was excited to see what I could do. With Nuun in my bottle, I gently drank and would use a gel every time I finished a lap. Running up and down the xc ski trails I practiced visualizing running the Cayuga Trails 50 running nice and smart, saving my reserves for the end. To simulate what my body could do, I did not carbo-load the night before nor was I properly hydrated. This placed a lot of strain on my body as the distance progressed but I managed it pretty well with minor cramping the last 3 miles. The first loop I managed to split 55 minutes which was quick and felt solid. I splashed some water on myself and headed out for the second loop. The mud all over the course made the footing a little difficult and I knew as the other distances would come about later in the day, it would be a tough challenge. By loop two, I needed water. My head was hot, the humidity was sapping my energy and I could feel my core temperature rise as the sun on the end of the first loop to the second and third loops was out in full-force. The shade on the course is minimal at best as the trees have yet to grow in. This is where my race strategy failed. The other aid stations out on the course had not been set up and my bottle was almost out by lap two, I began to feel hot as my Powerbar gels and Nuun was not enough to replenish everything I was losing. Finally towards the high point of the course near the Finger Lakes trail section, an aid station had been set-up. I ran to it and dumped cold water all over myself and boy did that feel amazing. I had water in my bottle with a little bit of old Nuun and felt kinda bloated this last miles of the second loop. 

I needed energy drinks with tons of salt. By loop three, I was around 58 for that loop and positioned myself for a sub 4 finish. I took my next gel and made the push. I was beginning to fatigue a little but my legs felt great and my body was nice and relaxed though feeling hot. I continued to press on around the winding trails. I was lucky to advert many potential ankle-twisting moments to keep myself running smooth. 

I had made my final section of loop three as I knew that the other race would be starting soon. I came from the woods and received a round of applause which was really cool. In that moment, I felt like a mini-celebrity. By lap three, I was stopping at every aid station drinking gatorade, water, Ginger Ale, Coke, anything!  I was still under 4 hour pace hitting the end of lap thee in 2:56. I ate some M&Ms and loaded up on goodies and out I went. I power hiked the big hill a little and then made it to the regular trail. It was 2 minutes or so into the trail and "POP".  I twisted my bad ankle.  The pain rushed into my leg as a solid 7:20 pace became a hobble and then a crawl. I was then passed by the other racers as I had to take it easy with the ankle. With the sea of people there to help motivate me along, eventually I continued to run with them at much slower pace after walking about a mile. At this point I was not going to run sub 4, I just wanted to finish. The last lap, I struggled with my ankle on the uphills and downhills as any uneven footing made me yelp in pain. I did not care if this would take me a while as I just wanted to be done. I had run three spectacular laps in humid/warmer conditions than what I have been used to with three gels and fluids that were not my go to type of stuff. This race gave me the ability to test how I can adapt in a race situation and really proven to myself that I am incredibly fit running every lap but the last lap almost as fast if not faster than the 13k winner. The last lap, I walked a lot and as the watch crept over 4 hours, I worked hard to manage my fatigue. I hoped that I could make it under 4:10. I knew that if I ran under 80 minutes or 10 minute miles for the last section I would be at 4:20 and I wanted to be under that. I willed myself a 4:15 finish not bad considering my last lap was a junk lap in terms of pacing. 

Thank you to my family, friends and sponsors for a wonderful day out on the trails. Thank you Mammut, Acidotic racing, Fits Socks, Dion Snowshoes, and Karhu and Craft for the support.

Now it is time to ice the ankle, rest-up and enjoy running these next few weeks, internalize my solid volume of training with three 20+ runs in the last three weeks and prepare myself for my first A-Race of the year!

Gear used:

Mammut MTR 71 Shirt (Red)

Mammut MTR 71 Shorts (Blue)

Mammut MTR 201 Pro Low (Blue and icy White)

Mammut MTR Visor (Green)

3 Powergels

Lots of Ginger Ale, Gatorade, Coke

Handfull of M&Ms

Ultimate Direction 20 oz handheld (Fastdraw)

Ultimate Direction Essential Belt (Nutrition)

Fits socks (Performance Trail)

Zensah Compression Calf Sleeves (Blue Tie Dye)

Ready for Spring---Ramping Up the Training! Forks 15 Preview

The weather has slowly been warming up but man it has been very chilly in the mornings. I have been running slightly higher mileage in the last two weeks around 80-85 miles a week to finally build my base back up from around 70-77.  I am excited about running a little more and to have time to spend running outside with Ashlee as she bikes. The beginnings of longer days means more time outside enjoying the sunshine and the beginnings of Summer loom in the near-off distance (that's right, it will come soon enough). I am excited about my first race back from the USA Snowshoe Nationals where I ended on not the note I was hoping for but can only learn from the experience to better myself for next year. I must say that this winter has been a tough struggle to really get in some terrific training. Either I could get the time out the door but lack on hill training or I could get the hill training but freeze to death with the wind chills and cut my run short.  I think my strength is absolutely there. With running in very snowy and cold conditions I think make the body acclimate to more efficient-base of burning energy and definitely strengthening all those little alignment-based ligaments, muscles, ect. I am excited to see what my fitness brings because I feel that I am ready.


This Sunday, I will be running the historic Forks XV road race in Chenango Forks, which from what I am told by locals, it is one of the oldest and more historic road races in the area.  I am excited to be racing with members of the Team Confluence, customers, and just connections with the local Triple Cities Runner's Club. We shall see what some endurance training has left me in shape-wise. I am hoping for a 9 mile race to be able to run 5:20-5:30 range pretty comfortably but it of course depends on the conditions. After the 2pm race, Ashlee and myself will be heading to Sonic for some Slushies and ice cream since Sonic is a rarity on the East Coast which I know will be a blast.

Back To Training--Winter is Here! Or Almost Here! Getting Ready For Snowshoe Season

We have had some snow showers in the last few weeks after the Mendon Ponds 50k race.  Ashlee and myself are excited for Thanksgiving and the Holidays!

Beautiful view of Cortland!!!

The training has started to ramp up this week right before Thanksgiving. I am back to running strong and fast and have been putting in the miles and hills. For the week I am on pace to finish in the low to mid 80's, the perfect amount of work for me.  We had our first snow in Cortland, NY! The pictures above highlight the snow-crusted streets and the beginning of winter.  I love this time of year once all the racing is done and I can just get back out to going on fun adventure runs, just enjoying the scenery.  It is interesting, I never thought Cortland, NY out of all places would grow on me the way that it has.  I love SUNY Cortland, my classes and professors, I love the seasons here and the ability to run for the most part car free is always a wonderful thing. I love sharing these moments with Ashlee and our cats: Nollie and Libby. It has been a wonderful year with tons of growth in all aspects.

From a running stand-point, I have reached new levels I never thought I could. I gave the 50 mile distance a shot and love it. It is now my marquee distance. I ran 4 solid ultras this year with 3 course records and a 9th place finish at the Cayuga Trails 50. I am optimistic about next year and I look forward to sharing more adventures with everyone out there. 

School is winding down and it is almost holiday season which I love every year.  There is just something about this time of year that just gives you this energy and excitement. I know for some they cannot stand the holidays but let me tell you that this time of year is unique and we should in fact embrace the end of another year.  Fall into Winter offers a transition a slumber of sorts.  We are given holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas and Hanukah and Kwanza and all these modes of celebration. We have New Years and holiday spirit.  I always look at this time of year as our time of reflection. We have lived through another year and our struggles have made us stronger and our victories have been sweet and savor those moments and move on forward to the next series of goals.

THEORIES FOR TRAINING FOR NOVEMBER-JANUARY

I am now going to focus on base training. I would like to get in the hills, the trails, the cold runs that build character for a race. I would like to experience life, through my own eyes.  It is about getting back to basics, about getting back to your roots.  I hope to run some great trail runs and training efforts to rest the body and begin to build fitness until snowshoe season rolls around in January. For speed I like to integrate my 12 mile run half at a standard 6:40-7 minute pace and then follow-up that with 40 minutes of 30 second surges then 30 seconds at a fast but relaxed pace. I often run this workout running 5:20-5:35 minute mile averages. A run like this gives me that stress of speed I desire for a longer race without sprinting or doing interval track workouts which I am not a big fan of. I also enjoy doing hill sprints usually on a loop course I make often I like to head out to the Cortland High School Cross Country Course in the woods and practice some repeats.

Rest this time of year is key. With all the racing I have done this year, I always believe in having fun with running and do not worry about the specifics of the training. If you feel good one day then go for it otherwise do not worry about it.  I always have a tendency this time of year to run my best or at least feel the best so that once Spring rolls around, I am ready to run smart and fast.  For all those reading this out there my best advice for training is to learn what works best for yourself. Always keep in mind these aspects:

*Race Specific Training

*Long Runs Build Endurance, Short Runs Build Speed

*Rest is just as IMPORTANT as training

I find that when I train based on a particular race, it helps prepare myself for the event. I always keep my base mileage significant 70-90 miles a week but add different target running to simulate race conditions. Maybe Race-pace running or running similar elevation profiles help the body and you learn what effort is needed come race day.

I also think that incorporating long runs to build endurance and some odd-paced or different paced running is key to test the body in different aspects. Having some speed not only makes you kick at the end of a race but you can also have a little better flexibility and leg extension which can help aid in running faster.

Rest is key. I say that because so many of us take this concept for granted. With my career getting off the ground the common pressure is to race at a lot of events at max-capacity. I have a system of 4 key races a year.  I focus a 50 miler for each season of the year. This gives me enough races to prove myself and proper rest and training blocks in-between events. If I feel antsy, I enter into a fun road 5k,10k or Half Marathon to mix it up a little and to test myself in a different running system.  I think this allows for us to grow in new ways. I do not agree with racing every weekend. Pick and chose your battles. For me, I know that a road race will not place me in the red but if I were to do too much maybe after a tough 50 miler than I would be dramatically altering my recovery.  This winter, I snowshoe run to mix it up and to stay competitive in the winter time. It is not only a great workout but because snow is soft, those with impact issues do great in snowshoe running because fresh powder is softer than even grass. I highly suggest looking into snowshoe running. If you are curious about it you can always message me. I would love to give you more information.  Happy Holidays Everyone and be Safe!

Here is also a great link about the Can-Lake 50 race performance from October! I hope you enjoy the read:

http://www.canlake50.org/results.htm#Summary

Running with Daven in the Early Miles Around Mile 10

 

Finishing The Can-Lake 50 in 5:47:23!!!