I love jogging. I ran cross country when I was in high school. I wasn’t very *good* at it, but I did it anyway (I played basketball and the basketball coach was also the cross country coach and let it be known that you were expected to run too).

I guess it rubbed off on me because now, many years later, I still jog as often as I can. However, my main problem is one of the stations. I find myself in a good summer jogging rhythm, which usually extends into the fall.

Then winter comes and I still want to jog, but I hate running when it’s cold. (It is cold in the winter where I live).

Invariably, I go ahead and keep driving as the weather gets colder and the days get shorter. But then it starts to snow and I’m stumped. At the beginning of winter, when it starts to snow, I keep jogging. The ground does not support much accumulation in those times and the sidewalks or at least the roads are usually clear.

But then, as winter deepens and the snow thickens, I’m forced to stop jogging and switch to the trusty old indoor exercise bike.

And so people always end up asking me this question; Is it okay to run in the snow?

My answer is yes and no.

Personally, I can’t jog in the snow. It’s a matter of hating the cold, and being tall. tall? Yes, high. Long legs seem to make traction on snow and ice difficult. I fall down.

Ok, not all the time, but sometimes. Either way, I find that my muscles expend more energy keeping me upright than pushing me through a good jogging workout.

If the roads are clear and you have the proper clothing to protect you from frostbite (which is a real concern for winter running) then I say go for it. move your heart

But if it’s so bad outside that the streets department hasn’t even bothered to clean the streets, then I suggest you go inside and use the old treadmill or stationary bike. Or better yet, find a gym that has an indoor track.

Many colleges have indoor courts if you can’t find a gym. If you live near one, even if it’s just a community college, you can walk in and use it. And if you get accredited, many colleges will sell memberships to their sports complexes.

So that’s my recommendation for running in the snow. If the paths are covered, take him inside. If the roads are clear and you have the gear, jog.