Christian Zavisca

How to run in the snow

A snowstorm late Tuesday led to a three-hour delay in the start of operations at my employer, Valparaiso University, so I did what any self-respecting runner would: I suited up for a trudge through the snow.

Swirling winds affect how much snow is on the ground at any given point. Probably a foot and a half greeted my first few steps out the door.

By the late afternoon, thanks to plows and sunlight, the roads were clear, but at 9 in the morning every inch was covered. I lasted for 40 minutes and made it about three miles. I managed a good pace for the first mile, and then it turned into more of a hike.

I was planning to do a lot more treadmill running this winter, but for some reason I just haven't been enthusiastic about the old 'mill. So it's been largely outdoors for me. In passing along the following tips, I'd like to triple-underline that I am not an expert or a doctor, so consult a health professional if you're unsure about how wise it is to gear up and go for a run on seven-degree mornings.

1. Layer up: I wear two or three running shirts and a windbreaker-type shell, a couple of pairs of running pants, and a hat on top of one of those head-covering hoods that you see football players sporting under their helmets in cold weather. I wear regular running shoes with longer socks.

2. Set a time limit: For me it's no more than an hour. Most of my winter runs don't last longer than 45 minutes. My minimum is 20 minutes. Any shorter and I don't feel like it's worth it to put all of that stuff on.

3. Don't worry about pace: I try to run at a decent interval and mix in some walking/hiking. Maintaining a nine-minute mile or whatever is not my concern.

4. Watch your footing: If it's icy, my stride is more of a shuffle or shamble. I try to keep my weight evenly distributed and balanced. Expect to slide at some points.

5. Watch out for traffic: Drivers are trying to stay on the road and might not be looking out for you. Luckily, my neighborhood has very light traffic and plenty of opportunities to run far away from the actual roadway.

I can't say that I love running in the cold and snow, but I've gotten used to it since moving here in September, and I will add that I think it's quite a good workout, very different than a pleasant run in good weather on certain terrain.

The State of My Running 2010

I ran 324 miles last year. Actually, I ran more than the number shown in the report from the tracking site dailymile.

I didn't join the site until April, and I forgot to post my results on more than a few occasions. But let's say I ran 324 miles last year.

That's only an average of nine miles a week — not much. I'd like to clear 1,000 miles in 2010, a number I should able to exceed easily if healthy (I've battled achilles problems in the past, so let's hope I can avoid re-injuring myself).

One thing I've had to battle is the elements. It has been snowy, winding, and downright cold since I moved to Valparaiso, Ind., in September from East Tennessee.

It's been in the low teens and high single digits on recent mornings, so I've been putting in some work on the treadmill here and there. Here's hoping for a warm stretch.

Niles, Mich. 10K race: I am slow

I ran Thursday's 10K in Niles, Mich., finishing in 58:47. That is slow, for me anyway.

I didn't have a finishing goal in mind, and as I jokingly told a couple of folks, I "undertrained" for the race and knew it.

But barely breaking an hour is humbling. I recalled the good old days when I was a faster version of my present self.

On the other hand, I had a great time pre- and post-race with my sister, who also ran the 10K, in spite of cold (high 30s), rainy weather. Turnout was strong, and even though the start was a confused mess, it's a nice, hilly course, and a spirited atmosphere prevailed. And my subpar time gives me plenty of room to improve on Thanksgiving morning, 2010.

Chicago Marathon do's and do-not-do's

Sammy Wanjiru won the Chicago Marathon in record time, which is no surprise because Sammy Wanjuru is an awesome running machine who destroyed the field at Beijing in the 2008 Olympics.

But the first line in the accompanying Sun-Times story left me shaking my head: "With a wave of his hand, Sammy Wanjiru nearly showboated away history and $100,000 Sunday."

The writer goes on to describe Wanjiru's down-the-stretch transgression by saying Wanjiru "turned slightly and waved to the throngs on Columbus Drive before breaking the tape."

That does not sound like showboating to me. That sounds like a happy guy waving to the crowd.

Anyway, Wanjiru won in two hours, five minutes and 41 seconds, setting the American and Chicago records by one second.

My friend Tom finished in 3:42:11. Cograts to him and the other worthy competitors. He wrote about the marathon a few days before the event in the Post-Tribune.

Knoxville's Victor Ashe Park

At the News Sentinel's Fit Knoxville blog today, I write about one of my favorite places to run, Victor Ashe Park. I took a few pictures there this a.m.

With a combination of trails and paved pathways, and a connector to Northwest Middle School, a loop from one end to the other and back is about five miles. You can lengthen it quite a bit by taking detours through the surrounding neighborhoods, baseball parks, and so forth.

For the non-Knoxville folks, the park is named after this guy.

More photos on Flickr.

Back to it

Following a couple of days off after Saturday's 5K and a post-race cooldown run, I'm getting back to running today. My official time was 24:51, good for 10th out of 19 in my age group.

I keep track of my running on dailymile, a fine site that also offers some social media options that I haven't done much with.

Running around Knoxville

Here's a rundown of my blog posts of running and hiking around Knoxville and Knox County.

Ijams trails

Seven Islands

I.C. King Park

Cades Cove

Race report!

I ran the Karns Community Fair 5K in about 24:50 this a.m. I'm relatively pleased with the time. Full race report at the Fit Knoxville blog.

5K time

A friend of mine and I are going to be among those running in the Karns Community 5K tomorrow morning — provided that we can manage to answer the 7:30 a.m. starting time after tonight's night shift.

It's been a while since I've run a race (a Thanksgiving 10K two years ago, if I recall correctly). Should be fun.