A Survival Guide to Winter Running in North Dakota

After living in Virginia for a few months, I came back to North Dakota for winter break. I was greeted with wind, snow, freezing rain, and plenty of sub-freezing temperatures. As I was packing for my trip, I got to thinking that I had a good understanding of how to pack for running, but many people may not. So, without further ado, here's an overview of how to run in a cold, harsh, and unforgiving climate from November-March. 

#1: It's Cold- Really Cold.

The trope is that North Dakota is a frozen tundra, and during the winter months that just about rings true. In the month of January, average high temperatures across the state range from 10-20 degrees above zero (F), but you can expect some days to have high temperatures below zero (F) and low temperatures as low as -30 to -40 below zero (F). 

Snow cover is a given, and running on snow-covered roads is a given. With that said, having shoes with traction, or owning some sort of strap-on spikes for your shoes, will help immensely. With your shoes, wool socks will do a great job of keeping your feet warm. 

As for layers, here's a trusty template that I use (I'll work out better formatting for the table later)*: 

For the guys, one thing to consider is that, when it's really cold out, there's a certain man-only area of your body to protect, or else you can get what we call FDS (frozen ____ syndrome). You may need more layers there as a result. 

*Everything in this table is using sweat-wicking materials like DriFit, because anything that holds sweat heavily (like cotton) can lead to hypothermia when it's cold.  

#2: It's Windy- Really Windy. 

The trope is that North Dakota is really windy. If you look at this map of average wind speeds in the US, you'll see that it's mostly true, with only Wyoming and some of the great plains windier. On any given day, you can expect it to be windy, and with few trees in the state, the wind moves freely and without fail. Running in the cold, open country when windy can make it feel (wind chill) 5-20 degrees colder than it actually is. With the above chart, consider the temperatures to be wind chills and layer up more. 

#3: Use the Wind to Your Advantage.

A general rule of thumb when running in the winter is that you must run into the wind first, if possible. The reasoning for this is that if you start with the wind, you get warm and start sweating, and then when you turn around into the wind, your clothes will freeze and you will suffer. Start into the wind to work up your heart rate and warm-up with dry clothes, and then ride the wind and get sweaty on the way back. 

#4: Have Trusty Running Lanes. 

With snow plowing and wind, running routes, paths, and sidewalks have a tendency to disappear. Trails will be gone for months, and sometimes you will find yourself standing on a 10 foot pile of snow at an intersection while waiting for a stoplight to change color. Trying to run through compacted, crusty snow is no fun, and so knowing which sidewalks and running paths are clear massively improves your winter running experience. 

#5: Positive Mindset is Everything. 

Let's be real: nobody wants to step outside to run when it's below zero and the wind is audibly howling. However, sitting on the couch shouldn't be an option. Running in winter in North Dakota can make one tough as nails, and it pays off incredibly in the spring when the world opens back up and the warmth returns. Getting through these tough months is not easy, but if you can endure, the gains are worth it.

#6: Don't Let Your Eyelashes Freeze Together. 

Part of running in the extreme cold is that when you exhale, your warm breath leaves your mouth and immediately freezes on your face. This can lead to ice beards for men, and for long, wispy ice hair for women (or men too I suppose). One additional thing that happens, especially with the wind at your back, is that the warm air goes straight up and freezes to your eyelashes. If you don't blink enough, it's possible for your eyelashes to stick together when you DO blink. I honestly had this happen once, and I had to stop and rub the ice off, and that hurt A LOT. The moral of the story here is to keep your eyes free of ice by blinking regularly and wiping off ice when it builds up.

#7: PACE DOES NOT MATTER IN CRAPPY CONDITIONS. 

I cannot stress this point enough. If the weather is bad, or if the road conditions are garbage, oftentimes the run itself will be almost like a workout for your body. In life-threatening weather or icy roads, don't try to force the pace, but instead wait for better days. Odds are, if you try to force paces, your run will be trash anyway.