Northern Minnesota winters are fantastic for those of us who enjoy snow and cold, but there’s cumulative physical and emotional toll that we Minnesota runners experience each year. Perpetual darkness, slippery roads, and driving sub-zero winds make road running less fun each day of the 5-month Duluth winter.
This is why I started snowshoe running 2 or 3 days per week more than twenty years ago. Snowshoeing allows those of us from winter climates to get out of the wind and onto the trails, some of which aren’t accessible even in summer. I highly recommend snowshoe running for all endurance athletes.