Daniella San Martin-Feeney is one of our volunteer ambassadors and contributed to this guest blog as part of our winter activity blog series.
Winter in Edmonton is long, dark, and cold. It would be all too easy to pull the blinds, lock the doors, and hibernate until spring, but many people don’t realize how easy it is to get outside.
The river valley during the winter is gorgeous. You’re missing out if you haven’t been to the river valley in our snowy season. Running is one of the best and easiest ways to play in the river valley. Soft, fluffy snow, animal tracks, river views—the landscape is familiar from the summer but transformed into a magical winter wonderland.
A great winter running route is along River Valley Road, which passes by the iconic Walterdale Bridge.
When friends find out that I run in the river valley all winter, they either express shock (It’s cold! Don’t you slip? Wouldn’t you rather be inside?), or they smile knowingly. If they’re also winter runners, then they know how much fun and accessible it actually is. If you haven’t tried winter running yet, what are you waiting for?! You are missing out on months of running and experiencing a whole different side of the river valley. With so many parks and trail access points along the river, it just takes a moment to slip into the river valley and escape the city.
Our furry friends make great running companions.
While some people are daunted by the thought of running outside when it’s below freezing, there are only a few key things you need to think about before you get out there:
- The main concern is what to wear. Most people who are new to winter running tend to overdress. A good rule of thumb is to dress for weather 10 degrees warmer than it actually is. You’ll also want to dress in layers, which will help keep you warm by trapping air between layers of clothing but also allow you to remove layers as needed.
- Cover your exposed skin, paying special attention to your ears, hands, and face. On windy days, getting on a single-track trail enclosed by trees will help reduce that windy feeling. Try the trails “below” the University of Alberta between Kinsmen and Emily Murphy parks, or head to Terwillegar Park.
- Early morning or evening run? Wear a headlamp to help keep yourself visible so you can see the trail. But if you don’t have one, try holding a flashlight or stick to a lit multi-use path. Try running along River Valley Road to take advantage of the streetlights.
- And finally—traction! Many runners use various traction devices to help with challenging winter footing. This could be especially important on slippery trails, hills, and after those annoying freeze/thaw cycles that leave everything covered in ice. But guess what? They are not necessary. You could run on cleared pathways. You could walk the slippery sections. Don’t let it stop you!
Honestly, you could spend all day worrying about what to wear and where to go, but the more you wait, the more you miss out.
See you on the trails!