Indoor Alternatives to Cold Winter Running

I could feel my face chapping as I slipped and slid through my long run this morning.  Even in my running mittens and winter socks, my fingers and toes were numb and I knew that by the time I got back home I would look more like Rudolph than any self-respecting mom of three should.

As I registered these complaints with the winter running gods, I began my list of alternative activities to help me through some of the more frigid days in the coming months.

Cold winter days are a great time to focus on strength training. Yes, it is an indoor activity that becomes extraordinarily appealing when the winter rain and sleet is falling. But whether you want to develop a stronger core, tone arms that will make Michelle Obama envious, or firm up your legs for the upcoming spring racing season, strength training is a huge component to a complete fitness routine.

Like strength training, yoga adds a component that is often skipped for a good portion of the year. As I made my way through this cold and slippery run, I vowed to spend more time in the . My coach asks on a weekly basis whether I am practicing my yoga. It is good for my breathing and for my muscles that I punish with miles of running. My answer though, is generally no. I would rather be running. But on days like today, when running was more like ice skating, heading into the studio sounded liked a great idea.

These were only the first two alternatives that came to mind.  They are practical and they will help me with the upcoming race season. If I go into them with an open mind, they are enjoyable too.

But with that word – enjoyable – my mind begins to wander. What would be a really fun alternative to running?

Before my three beautiful children came along, my husband and I spent a year studying , and though it was a heck of a workout, it was fun. It serves many of the same purposes as strength training and yoga, and it is something that is totally outside the norm of my suburban housewife life. 

If you are in the same boat, hoping to avoid the almost dangerous conditions caused by the remnants of snow and ice, but aren’t a martial arts kind of person, the list goes on.  , either lessons or meeting a friend once a week for a game, Masters swimming classes, solo swimming or even weekly are all great ways to stay fit and stay warm.

You will still find me traipsing gracelessly through patches of ice and snow as I get in three or four runs a week, but after today’s run, I am more inclined to head inside the rest of the time. I am going to try something new or fall back on something old.

The warmth of a yoga studio and the pounding music of an aerobics class are calling my name. In another couple of months, I will be back out there, putting in the miles, covering the distance and enjoying the pollen filled days of a Maryland spring. Until then, I will continue searching out the alternatives.

To keep up with local sports, visit www.twitter.com/patchsportsmd.