Barefoot running in Winter
Back in 2009, when I started running barefoot, I also tried running barefoot during cold weather. I did not enjoy it, because my feet went cold and numb pretty quickly, and that increases the risk of injury. So I pretty much only ran during warm weather spring thru fall and used a treadmill at the Y during the winter months. But then we had some fairly mild winters and I kept running, and I discovered that here in North Carolina, I can keep running if I am a bit strategic. Our winters are not one long, cold, overcast season of snow and ice like some parts of the world. We have cold spells – we just finished a week of freezing temperatures and there is even still some patches of snow on the ground. But after the cold spells we also get warm sunny days in the 50s (+10C) when it’s no problem to run a few miles barefoot. Like this upcoming week. So I just have to be flexible and use the opportunities that the weather presents for a nice mid-day run.
Another key strategy is to run in sunny, tree-less neighborhoods – and on the street and not on the sidewalk. Our neighborhood is covered in beautiful mixed forest – pine, maples, oak, poplar. But even with the leaves down, there is still quite a bit of shade, which keeps the asphalt cool. So I run in the newer neighborhoods that were clearcut and have no large trees (anymore). There the sun heats up the asphalt quickly, so that I can run barefoot on a 40 deg day (+5C) as long as it’s sunny – even if the night was below freezing. Interestingly, the concrete sidewalks do not warm up nearly as quickly. Asphalt gets much warmer. And in summer, when it’s hot, I reverse that strategy, and run in the mornings, and preferably in the older neighborhoods with tall trees, where it’s cooler. Tuning into the weather and your environment, instead of putting on earbuds and padded shoes, is exactly why I enjoy running barefoot.
