LOL it actually says SPIKE… what could that mean on a hiking shoe… somebody misspelt SPOKE, for sure
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The other piece to all of this (beyond traction) is nutrition. I find that my SpeedNectar starts to freeze on long runs once the weather gets below -15C or so past an hour.
The solution I’ve found is to do loops and take a hand flask. Rince out the flask and pour in new stuff on each loop. Each loop is about the distance I’d run before taking the next gel, so just leave the gels at home. Easy to do at home, but it does get monotonous after a while - especially if I’m also sticking to major road sidewalks due to the traction.
I used to leave a water bottle on the step when I’d run on frosty cold mornings (a clear plastic one like from Wawa)
When I got home after 30-45 minutes, it would be super cold, but not frozen, until I took the top off & drank it, then it would ice up
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I use a cycling jacket as my winter running jacket (ok I actually have 2 of the same one in different colours) - anything I put in the back pocket stays nicely un-frozen because it’s out of the wind and has the heat from my lower back to warm it. A 500ml soft flask fits nicely in one pocket - if I need more for a longer run, I’ll use a vest with a bladder (blow the water back down the tube to keep it from freezing) and put any nutrition in the back pockets to keep them defrosted.
Unfortunately it is still difficult to use my favoured nutrition in very cold weather, because the gummy worms tend to freeze up quickly when I pull them out of my pocket and start stuffing them in my face. Sometimes you’ve just got to slum it with gels or honey/maple syrup.
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For long runs, I tend to use a vest with the hydration in the front, which makes it hard to throw the jacket over top (vest goes over the jacket) and it ends up freezing both at the nipple as well as in the flask itself if I go long.
I’ll do the soft flask as well, but it will need refilling if I’m doing a long run. Have everything pre-mixed, and refill the soft flask on each loop.
Though nice running photos! I tend to stick to suburbia once the traction disappears.
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I’ve seen those street conditions before
#NeverForget
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We keep getting significant snow - I have been shoveling like crazy this winter, and the temperature has rarely been above -10c/11f since late November. Definitely a tough winter by Southern Ontario standards.
From Saturday’s Polar Paws “25k” (course change made it 28km this year, used to be 26.5k)
(One of the course marshals wasn’t much of a conversationalist)
Three snow squalls during the race, and then the sun came out 10mins after I finished.
Since then, it’s been horribly windy and snowy; I’ve been shoveling so much this winter, and am very grateful I have good kit to keep me warm and comfortable in windchills of -25c and 60kph gusts. The snow around our neighbourhood is tough to deal with, though, and I’ve been battling an ankle injury from all the snow and ice
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Awesome! I’m just East of Toronto and with the crappy weather we’ve had I bought a $15 month long membership to an indoor running track. I need to lean into running outdoors and embrace it like you have, but I’m soft.
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I get it - there’s a free use indoor track (that looks down on a hockey rink so I get to watch games and practices from time to time) near me that I will sometimes use when I absolutely need stable, predictable ground or it’s completely miserable out. But, it’s only 174m at the outside lane (6 laps per kilometer) with a set direction for each day, so I find more than 7km is just too tough on hips/IT bands/ankles.
Well, that and the call of the woods is so strong. It’s so beautiful out there in the silence of a snow-blanketed forest, my breath puffing tiny clouds as I slink along through the trees, seeing the tracks of the other creatures who’ve dared to bound along in search of fulfilment of their needs.
I guarantee you - from personal experience - that the Durham Forest/Walker Woods is an incredible place to run, and seemingly close by from your forum name. Don’t be afraid to just get over-dressed and go for it!
(The above photos are from a race in the Durham Forest on Feb 29th, 2020 at -16c after 8” of fresh snow the night before)
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I have so far been lucky enough not to come across any bodies in the woods…but there’s still time 
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Someone posted in our neighborhood FB Group
Let’s also make sure pavements are shoveled and get salted too. I fell on somebody’s icey driveway apron on Tuesday morning. That’s also a law
First of all - it’s spelled “icy”
Secondly - if you see someone’s driveway is icy, don’t fucking walk there
Finally - this is America; “laws” don’t matter anymore
They would HATE Denver. No salt in the streets so after a good snow and a thaw/freeze cycle some shady streets will be pure ice rinks.