Advice please. I want to run but don't wish to fly!

[coggerjogger]

Three years ago I was running down our local hill Moel Fameau on ice, I slipped, landed hard and ended up in A&E with a broken wrist and later, a diagnosis of osteoporosis. This has left me concerned not to repeat the episode.

I am now booked to do the 10k Virtual Winter Run in aid of Cancer Research. I am so pleased that friends have sponsored me for the run on Feb 7th. My route is planned and I was ready to go or so I thought. My problem is that we are suffering from snow and ice here in Wales. Has anyone any advice about yax trax or similar? Can I run in these: 'Unigear Ice Traction Cleats Ice Snow Grips Crampons' smile.amazon.co.uk/Unigear-... is there something better? They will need to cope with ice and snow as well as the bare tarmac.

I would be glad of any advice before I get my touring skis out for a different attempt at the challenge.

[Blackberrypie Half Marathon]

Link not working - I think it was this one you wanted to post: smile.amazon.co.uk/Unigear-...

[coggerjogger in reply to Blackberrypie]

ty. I will edit it

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

I avoid ice like the plague, so can't answer your question I'm afraid. All being well though, I'll be running the virtual London Winter 10k too 😊

[coggerjogger in reply to linda9389]

Thank you for your reply. I may decide to walk the 10k if conditions are bad but I am determined to do it somehow. I got quite tearful when I realised that many of the people who are supporting me so generously have suffered the loss of people close to them from this awful disease.

I am a bit annoyed by the weather because (as you can see from my photo) we are under a lot of snow (and ice) here. It is beautiful though.

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to coggerjogger]

A walk will count every bit as much, if it comes to it. You're right, so many people are touched by cancer. In real events like this I always succumb to tears as you unavoidably read messages on bibs in front of you. These charities must have lost so much fundraising over the last twelve months, meaning every penny you've raised is even more vital than ever.

[Tasha99 Marathon]

They look a bit extreme for me, like for just ice? Yaktrax run are the ones I’ve been looking at. A few people had them on in the park yesterday.

[coggerjogger in reply to Tasha99]

Yes Maybe more for mountains than running. Which yaxtrax are you considering?

[Tasha99 Marathon in reply to coggerjogger]

smile.amazon.co.uk/YakTrax-...

[coggerjogger]

ty for the link. I had heard somewhere that those spirals get trashed pretty quickly. (Especially if you are on hard surfaces rather than snow in some parts).

[GoGo_JoJo Ultramarathon]

I picked up some cheap rubber grips from ebay with a few small spikes just in case we got a bad winter. So far in the southeast not needed at all.

We can all really only go with our gut. If you're already nervous about slipping it can make you hesitate and slow down reactions. Best thing is to keep stride length very short as if climbing a steep hill, that way you keep gravity central and avoid throwing your weight in any one direction too quickly.

Good luck.

[coggerjogger in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

Thank you. From your response and that of others I think that spikes seems to be the way to go. I will investigate further.

Your description of being nervous does hit the nail on the head in describing how I feel. I will think hard about your advice next time and try to shorten my steps, I can see how thinking about that would really help.

Best wishes.

[roseabi Ultramarathon]

We have some people on here who live in colder climes and use grippy technology - C3PO Decker

[coggerjogger in reply to roseabi]

ty Roseabi. I will do some further investigation.

[Decker Ultramarathon in reply to coggerjogger]

I really like my Hoka Speedgoats in the snow. I also have a set of Korkers ice cleats which work well on black ice. I found this article on the new 2021 winter shoes too: runnersworld.com/gear/a2086...

[Decker Ultramarathon in reply to Decker]

Sacuony make a pair of ice Peregrines that are supposed to be good too. I had regular Peregrines but the uppers did not last like the Speedgoats. They got a bit torn up on the trails

[coggerjogger in reply to Decker]

I will do a lot of research and then decide what is best for me. ty for the advice

[mountaindreamer Half Marathon]

I’m not sure if you can find them still for sale anywhere, but I’ve got a pair of ASICS gel Gortex running shoes with short titanium studs. I bought them for £40 in a sale years ago, but don’t get to use them much.

We’re sadly just over the border from you in Ellesmere Port, so I can’t access any hills. (I gaze across at Moel Famau longingly as I walk up and down our local bit of the very flat Wirral Way!)

I’ve just been out on today’s icy pavements to run 5k in them, though, and find these great on ice. I was initially worried they’d slip on tarmac, but surprisingly they seem to still grip well. (I think the studs must be small enough to find slight dips in the tarmac to grip to.) They look just like normal trainers, so I did get a warning to be careful on the ice from our bin men!

Good luck.

[coggerjogger in reply to mountaindreamer]

Thank you for your answer. I can see from your name why you are looking over at Moel Famau with longing. I am very lucky to live where I do and have enjoyed it so much during lockdown, finding all sorts of new country lanes I had no idea existed.

I have already had a look online at spiked shoes and will investigate further. When someone makes a good suggestion, you wonder why you hadn't thought of it before. Thank you.

We are still under about 6 inches of snow here. My husband had his first dose of the Pfizer jab yesterday Hallelujah but it was quite an adventure driving out on the snowy roads. (We took snow chains with us! but they had cleared the roads well)

Today I have got my touring skis out of the garage and will see how I get on.

I think reading other responses to my post, and if I have not yet purchased spiked shoes, I will just walk the Cancer Research 10k challenge and enjoy it for what it is.

Best wishes and I really hope that it is not too long before you can enjoy mountains again.

[mountaindreamer Half Marathon in reply to coggerjogger]

Wow, it’s amazing the difference a few miles makes. Our ice has defrosted already here, and the roads and pavements look almost clear again! Enjoy your skiing.

[mountaindreamer Half Marathon in reply to coggerjogger]

I’m not sure what size you are, but these look similar to the short studs on my ASIC gel shoes, and seem a bargain. I’ve ordered from this website, and returns have been simple if the size is wrong. (I think it’s where I got my bargain studded ASICS from.)

The only difference in the stud pattern to my ASICS, is that these don’t have studs right on the toes. (That may or may not be important, depending on your running gait. I’m at the extreme of a fore foot gait, and run mainly up on my toes, so those extra toe studs may be more important to me.)

I went up a size for my ASIC winter shoes, but that may simply be the model of shoes I’ve got. (Google reviews on those said they came in a size small.)

sportsshoes.com/product/ino...

[coggerjogger in reply to mountaindreamer]

Thank you for your efforts in finding these. I think that I would have got them but I am size 5 and they did not have my size (4.5 or 6.5 nearest). But thank you so much, I now know what I am looking for and will keep an eye on a good price.

[Hidden]

coggerjogger across in the land of snow and ice I know I've seen a few posts including a reference to these (see link) from Decker

healthunlocked.com/marathon...

[coggerjogger in reply to Hidden]

Thank you I will check that out.