Snow in Texas, what a world! Honestly, this is the third time in five years so maybe not so crazy anymore. Our local meteorologist, Mark ‘Lightnin’ Murray, forecasted that we would be seeing lots of ice this weekend beginning on Saturday night. Sure enough, his prediction came true. Janel and I saw a little of the night sleet on Saturday and by Sunday morning, we had our snowy ice mixture. Too bad Mark Lightnin Murray didn’t predict a beautiful 70 degree day. My fault for not living in San Diego…

Anyways, with the gym closed and a run streak at risk, it would be time to brave the cold and try to manage a run outside. I guess I could run up and down the length of our living room 200 times to hit a mile but I wasn’t that desperate to avoid running outside. I was pretty close to that idea though and it didn’t sound too bad actually. Future idea for myself I suppose. Back to business. It was time to crank out my old Iowan winter running skills and pray that I wouldn’t fall too much on the ice.

I bundled on up and took a slow and steady approach. There were a few Texans out braving the cold and taking photos of the snow. Some kid stopped me to show me ice he had taken off a car and he couldn’t believe it. Shoutout to that kid for the positive perspective on the snow! No one else seemed to be out running which was probably a wise decision. It made me wonder though…Were there any Texans hoping to run outside today and the weather brought to much uncertainty?

Well, I figured it was a good time to drop some unsolicited Midwestern advice for what to do for running outside when it was below freezing. I figured I was qualified to give this advice for two reasons. I grew up in parts of the U.S.A. where it would be below -30 degrees each winter and I also did not fall on my run today. The second part of that statement held a lot of pride for me today.

Here are five tips for the Texans out there without a treadmill and a thrill for the potential of falling down. I mean, this is for those excited to run outside!

Tip Number 1: Bundle up, but not too much

As much as you want to run with a parka, ski goggles, and 30 layers of clothing, you will warm up during a Texas winter run. Trust me. If you think you don’t need to bundle up and you go out in just shorts and a t-shirt, then you won’t warm up. I mean you might, but it’s pretty unlikely.

For bundling up, you will want to look into a few layers but not much more than that. You will warm up running, especially if the wind isn’t too bad. Definitely do less layers than when you would walk around.

I recommend staying away from a ton of cotton material because once that gets wet, it gets chilly. For your base layer, a type of dry fit clothing is a good way to go. Once you get that base layer down, having clothing you can easily take off and on is what I would go with. That way, when you do warm up, you can easily keep up the run going without having to stop and completely change up what you are wearing.

Tip Number 2: Avoid the Cars

Most of the time, especially in local neighborhoods around here, I’ll see plenty of runners on the street getting their miles in. Cars typically do a great job sharing the road with runners and giving them lots of space. Once it gets below freezing though, stuff tends to slip and slide. What that means is when it is car vs. runner, we aren’t often winning that one collision.

I recommend stepping from the street onto the sidewalk to give a bit more space during bad weather. Definitely give the cars the right of way more often than typical and especially around turns. I always assume that each driver can slide out at anytime, no matter the type of vehicle. Losing a few seconds to let a car pass on a run won’t ruin your run.

Tip Number 3: Don’t Eat the Yellow Snow

Hey, maybe the Texans don’t know this one. Better safe than sorry.

Tip Number 4: Go Slooow

This is not something I struggle with even when the weather is nice! Actually, I am happy to go slow in most my runs. When that ice hits Texas though, mentally plan on adding seconds and minutes per mile on to your pace. It’s best to accept this game plan before you start your run.

You will probably find a place with good traction and want to slip back into your normal pace. The thing is, you never know when your grip will go out or a surprise patch of ice will be somewhere you don’t expect it. Leave the speed work for another day if you can.

Tip Number 5: When in Doubt, Leave the Run Out

If conditions are truly unsafe or you appreciate the finer things in life (such as feeling your toes) save the run for another day. I’ll think you are awesome whether you are crazy enough to run or staying smart at home.

I hope some of these tips help out you Texans out there and anyone else who finds an unexpected winter day on their doorstep. Enjoy the running or rest either way!