Get a grip!

The snow has arrived - screw your shoes!

Although Scotland, the north east of England and parts of the south-west have had plenty of the white stuff over the last week or so, it has only just arrived with us in Manchester. I was driving home very late last night after attending a coaching conference in Berkshire and it started coming down around junction 15 of the M6 near to Stoke. By the time I got home (at 1am!) there was a light scattering. When I woke up this morning it was deep enough for me to think twice about going out for a run before seriously considering appropriate footwear!

Bashir with his screw shoes

The first piece of news I put on our site yesterday was about Icebug shoes. One of my training partners, who works in Scandanavia during the week told me about them a few weeks ago and I decided to "save" the piece for when we got our first flurries! I think I timed it well, don't you? Whether you will be able to get hold of any in the UK though is another matter. On the Icebug list of retailers there are none in the UK but, perhaps all is not lost because you may be able to make your own, just like my partner, Bashir, did last winter!

When the worst of the weather hit us last year many runners resorted to the treadmill or to cross training activities to keep their aerobic fitness up but running across a beautiful, snowy landscape is incredibly invigorating and, if you feel secure, can be more enjoyable than running in any other conditions. We are lucky to live on the edge of the Peak District and have a great group of friends that also enjoy getting out on the hills and fells in all weather to enjoy the weather and the scenery. This photograph was taken sometime over the Christmas period last year. A ten mile run followed by breakfast at somebody's (I can't remember who did the honours that day!)

Pack run

So - if you are suitably inspired but are concerned about the slippage factor here is how you can make yourself safe if you have an old pair of running shoes that you are happy to convert for the purpose of snow running.

In a pair of screw shoes you will be able to tackle the hard packed snow and ice. The only time you do need to be careful is on shallow ice where the screws may hit the pavement and, even then, you will probably be better off than in pair of unscrewed shoes! In fact, you don't need to only keep them for wintry conditions as they are also good on soft trails. You may notice the occasionally click-clack sound on harder parts of ground but they will grip on loose and wet surfaces better than a road shoe.

Matt Carpenter says that he uses 18 screws in his shoe and his wife has 19. Bashir elected for just 10 (one has fallen out of the left shoe). He didn't feel the need for more and tried to place them where he naturally falls on the forefoot and a smattering around the heel for those down hill sections. I have to say that I was sceptical at first and, because I have a great pair of Puma Trailfox that I've found to be excellent in those conditions I didn't feel the need for any. However, I'm on my last pair of Trailfox and there are none to be found in the UK at the moment so I think I might have to get my tools at the ready and attack a pair of old road shoes with a screwdriver for this winter!