Don’t Get Left in the Dark: What Many of us Get Wrong About Running in Dark and Cold Winter Weather

Cory Nagler [00:00:00]: If you're somebody who either is new to an area that has snow, or maybe you've lived there for a long time, but this is your first time as a runner going through the winter, what would you recommend that that runner do to prepare so that they're ready for those winter and dirt conditions?

Jeff Gaudette [00:00:17]: Get the gear now, make sure that you like it, all that kind of stuff. Get that set taken care of. 2nd, start to plan your roots now when there's not snow, when it's not super, dark, light all the time, start planning 2 or 3 routes that you know that you can do that are gonna have good lighting, low traffic, good footing in dark conditions.

Cory Nagler [00:00:37]: You hear a lot about snow in the cold in wintertime. But one thing that everyone deals with, even if you live in a warm climate, is less daylight. Some runners may be fortunate enough to run-in the afternoon when the sun's out. For the majority of us though, you're likely going to be doing at least some of your training in the dark. This is the time of year when some people put away their running shoes in the closet and wait for springtime, but we know that most of you listening, you're a different breed who love running year round. The treadmill's always an option too, but it's just not the same as getting outside with some fresh air and a change of scenery. This episode is about how to get the most out of winter training, from a safety perspective, but also from a performance perspective. This includes how to adapt your approach, so that you get the same aerobic benefit, without compromising on your own safety in the dark.

Cory Nagler [00:01:25]: We'll cover topics that include how your body perceives running differently in the dark, how you can dress to make yourself visible to others on the roads and sidewalks, how to plan a safe route in the winter time, and advice for safely fitting in speed sessions or workouts before sunrise and after sunset. So don't get left in the dark when it comes to winter safety, and keep listening for some great training advice. Hello, runners, and welcome to the Run to the Top podcast, where our goal is making you a better runner with each and every episode. I'm your showrunner, Corey Nagler. And I'm not an elite runner. But together, we'll explore new strategies and topics to take your running to the next level. This podcast is created and produced by the expert team of coaches at runnersconnect .net, where you can find the best running information on the Internet as well as training plans to fit every runner and every budget. Welcome back to the show, coach Jeff.

Cory Nagler [00:02:27]: I think it is super fitting that we're recording an episode on running in the dark as it is here in Toronto, just early evening around 5:50 and already starting to get dark.

Jeff Gaudette [00:02:39]: Yeah. You know, and, for those that we're recording the day before or 2 days before daylight savings time. So, it's about to be dark in a couple more days. This time of day will be dark for you. So, not my favorite time of year, but, you know, kinda get it gotta get it done.

Cory Nagler [00:02:55]: I guess the flip side of it is for any early morning runners like, myself and I know for you as well, it does give us that extra hour

Jeff Gaudette [00:03:02]: then. Yeah. Exactly. It's a it's a trade off. So it depends on when you're running, but, still never easy. And, it's only gonna get darker for another few months.

Cory Nagler [00:03:10]: Jeff, which are you on the, stance with the time change? Or are you appreciative of the extra hour in the morning, or do you dread it because it you you're probably running too early in the morning to even benefit from it?

Jeff Gaudette [00:03:21]: Yeah. I would say that even that, I don't mind running in the morning in the dark. That that doesn't bother me. For so for me, personally, I'm more like the spring ahead is, like, the better I like that much better. I just feel like I have more energy in the evenings. I wanna go out and do things more. You know, we've talked a lot about, like, when people do their strength training and stuff. And for me, I almost always do my strength training in the evening.

Jeff Gaudette [00:03:44]: So it's way better to have it lighter outside in the afternoons. It makes it so much I just feel like the whole day is longer. But, but everybody's different, you know, for sure. Some people that are maybe running at 6 in the morning definitely really benefit from that extra hour, you know, daily savings time.

Cory Nagler [00:04:00]: Yeah. I do like the extra hour in the morning. I also do like an extra hour of sleeping. It is nice.

Jeff Gaudette [00:04:04]: Yeah. That is nice. You get that one a couple days where it's like, oh, wow. You feel, like, so refreshed when you wake up in the morning. So, yeah, that definitely helps.

Cory Nagler [00:04:12]: Yeah. Alright. So why don't we get into it and answer what seems like an obvious question, but I think is worth exploring, which is why should you even be concerned about running in the dark or why might it be dangerous?

Jeff Gaudette [00:04:24]: Yeah. So, I mean, obviously, there's a couple big reasons. The 2 that always come to mind first are obviously it's, well, I guess they're all safety issues really in the in the end. But, one is safety from other people slash vehicles, things like that. So people that cannot see you. And then there's safety from things that you can't see. So it could be stepping in a pothole or, slipping on ice, things like that. So they all kind of revolve around safety, but, you know, it's just basically in the end, just not being able to to see as well as you could at night.

Cory Nagler [00:04:56]: And what do you think is the intersection between running in the dark and other winter conditions? And when I say that, I'm thinking for other people living in colder climates when you're dealing with ice and snow. Does that compound when you're running in the dark, or do you really have to think about these factors separately?

Jeff Gaudette [00:05:13]: Yeah. I mean, I think it compounds a little in that in the, in running in the winter, footing is always an issue or is, is definitely an issue. It's something that you're kind of always have to be conscious of. And so, because you're not able to see quite as well, the footing can even become more of an issue because you're just not quite sure perhaps like what that might net next step might be. And then also, you know, generally speaking, I shouldn't say general, almost all the time in the in when it's night or when it's dark, the temperature is gonna be colder. So not only does that create, more difficult conditions because it's colder, but also you deal with things like black ice. You know, if you're running in the middle of the afternoon, you may get into a situation where something that would have been ice when it's early early morning or at night, would be complete ice where in the middle of the day, it might be a puddle or something like that. So generally speaking at night, it kinda exasperates all the potential conditions that, you see in the winter.

Cory Nagler [00:06:07]: And putting aside all of that other stuff, the the massive snowstorms or the ice, because obviously sometimes those become unrunnable. But are there any situations when darkness alone might be enough to to really force you inside? And when I say that I'm thinking about, like, near me, there's kind of a trail path where I know there there's no there's no lights the way you have on the street. Is that ever completely unsafe? Or if you dress appropriately and have the right amount of light, can you still make that runnable?

Jeff Gaudette [00:06:35]: Yeah. I mean, I think a little bit of that is gonna be super personal in the sense of, you know, unfortunately it's still in 2024, like, we still, especially women need to be wary of their conditions and may need to be safe. And men too, you know, not to say that only women are vulnerable to being attacked and things like that. So men need to be aware too, and not go into, you know, kind of think of ourselves as superheroes. You know, if somebody jumps out of a tree at you, it doesn't matter, man or woman, and they get to jump on you. You're, you're going to have a difficult time fending them off. So, you know, that's a concern, you know, always, always have to be thinking about, and then likewise, kind of like you mentioned, you know, if there's, you need to just really be cognizant of the, where you're going to run. So try to have routes planned ahead of time that if you know you're going to have to run-in the dark or that it's going to be darker than usual, make sure that you know, that that route has lights.

Jeff Gaudette [00:07:25]: You know, this, this applies more towards somebody who might start in the evening. But sometimes people forget that when they start and it's just a little bit dusk, that by the time they finish, it's going to be dark. And so kind of need to keep that in mind. Do you know, kind of the opposite in the morning usually is part when it's pitch black, and finished sometimes maybe when it's getting light out. But, but yeah, definitely things to be con you know, you just need to be, I guess, more aware of your surroundings and make make decisions that are that are smart. And that's you know, as a runner, that is not always the easiest thing to do, because we sometimes just put the training and, like, getting fit in the next race, like ahead of everything. And sometimes we need to take a step back and say, you know, am I making a decision that's, like, really safe for me? So I think that's always important and, you know, not safe in the sense of always, like, maybe getting hit by a car or just, you know, getting mugged on the trail or something like that. But again, making sure that you're not gonna ruin a marathon training buildup because you stepped in a hole and, you know, twisted your ankle really bad or broke it or something like that.

Cory Nagler [00:08:25]: So what advice would you give for those evening runners if you don't know how long you're gonna run? Because I do know it can be kinda awkward when you're in complete broad daylight running with, like, a a headlamp or bright lights.

Jeff Gaudette [00:08:36]: Yeah. I mean, I always look at it like this. Like, I would rather look stupid while running than put myself in unsafe conditions. So if that means running with a headlight when it's, when it's light out or running with a reflective vest or whatever, when it's light out, things like that, like, you know, I'll deal with that. I think, you know, I think we've all got enough run force run comments regardless, you know, you know, or, you know, especially back in my college days, it was the short shorts, you know, we used to wear the short shorts, short running shoe, shorts, no shirt, you know, it was kinda gone skinny person. So, you know, you kind of just get used to being, you know, not always like the most, I guess you call it like, socially acceptable gear and that kind of stuff. And so I, I, to me, I would rather just make sure that my training and myself are safe and rather than what I look for sure. And I think that's something to keep in mind as well with anybody that's doing it is if anything go overboard, like it's better to be safe than sorry.

Jeff Gaudette [00:09:33]: You know, it's better to have that running headlamp. It's better to have a reflective vest than, than not, you know, no matter what the reasons for it are.

Cory Nagler [00:09:40]: I think it's a good note to put safety first. I'll say when I'm running in the dark, there's something about it that just feels completely badass to be heading out in the pitch black and getting in that run. But I I have to imagine that for anybody else who's actually able to see the outfit, I must look absolutely ridiculous.

Jeff Gaudette [00:09:56]: Yeah. For sure. Yeah, exactly. And, you know, it's one of those things where it's totally worth it. It's totally worth it. You know, to me, you know, it's it's better to be safe and it's than than be sorry for sure.

Cory Nagler [00:10:07]: Yeah. So when you're going out and and running in the dark or running in the cold, are there any specific physiological changes that happen in your body? Or is it all kind of proprioception or the way you're kind of seeing the the path around you?

Jeff Gaudette [00:10:22]: Yeah. So there's both. So for those that don't know, when you do run-in the dark, because you're not able to see quite as well, you're actually it's actually gonna feel like you're running a lot faster. And that gets into that proprioception of, you know, I'd have to really dig into the science terms to to understand, like, exactly what it is. But I do know that it's been studied and that it does make it feel like you're running a lot faster. And part of it is just because you're not, the generally speaking, when you run and you can see things going by you, you have a pretty innate gauge of like how fast things should be going by, like things in the distance, like how far they should be, how far they, how quickly they should be coming towards you. And because you're running at night and you're not quite able to see as well, then those general proprioception receptive, markings that you have are a little bit off. And so you'll always feel like you're running faster, which is a cool thing.

Jeff Gaudette [00:11:11]: I mean, I I don't I know I definitely enjoy it at night where I just feel like I'm flying sometimes. And I look at my watch and I'm like, oh, just running easy pace. I don't know why I feel like I'm running so fast today. So it's kind of a a cool thing. It's a nice thing, but just something to be aware of. Maybe if, you know, if you have to work out or something, just be aware that you're, the effort might not match, like, how fast it feels like you're running, that kind of thing. In terms of the cold, there are some definite definite physiological, adaptations or disadvantages that we put our body at. A lot of it comes down to, our body's ability to warm up.

Jeff Gaudette [00:11:47]: So that's the first big one is that, unless you have a really solid, good warmup before you run, it's going to take your body a lot longer to warm up than it would in normal or even hot conditions, for sure. The second is kind of has to do with breathing and then also how our blood flows through our body. Both of those are impacted by the cold quite a bit. And so, not so much probably for easy runs from a physiological factor. Are you gonna really, like, notice a big difference in the sense of having an impact on your pace, but definitely, impact on your pace from if you're doing workouts or especially if you're racing, there may be some races, especially if you do like Christmas runs or things like that, that you may be starting in the dark. I know like I did the Disney half marathon long time ago, but, but I know it started, I wanna say it started like 4 in the morning or something like that. I mean, it was something crazy early. And, I, I don't think I finished.

Jeff Gaudette [00:12:42]: I, we barely finished in, it was light. So anyway, there are races where you will be starting in the dark, and potentially cold as well. And so, keep that in mind that your your performance is gonna be impacted by the cold as well. So, there there are some rough calculations that you can do in terms of like determining how many seconds per mile or per kilometer you're gonna be slow with different conditions. But generally speaking, I like to say like anywhere from like 5 to seconds, 5 to 10 seconds per mile, slower when anything under 32 degrees Fahrenheit. And usually anywhere from, like, 3 to 5 seconds per kilometer slow. I can't I think it's about 0 degrees Celsius. It's like 32 Fahrenheit, somewhere around there.

Jeff Gaudette [00:13:25]: So, don't check me on that math, all my, international listeners. But that's a pretty good estimation of, like, kinda what I use in terms of, like, just giving myself some leeway when it comes to, like, how I'm feeling and what what my workout basis should be.

Cory Nagler [00:13:40]: Yeah. I can vet for the 32 degrees Fahrenheit being 0, but any other metric in Fahrenheit, I'm, I'm totally hopeless with the conversions.

Jeff Gaudette [00:13:48]: Yeah. Same, same, same with me. But, but yeah. So, the way that's how I've always approached workouts in the cold like that is especially starting out. I just give myself that 5 to 10 seconds per mile window, like leeway and just say, okay, like, alright, my target might be X. If I'm 5 seconds slow or I give myself the ability to start out 5 to 10 seconds slow. If I end up hitting my pace, that's great. You know, no big deal.

Jeff Gaudette [00:14:11]: But if I'm 5 to 10 seconds slow, then I just say, okay. That's the effort that because of the cold that I'm that I'm running in now.

Cory Nagler [00:14:18]: Yeah. And, Jeff, you touched on something really interesting that I noticed too, which is that running in the dark, you do feel like you're going so much faster. And I do think it's really cool to be able to go out and just feel like you're running really quick. But maybe more beneficial on an easy run, when I almost wanna feel like I'm going faster than I am, for runners who are coming out and trying to get in workouts, maybe in the peak of training where your pace is a factor, running in the dark and it might not feel like you're running at the right pace, how do you how do you dial that in and make sure that you're actually training the right effort level?

Jeff Gaudette [00:14:51]: Yeah, that's a great question, but, and I'll, I'll actually flip it and say, I think that's actually an awesome, benefit of running in the dark in those situations because that's what happens to a lot of runners when they get to races, especially those that aren't as experienced that maybe have only done a couple races or maybe never raced at all. And you hear this all the time in marathons, especially half marathons where, we'll tell athletes, okay, make sure you go out slow. You know, we'll give them the race plan. Like these are the splits you need to hit. And then they come, you know, they report back to us and they're like, oh, I was like 20 seconds per mile fast. You know, like, this is, like, the common refrain in Boston. And, you know, they're like, but it didn't feel that fast. Like, I felt like I was running, you know, way slower than I thought, blah blah blah.

Jeff Gaudette [00:15:31]: And so, this that the situation of, you know, running in the dark, making it feel like you're running a lot faster than you are is actually a great, training tool that you can use to, or advantage that you can use to say, okay, I really need to hone in on my pace here and understand like what this pace feels like, under all conditions. And so, you know, in the dark, obviously it's appropriate reception. That's kind of throwing things off in the race. It's usually the adrenaline, other people around you, that kind of thing that's throwing that, internal sense of pace off. And so it's just one of those things. It's one of those things where you have to work at it. There's really no, like, secret, easy strategy to, to, to undo it or to make it not, be a factor. But it is one of those things that does a lot that the more you practice it and the better you get at it, the better you can translate that to race day and potentially not make that mistake.

Cory Nagler [00:16:22]: Is that something you think you only have to practice if your race is in the dark, or is that beneficial even for runners who might have a race in daylight?

Jeff Gaudette [00:16:30]: Oh, for sure. It's it's it's beneficial across the board, because regardless of when your race is happening, the in the race, usually the factor that leads to people going faster than they thought is the adrenaline, the courses, the, the crowd, the people around them, that kind of thing. So it's a factor that's outside of their internal sense of pace. And so, regardless of what time they're starting or the conditions that they're in. And so whatever you can do in training that helps, you train yourself to hone in on your internal self at pace, with in in regardless of outside factors is a is a good tool that you can use in your training to ensure that that doesn't happen on race day. It's really hard on race day to do things that you've never done before. So, you know, not that we wanna be running in the dark, etcetera, but, like, it is one of those things sometimes that we can maybe trick ourselves and say, okay. There's an advantage to this.

Jeff Gaudette [00:17:22]: Like, this is a benefit. This is gonna benefit me in my race. That kind of thing.

Cory Nagler [00:17:28]: Yeah. I really like this theme of how to get in intense training and keep fitness in the dark. So I wanna keep rolling with it with one more question, which comes back to your point about planning your route. And and we'll come back to the piece about planning your route as it pertains to safety, because, obviously, that's a key consideration. But in terms of finding ways during the winter time to get an intense training when it's dark or cold, how do you make sure that you're planning out the most appropriate place for your workout?

Jeff Gaudette [00:17:56]: Yeah. For me, it always comes down to planning ahead. So, you know, for a lot of people, they they live in the same area for a long time, so they can gen they generally know the areas around themselves that are well lit, have good footing, maybe not be iced over, etcetera. So a lot of it just comes down to planning. And so if, if you're somebody that's maybe just starting to run now, or maybe something shifted where now you have to do night runs, whether it be in the morning at night, you can just drive around and look for roads that, that are well lit. And so, you know, you can drive around and make sure that they have street lights, make sure all the lights are working and that they're lighting up the street. Well, you can even go for a walk or go for, a run during the day in that air during that route that you might plan and just make sure that the footing's good, that there's nothing crazy that may like, if you're maybe the street has a lot of potholes or the sidewalk, is really uneven in a lot of places. Like just look for things that if you were running in the dark that you might not be able to see, or that might impact your, your footing, that kind of thing.

Jeff Gaudette [00:18:57]: What I've always found and, you know, because we're talking about combining running in the dark with running in the winter, you know, also understanding where streets tend to have sidewalks that are plowed or, shoveled, or areas in general that are plowed first, that kind of thing that don't have as much snow accumulation, that kind of thing. Those could all be important things to just kinda factor in. That way, when the conditions do hit, you're already you have you have a plane, you're already already ready to go, not trying to figure out until the last minute, like, oh, where is this gonna where can I run here? And that that kind of thing.

Cory Nagler [00:19:30]: I was gonna say you talked about walking the route and seeing if there's good footing. But oftentimes, if you're walking it one day, that doesn't necessarily mean that when you're running there the next, there's still gonna be good footing depending what the weather conditions are.

Jeff Gaudette [00:19:42]: Yeah, for sure. I mean, there's always some, there's always some factors that you might not be able to take, take in. But generally speaking, like I said, most people, you know, if they live in the same area, you know, if you live in the area all the time, like you can, you have a pretty good feel of like what streets are, cleared well, are good footing just in general. And then you kind of just avoid maybe your less, I I guess civilized routes. You know, cause we all have I know I always had routes that and have routes that are like, a little bit more off the beaten path. And I maybe kinda just do for fun sometimes and just try to realize that you need to avoid those, and stick to, like, the main stuff. And sometimes it's a little more boring, but boring is better than injured or, otherwise.

Cory Nagler [00:20:26]: Yep. Absolutely. I often find that loops tend to work better in the wintertime just because it's hard to find a long route for for a more major marathon workout that's gonna be well plowed and not gonna be mind numbingly boring.

Jeff Gaudette [00:20:41]: For sure. And I also found that especially for workouts and stuff, it was almost always worth traveling to go do the workout, as much as an extra burden that was a lot of times. It was definitely worth it. So, sometimes depending on where you're at, but like we always, most of the times I've lived near parks or areas that had, no either no street traffic or whatever it may be in a situation where I knew for sure it was gonna be good footing, decent lighting, no traffic. And even though it was a 15, 20 minute drive for the workout, that was always worth the effort because it allowed me to really hone in and make sure I was getting into effort those days. The easy days, you know, you can kind of whatever. If if something happens, you can you can make up for it. But, the workouts, I always found it was better to to drive somewhere.

Cory Nagler [00:21:32]: Yeah. Did you have a favorite route that you would typically drive to for your workouts?

Jeff Gaudette [00:21:37]: So I've lived in a lot of different places. I've traveled along around quite a bit, not only professionally and also unprofessionally. So, yeah, I would say that, I don't have, like, a favorite off the top of my head in terms of all time. But I would say that every place I lived, I have had a place where I really was like, okay, that's my go to spot. If it's snowing or if it's cold or whatever, it may be like a workout spot that I was, that was almost pretty consistent for sure.

Cory Nagler [00:22:06]: Are you looking for a delicious way to sweeten your pre run snacks and make them healthier? Then you need to try manucor honey. This is hands down the best honey I've ever had. It's rich and creamy, but also packed with powerful nutrients to support immunity and gut health, like antioxidants, probiotics and prebiotics. The reason this honey is such a powerhouse is that the nectar is collected by bees from the manuka tree in New Zealand. This nectar is packed with bioactives, and the honey produced has 3 times more antioxidants and prebiotics than your average honey. It also contains a special antibacterial compound called MGO that boosts immunity, something I really appreciate this time of year when cold and flu are going around. Menucora third party tests every single harvest for MGO, and makes these results available through their QR system. It's a game changer, and all you need is 1 heap teaspoon each each morning to get the most out of the amazing bioactives in Manuka.

Cory Nagler [00:23:00]: I love putting this stuff on top of my oatmeal after morning runs, or on yogurt for a healthy sweet treat. And while I can't attribute this only to manucur honey, I've been enjoying this stuff for months and haven't gotten sick once since then. It is hands down my favorite honey, and I'm so excited to work with them. Right now is the best time to try Menucora Honey. They're running their biggest sale of the year now until December second. At tamanucora.com/rtt to get $150 off your first order. Their Black Friday starter kit, which comes with an MGO 850+manuka Honey Jar, 35 Honey Travel Sticks, a wooden spoon, and guidebook. That's manukora.com/rttfor150 dollars off your first starter kit.

Cory Nagler [00:23:55]: It's not surprising that gut health is one of the primary issues we face as runners. As just about any runner to hit the rotor trails can attest to, worrying about needing to go to the bathroom is not a fun issue to deal with. That's why we've recently switched from AG1 to Previnix Gut and Green Superfoods. Gut and Green Superfoods are loaded with some of the most well researched and science supported gut and GI boosting ingredients, such as Sonol and Gut Guard. Sonal is a clinically studied multifunction fiber that repairs gut lining to support optimal digestion and GI health. GutGard is a clinically researched flavonoid rich natural bioactive that supports reducing inflammatory markers, increasing gut integrity, and balancing the gut microbiome. What does all this mean? Basically, Previnix Gut and Green Superfoods supports good digestive health, while alleviating the symptoms of digestive problems, like bloating or nausea. This means that you can run without the constant worry of finding the nearest bathroom.

Cory Nagler [00:24:51]: So if you've struggled with gut problems on the run, head to runnersconnect.net/greens to check out Gut and Greens Superfoods, and see the difference for yourself. To make it a no brainer, you can use the code rttt15, to save 15% on your first order, and they offer a 100% money back guarantee. And when you're looking for a workout now, I'm not sure how many workouts you're doing these days, but obviously not dealing with as much cold, but maybe just in the dark. Is there is there something you're really looking for in your area to to get that right?

Jeff Gaudette [00:25:26]: Yeah. So for me, especially now, you're right. Like, now I don't have to deal with the colds and snow, so that's much easier. But for me, it's all all about lighting and footing. I'm oddly enough, like, I am somebody that when I run, like, I I'm not sure if I have necessarily problems with it, but, like, if I if the footing is not good, either I'm not, confident in where I'm going or, like, I hate trail running. Like, and and I'm I'm not dissing anybody that runs trails. Like, I understand why you love them. But for me, like, whatever it is, like, I roll my ankles.

Jeff Gaudette [00:25:57]: I've I've rolled my ankle on a bike path. Like, there's literally, like, nothing but a bike path, and I've rolled my ankle. So, so for me, footing is, like, the most important thing. So that's what I always look at first. So lighting and footing and kind of lighting is part of the footing because I need I wanna be able to see where I'm going. So for me, those are the 2 big things. Like, I just need to have a nice smooth surface, know that there's nothing in the way, that kind of stuff. There I know people like, you know, Rory, one of our coaches at Werner's Connect, like, he's an avid trail runner.

Jeff Gaudette [00:26:27]: Like, I don't know. His his ankles must be like rubber bands because he can just go and he's, like, gallop a little, like, we in Flagstaff. He's, like, on all these trails. I'm like, oh, I can't even walk on this. So, so for sure, you know, everybody's different. You know? Some like you said, like, somebody like Rory might the footing for him might just be not a big deal, not a big issue, just, you know, kinda thing. So everybody's a little bit different, but that's what I always look for.

Cory Nagler [00:26:48]: Yeah. Jeff, I'm a little bit more in your camp. I think I thank my PT just about every day for recommending foot exercises, because otherwise I'd I've rolled my ankle several times this training block.

Jeff Gaudette [00:26:58]: Yeah. For sure.

Cory Nagler [00:27:00]: Okay. Let's maybe come back to the safety piece. So we had touched on planning your route to find a good workout spot, but maybe just in general to make sure that you're finding a route that's safe. Is there anything else that you wanna keep in mind?

Jeff Gaudette [00:27:12]: Yeah. So, again, the other big thing usually to me is, like, this kind of goes along with safety, but like traffic and or, I mean, I call it, you know, I'll say people, but I mean, in the sense that like, you kind of want to know that your route is in a safe area and it's not, you know, you're not gonna have potentially people hiding in the bushes or, you know, that kind of thing. So it's, I, I say traffic and traffic from cars. To me, those are always the number one risk for runners, especially because at night they can't see you very well. They're not paying attention. If it's early morning, you know, they may not be fully awake. It's cold conditions. They may freaking have frost all over their, car windshield that, you know, could barely be able to see you.

Jeff Gaudette [00:27:54]: So to me, anywhere where there's less traffic is a benefit because it's less, I'm always very wary when I see cars. I'm always running against traffic in the sense that I wanna be able to see the cars coming towards me because I wanna be able to react to what they're doing. So less traffic is always good. And then, like I said, just make sure that you're in safe neighborhoods where areas where there may be other people around, something that where you're not out in the middle of nowhere, if something were to happen, those kind of things. So, those are kind of almost general, like, regardless of whether you're running in the dark or not. But I think you just have to be a little bit more cognizant of them when you are running in the dark.

Cory Nagler [00:28:31]: Just reading between the lines here. Would you recommend typically that runners in the wintertime tend to stick a little bit more to routes or areas that they're familiar with? And the reason I asked that is because you talked about traffic or footing, but these are probably things where most people know within a certain vicinity, but maybe not if you're driving further out.

Jeff Gaudette [00:28:50]: Yeah. For sure. I mean, I would say that for me in in the the winter for a lot of time is one of those things where we you just kinda have to accept some of the boredom that comes with that. Running the same route a bunch of times extra, kicking into the treadmill a couple of times if you really, really need to. If if you're somebody that doesn't enjoy the treadmill, that is. There's just some boredom that you have to accept with that. And so I think with the thing with, you know, anytime you have seasons, there's positive and negatives to all the seasons. Right? And so we just have to look at the winter as being one of the negative being obviously training in the cold and dark and stuff, but like, also maybe a little bit of boredom and just having to do the same routes, more frequently than you might normally do just because you wanna put yourself in good conditions.

Cory Nagler [00:29:33]: Yeah. And when you're going on those runs, do you have any tips for runners to make sure that cyclists or drivers can see them for safety reasons?

Jeff Gaudette [00:29:40]: Yeah. So I I I would say that investing in, high quality reflective gear is really important. It's well, we're recording this as November 1st. So, you know, we got Black Friday coming up. We got Christmas coming up. So if you're not somebody that has that and you're gonna do a lot of running this winter, it's great ideas. Or if there's somebody in your family that's just starting to get running or doesn't have that equipment, those are great gifts. So for me, I used to, I don't do it quite as much anymore because I'm not running in the dark quite as much, but, reflective vest, very lightweight.

Jeff Gaudette [00:30:13]: You can put it over anything. So you, you pretty much dress normally and just have that vest on super nice, super reflective. A lot of, you can do, it's they're like bands or, like, basically, you can wrap them around hats. And I use I use wrap one around my head and then wrap one around my wrists, and then legs as well just to give add more reflection there. And it's not expensive. I wanna say, like, you know, it's basically just like a a wrist wrap and you you can get one for your head as well. Basically, like a headband kind of thing. I wanna say it was no more for the whole body.

Jeff Gaudette [00:30:44]: I think it came with 2 leg, 2 arms, and one head. I wanna say it was, like, 20, $25. So it was, you know, it's one of those things where it's like, well worth the investment. It's not super, expensive to do where it's like, you know, if you can imagine like what that might prevent, you know, like, luckily I've never been hit by a car, but the the, just I always thought about it. Like the idea that just wearing something like that could prevent me from getting hit by a car was like a no brainer to just have it on, that kind of thing. I know we have I don't think we've touched on this, but like headlamps, headlights, those are really those can be really helpful. I don't love them. I was I remember when I first started try I tried one and I was like, oh, this is gonna be the best thing ever.

Jeff Gaudette [00:31:26]: I'm gonna, like, totally see. But, like, you it definitely bounces with you. So, like, it it's definitely not like the it's not like you have a car headlight in front of you, but it can definitely be helpful. I've done the running with flashlight stuff, and I would do that occasionally just not so much so, like it was almost more like, sometimes you come across areas where you just can't see quite as well and it's like, oh, if I just had a quick light, you know, you can get these mini handheld flashlights that are, like, way almost nothing and are, like, super bright. And, nowadays, I think you can even get them, like, USB, so you don't need to charge batteries, that kind of thing. But it's just nice to have the, one to have just in case there is an area where, like, maybe a streetlight went out or something happened, just to have it, just to be sure. It also helps with traffic, because I've noticed sometimes if I thought a car was coming near me and maybe didn't see me or something like that, I would just flash the flashlight a little bit because I'm running at them. It was just another for me, another point of security of, like, okay.

Jeff Gaudette [00:32:24]: They definitely saw I'm pretty sure they saw the flashlight. So one of those things, again, not it's really not a big deal to run with a flashlight all the time. Just in that off case that you need. You don't even need to have it on all the time. Just to have it, it's one of those things that's, like, super helpful.

Cory Nagler [00:32:39]: Yeah. Jeff, I think you just inadvertently answered what was gonna be my next question, but it's do you recommend running against traffic or with traffic?

Jeff Gaudette [00:32:47]: Yeah. 100% against traffic. Again, big thing is you wanna be able to see them and react to them. So if you, so like I said with the headlight, there are times when I just had an instinct or a feeling that the car didn't see me. It was, like, too far over, wasn't giving me enough room, especially if there's no other traffic on the road. So I wanna be able to see it. And, like, I don't think it's really ever happened to me, but I know it's happened to others, like friends where, the car gets close enough that you know it can't see you and it's you know, you're kind of like a last minute, like, almost have to jump out of the way. Like, I would rather do that than be hit by the like, hit behind hit from behind just having no clue.

Jeff Gaudette [00:33:24]: You know? So

Cory Nagler [00:33:27]: Oh, a 100% was just on a run this morning, and a driver's kinda coming around the corner. And they they don't even look both ways, and you you always kinda get that little wave from the driver to thank you, is if you have a choice when they're coming through without stopping.

Jeff Gaudette [00:33:40]: Yeah. Exactly. It's funny, like, you know, when you're a full time runner and you and you, like I've noticed notices when I, like, approach traffic, as traffic stops as a driver, like, I'm so much more cognizant of, like, giving people the right away and making sure that I'm looking both ways. Because it's it is really easy to just say, like, oh, you come to a stop. I only have to look left because I'm going right, etcetera. And, like, maybe not see that person coming from the other direction. So, you know, it's always better to just be to to for you to be able to make the decision and the reaction if needed,

Cory Nagler [00:34:09]: for sure. Yeah. Let's maybe get into how to dress for running in the dark and in the wintertime in general. So we talked about headlamps and lights. What do you think your overall outfit should look like if you're heading out, let's say, for an early morning run, it's 20 degrees Fahrenheit out. What what are you putting on?

Jeff Gaudette [00:34:27]: Yeah. So I would say 20 degrees Fahrenheit. You know, we're talking, like, negative 5, negative 10 ish, probably, like, negative 5 Celsius. You know, so for me, I'm wearing a hat with some type of reflective on it, whether it's reflective built into the hat or, like, an extra piece on it. I would probably wear, like, a medium weight running jacket. Most of the running jackets these days have, like, reflection on them, or at least a lot of the ones that I've purchased recently do. If it doesn't, I would just add again that one of those, like, cheap vest that you can buy that's reflective. Then under that, I would have probably just a lightweight, like, turtleneck for lack of a better term.

Jeff Gaudette [00:35:05]: But, you know, something lightweight moisture wicking, like, generally speaking, when it comes to running in the winter, it's okay to be cold the 1st mile or 2. Generally, that's kind of recommended because depending on how far you're going, but, like, you know, for me, I'm running about a, you know, anywhere from 45 minutes to 90 minutes. So after the first 10 or 15 minutes, you're probably gonna get pretty warmed up. And so you you spend 10 to 15 minutes being a little bit cold. So that way, the last 45 minutes to an hour, you're feeling you kind of feel appropriate temperature. Whereas I think a lot of, newer runners overdressed to start. So they, you know, you look at it, it's like, oh my God, it's 20 degrees. And they pile up all the clothes.

Jeff Gaudette [00:35:45]: And then 15 minutes in there's sweating bullets and that, not only is uncomfortable, but it can get it can get dangerous. You know, you can that's how runners or athletes put themselves in, like, hypothermic conditions because they sweat so much and then still have an hour to can to do to run or endurance athletes in, in the cold condition. So air towards underdressing a little bit, the first few miles. And then tapping it off, I would have, you know, a pair of running tights, probably, like I said, those mentioned those straps around my ankles just to understand other reflection. And that's pretty much it. A lot of gloves probably too. I, you I use gloves quite a bit. But that's how I would go.

Jeff Gaudette [00:36:27]: And I think that's the biggest tip is just to make sure that you don't overdress the first couple miles, especially running in the morning and when it's dark, when it's cold. It's really easy to overdress because you get out of bed and you're just generally colder. And so you kind of have the, mindset of like wanting to get warm. And so you wanting to overdress, like, I would say that's probably one of the mistakes that, most athletes make because it again, you you can put yourself in dangerous position dangerous situations if you are running for a really long time. But generally, it's also gonna make you less uncomfortable if you just dress appropriately.

Cory Nagler [00:37:01]: I find that mistakes way easier to make at the start of the winter time. I'm usually acclimated by January or February. But when you're in November, December, the tendency is always to wanna dress super warm since you're used to that summer weather.

Jeff Gaudette [00:37:12]: Yeah. For sure. Especially those first few cold days, that, like, you know, you've the first real cold day that you have, you know, you you know, you kinda you wake up and it's, like, really cold in your house or whatever. Maybe you forgot to put the heat up or whatever it is. Yeah. It's easy to it's easy to overdress for sure.

Cory Nagler [00:37:29]: And you mentioned something about, like, ankle lights. I I don't know that I've heard of that or or tried it before. What's that about?

Jeff Gaudette [00:37:36]: Oh, I I must have bought them on Amazon or maybe, like, running a warehouse or something like that. But they're just, like, reflective bands. Like, they just have a Velcro. So and the the outside is obviously reflective. They may have they kind of light up a little bit too. It's I don't know if it's a 100% reflective or it's, like, a little bit of a light. But, yeah, it's just a Velcro thing and you just strap it around your ankle. For me, I just have I like to have it because it's something that's moving.

Jeff Gaudette [00:37:59]: So with the vest, sometimes, like, I've noticed, especially when I'm driving, the the vest work great because the way the right reflect the the way the light reflects off the vest, it creates shine, you know, shines in different areas. But sometimes if the car is coming at you direct and you maybe not your upper body maybe isn't moving much, anyway, like, that light might they might not wonder they might kind of wonder, like, what it is and might not think it's a person. But when you get the leg lights that can definitely, you can see those moving. And I think that triggers in people's heads like, oh, that's a, that's a runner. That's somebody like moving, not like something, you know, maybe not trying to figure out what it might otherwise be. So, like I said, they're pretty cheap, reusable. You just Velcro them on whatever you're wearing. So

Cory Nagler [00:38:40]: That's pretty cool. I think I've heard of as well, like, outerwear jackets that kind of have some type of reflective material that built into them.

Jeff Gaudette [00:38:48]: Yeah. Most of most of the jackets I've purchased most of the winter running jackets I've purchased, have had something. You know, it's not like a like, you know, when I when I talk about, like, buying a vest, like, I mean, that thing is, like, all it is is that reflective tape, you know, kind of stuff. But most of the jackets I've had have been somewhat have had least had panels that have been reflective or strips on it somewhere that have been reflective. So I would say most of the companies these days are putting some type of thing on it already. But, again, it's one of those things, like, adding that vest really is not I I don't know what's on. So it's, you know, to me, it's like an extra layer of safety for, you know, just in case.

Cory Nagler [00:39:27]: A 100%. And when you're dressing for weather, do you look at the actual temperature or real feel?

Jeff Gaudette [00:39:33]: Oh, I always do the real feel because you gotta watch that wind, especially depending on where you're at. Like, so the coldest I've ever run-in was negative 40 degrees Fahrenheit. So I don't know I don't know what that would be Celsius, but,

Cory Nagler [00:39:47]: it was in Gunnison close to the same.

Jeff Gaudette [00:39:50]: Yeah. Yeah. It was in Gunnison, Colorado. But it didn't really feel that cold because there was no wind. And it was dry, where it was at elevation and no wind. So really didn't feel that cold. But I've been I've trained in Michigan. That was probably the coldest around that I run.

Jeff Gaudette [00:40:06]: And, I mean, if it's 20, but there's a 20 mile an hour wind, like, that sucks. Like, that is cold. You know? So, I would say for sure, you wanna look at, like, the real temp, because that factors in, like, humidity and and wind, which do make a big difference in terms of, like, how you're gonna feel. The wind being the bigger one, but humidity as well.

Cory Nagler [00:40:28]: Jeff, I just looked it up for curiosity, and negative 40 Fahrenheit is in fact also negative 40 Celsius.

Jeff Gaudette [00:40:33]: Yeah. It was I mean, I know I mean, I it's one of those things, like, I kinda did it almost because I wanted to say that I could do it. But I'm also a runner, and so I was like, well, I'm definitely getting in my 6 miles today. Like, you know? Like, nothing's gonna stop me. So, it was nighttime. It was negative 40. But, again, I didn't feel that cold. I mean but I was all I mean, I had goggles.

Jeff Gaudette [00:40:54]: I had the baklava. I mean, I was you there was not an ounce there was not a thing of skin, protruding for sure. But, but yeah. But because it wasn't windy, it really didn't feel too too bad.

Cory Nagler [00:41:06]: Okay. So at what point do you throw in the towel and run indoors? Is it minus 60, minus 70?

Jeff Gaudette [00:41:12]: Well, I think if I had had the option, I probably I don't think I had the option that day to run on a treadmill. I was staying at a friend's house. So I don't think I have the option. But I think had I had the option, I probably would have done the treadmill. But I I think opting to do the treadmill is is, always a good choice. You know? Obviously, we've talked I think we had an I think it was you and I that did the episode about it. But, yeah, there's the boredom in there, but a lot of times, it's the best option.

Cory Nagler [00:41:37]: And let's put aside the temperatures now in terms of, like, snowy or icy conditions. What's that distinguishing mark where you know the difference between when you just need to maybe bundle up or or wear some shoes that have slightly better traction versus when really for safety reasons you should be either staying inside or skipping your run entirely?

Jeff Gaudette [00:41:59]: Yeah. That's a tough distinction. I mean, I will say that I'm probably not the best person to ask because I run-in some crazy conditions, like, stupid. You know? Like, you finish and you're like, oh, that was dumb. Like, you know, it was like, you know, I I was working so hard that wasn't didn't end up being an easy run, whatever. But I would say that, like, anything that's like, you kind of touched upon it. Like, anything that's impacting your footing or your ability to like run the prop the appropriate effort. I think for sure, you should just try to move it indoors, or switch things around.

Jeff Gaudette [00:42:28]: So that way you can run on a day that's appropriate. That's how I like, when I like talk with athletes that I coach and things like that. That's the delineation I make. It's like, alright. It may suck, and that's fine. Like, sucking is different than not being able to do what you need to do. So if you can do what you need to do and you wanna go outside, then that's fine. But if you feel like your footing or your ability to to run the right effort are gonna be impacted, then it's probably better to just stay inside as much as that might stink if you're not somebody that, like, enjoys doing stuff on the treadmill or that kind of thing.

Cory Nagler [00:43:00]: Yeah. And if you just get a monumental storm, I'd love to talk about how runners can still get in their training. And I'll assume maybe you have access to a treadmill, but to me personally, and maybe to a lot of runners listening, it's just not realistic to get in a 20 mile long run on the treadmill and be running 6 or 7 times a week. So say say for, like, an average runner that you might be working with, how might you adjust their training for those types of conditions?

Jeff Gaudette [00:43:25]: Yeah. I mean, it depend there there's a lot of factors that go into that. So part of it is, like, where there are in their training cycle. So if it's, you know, I always, I kind of break training cycles into 2 phases when it talk, when I give, advice like this, like I talk about being like race specific and then like general buildup. So let's say that you were training for, like, I know you're training for Boston. No. Did you ran Boston last year?

Cory Nagler [00:43:49]: I was like, yeah.

Jeff Gaudette [00:43:50]: Yeah. Sorry. That was something you were doing Boston, but, but anyway, let's, so let's say you are training for Boston because we're recording this in November. So like from now until like probably February, you can be pretty flexible with your training. So you can, move things around if you need to skip a long run, even, you know, that kind of thing, like you're, you have a lot of flexibility in your training. So I would say for the most part in those conditions, those situations, like if you're more than 16 weeks out from your race, maybe even more than like 14 or 15 weeks out, then you can pretty much move your training around as much as you need. So that concludes skipping a long run. It could be like swapping things out, that kind of thing when you start getting closer and like, you know, in those long runs, like making sure that you have those long runs in the bag and making sure that the not doing it on a day impacts everything down the road.

Jeff Gaudette [00:44:38]: Like in those cases, then, you kind of just either have to get creative or really rework the schedule to make sure that you can get things in. So like one of the biggest tips that I've given to that I've learned, at least in my experience running is that there are almost always areas unless you live like really rurally, at least in the US there are almost always areas that get plowed very quickly. And those are going to be government areas that have government function and or schools. So, to me, what I found is that the city will always prioritize plowing in those areas first. And so that's where I would just go to run. Even if, like, like, the the school around where I lived, almost always, like, there was a block that you could at least do a mile, and I would just do loops as much as it sucked. But I knew it was plowed. It was plowed consistently, you know, those types of things.

Jeff Gaudette [00:45:32]: So, if you are gearing up to run this winter, try to think about where either schools are or government buildings are or areas where they're gonna plow 1st. And you can always try to at least get there to do anything that's super important that you might need to get in that day. If you don't have access to a treadmill, and you wanna make sure you get in the, the workouts and runs that you need to do. So, that's kind of the recommendation. I've that's what I've always done, for me, and it's worked pretty well for the most part.

Cory Nagler [00:46:02]: Yeah. I think building in that flexibility is so important this time of year because it's just the reality for people living in a lot of areas in the US or or elsewhere that you're not gonna always be able to do the workout as you might have hoped.

Jeff Gaudette [00:46:14]: Yeah. And I think the other thing too, and, you know, I tell this with athletes that we work with, is that always keep in mind with a workout that we're after a specific effort. Right? And so, the paces that we give you or coach would give you are all designed to elicit a specific effort. So it's not because, like, only that and that pace only is going to elicit the training benefits we want. It's we think that that pace is going to put you at the effort that elicits the physiological benefit. So if it's tender, you know, if it's 20 degrees and the wind is howling and it's cold, you may be 10 to 15 seconds per mile slower than your goal pace for that workout. But that effort is probably the same. So always try to keep that in mind when it comes to that.

Jeff Gaudette [00:46:58]: And remember that as you start your workout or you go to plan the workout and say, okay, I'm going to be 10 to 15 per second per mile slow on this workout because of the weather conditions today. And that's okay. Like the, the goal is to hit this effort, this threshold effort or this speed workout, whatever it may be. As long as I hit that effort, regardless of what the pace is, then I'm accomplishing the goal, I'm accomplishing the goal for the day. So that's how I try to adapt my training to the winter. And just remember that you can't always hit every split, every mile, and not even try sometimes just realize what your situation is. And so, you know, we'd say the same in the summer for people running in the summer. Like if it's 90 degrees in humid, don't go into that workout thinking, yeah, yeah.

Jeff Gaudette [00:47:38]: I'm gonna hit all my workout paces like that because it's not that that's a different effort. So different conditions, same principles apply.

Cory Nagler [00:47:46]: A 100%. And sometimes it's just a different type of effort. I find a lot of the time in in the wintertime, I end up running on snow that's not completely covered, and it might be up to 15, 20 seconds a kilometer slower or 30 seconds a mile. And I might not quite hit that same aerobic effort if it it were plowed properly, but my calves typically are completely drained by the end of that because there's so much muscular effort required to get through that snow.

Jeff Gaudette [00:48:13]: Yeah. Exactly. And the other thing I tell athletes too is that, you know, when we do a build up to a training, like, if you think about all of the workouts that you do over that 16, 20 week period, like I always look at it, like every workout is a drop in the bucket. So like we have this big bucket of fitness and every workout is just a drop. So if one drop is not the best, like if you have one workout that isn't fantastic because it conditions something you can't control, like it's not the end of the world, you know, and there's a lot of workouts that go in there. You just kind of gotta go do your best. And, it goes back to that. I think philosophy that I've had for a long time that I try to impart on athletes now is like consistency trumps, perfection, you know? And so it's better to be consistent and just get in the work than it is to be the be in perfect conditions.

Jeff Gaudette [00:48:58]: You know?

Cory Nagler [00:48:59]: Yep. Let's maybe dummy proof this advice just a little bit and say, if you're somebody who either is new to an area that has snow or maybe you've lived there for a long time, but this is your first time as a runner going through the winter, What would you recommend that that runner do to prepare so that they're ready for those winter and dirt conditions?

Jeff Gaudette [00:49:20]: Yeah. This is a great question, or a great way to phrase the question. So first thing, I would just I would get the right gear. So, making sure that you have good warm weather running clothes, making sure that you have, even, I guess, shoes as well. So we can talk a little bit about this if you want, but, there are things you can strap on your, shoes. They're called, like, yaktrax, or other brands similar to that. But you can basically strap them into your shoes. And it's like a, it's basically something that goes on the bottom of your shoe that gives you a lot a lot more traction in the snow, hard pack snow or ice and things like that.

Jeff Gaudette [00:49:56]: You can also, do screw shoes, which we have an article about how I would, tell people to read that article. We'll link it in the show notes rather than try to explain it. But, but just first, make sure you eat the gear. And then that gear also includes, reflective, some type of reflective equipment. It could be headbands, vest, whatever it may be. Get the gear now, make sure that you like it, all that kind of stuff. Get that set taken care of. 2nd, start to plan your roots now when there's not snow, when it's not super, dark light all the time, start planning 2 or 3 routes that you know, that you can do that are gonna have good lighting, low traffic, good footing, in dark conditions.

Jeff Gaudette [00:50:36]: Likewise, you can think about where school systems schools are or government buildings, and start thinking about how you might plan a route if you're if you need to do a workout for, say, for something. And that's the only place you could go. Like, what would that look like for you? How would you get there, etcetera? Just have and it doesn't take long. Like, I'm talking about, like, an hour to just plan that out. And then you have that in your pocket. So that way, if they you know, and inevitably when you have those really cold days or really snowy days this winter, you have the options at your back. You don't have to think about it. The thing that I think derails a lot of people in the winter, you know, it's just those cold mornings you wake up and you're not super motivated.

Jeff Gaudette [00:51:16]: And you're like, you know, the last thing I wanna do is go out running at 4 o'clock in the morning again. You know, especially when you have decisions to make. Like, oh, where am I gonna run? Oh my god. It's, you know, whatever. Like, if you can get that decision taken care of before you even have to make it, then you the, chances that you're not gonna you're gonna skip the run or something's gonna happen are significantly less.

Cory Nagler [00:51:36]: I couldn't agree more. And, also, in the morning time, it takes at least double the time to get ready when you have all those layers in the wintertime. So any way that you can cut down on the effort required is gonna make it so much easier to get in your

Jeff Gaudette [00:51:47]: run. Yeah. For me, I always had I I don't think I never necessarily wrote it out, but I think you could if it was, like, your first, you know, year running into cold conditions of, like, I would have, like, my, I just had it like into my head, like, okay, this is what I wear when it's 40. This is what I wear when it's 30. This is what I wear when it's raining. When it's, you know what I mean? Like I had outfits like pretty much already in my head. And so it wasn't, it wasn't really, I didn't have to make a decision about what I was going to wear. Like I pretty much woke up and I knew I looked at the weather.

Jeff Gaudette [00:52:19]: I said, okay. I mean, you can even work at the night before, but I woke up, look at the weather, right? This is what it is. These are my 30 degree pants. These are my 30 degree shirts or whatever. And you go like, not having to debate like, oh my God, what am I gonna wear? Like, that's a huge thing for sure.

Cory Nagler [00:52:34]: Jeff living in a warmer climate. Do you even have to check the weather anymore?

Jeff Gaudette [00:52:39]: Yeah. It's funny. Not really. It's pretty much the same all the time. Every once in a wake up and it'll be like more because it'll be I live so close to the ocean where the, the clouds will come in and it'll be, like, almost feels like it's raining when it's not really raining. That's probably that's probably the worst weather I run-in now. But I like that. That's that, like, that makes me feel like I'm, like, running when I was back in, like, a teenager.

Jeff Gaudette [00:52:58]: So I like that. But, yeah. Luckily, no.

Cory Nagler [00:53:04]: Wow. Well, I am very jealous of you being able to run-in those much, much warmer conditions, especially as it starts to get colder here. But I think that is a a good foreshadowing to get ready for what's to come, both from a lights perspective and also from making sure that I've got everything around to be able to bundle up.

Jeff Gaudette [00:53:22]: Yeah. For sure. And I hope everybody, watch listening to this, you know, at least got something out of it. At least a couple tips that they can put put towards the running this year. Sometimes all it takes is 1 or 2, like, tips or ideas in your head that can can get you through some of those difficult times, whether it be physical or mental. You know, training in the winter can definitely be a grind. So, hopefully, there's something in there that, that gets somebody through it. So for sure.

Cory Nagler [00:53:48]: Absolutely. And you've given me a new idea as well with the, the ankle reflective light. So thanks for that.

Jeff Gaudette [00:53:53]: Yeah. You're welcome. Yeah. Check them on Amazon or, like, running retail, something like that. But they're they're pretty cool. I like them. It's just one of those things that's an added, you know, just an added safety measure for sure.

Cory Nagler [00:54:02]: Cool. Awesome. I'll check them out. Thanks so much, Jeff.

Jeff Gaudette [00:54:05]: You're welcome. Thanks, Corey.

Cory Nagler [00:54:21]: Thanks for listening to the Run to the Top podcast. I'm the showrunner at Runners Connect, where as always, our mission is to help you become a better runner with every episode. You can connect with me on Instagram at cory_nagler. Worth your Strava by searching Corey Nagler, and please consider connecting with the rest of our team at runnersconnect.net. If you're loving the show, you can help us reach more runners by leaving a rating on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Lastly, if you want bonus content, behind the scenes experiences with guests, and premier access to contests, and consider subscribing to our newsletter by going to runnersconnect.netforward/podcast. I'll see you on the next show, but until then, happy running, everyone.