DIET&FITNESS

Run Happy All Winter Long

Chilly days? Not a problem. Just follow our primer for safely logging miles when the temperature drops.

Ready, set, run!

by Cristina Goyanes

It seems like overnight the weather went from breezy to brutally cold. Now you're singing the winter blues: It's too cold, too dark, too slippery to run. But falling temperatures don't have to deter you, says exercise physiologist Jonathan Cane, co-founder of City Coach Multisport, in New York City. Tap these strategies to escape the dreaded treadmill.

Stay Visible

This is the golden safety rule during a season in which it starts getting dark at (sigh) 4 p.m.: Be sure you're wearing at least one piece of reflective or neon-colored gear so cars can see you a quarter-mile out. For added visibility, slap on a reflective wristband, such as Nathan's Reflex snap band ($10 for a pack of two;rei.com).

Layer Up

"Start with a wicking base layer," Cane says, "and finish with a wind-resistant shell." (See Gear Up for Any Weather.)

Tweak Your Feet

It's smart to take it slow in slick conditions to prevent a spill. But equally important is increasing your cadence, or the number of times your foot hits the ground. "Shortening your stride this way encourages your foot to land under your center of gravity rather than ahead of it," says Terry Chiplin, owner of Active at Altitude, a facilitator of endurance-athlete training camps in Estes Park, Colo. "This puts you more in control" for better balance, he explains.