Land of Snow

I hail from the land of 10,000 lakes (Minnesota), but this is the land of snow!

If you want snow, come to Alaska! A foot of fresh powder has fallen within the past 3 days!!


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While it is pretty, it does not make running enjoyable!

YakTraxs were definitely needed!


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Running was definitely a challenge this morning!

It took me 30 minutes to cover 3 miles this morning while slipping and sliding on the roads. (It felt like 10 miles!)

After work, I ran 3 more miles on the treadmill and did some some speed work. I’m pretty sure the treadmill and I will be resolving our differences this winter.

I also lifted weights for 20 minutes afterwards. I love the feeling after lifting weights!

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Question

What is the weather like where you live?

Hi, I'm Michelle

I love running around the lakes of Minnesota, running after my two boys, and racing anything from the 5K to the marathon. I have been blogging here since 2010 when I ran my first marathon. I finally secured my sub-3 hour marathon after trying for 8 years.

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39 Comments

  1. 11.8.11
    Nate said:

    Fall and spring, no doubt. It’s unfortunately that my least favorite times to run–the heat and humidity of summer and the snow and ice of winter–are when I have the most time to run. You understand this as a fellow teacher.

    • 11.8.11
      Michelle said:

      Well, I can’t complain about the summers up here. . . .they are more like spring than a true summer, so it is nice for training, but I’ll take a hot summer over this.

  2. 11.8.11
    Nate said:

    Fall and spring, no doubt. It’s unfortunately that my least favorite times to run–the heat and humidity of summer and the snow and ice of winter–are when I have the most time to run. You understand this as a fellow teacher.

    • 11.8.11
      Michelle said:

      Well, I can’t complain about the summers up here. . . .they are more like spring than a true summer, so it is nice for training, but I’ll take a hot summer over this.

  3. 11.8.11
    J said:

    I am not looking forward to the snow here – I hate slipping and sliding around. It is beautiful though, when you can stay inside and just watch the snow fall! We don’t have snow yet – in fact its supposed to be 60 and 70F today and tomorrow here. BUt then we are getting back into normal temps of low 50s and 40s. Snow will be here soon I am sure.

  4. 11.8.11
    J said:

    I am not looking forward to the snow here – I hate slipping and sliding around. It is beautiful though, when you can stay inside and just watch the snow fall! We don’t have snow yet – in fact its supposed to be 60 and 70F today and tomorrow here. BUt then we are getting back into normal temps of low 50s and 40s. Snow will be here soon I am sure.

    • 11.8.11
      Michelle said:

      I just wish the snow could fall on the lawns, trees, etc. and not on the roads/sidewalks!! Wouldn’t that be nice?!?!

  5. 11.8.11
    Jennifer said:

    It’s still fairly warm and mild in South Carolina but I’ll tell ya, the summers here are brutal.

  6. 11.8.11
    Jennifer said:

    It’s still fairly warm and mild in South Carolina but I’ll tell ya, the summers here are brutal.

    • 11.8.11
      Michelle said:

      Well, the winters here are brutal (and LONG), so I guess it’s what you’d rather deal with.

  7. 11.8.11

    It was a little cool this weekend in Charleston… and you know my future weather starting in December… ;o)

  8. 11.8.11

    It was a little cool this weekend in Charleston… and you know my future weather starting in December… ;o)

  9. 11.8.11
    Krissie J said:

    It’s actually going to be almost 70 here today. I wish I could send the weather to you! I’m probably going to have to strike a treaty with the treadmill this winter as well.

  10. 11.8.11
    Krissie J said:

    It’s actually going to be almost 70 here today. I wish I could send the weather to you! I’m probably going to have to strike a treaty with the treadmill this winter as well.

  11. 11.8.11
    Jamie said:

    It’s been a perfect Fall here…but Winter is definitely on its way! 50s, but man…it gets dark early!

  12. 11.8.11
    Jamie said:

    It’s been a perfect Fall here…but Winter is definitely on its way! 50s, but man…it gets dark early!

    • 11.8.11
      Michelle said:

      It was nearly dark by 4:30 p.m. here yesterday!

  13. 11.8.11
    Lauren said:

    I’m a bastard. I was whining about it being 37 degrees at 4:45 this morning as I walked from my car into the gym to teach spin class.
    The high today is 67, though! šŸ™‚

    My hubby would be SO jealous of your snow! He’s been to Alaska to go heli-skiing and is dying to go back. I’d much rather visit in the summer. šŸ™‚

  14. 11.8.11
    Lauren said:

    I’m a bastard. I was whining about it being 37 degrees at 4:45 this morning as I walked from my car into the gym to teach spin class.
    The high today is 67, though! šŸ™‚

    My hubby would be SO jealous of your snow! He’s been to Alaska to go heli-skiing and is dying to go back. I’d much rather visit in the summer. šŸ™‚

    • 11.8.11
      Michelle said:

      37 degrees is cold!! I don’t think I know what heli-skiing is??

      • 11.8.11
        Lauren said:

        You fly up to the top of a mountain in a helicopter and get dropped off, and ski your way down (or snowboard, in his case). He was in Girdwood. He is fearless- and NUTS. Thank goodness he has friends that are just as nuts, because I have no interest in stuff THAT extreme.

  15. 11.8.11
    Chelsea said:

    Blah, snow! I hate it so much!! So far the snow is holding off here, but I am sure it will be coming soon. Props to you to even attempting a run out in the snow. Two years ago I slipped on ice and slashed my knee open, so never again!

  16. 11.8.11
    Chelsea said:

    Blah, snow! I hate it so much!! So far the snow is holding off here, but I am sure it will be coming soon. Props to you to even attempting a run out in the snow. Two years ago I slipped on ice and slashed my knee open, so never again!

  17. 11.8.11
    jen said:

    OH MIchelle! I have such sorrow for you…I just read from Sharon’s email that you have record snow so decided to check your bog to see how you are handling it and HOLY COW! That’s still pretty early for good ol’ Anchorage to get a dump like that. Today here was a record 69* and sunny šŸ™‚ “unseasonably” warm they call it here~ all I can say is that I know exactly what you are going through though and am pulling for you girly! Just count down those days before your trip!!

    • 11.8.11
      Michelle said:

      Jen! I’m so glad you commented! It has been crazy cold here this winter so far. . . and tons of snow!! I hope this isn’t an indicator of the rest of the winter!!

  18. 11.8.11
    Cara said:

    “cold” for NW averages, today got up to 50 degrees, dry. It’s been “low” at night, below freezing. I wonder what it’d be like to live with so much snow all the time. My cousin, Mary, lives in Glennallen, AK and she said they close school when it’s -30 degrees. We close school here when there’s ice or a couple inches of snow. šŸ™‚ what a world!

  19. 11.9.11
    Jennifer said:

    You’ve got to try putting sheet metal screws in your shoes! It’s so much better than Yak Trax. You can put then in yourself, or you can even have Skinny Raven do it for you. I LOVE running outside in the winter around Anchorage. Everyone else is bundled up, scurrying around, trying to get back inside. I feel free and so happy to be enjoying the beauty that we have here!!!!! We live in a place that people dream of visiting for their whole lives. I LOVE it here!

    • 11.10.11
      Michelle said:

      Are the sheet metal screws better for snow AND ice? Is that why you like them better? (I like the Yak Trax for snow.)

      • 11.10.11
        Jennifer said:

        The sheet metal screws have sharp heads that really grap into the snow as well as the ice. If the ice is super hard and smooth, the screws can have a hard time gripping, although I usually don’t have a problem. I love the screws better because they do not pop off my feet as the Yak Trax do. The yaks also are uncomfortable on my feet and I can feel the rubber part of it rubbing the top of my foot and I can feel the big knobby spikes under my foot. With the screws, you can place them exactly where you want them, even add another in a certain spot where you feel you need more traction. I had one bothering me under the ball of my foot, so I just unscrewed it and repositioned it. I can feel the yaks moving around on my feet and with the screws they are very secure and I feel I have better control and stablility on the snow and ice. Ice still is nasty! On hard surfaces I can feel the screws a little, but I think it’s so much better than Yaks. You don’t need very many screws, about 7 or so. And it’s easiest to screw them in with a drill gun from the outside, of course. They charge a small fee at Skinny Raven or you can buy the screws for pennies at Home Depot. I think they are 3/8″ and they have a haxagon-like head with sharp edges. I really hope you try it and that it works well for you. I just love running in the winter, but you do need to make modifications to be safe and comfortable.

        • 11.12.11
          Michelle said:

          Thanks so much for all the details.

          Hmm. . . I guess I haven’t found the Yak Traxs to be that uncomfortable. I purposely do stay on the snow when I wear them so I can’t feel them under my feet. However, I would try the screws next if my Yak Traxs ever break!

      • 11.10.11
        Jennifer said:

        I just found a blog post from http://www.gobroncobilly.com that explains “how to screw your shoes” at http://www.gobroncobilly.com/?p=40

        He explains it just how I do it!

  20. 11.9.11
    Sarah said:

    oh you poor thing. i’m not looking forward to snow. it’s in the 50s and rainy/windy here today. yuck!

    • 11.10.11
      Michelle said:

      I’ll take that over our current weather!

  21. 11.9.11
    Candace said:

    It was cold in Northern Virginia this morning (e.g., below freezing when I ran), and it’s supposed to get up to the mid-60s by this afternoon.

    • 11.10.11
      Michelle said:

      That’s perfect fall-weather temperature!

  22. 11.9.11
    Cathi said:

    Wow! You are hardcore running in that snow. I live in Central New York and we are having unseasonably warm temps, but we always pay for it later!