From Scot Brockbank of Northshore Athletics…
With winter looming on the horizon, runners across Norfolk County are about to be cast indoors due to cold, wet and windy conditions that transform running from a joyful athletic escape into a miserable tale of numb toes and soggy socks. But this year, things are different.
Winter is a thief, it steals our freedom. Its sleet, slush and snow taking away your roads and our streets. Robbing you of that forever stretch of asphalt. But today, you lace up, and you run. You take to the pavement. You take to the paths. You take back what’s rightfully ours.
Mother Nature is a tough opponent to do battle with, but it doesn’t have to be.
Want to know a little secret about what you can do this winter to get in the best shape possible
…Snowshoe Running!
Forget about the image of trying to run in those beefy wooden framed tennis rackets hanging on your grandparents wall. Snowshoe running is high tech, with small, featherweight snowshoes that are built specifically for speed.
Once you get hooked on a snowshoeing fitness program, you’ll likely gain a new perspective on working out in the winter, but you just might lose something too – namely, those extra pounds you’ve been carting around. Snowshoeing is a great way to burn calories. It works major muscle groups at relatively high intensities for extended periods of time, which requires a high caloric expenditure. Your metabolic rate increases in cold weather, and the added weight of snowshoes – combined with resistance from moving through snow – results in a greater demand for energy than walking or running.
In fact, snowshoeing can burn up to 45% more calories than walking or running at the same pace. To determine what kind of a workout you can get out of your training, use the chart on the next page to estimate the calories that are burned during different levels of snowshoe activity.
For more information on upcoming programs and events at North Shore Athletics please click here.
