Do you walk in icy conditions?
 

We've had a series of snowstorms followed by rain here. It looked like great walking conditions this morning, but when I got outside, the ground was slippery. Outdoor morning walks are my favorite activity. They really lift my mood and set a good tone for my whole day. I miss them! So, I was wondering if anyone walks in icy conditions, and if so, how do you manage it?

I normally walk very early in the mornings as well. I live in northern Illinois and we have been socked with snow and ice this year. I still work so switched my walks to mid day at lunch. This way I can see the ice. I stay to the streets on the side as it’s much better than the sidewalks most of which are snow and iced covered. My normal walks are 75-90 minutes but due to work I shortened them to 60. The past few days it has climbed into the teens, twenty’s now even thirty’s I am starting back in the mornings. It’s lighter now so I can go early and see. I dread in two weeks we change clocks again and it will be dark early. I have a membership to the local park district gym but I am not a fan of walking on a treadmill with a mask on.

I'm a runner and I run very early when it's still dark so I don't run if I think it's going to be icy. It's just not worth an injury.

I live in OH and it's been icy longer than I can ever remember. I've only run for about one week in over 2 months and I usually run every day. I've never gone this long without running and it's really getting to me. I need it for my mental health. Hoping to get back out soon - winter has to end soon, right?

Erica

I walk in icy conditions usually but I won't run in them. Most of the time my dog and I walk three times a day so our last walk is in the dark. When it's more slick out we usually don't leave the neighborhood so walking it so often helps me remember where the slickest spots are and we just slow down. If a whole stretch of sidewalk is bad we will walk in the street but I try to stay on the sidewalks, especially after dark. I do have Yaktrax chains but I hardly ever use them bc it's very rare that the whole neighborhood is an ice rink, just certain spots, and wearing those on clear cement or blacktop isn't great.

I am like you, I really need that morning walk especially or I feel all messed up. If I miss the other two walks I deal with it much better than missing the morning one, but not enough time outside really messes with my whole self.

Like Erica, I won't run outside in icy conditions bc it isn't worth the risk of injury. You have a lot more momentum going with running! I am so grateful for my treadmill for winter running.

As my mom used to be sure to tell me, be safe out there! :)

Hubby and I walk in our local park every morning around 7am. The last thing we want to do is fall and break something, so we don't walk when we anticipate that it's icy. We have YakTrax, but they don't really work well on ice. Sometimes we have to be extra careful because we come across unexpected ice and sometimes we just cut the walk short. Our alternative is walking the mall, but it doesn't open until 11am due to covid now (and not earlier for walkers anymore) is really boring and walking for an hour wearing a mask and dodging shoppers isn't the most comfortable thing.

Missing a walk doesn't bother me because I work out when I get home, but it's hubby's only exercise and he's become a fanatic about it.

I walk when it is cold and snowy but not icy. Stupidly, I went for a walk 3 weeks ago when there was some ice. It had snowed too, so I thought I'd be OK. I slipped and fell on a patch of ice and nearly wiped out a second time. Luckily I just scraped my knee really badly. It's not worth the risk for me. Maybe if you have ice cleats, it would be safer.
Lorrie

I live in Wisconsin. Pre-pandemic, I walked to work for most of the year. The only time I wouldn't walk to work was when it was icy. I have tried Yaktrax and spikes for my boots. As someone else mentioned, they don't work well if there are places that are cleared. Since I found a variety of conditions on my walk, I didn't find them to be useful at all.

Falling on the ice is just not worth it to me. Even if you don't fall, you can pull muscles trying not fall. I really wrenched my back one years preventing the fall. Even though I live in Wisconsin, we don't have tons of days where the sidewalks are icy. Walking in normal snow is fine.

The past couple of years I have switched from winter walking to winter snowshoeing. It's been a game changer for me. It warms me up much more than walking, so I can snowshoe right through the polar vortex that seems to come every year in Wisconsin. No fear of falling and keeps me active outdoors!

Yeah, I didn't think it was worth injury either, plus I would only take baby steps on ice so it wouldn't be worthwhile. I was wondering about the YakTrax, good to know what they are like. I don't think they'll meet my needs. Snowshoeing sounds fun too.

Thanks, everyone, so much for your input. It really is a mental health issue for me too. I remember Debbie S used to have in her signature "walking is nature's Prozac". It's so true!

I love snowshoeing! It's a fantastic workout. Unfortunately, most years we don't get enough snow close to home to be worthwhile since we want over 8", preferably over 12". In normal times we take a trip up north to go for several days. We didn't get to last year or this year which makes me very sad. :(