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. :(

No, it's just not worth the potential injury to me. I'll jog in slightly chillier weather and don't even necessarily mind a sudden summer downpour (my only concern then is my headphones and phone, but I can often zip them up in my fanny pack quickly). But truly subarctic windy cold, snow, and ice are a no go, so I haven't gone out for a walk or jog since the last time we had a random warm snap in early January, and I miss it so.

Today is sunny and the ice is actively melting, so I may just do an experimental walk around my neighborhood at long last. :sun:

Oh. Hell. No. :eek:

I like to walk outside every day. We don’t get snow and icy conditions very often, but when we do it can be slippery as the temp hovers around freezing. I have little gizmos similar to these that attach to my hiking boots. They work great.
https://www.amazon.ca/Ice-Cleats-Sno...%2C218&sr=1-19

Same here! Ice is Nature's way of saying "stay home and do a video!"

YakTrax didn't work for me, either. If anything the metal is more slippery on ice.

Nope! I didn't walk (voluntarily) on icy surfaces before my ankle break, and I'm most certainly not going to walk on ice or snow with an injury. Even after I'm completely healed, I doubt that I will knowingly walk on any slippery surface ever again. Not worth the risk!

Donna

LOL! Same. It's not worth it to risk an injury. My dogs don't even want to walk when it is icy.

Nope. Not worth the risk Worked my small town ER to much in the winter taking care of broken wrists and arms of people just trying to walk across a parking lot to risk walking in icy conditions.

Nope. As a certified klutz, I could be charged if I tried that. ;)

My dad used to walk to work in his golf cleats when it was too icy to drive. Only happened a few times, but it seemed to be a decent solution.

In a wierd fluke, if I had seen this question yesterday, I'd have said I walk everyday no matter the conditions because my energetic terrier doesn't give me a choice.

HOWEVER, while walking said terrier this morning, I fell on the ice and broke my wrist. So from now on I don't care how antsy she gets. If it's icy I will be quoting Vintage VFer's Oh. Hell. No

I'm so sorry! :(

Erica

I have no choice. I'd be housebound for several months if I refused to brave the ice. It does help to balance/bosu train.
icebugs are an option. I personally like a mukluk with a highly flexible sole. I also have cleats and will file the studs to keep them sharp.

lunarraine--so sorry and hope you have speedy healing!

Oh no, lunarraine! I'm sorry you were injured!

I don't go outside if it's below 70 :D

I am so sorry about your fall. A few years back while walking with my dog, I fell twice in one walk, and the next day wiped out again. Fortunately I didn't break anything but my head was pretty sore.

I have walked the past two mornings at 5:30. I have discovered that some parts of my town the streets are better salted than others. Because it's so early I can keep to the streets but some are icy with the snow melt from the curbs. Because it's still dark I can't see the ice very well but I have noted the spots that are worse than others. I was watching a few people out when I am and they are just walking along like they are not worried about ice at all. I see several joggers and one guy on a bike, others are walking their dogs. I was thinking maybe it's a mental thing. Once you have fallen you are so much more cautious and maybe that leads to slipping. Like watching kids, they just walk on the ice. They don't even think about it being ice.

Like the OP I start to go crazy if I cannot get outside and get fresh air and walk. I can take a good walk when it's as low as 8 degrees. Ice is a big concern but it's warming up and I am ready to resume my routine. I am trying not to fret about it and see if it makes a difference.

Same here, lol.

So sorry to hear that. I hope it heals soon.

Oh, man, I'm so sorry! I went right back inside when I detected ice the other morning, and after reading this thread I decided to wait until it's completely dry outside again.

I actually love Yak Trax. I keep a pair in my car all winter. For me, they are great for ice. They have a new style that is supposed to work on all surfaces, so if the ice is patchy, it won't be a problem. I have no tried that style, so can't say if they actually work.

I thought the chains were pretty effective on ice, but I don't like wearing them on clear spots so they just don't get much use. If the whole town is an ice rink that's the only time ice keeps us from walking. I tried the spiral type three times and while they helped with slipping, I didn't like that the coils would flatten even though I wasn't that heavy and they would break and spiral right off the rubber. The chains don't have that issue at all. I'm happy to have them just in case I need them. I may look into the new style you mentioned. Thanks for the tip!

I'm so sorry to hear of your fall and injury! Wishing you a speedy recovery.

I HATE ICE! I'm an all-weather runner/walker but I don't do ice without YakTrax or spikes.

My YakTrax work GREAT on ice, snow or slush, but like a few others have said, the problem comes when you run or walk on bare pavement with them.

Erica - One of my running friends swears by her ice bugs Swedish running shoes. She did an icy trail half marathon in them about three weeks ago. They are sold out in my size but once they're back in, I'm splurging on them.

EDITED TO ADD A BETTER LINK TO THE ICE BUGS: https://icebug.com/p/new-run-w-bugrip-blackpoison

Thank you! Those look really nice, but they are very expensive. That's impressive that your friend actually ran a half marathon distance in icy conditions with them, though. Something to consider for sure...

I used to run with yak trax, but the coils kept breaking from using them on the area with no snow/ice coverage and I gave up. They worked really well on snow/ice, though.

Erica

No way. Especially here where you rarely have a sidewalk. So you'd be basically sharing the road with a driver who could hit ice. :eek: No, thanks!

That's how it is here. No sidewalk and I run when it's dark. I'll err on the side of caution when there's a possibility of ice.

Erica

Thank goodness my little terrier mix isn't fond of icy conditions and wants back inside! I'm so sorry to hear about your wrist fracture. I hope you have a speedy recovery!