I Don’t Want Winter to End

Winter is often the recipient of so much contempt. I used to despise winter: the sub-zero temperatures, the snow drifts as tall as me, and a coat of icy over every outdoor surface. 

Granted, my change in opinion occurred when we moved from Northwest Indiana (land of the lake effect snow) to the Pacific Northwest. Now, I don’t want winter to end. Winter in the Pacific Northwest has its dreary days, but overall it’s magical. Winter in the PNW invites you to opt outside, to banish away those winter blues with some fresh air and mountain views.

I'm Not Ready for Winter to End

The snowy mountains offer a welcome respite and endless opportunity for adventure. The crisp coldness in the lowlands is often accompanied by a glorious glimpse of sunshine. The cold air invigorates the lungs and with cold hands from hours outside comes a warm and satisfied heart.

Winter (ski/snowboard/snowshoe season) in the mountains easily extend through March, but there’s only so many weekends from now until the powdery snow turns to slush. Snowboarding and snowshoeing evoke the same feeling as marathon training for me: deep satisfaction and bliss, yet the bittersweet knowledge that I can only do it realistically for a few months per year. That knowledge makes me savor it even more. 

I'm Not Ready for Winter to End

We ventured out into the mountains yet again this weekend for snowshoeing. The Nordic Center at our ski resort is spoiling, with access to over 30 miles of trails for just a bit more of the cost of a movie ticket. I love going to the movies, but I think if I had to choose, I would choose a day out snowshoeing (or snowboarding, but that’s more akin to the cost of a very fancy date night out). 

From the groomed nordic trails, snowshoeing afforded us the opportunity to take the road less traveled. We ventured up and down along the mountain. Since the cross-country and nordic skiers remained on the groomed trails, we had these parts of the mountains almost completely to ourselves. In an era when you hear so many voices rage on social media, the meditative silence of the mountains is a welcome retreat. 

I'm Not Ready for Winter to End

Snowboarding and snowshoeing both provide great cross-training. They offer those elements of fun and variety that is needed for cross-training along with a low-intensity workout. I feel my endurance build with those long snowshoes or snowboarding days and different muscles working. 

[Tweet “I’m not ready for winter to end… #snowshoeing #winter via @thisrunrecipes”]

Do you prefer winter or summer?
What’s your current favorite non-running winter workout?

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19 Responses

  1. I definitely prefer summer but I can see your point! This winter has been pretty mild so I cant complain too much. Its really just the dark mornings that have been getting to me. I would like to be able to see the sun when I am running again!

  2. Love the new logo! It looks so good! I’m ambivalent as to whether or not winter ends. I would be nice to not wear my big coat all the time, so I guess there is that. But it isn’t reeeaallly affecting me so far this year because it has been rather mild. So maybe your winter can carry on, and we’ll get to spring around here.

  3. I prefer winter because… South Carolina. I’ve seen so many posts about the groundhog today, and if we have 6 more weeks of this “winter weather”, I will be fine with that because it’s been beautiful. I haven’t had to wear pants to run yet :).

    I do enjoy looking at your photos of the snow, though.

    My favorite non-running winter workout? Hot yoga indoors. Because 8 months out of the year, you can do hot yoga just by going outdoors… :).

          1. Yep! We visited Seattle during the heat wave in August 2016. We went to a Seahawks game and it was the coldest football game we’ve attended in awhile.

            A month later, we went to a football game here in SC and it was 90 and everyone got sunburn.

  4. I don’t want winter to end, either. While the dark cold mornings and evenings are rough, I’m relishing all the little touches of warmth I turn to for comfort: a hot cup of tea on a dreary evening, hot coffee on a cold morning, the bliss of snuggling up in 3 blankets in my nice warm bed with the humidifier humming…I will be honestly sad when it ends, which I never thought I’d say. Winter is nice for us introverted homebodies because it’s the only time of year when it’s socially acceptable to hibernate at home :-). Plus I never have to worry about running in 80 degrees and 95% humidity!

    1. There’s something so warm and cozy about winter (and fall, to a certain extent)! In summer I want to turn on all the fans just so I can curl under a blanket with a cup of coffee and pretend it’s cold.

  5. I prefer winter!! I love sledding. skiing, and would love to try snowshoeing!! However, living here in Southern Maryland, I feel like winter never arrives. There is hardly ever any snow:( I need to move back to Maine!! I try to get up to Maine as much as I can during the winter!

  6. You would love snowshoeing! I think once you live somewhere where winter is enjoyable – like the PNW or New England – then not having winter or fun winter activities is disappointing. After living here, I don’t think I could easily move to somewhere without mountains and without snow nearby.

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