Winter Challenge Summary 2013-2014

Winter Challenge Summary 2013-2014
By Barefoot YOW


Alaska to Georgia + 3 more miles!!!

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That’s an amazing 3549 miles or 5712 kilometres. The same distance racked up by BRS runners in our 2013 Winter Challenge. That’s skin on the ground, snow, or ice. No 5-fingers. No minimalist. No socks. True bare feet on frozen ground, and 1200 miles more than any previous year in the existence of the Challenge. Do you remember the Polar Vortex? Our runners certainly do. This was the coldest winter in North America in 20 to 120 years (depending on your region). Our rules (because there are always rules…) were simple.

Rules
1. Runs must be BAREFOOT
2. Temperature with windchill must be less than 42°F (5.1°C)
3. Any run of 1/3 mile (o.5 km) can be counted
4. October 1 2013 to April 1 2014

Despite the cold, 59 pair of soles ventured out to run barefoot this winter, and run they did. We had participants from United States, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Norway, United Kingdom, and Greenland. Individual totals ranged from 0.3 to 497.6 miles. 3549 miles is like running 1/6th of the distance around the world at the equator or 600,000 times around the North pole . Each runner accomplished a feat by simply venturing outside to test their cold endurance. Cold weather running takes patience and a keen sense of feedback. I’ll quote Barefooting Bob, “Numb feet = Dumb feet”. It becomes a bit of an art to learn that your feet will warm up, but at some point when you start to lose ground feel it is time to don footwear.

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We had several first time winter enthusiasts, and a gang of returning veterans. The group could be broken down into five mileage groups:

· Up to ½ marathon distance = 23 runners
· Up to 60 mi (96 km) = 23 runners
· Up to 125 miles (200 km) = 3 runners
· Up to 250 miles (400 km) = 7 runners
· Over 250 miles = 3 runners

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lparker

The above table shows the kilometres run by the group. The average distance ran was 6.9 km or 4.3 mi. Most running (93.1%) was done in the 41°F to 14°F range. This has been consistent over the last four years. This was our sweet spot for temperatures. At these temperatures you got exposed to a variety of conditions, including dry/wet asphalt, slush, and packed snow. Most runners commented that running on snow was tricky, as they preferred dry roadways. For myself, I found a big difference running on packed snow early versus later in the winter. The snow seemed colder late in the winter.

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There has always been an undercurrent of a side competition, which pitted USA vs CAN. This year Canada got trounced by the US. The mileage put up by the US members was almost quadruple that of the Canadians. This makes it 2 years each for Canada and USA. So we Canucks hang our head low and say congrats (at least we won the Gold medals in hockey J).

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Here are the individual numbers. The first number that jumps out is the 800.8 km (497 mi) that Bare Lee recorded. WOW! I never thought someone would accomplish that kind of mileage. This was a huge increase in the top mileage. The previous record was 565 km (351 mi) by rickwhitelaw. In fact, Yvonne also exceeded the previous record. She joined the challenge in December. I wonder what her total would have been if she started 2 months earlier, like the rest of us? She was the most consistent of runners, as she chalked up high mileage each week. I was cheering her along, as this marked the first time a woman finished in the top 3. Congratulations to Lee and Yvonne!!!

We now have a new record for the coldest run. Barefooting Bob ran at -33°C (-27.4°F) while dutchie ran at -31°C. Lee and Yvonne battled it out for top spot in the sub-freezing mileage too, with Lee edging her out in the last couple weeks. These two accounted for 26% of the total mileage, with more mileage than all the other countries combined. – WOW!

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ArticDuplo

The following charts show comparative results from 2010 to 2013. They clearly show that more people are running in the winter. The averages show consistency in the sweet spot (41° to 23°F).

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Video by paraganek

Comments from Challenge participants

Bare Leemy tolerances improved, mostly temp-wise. I only got slightly better at running on compacted snow. The suddenness with which this winter came on in December got me off my game. There was almost no time to transition from above-freezing temps to really cold temps. Also, unlike last winter, there was almost no mid-winter thawing. For those of us who have trouble running on compacted snow, this made barefoot running almost impossible December through February, even when the temps were reasonable I've gotten a little better at knowing when to pull up. But since it's always due to moisture of some kind, the easiest solution would be to simply run shod whenever there's moisture and it's below freezing. It'll still be a little tricky, though, when the surfaces are mixed between dry and slush/snow/puddle patches.”

Yvonne This was my very first winter running barefoot. Although at some point I did have to resort to footwear for my daily farm chores etc through the winter, I was happily able to run barefoot for every single run! Cold and dry was a breeze for me, really cold plus wet was a challenge sometimes. Packed snow wasn't bad most of the time, but cold temps plus fresh snow could be a problem and I found required short out-and-back distances so I could get home fairly quickly if my toes showed signs of frost-nip. I learned that lesson the hard way after a 3.11 mile run in the fresh snow in temp with windchill at -4°F, which resulted in frostbite to several toe-tips. Another challenge I had to deal with this winter was frequent road-winterizing with salt and gravel/sand. Sharp lumps of salt were awful to step on, but the gravel I adapted to. I ran in all sorts of weather...clouds, wind, snow, sleet, fog, rain, sun. I experienced an array of sights and sensations (and took lots of photos!). Despite the cold temperatures, weather conditions, and surface challenges, I was able to continue my usual routine of typically running every other day throughout winter...entirely barefoot. “​

Mokaman ... I usually stop barefooting thru the winter even though its mild here compared to the northern locations. I did more winter barefooting even though it was the coldest here I can remember ... great thread for motivation to keep barefooting thru the winter.”

MikeR “My tolerance for barefoot winter running also has improved over the 3 years I ran through the winter without VFF's. First year was 40 degrees F, second year down to 33 degrees, and this year down to 27 degrees. What I noticed is that my feet get red from improved blood flow where they used to be white. I still can't run in snow yet though, maybe next winter.”

dutchie “I also noted a improvement to my temperature tolerance. I'm good now to about -15C not counting wind chill, but on compact snow and ice the tolerances have not changed. Only good to -3C to -5C there, fresh snow I will not even attempt anymore as that's how I got frostnip a few years ago. All in all it does give me a sense of well being knowing that low temperatures can be tolerated in the right conditions.”

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Yvonne @ 12°F

The Challenge this year was all about MORE. We had more participants, more runs, more mileage, and more COLD. Records were set for the coldest and most miles ran. Thanks to everyone that participated in the Winter Challenge. It was fun to see so many step outdoors to run barefoot, in winter. Congrats to everyone that participated. It definitely pushed everyone to extend their barefoot capabilities. Until next winter … Bring on the heat.​

Participants can add the 2013 Challenge stamp to their signature. Simply add it as an image in the ‘Signature’ section of your profile.​


Barefoot YOW​
 
I run barefoot. I run minimalist. I run in a kilt.
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Wowza! Congrats to Bare Lee, Yvonne, Rick, and all the (crazy) winter barefooters!
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I'll at least try to get on the chart next year!

Those coldest run temps are incredible. I can't imagine running bare down below zero F, let alone -27.4°F! At those temps I have no bare skin exposed anywhere!

And thanks to Barefoot YOW for putting together such great details, graphs, and report!
 
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I don't think the coldest-run records should be that big a deal, considering how dangerous it is.


Very good point kozz. Running in extreme conditions is dangerous, whether it be too cold or hot. I find the mind set is different, when running at a really low temperature. I've already resigned myself to the fact that the weather has beaten me, and the run is going to be a very short dash. I don't try to minimize the risk of injury. I know it will happen if I extend my run. Where I have encountered problems is the the 20-30°F range. I become overly confident resulting in me ignoring the warning signs of frostbite. The key to all barefoot running is to better understand 'feedback'. I believe that running in the cold helps me be more aware. My feet are more sensitive to the terrain, during a cold run. It is time to stop the run, when that sensitivity disappears.

The sub freezing totals by Bare Lee and Yvonne were incredible this year. Their totals extended 400 km each.

:coldfeet:
 
Very good point kozz. Running in extreme conditions is dangerous, whether it be too cold or hot. I find the mind set is different, when running at a really low temperature. I've already resigned myself to the fact that the weather has beaten me, and the run is going to be a very short dash. I don't try to minimize the risk of injury. I know it will happen if I extend my run. Where I have encountered problems is the the 20-30°F range. I become overly confident resulting in me ignoring the warning signs of frostbite. The key to all barefoot running is to better understand 'feedback'. I believe that running in the cold helps me be more aware. My feet are more sensitive to the terrain, during a cold run. It is time to stop the run, when that sensitivity disappears.

The sub freezing totals by Bare Lee and Yvonne were incredible this year. Their totals extended 400 km each.

:coldfeet:
First of all, great write-up YOW! And thanks again for helping make winter running entertaining with this challenge. Almost everyone we know thinks we're crazy, so it's great that you've created this community of like-minded individuals who can share their stories and feel somewhat normal in their enjoyment of cold-weather adaptation.

As for the danger involved, I think YOW has offered plenty of warning about avoiding risks, and we're all adults, so hopefully we're all able to assume responsibility for our choices. The great thing about the Winter Challenge is that it offers a forum to discuss what works and what doesn't and to note the variability in individual tolerances and adaptations. It's sort of a pioneering study when you think about it.

And winter barefoot running involves the same process of experimentation and slow adaptation as barefoot running in general, so hopefully everyone comes to the challenge understanding that, just as with tenderfoots new to BFR, you got to (1) take it little by little, (2) find out what your tolerances are, and (3) pull back when you feel like you're doing too much. Frostnip isn't much different than blisters, or TOFP, etc., for tenderfoots.

And for me, under dry conditions, there's no danger at all. The numbing process, what I call "the numb-plunge" is gradual enough that I have plenty of time to spot danger and put on my backup footwear if need be. The real danger is in moisture--snow, slush, ice, puddles--where the numb-plunge is accelerated and can get you into trouble within minutes, sometimes even seconds. I got better at recognizing it this year, but still ended up with 3-4 cases of mild frostnip. One case led to about an hour of minor pain after my feet warmed up again, and then the eventual molting of my calluses, which made me more sensitive to the cold, especially in my toes, until the calluses redeveloped. In the other instances, the post-warmup pain lasted only 15-20 minutes and had no lasting consequences. For anyone reading this and curious about participating next year, I would suggest first running under dry conditions, see how low you can go, and then, if you find you can handle sub-freezing temps, try running in rain next time it's between 0 and 10C. That should give you a pretty good idea of what your tolerance for moisture is like. This seems to be the factor that varies most widely among us.

I should also note that my coldest runs were, as YOW describes it, basically one-mile dashes to my office over dry surfaces, between 3 and 5am. It was my favorite memory from this year's challenge, and an extremely exhilarating way to begin the day! I would say each 5-degree-Celsius category has its own distance limits.

Finally, equating windchill temps with air temps isn't quite right, but there's no better way to do it. For me, the colder it gets, the less the equivalence holds. 5F air temp no wind is a lot colder on the soles than, say, 20F air temp with a 5F windchill.
 
Nicely done YOW!
Thanks for organizing the whole thing and putting together such a great report!
And congratulations to all the Winter Challenge Runners! I'm proud to have been a participant with you all!
The Challenge definitely motivated me to get out and run on some days when I just didn't feel like facing the cold. :coldfeet:

Good points also on managing the risk. Running is supposed to be enjoyable. I get a real sense of exhilaration when I finish a particularly cold run, and I love running on packed snow, but I've learned to not push my limits. Bragging rights are nice, but not worth risking your toes over!

One more thing - just because the "Challenge" is over, it doesn't mean we've quit running in the cold! I ran a 5K last Saturday and the temperature was 37F without the wind chill. Got a fair share of comments at the starting line. My favorite: "Dude - you're crazy; it's making my feet cold just looking at you!" (This from a young woman wearing shorts, by the way!) :rolleyes:
 
Nicely done YOW!
Thanks for organizing the whole thing and putting together such a great report!
And congratulations to all the Winter Challenge Runners! I'm proud to have been a participant with you all!
The Challenge definitely motivated me to get out and run on some days when I just didn't feel like facing the cold. :coldfeet:

Good points also on managing the risk. Running is supposed to be enjoyable. I get a real sense of exhilaration when I finish a particularly cold run, and I love running on packed snow, but I've learned to not push my limits. Bragging rights are nice, but not worth risking your toes over!

One more thing - just because the "Challenge" is over, it doesn't mean we've quit running in the cold! I ran a 5K last Saturday and the temperature was 37F without the wind chill. Got a fair share of comments at the starting line. My favorite: "Dude - you're crazy; it's making my feet cold just looking at you!" (This from a young woman wearing shorts, by the way!) :rolleyes:
Good Point BFSailor. Last week I had four runs category 2 air temp, category 3 windchill, but mostly dry, so thoroughly enjoyable.

Still amazed at you folks who can run on snow. I think my best this year was 1.7 miles on compacted snow, and I think that was one of instances where I picked up some mild frostnip on a few toes.

One thing I might suggest for next year's WC is adding in two secondary classifications:
one for most sub-freezing miles/kilometers;
and another for most miles/kilometers over snow.
 
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One thing I might suggest for next year's WC is adding in two secondary classifications:
one for most sub-freezing miles/kilometers; and another for most miles/kilometers over snow.

Snow mileage is tough. Both bouts of frostbite I got were from running on snow. I'll add this to the spreadsheet so we can track it next winter
 
Snow mileage is tough. Both bouts of frostbite I got were from running on snow. I'll add this to the spreadsheet so we can track it next winter
Yah, because it's so tough, and because a lot of us can't do it, snow mileage seems like a category worthy of recognition. Subfreezing may also be a good category, because for me at least, this is where it starts to get challenging, and distance potential is increasingly limited. Above freezing to 5C, I don't feel like I'm anymore limited than >5C.

This way there could be up to three winners:

1. Overall mileage
2. Subfreezing mileage
3. Snow mileage

Although it's quite possible someone like Yvonne could take all three. In any case, these sub-challenges might add further interest to the WC, kind of like the different jerseys in the Tour de France.