Fun on the Ice and Psycho Activities
It's cold and icy out on the trails! As long as you're dressed properly and are wearing some "winter traction devices", you'll be okay running this time of year.
Here are two good choices for traction on the ice while running:
Screwing your shoes or Yaktrax (the "Pro" model, only). The YakTrax "Pro" model has an extra strap across the top of your shoes, and stays on your feet; something the regular model has problems with, while running.
Putting screws in an old pair of running shoes works exceptionally well, also. Be sure to follow the instructions closely, though. As Cheri Sutton recently said, "I tried out "screwed shoes" for my Saturday trail run this past weekend. They worked like a charm! And they worked great in the parking lot afterwards too."
You can find the YakTrax product in the Kansas City Area at:
Garry Gribble's Running Sports
Cabela's
Sitzmark Sports (the ski shop)
Dick's Sporting Goods
Trail running advice such as this can be found on our "Advice and Info" webpage.
"Group runs" update:
During our group runs this past week, we've had no fewer than 8 runners show up on any given group running day. The weather hasn't made much of a dent in participation for trailrunning, at all. One of the main reasons: If you run in the woods, you are out of the cold wind. Out on the roads and sidewalks, windchill is a factor, but not on the trails that we run. Also, it's much safer to run where there are no cars to slide into you. For road runners, winter is the most dangerous time of year. (And they have to wear all of those flashy lights, reflective vests, etcetera). We can run in "stealth mode" and can be more a part of nature.
Psycho WyCo update:
In one short month, we'll have our group's first race of the year, the "Psycho WyCo Run Toto Run." We already have over 100 runners signed up. Thirty-five are signed up for the 50K, alone. This is the 3rd annual version of of the race, and I'm expecting about 300 entrants, this year. We had 213, last year. The first year we only had 44. You can download the most current list of entrants for this year's race here.
The course for Psycho WyCo is tougher than most runners expect to find in Kansas. On each 10.35-mile loop, there's over 5000 feet of elevation change. The footing is also very technical for about 50% of that. We usually only have a 50% finish rate for the 50K and 20-miler. Being a 3-loop 50K, the temptation is always there to drop out at the end of your 1st or 2nd loop. So it's also mentally challenging. You can download a course map here.
We always have nice shirts and finisher's hardware for the race. This year, we'll have long-sleeve "technical" shirts with the "Psycho" logo on the front:
I won't divulge the color of this year's shirts in advance, though. That's something left for you to find out on race day.
Our finisher's medals are pretty cool, also. The 50K and 20-miler finishers get this medal:
The 10-milers will get a "dog tag" version of the medal. The design was created by trailrunner and talented graphic artist, Jason Crosby. He now lives in South Carolina, but will be traveling back to K.C. for the Psycho WyCo race.
All three race distances have a $30 entry fee. Any leftover funds goes toward trail maintenance activities and the Parks Department for the area.
This low entry fee is typical of our group's trail races. Many of our shorter races cost less than 10 bucks. Our motto is "Dirty feet, run dirt cheap."
Here are two good choices for traction on the ice while running:
Screwing your shoes or Yaktrax (the "Pro" model, only). The YakTrax "Pro" model has an extra strap across the top of your shoes, and stays on your feet; something the regular model has problems with, while running.
Putting screws in an old pair of running shoes works exceptionally well, also. Be sure to follow the instructions closely, though. As Cheri Sutton recently said, "I tried out "screwed shoes" for my Saturday trail run this past weekend. They worked like a charm! And they worked great in the parking lot afterwards too."
You can find the YakTrax product in the Kansas City Area at:
Garry Gribble's Running Sports
Cabela's
Sitzmark Sports (the ski shop)
Dick's Sporting Goods
Trail running advice such as this can be found on our "Advice and Info" webpage.
"Group runs" update:
During our group runs this past week, we've had no fewer than 8 runners show up on any given group running day. The weather hasn't made much of a dent in participation for trailrunning, at all. One of the main reasons: If you run in the woods, you are out of the cold wind. Out on the roads and sidewalks, windchill is a factor, but not on the trails that we run. Also, it's much safer to run where there are no cars to slide into you. For road runners, winter is the most dangerous time of year. (And they have to wear all of those flashy lights, reflective vests, etcetera). We can run in "stealth mode" and can be more a part of nature.
Psycho WyCo update:
In one short month, we'll have our group's first race of the year, the "Psycho WyCo Run Toto Run." We already have over 100 runners signed up. Thirty-five are signed up for the 50K, alone. This is the 3rd annual version of of the race, and I'm expecting about 300 entrants, this year. We had 213, last year. The first year we only had 44. You can download the most current list of entrants for this year's race here.
The course for Psycho WyCo is tougher than most runners expect to find in Kansas. On each 10.35-mile loop, there's over 5000 feet of elevation change. The footing is also very technical for about 50% of that. We usually only have a 50% finish rate for the 50K and 20-miler. Being a 3-loop 50K, the temptation is always there to drop out at the end of your 1st or 2nd loop. So it's also mentally challenging. You can download a course map here.
We always have nice shirts and finisher's hardware for the race. This year, we'll have long-sleeve "technical" shirts with the "Psycho" logo on the front:
I won't divulge the color of this year's shirts in advance, though. That's something left for you to find out on race day.
Our finisher's medals are pretty cool, also. The 50K and 20-miler finishers get this medal:
The 10-milers will get a "dog tag" version of the medal. The design was created by trailrunner and talented graphic artist, Jason Crosby. He now lives in South Carolina, but will be traveling back to K.C. for the Psycho WyCo race.
All three race distances have a $30 entry fee. Any leftover funds goes toward trail maintenance activities and the Parks Department for the area.
This low entry fee is typical of our group's trail races. Many of our shorter races cost less than 10 bucks. Our motto is "Dirty feet, run dirt cheap."
posted by Ben, aka BadBen at 11:42 AM
3 Comments:
The biggest advantage that I can see for the Yaktrax over screws would be in a situation where you only need the extra traction for part of your run or trip. The first place that comes to my mind is the Grand Canyon during the colder months, where there is snow and ice on the rims but the inner canyon is still warm. Routes above timberline in the summer would qualify as well.
Shane
Hey, Doing 14'ers in Colorado comes to mind, also.
ran Psycho Sat.with Yak-trax Pro seem that screw your shoes would work better. with trax I still had major sliding on the ice.
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