When temperatures drop and snow starts to fly, most Minnesotans flock to the gym to escape the cold. But there is an unusual breed of athletes in Woodbury who refuse to let the weather push them indoors. Instead, they strap on their shoes, don face masks and head to their favorite trail. Some may say they’re crazy, while others will mistake them for ninjas in the woods. And while these winter warriors take both as a compliment, there is only one word that truly defines them: runners.
Bailey Ness
For Bailey Ness, running is simply in her blood. She tried on her first running shoes and hit the track in seventh grade, and hasn’t left the running arena since. Five trips to state, one to nationals, and hundreds of miles clocked around the streets of Woodbury, this young athlete is not ready to cool down just yet. Now a freshman at the University of Minnesota, Ness is committed to Gopher track and cross-country—and, of course, many more winter runs. “I like being cold and bundling up. You’re cold for two minutes and then you’re perfectly fine. It’s kind of fun, actually,” Ness says.
As the former captain of East Ridge High School girls’ track and cross-country teams, she often led captain’s practices in January, and understands the value of opting for the outdoors. When the indoor alternative is dozens of loops around a small track, the decision is easy. “Tracks are bad for distance runners’ hips and knees,” she says. On extremely icy days she’ll cross-train indoors, but for the most part, Ness runs 30-40 miles a week outdoors, no matter what the thermometer says.
MVP winter apparel: “Gloves, because your hands freeze eventually. And a good headband.”
Patti Meras
Thirteen years ago, Patti Meras was living in southern California with her husband and a newborn when she decided to strap on some running shoes. She’s come a long way since her casual jogs on the beach: Today, she runs between 25 and 30 miles a week, and has five marathons, several half marathons and dozens of 5Ks to her name. And like a true Minnesotan, Meras has learned to embrace winter. “Running is the one way I can be outside in winter and enjoy myself … I would rather run outside than drive,” she says. She recalls one morning on a run around Lake Elmo when a rare hoarfrost had set in overnight, creating the illusion of feathers hanging from tree branches. “It’s those beautiful mornings when everything is silent and the sun is coming up; it’s cold and you hear the crunch under your feet … you feel kind of invincible,” she says.
When temperatures drop well below zero, Meras will retreat to the treadmill, but reluctantly. “I can’t run more than eight miles before I want to poke my eyes out,” she confesses with a laugh. But thankfully she has a husband who is equally dedicated to the sport, and has run alongside her on the “dreadmill” for long runs. “That’s love right there,” she says.
MVP winter apparel: “Thermal, wind-resistant mittens you wear over gloves, and SmartWool running socks.”
Jerry Meras
The other half of Team Meras started running seriously on a bet. Jerry was in the police force in California at the time, when a colleague dared him to try a marathon. “It was painful; I did everything wrong,” recalls Meras. But when he and Patti moved to Minnesota 10 years ago, he happened upon the running club at Woodbury’s Running Room, and his whole running world turned around. Being surrounded by experienced runners for two workouts a week was educational and inspiring. “It changed my mentality on how much I can do,” Meras says. Now Meras is running 50 miles a week, and completing marathons in under four hours. Together the group tackles winter races, like the Chippewa Falls Frigid 8, and uses winter running to make themselves stronger. “I like the challenge of winter,” he says. “And the looks you get from drivers, that’s almost the most motivating part.”
But winter wasn’t always fun for this California boy. During his first season in town, Meras was surprised to learn the group runs year-round. “It often felt like my face was falling off or that I was going to lose some fingers,” he says. Since then, he’s learned some helpful tips: if you can keep your core warm, you’ll be fine; apply Vaseline to exposed skin before a run; and you want to be cold when you start out or you’ll overheat later. Once he makes it outside on a snowy day, Meras finds the greatest rewards often come in small surprises, like a wild turkey or deer crossing the path right in front of him. “You have those moments that just make you appreciate being out there,” he says.
MVP winter apparel: “Under Armour infrared gear.”
Phillip Bidon
As the running club coordinator at Woodbury’s Life Time Fitness and with 28 marathons under his belt, Phillip Bidon is no novice when it comes to running. And as a lifelong Minnesota resident, he knows a thing or two about surviving Old Man Winter. Reflective vests and headlamps are key, as well as sticking to a few routes that are well-lit and regularly plowed. Although he’ll sometimes give runners treadmill or cross-training workouts, for the most part they run outside. “We run in the snow, when it’s cold out. We run with icicles hanging from our hats and eyelashes,” Bidon says.
Since springtime races are often best for setting personal records due to the cool temperatures, training through the winter is essential for many serious runners. “I like running around the lakes because you can pretty much guarantee you’ll see someone else running out there, anytime of the year … you’re never alone,” Bidon says. For those runners who feel they need a little reprieve from chapped lips and compression shirts, Bidon leads a group somewhere warm each year, like Arizona or Vegas, for a mid-winter race.
MVP winter apparel: “It’s all about layering and good technical clothing. You’d be surprised; you really don’t need to bundle up.”
Tony Yang
Tony Yang thought his running days were long gone, but he soon discovered the best was yet to come. He was at his 30th high school reunion chatting with some old friends when Yang was inspired to train for a marathon—before turning 50. Training that first summer was a challenge, since he hadn’t run since high school, but after completing his first marathon at Huntington Beach, Yang was hooked. In the past few years, he’s tackled Grandma’s, Twin Cities, and recently took on Boston at age 50. Since Boston is a springtime race, it required many miles of training in the winter months. But that didn’t faze Yang. “Just being out there is exhilarating,” he says.
There are always challenges when it comes to running, he points out. “In summer it’s the heat and humidity, and in the winter it’s the cold … I just like running in general. Anytime I can run, I’ll take it,” he says. Of course, the treadmill is always an option, but like his fellow Running Room runners, he prefers the outdoors. “I don’t feel productive on [the treadmill]. I end up staring at the odometer the whole time,” he says.
MVP winter apparel: “A headlamp so you can enjoy those nighttime runs. Running in the dark is peaceful and relaxing … and it feels like I’m going faster than I really am.”
Tips for Running or Walking in Winter
From Amanda Chids, Woodbury Running Room manager
- Add traction on icy runs with Due North and Yaktrax.
- Wear cold-weather socks, like SmartWool or Drymax, to keep your feet warm and wick the moisture off your feet.
- Wear winter running pants or tights, like Mizuno, with insulated fleece insides and wind-resistant outsides. Add a base layer if necessary.Layer your upper body with a technical shirt that pulls the sweat off your body and dries quickly; a thermal, insulated layer to trap the body heat and an outerwear layer with a wind/water-resistant panel to keep heat from escaping.
- Hats, gloves and face mask are essential when running in the winter and to cover the skin as much as possible to avoid frostbite.
- Body Glide helps minimize chafing and blisters.
- Dress in layers. It is easier to take a layer off while running than it is to add one. So, if you think that extra layer is necessary, add it.
- Increase visibility with a headlamp or “knuckle lights” since winter runs are often in the dark; add a reflective vest. You may end up looking like a Christmas tree, but everyone will notice a lit Christmas tree running down the road.
- In the winter, if you properly layered, you will sweat just as much, if not more, than in the summer. If you are not properly hydrated, just like in the summer, your body will have a harder time regulating its temperature. Make sure you keep up with your fluids or add some electrolytes to your water to prevent dehydration.
- Join a running club or sign up for a training program.
Running Clubs
Running Room Run Club is free and open to anyone to drop in for a run, Wednesdays at 6 p.m. and Sundays at 8:30 a.m. at the store. Training programs for beginner runners through marathoners. 7455 Currell Blvd.; runningroom.com
Life Time Fitness hosts runners for various programs and groups, available to all members and non-members. 675 Commons Drive; lifetimefitness.com
East Metro Runners & Riders meet frequently for group running. Find more information at facebook.com/groups/eastmetrorunners.
