Snow day = the world's funnest cross-training

A few pictures from our favorite form of cross-training: skiing! We hit the road to Whitetail as soon as we woke up to fresh snow outside (and heard the snow-day declaration from Steve's work). We volunteer there on the Mountain Safety Team every other weekend, and while we truly have fun every time we work, it was also cool to be on the mountain without any responsibilities at all. We left around 8:30 a.m., skied all day — including at least a dozen bump runs — and got home around 7:30 p.m., sore, tired ... and exhilarated.

Next up: a Pacers run tomorrow night. Let's hope the snow we enjoyed on the slopes has been cleared from the roads by then!

The day the music (or at least my iPod) died

I've been in denial for a while now.

For months, my trusty iPod has been running out of juice after shorter and shorter periods of time, leaving me alone with the sound of my heavy breathing and plodding footfalls. Yesterday, after charging overnight, it died 30 minutes into a 10-mile run. The time has come to let it go.

The good people at the iPod store tell me these are my options: Trade in my old one for a discounted new Nano for about $126, which is out of my immediate price range; or poke around and try to find a "refurbished" one for around $70. The store, of course, did not have any refurbished Nanos, and did not seem optimistic I'd find one. And of course, replacing the battery would cost more than either option.

Has anyone dealt with the death of an iPod before? If so, suggestions for how to replace it without seriously breaking the bank would be MUCH appreciated.

NEW PLAYLIST ALERT!

We saw the surprisingly excellent movie "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist" this week, and as the title suggests, it actually does come with a really awesome playlist — er, soundtrack.

Some of the songs will put you to sleep, so stick with the top four, supplemented with some randoms from elsewhere on my iPod. This includes a few oldies but goodies from Vampire Weekend, inspired by my discovery of "Ottoman," which is on the Nick and Norah soundtrack. As usual, post your own suggestions below if you've got 'em — I'm always looking for sweet new running tunes.

Lover - Devendra Banhart
Ottoman - Vampire Weekend
Riot Radio - The Dead 60s
Very Loud - Shout Out Louds
Walcott - Vampire Weekend
Mudhouse - Bob Schneider
M79 - Vampire Weekend
Death to Los Campesinos! - Los Campesinos!
A-Punk - Vampire Weekend
Get Back - Ludacris
So What - Pink (thanks for helping me rediscover this one, Sarah!)
Radio Nowhere - Bruce Springsteen

Hitting the trails

Two super-cool new trail runs to pass along for Montgomery County runners:

>One area running coach told me recently that the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Towpath, which stretches 184.5 miles through Maryland and Virginia, gets "more crowded than 270 at rush hour" on nice days. That isn't such a problem this time of year, but it's still worth checking out the Gold Mine Trail, which climbs four leafy, rocky miles through the woods above the Towpath in Potomac. The trail starts just behind the Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center (11710 MacArthur Boulevard in Potomac), and spotlights one of my favorite parts of living in this area: the painstakingly preserved history. It takes its name from a functioning gold mine dug in the 1930s! It's less than a five-minute drive to the Beltway, yet seeing the falls (yes, the visitors center takes its name from actual waterfalls) and experiencing the awesome soltitude of the trail made me feel like I was on some back trail in Shenandoah National Park.

>The 6-mile Cabin John Trail through Cabin John Regional Park (7777 Democracy Boulevard in Bethesda) is good for a directionally-challenged runner like me, because frequent road-crossings allow for regular "am I where I'm supposed to be" checks. It starts just beyond the park’s funky Locust Grove Nature Center, which was originally a warming hut for a commercial toboggan operation.

Twisting my ankle in Rock Creek Park just before New Year's humbled me about trail-running in my little, lightweight Brooks shoes, so I actually walked these routes, with some bouts of running where the trail looked nice and clear. But I'll definitely be back in the spring, and those with sure footing or sturdy trail-running shoes should try these trails now.

As for me, Steve and I will be joining the Pacers fun-run gang on the 5-mile Alaska loop tonight.

Fear descends

Race day is three weeks from Sunday, meaning the end is in sight.

Clearly, I'm terrified.

It's not that I think I won't finish – I ran a half marathon with a torn hip labrum, albeit slowly, so I feel pretty good about my ability to run through pain. It's the weight of the expectations that have silently been piling up in my mind. It's the only possible downside to training going well: I may say I don't care how I finish, but if I'm being honest, if I don't post a time for this race that reflects all my hard training runs, I'm going to be very, very disappointed.

Complicating matters is the fact that we're pondering a ski trip to Lake Tahoe the week before the half marathon on March 21. It's the only week that makes sense to take this trip, and it's coming together beautifully so far. I know — everyone feels really, really sorry for me for having to be in this VERY difficult situation. Tahoe would be — will be — awesome, but I'm faced with the fact that there's no way I can ski hard for a few days, take a cross-country flight and hop off and run a perfect half marathon.

Enter the backup race. I've added the Pacers Running Festival Half Marathon on May 10 to my race list. I'll still run my heart out on March 21, but I'll know I have another chance if I don't meet my own mounting expectations.

Training log for the day: Historical Linden/Seminary 5.1 mile loop, which is quickly becoming my favorite Pacers route, last night; swim day today.

Cold-weather tips from the (truly) frosty north

It's cold, and I'm tired.

How many of us have used this as an excuse to stay inside over the past couple weeks? The low here could drop to 22 degrees tonight, which means I need some extra motivation to make me get out the door to my group run tonight. So I asked my friend Amy Sanders, who moved to Minnesota recently from Gainesville,. Fla., for some tips. In Minneapolis, forecasters are predicting single-digit temperatures this week, with HIGHS in the 20s on some days. Thinking of her heading out the door in that weather, with her YakTrax and balaclava, makes me feel like an idiot for even thinking about skipping.

Here's a list of ten tips from Amy for coping with the cold:

1) YakTrax can be a life-saver (or at least spare you from breaking a leg) when it is slippery outside. And, they work a bit better than the old-fashioned "screws in the bottom of your shoes" method.

2) A&D ointment does wonders for chapped skin on your face. You can find it in the baby aisle at the store, and I swear by it to keep my lips from peeling all winter long.

3) Base-layer clothes are essential. They don't have to be expensive, but they do have to be the kind that wick wetness away. Then add a warmth layer and a wind-blocking layer.

4) On really cold days, when a hat alone won't do, buy a balaclava. They cover your head, neck and ears at once. And, when you get to hot, you can push it down just around your neck like a scarf.

5) I swear by good socks in the winter. If you feet get wet or cold or both, you are done for. Typically I do at least two layers if it is below freezing: one to keep my feet warm and one to keep them dry in case I hit any snow.

6) Good stretching before and after is even more important when it is really cold. I try to get warm before I head outside with some jumping jacks or running in place so my muscles stay loose.

7) You have to keep the hands warm. I have a friend who swears by socks instead of gloves or mittens. She says they keep her warm and she puts on layers so she can take them off in layers if she gets too hot.

8) Waterproof your shoes. Again, running in the winter is all about staying dry to stay warm. Buy a can of the waterproofing spray at your local sporting goods store and apply several coats.

9) If you run with dogs, remember to think about them too. I won't let my guys out the door when it is below 20 unless they have something to keep them warm (besides their fur). And, the chemicals for snow removal can irritate their paws, so I am careful where I let them run.

10) Some days you just have to call it a day. Either hit the gym or take a rest if it is too cold outside for your personal preference. I call it quits around 15-20 degrees, but I have friends who run until it is zero. It just depends on your body. There is no shame in not running outside because it is too cold for you -- just don't use it as an excuse to be lazy.

Run like a yak

This blog is about running on ice.

No, silly, not the Billy Joel song.

I'm talking about the nasty stuff that shellacs sidewalks and coats roads this time of year, sending even the most hard-core runners inside to endure treadmill workouts.

We're enduring some cold temps in Washington this week, but it's nothing compared to the snow, ice AND cold my friend Kaveh is dealing with. Kaveh, who moved to New Hampshire recently after growing up and going to school in Florida, asked for some ice advice in a comment a few posts ago, and here's my best attempt at providing some tips.

First, find some snow. Yeah, I know — we usually avoid snowy trails, sidewalks, etc. But snow is slow rather than slippery, meaning a) you'll be able to run outside without fearing death, and b) you'll get an extra-hard workout, like running on the beach instead of the road.

Second — and this is revolutionary to me — put screws in your shoes. I vaguely remember some people in Boulder doing this so they could continue to run on the trails in the winter. You can make your own using this how-to. You can also buy pre-made versions called Yaktrax, which I'm tempted to buy myself just so I can tell people I'm going running in my Yaktrax. According to the Web site, you'll want to check out the Yaktrax Pro, designed for "a mail carrier, runner, outside worker or someone who faces winter conditions on a daily basis." It strikes me that regular ol' cleats should work, too, though they may not offer the ankle support you'd need to slog through the wintry ugliness.

This all sounds like a lot of work, which leads me to one last tip: Opt for fewer, longer runs to make each time you suit up worth it.

Got any running-on-ice tips? Please, please post 'em below!

Incidentally, Kaveh passed along a good cold-weather tip for those of us dealing with the chill in milder climates: Wear gloves, even when you don't think you need 'em. This makes perfect sense to me, as my hands are usually the first thing to get cold.

As for my training log, I'm getting ready to do the stationary bike for a late lunch break. After skiing all weekend, my legs need a low-impact wakeup call before running again. Something embarrassing: My glutes are STILL sore from a tough lifting workout on Thursday and a speedy (for me) 8-miler on Friday!