I’m not going to lie to you; there’ve been days in the last few months where I haven’t enjoyed my daily run. The combination of howling winds, 3 metre high snow banks, and roads slippery than a de-barred lawyer have made for some challenging conditions.

None the less, given that I’ve chosen to live in this climate, and given that I’ve chosen to live a somewhat healthy lifestyle, I can’t choose not to exercise for 6 months of the year. And ,as a died-in-the-wool runner, this means running outside at least a few times a week in the coldest and darkest months of the year. In other words, I really have no choice.

And heck, since I’m a competitive guy, this whole running-in-the-winter thing is a man-versus-nature thing and, darn it, I’m going to win!!

So here are answers to three compelling questions that those of you brave (or stupid?) enough to run through the toughest weather that winter might throw at you:

1. Is it ever too cold to run? Not in my experience. Personally I've been out for 6 very slow kilometres at -46C. Two other local runners I know have claimed colder runs: -47C and -50C.

In extreme temperatures, it's imperative that you cover up all exposed skin and make sure that your feet, hands, and head are covered particularly well. Also, running a series of short loops from home, rather than one big loop, is a great idea. If you run into trouble, you'll never be very far from a warm place

A physician friend of mine has told me that “freezing your lungs” is next to impossible; you'd pass out from pain long before it would happen. On the other hand, those with exercise induced asthma might want to take a rain check (or should that be a snow check) when the air temperature is extremely cold.

2. It's slippery out there. What do I do? Well the first thing to do is slow down, especially on the corners.

Apart from that, seek out safer places to run; avoid the busy and snow clogged streets. Gravel roads, the plowed bike trails, and large parking lots after regular business hours are good alternatives.

Shoes with knobby grips and snow/ice cleats (e.g. Yaktrax) can also help. I've tried modifying the soles of an old pair of runners with screws to improve traction. This wasn't particularly effective.

3. I'm weak. I'm considering running on the treadmill today. Is treadmill running the same as land running? Treadmill running is a darn close substitute to real running, but it's not quite the same thing. You get a little assist from the motorized belt, and since you remain stationary in space (i.e. not moving forward), you aren't encountering wind resistance. (Note: Using 1.0 to 1.5 degrees of elevation is a standard correction for these assists.)

The read outs on treadmills can be notriously inaccurate. The machine may tell you that you're running at 5 minutes/km pace, but 5 minutes/km pace outside never felt that easy. Using a heart rate monitor to gauge treadmill effort, rather than relying on the read outs, is a better strategy.

For further help with your winter, and the other three seasons, training, check out a Run Quick Training Program.