What Winter Running Taught Me About Overcoming Hurdles in Life and Writing

The truth is in the layers

I used to see people running outside in the winter and think they were a different breed of human.

I never thought I would become one of them.

I’m not athletic by any means, and it was surprisingly easy to fall in love with going for early-morning runs – in the spring and summer.

But for years, running in the winter seemed as foreign to me as hunting my own dinner with a bow and arrow.

I just could not fathom reckoning with cold temperatures and even snow.

I thought the “special gear” I would need to insulate myself from the elements would be prohibitively expensive.

I couldn’t imagine talking myself into stepping outside into the dark mouth of winter when I should be hibernating instead.

Then last summer a friend told me that one year she set a goal for herself of running at least one mile every day. Every single day, no exceptions. And she actually achieved it.

Even when she was sick.

Even when she was on a trip away from home.

Sometimes she would just run around in a circle in her garage.

Granted she lives in Florida where she rarely needs to even wear socks, but I was inspired by her determination.

At the same time, I was learning how regular exercise was helping me address some persistent health issues, so it would serve me to maintain my fitness routine through the winter.

So this past winter, with no gym for access to a treadmill nearby, I considered taking on running outside in the winter for the first time.

A bit of research showed me what kind of preparation and gear I would need.

I already had the running shoes. I just needed a few layers – a moisture-wicking shirt for a base layer; an insulating layer; a lightweight, breathable, windproof, water-resistant outer layer; a warm hat to retain body heat. It turns out I could score these things affordably enough at thrift shops.

The first day I tried to go running in the winter, I failed. I got up at 6 in the morning, put on my running gear, looked outside my window at the darkness…and got back into bed.

I knew I had to dig deeper to get out there:

So I drew on the invigorating feeling I get from going out running in nice weather.

I focused on the mental and physical benefits of getting outside and moving.

I allowed myself to ease into it – warming up indoors for 10 minutes, starting with short runs and running at a slower pace at first.

I prioritized consistency over intensity.

With these mindset shifts, I made it outside the following morning, and even though it wasn’t a very vigorous run, I did feel like a champion.

After that it got easier, until I grew to love running in the winter just as much as my summer runs.

I overcame this hurdle with the codes I tend to live by:

• Determination

• Finding solutions to obstacles

• Mindset shifts

• Starting small

It turns out that winter running isn’t all that different from other endeavors like writing.

You may have obstacles standing in the way of tackling or completing your writing project.

But just like I discovered with winter running, they can be overcome with the right mindset, the right strategy, and a willingness to take the first step—even if it’s a small one.

If you’ve been resisting writing your story, I can help you break through the hurdles. As a memoir coach, I work one-on-one with writers to develop their manuscripts, overcome resistance, and build a sustainable writing practice.

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