Sunday, December 20, 2009

YakTrax are awesome!...waiting on Get-A-Grip

We didn't get the bounty of snow that they were predicting; regardless, the roads were still a mess and would make running on them treacherous; the sidewalks were impassable.

So yesterday I went out in search of YakTrax and found a pair.


They worked great! These treads are not meant for running on thin icy roads; they are meant for terrain that has 1/4" of snow or more so you can grip the terrain. When I came upon sections of clear road, I actually sought out some rough stuff on the sides for better grip and to not ruin the treads.

I got in 4.75 miles in 43:05 for a 9:04 pace, so I was able to hold a normal pace despite the conditions (did I mention the YakTrax are awesome?!?!). I was supposed to do 9 miles, but my knees were getting really sore so I called it quits. I wasn't slipping on slick stuff, I would only lose the firmness if the snow wasn't packed down....kinda like walking through sand. That was doing a number on my knees.

But once the roads and sidewalks are all cleared up, then the black ice will appear and the YakTrax are not appropriate for that type of terrain, so I am on a waiting list for a pair of Get-A-Grip.
They don't have the coil tread meant for gripping snow, instead they have spikes meant to hold your footing on clear, but slick ground. I think between the YakTrak and Get-A-Grip, I will be good for any kind of snowy running this winter.

At least it was quiet with very little car traffic this morning. And it wasn't too cold either; I almost took off my headband.

4 comments:

  1. Thanks for posting about these. I was thinking of maybe getting a pair for our Christmas visit to Minnesota - I might have to brave the crazy shoppers tomorrow to find a pair!

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  2. Wow, you must REALLY HATE the treadmill. (I was actually looking at "stabilicers" to go hiking, but more for frozen/slick trails, before the snowstorm).
    I wish we had a bit more snow, would be out there on snowshoes this afternoon.

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  3. I'm with Shelly, you must really hate the Dreadmill. If you want snow to run on, you should come out to IA. We just got another 1" on top of the 16" we have collected in the last 10 days.

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  4. I can't tell you how many times Ive looked at those YakTrax but thought they would be uncomfortable to run in. But you liked them? Hmmmm. I had a 1:15 on tap for today. The sidewalks were pretty clear except at the corners which were slushy and deep with snow. I almost went to the gym but decided sledding and brunch would be more fun.

    I've got a two hour session tomorrow, I'll be fine.

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