The first hint of winter in Leadville usually appears in September, but that doesn’t mean the end of the running season. As Leadville runners often say, “there’s no bad weather, only bad gear”. The many Leadville runners that wholeheartedly and proactively embrace winter have many options to stay fit or train hard for big spring adventures.

The off-season definitely doesn’t mean that you need to take the season off!

Beating an Off-Season Slump

Let’s not sugarcoat it: winter running in Leadville requires a big shift in gear and mindset. The long, bright evenings of summer are gone, replaced with cloudy darkness and frigid air. It takes more motivation to get out the door. Because of the necessary commitment and preparation, winter running at 10,000’ is outstanding for building mental toughness. And of course your aerobic base gains will be the foundation for next summer’s races. Still think this is a silly idea? Here’s how the locals succeed, year after year:

Set Winter-Appropriate Goals: Instead of speed and personal records, make your goals about consistency, exploration, or simply getting off the couch. Commit to running a certain number of times per week or to run every street in the downtown grid. Grant yourself one or two guilt-free passes to stay inside under some blankets, and cash them in intelligently; there is no trophy or big check for running in dreadful weather.

Find Your People: Running solo in winter can feel isolating and futile. Connect with local running groups or find a running buddy for accountability. Shared suffering somehow feels less miserable, and locals are very generous with our Strava Kudos. Community Threads’ staff keeps tabs on the options and the Pastime Run Club runs year round on Wednesday evenings, no matter the weather.

Embrace the Beauty: Winter running in the Sawatch mountains is really magical: tall peaks, solitude, crystalline air, and opalescent landscapes. The roads frequented by summer crowds become your private sanctuary. Appreciate the discomfort, silence, and isolation, and you’ll be better prepared for overnight ultramarathons like the Leadville Trail 100.

Find a treadmill: There will be days that you just can’t bear one more frozen step, and that’s ok! Running in shorts and a sweaty tank top with Netflix on an iPad will feel like luxury. Look into The Leadville Box or the Copper Mountain Athletic Club for affordable punch passes. Set up your membership now so you don’t have an excuse in February, March or *gulp* April.

Pick up a side quest or two:

Smart training includes cross training.

Find yourself another indoor training option: Zwift, weights, class at The Leadville Box, drop in pickleball or other Lake County Recreation activity

Or stay outdoors, the Leadville area is abundant with other outdoor disciplines that work different muscles

• Nordic or Skate Skiing – A full body, low-impact workout building strength and balance. Leadville offers a variety of groomed trails and ski rentals are available at Alpine Ski & Sport, Leadville Outdoors and Cycles of Life. Add a lesson to your rental at the Tennessee Pass Nordic Center. Participate in the Leadville Loppet for a fun way to add in some competition.

• Ski Touring – Continue those mountain summits while working your muscular endurance. Take a backcountry safety course with Powder Pro Labs or stay in bounds with uphill access at Ski Cooper. Be sure to read and sign their uphill access policy ahead of time and leave the dogs at home. Uphill access at Cooper is free after hours or with a day pass during business hours.

• Fat Biking – Get that cardiovascular workout while trying out something new. Leadville offers groomed trails for varying ability levels. Be sure to check out the Mineral Belt Trail, Tennessee Pass Nordic Center Trails and the Timberline Trails. Rentals are available at Cycles of Life and at the Tennessee Pass Nordic Center. Join the Winter Mountain Bike Series races to step up the challenge.

• Snowshoeing – Add snowshoes to your trek when out along the cross country ski trails to preserve the groom for all users. Or snowshoe along popular ungroomed trails like the Interlaken Trail, the Colorado/Continental Divide Trail or the Leadville Fish Hatchery Trails.

You can fall back on these for an occasional change of scenery or work them into your training plan on a regular basis. Both are valid approaches to keep you moving and enjoying yourself.

Traction Tactics

In Leadville, snow and ice are the rule, not the exception. The right traction device will be the difference between a useful tempo workout and a nervous shuffle.

Shop local at Community Threads and Leadville Outdoors for your traction needs.

Screw Shoes: This DIY option is the favorite of the Pastime Run Club. Screw shoes are ideal for mixed conditions, cheap to make, and easy to repair. Buy 30 sheet metal screws (3/8″ to 1/2″ long, slotted hex washer head, approximately $10) and install them in the forefoot and heel of trail shoes. Don’t overthink this! Look at the wear patterns on the soles of your old shoes and use a screwdriver to sink screws into the lugs closest to the areas that take the most abuse, based on your gait and footstrike. Place 10-15 in each shoe. Start with a pair of retired shoes if you’re nervous about the idea, but there’s not much harm done if you need to move or remove the screws. Screw shoes are trustworthy in almost all wintry conditions. The only drawback is that they will damage wood floors and decks, which is a testament to their capability on ice.

Micro-spikes: Best for packed snow and ice on trails. They provide aggressive traction but can be very awkward on bare pavement. Consider these for dirt roads in the East Side Mining District or along The Boulevard (County Road 36).

Yaktrax or Similar Coil Systems: Good for light ice and packed snow on roads, though less reliable on steep terrain or deep snow. Pull these out for plowed, paved roads in town.

Trail Shoes with Aggressive Lugs: Even without a separate traction device, trail shoes handle winter better than road shoes. Road shoes typically use harder sole materials that won’t become shredded from asphalt, but the improved durability means they aren’t pliable enough to adapt to slick or wet surfaces. For shoe selection purposes, think of packed snow, fresh snow or ice as a trail, even if there’s pavement underneath. Trail shoes with deep, soft, multidirectional lugs and wider soles contribute more surface area, therefore more friction and traction.

Pro tip!

Do not tie your shoes extra tight “for better traction.” Your laces are going to apply downward pressure on the blood vessels just under the skin on the top of your foot, which will hinder blood flow and intensify any numbness or cold. If your foot is slipping around in your shoe, take up the volume with thicker socks or find an appropriate shoe for your last.

A perfect winter running sock would dry immediately, cover your achilles and calf, and trap a desirable level of body warmth. High quality ski and snowboard socks are knit from the right yarns for winter conditions, so are worth investigation and investment, as long as the padding fits comfortably in your shoe. Do not use fabric softeners on your running socks.

Layering: The Art of Not Freezing (or Overheating)

The 10-degree rule applies here: Dress as if it’s 10-15 degrees warmer than the actual temperature. You will feel chilly for the first 10 minutes. If you’re warm and comfortable at the start, you’ll be overheated by mile two, which means you’re trapping sweat in the layer closest to your skin. This is a recipe for disaster if you need to stop running and stop generating body heat.

Check out Galena Mountain Projects, Melanzana, Community Threads and Leadville Outdoors for layering options in all seasons!

Base Layer: Merino wool or synthetic fabrics that wick moisture. Never cotton. Do not use fabric softeners on these garments or you’ll lose the wicking properties. When they get extra stinky, “strip launder” the garments in your bathtub to remove sweat, oils, detergent and stains.

Mid Layer: Fleece or light insulated jacket for temperatures below your personal comfort zone. This is the layer to remove if you warm up more than you expected.

Outer Layer: Wind-breaking vest or jacket. Bonus if it’s water-resistant and you can refresh it annually with a DWR spray, like Nikwax or Granger’s. Double bonus if it has armpit zips and a cinch-able hem to control air flow.

Extremities Matter More: Your core will warm up quickly, but fingers, toes, and ears need serious protection from Leadville’s winter air. Invest in good gloves or mittens, multiple Buffs or balaclavas, and several warm hats. Many runners layer a Buff over their usual running beanie for adjustability and ear protection. Given the variability of our winter conditions, you should also consider layering insulated ski/snowboard gloves over a thin liner. Those with Reynaud’s or similar concerns can additionally insert disposable or battery-powered hand warmers to warm the blood vessels on the back of the hands. There is no perfect glove for every run; have a system that you can easily adapt mid-run.

Tights or Pants: Fleece-lined tights for most winter days; windproof pants for truly brutal conditions. If you completely hate the idea of running in winter, just wear both! There’s no one demanding that you suffer excessively, plus warm muscles are more flexible and resistant to injury. Look into cross-country ski pants with windproof materials across the thighs and  full-length zippers on the sides.

Pro tip!

Stash a puffy jacket in your car or near your front door for the cool-down. Your sweaty base layer will feel frigid the moment you stop moving. For the same reason, don’t deliberately underdress to prove your toughness. You are a liability as soon as something unexpected causes you to stop or forces you to walk.

Where to Run: Matching Routes to Workouts

Different workouts require different surfaces and safety levels in winter. Here’s where the locals go:

Recovery Runs (Easy, Conversational Pace)

• Best Options: Maintained city or county roads where plowing is consistent. Town offers familiarity and quick bailout options if weather turns, but the Boulevard/County Road 36, Toledo Street/County Road 2, and 7th Street/County Road 3 are “Leadville flat”, reliably plowed and pretty quiet.

Interval Workouts (Speed Work)

• Best Options: Plowed parking lots that have melted out or short out-and-back sections of well-maintained roads where you can scope out conditions during your warm up. Do not be surprised if you see locals doing 10 x 30 seconds on the Evergreen Cemetery roads or post-run strides in the Mt Massive Golf Course parking lot!
• Why: Speed work on wet ice is begging for injury. You want predictable, clear surfaces and screw shoes. If conditions don’t allow for fast leg turnover, substitute with hill repeats on a cleared road or do your workout on a treadmill.

Pro tip!

Don’t do speed work on the Mineral Belt Trail. While technically open for all users, your footstrike will cause damage to the groomed surface the cross country skiers rely on.

Long Runs (Building Endurance)

• Best Options: County Road 4 (to Turquoise Lake), County Road 5 (by the golf course), County Road 11 (Halfmoon road) and County Road 48 (between Turquoise Lake and Halfmoon Creek) or predictable loops that keep you close to home. 
• Why: Long runs mean more time on feet, exposed to elements and changing conditions. Stay within a reasonable distance of civilization and use your car as a mid-run aid station with tissues, water, snacks and extra layers.

Visibility and Vehicle Safety

Winter means running in the dark—morning, evening, or both. Make yourself visible:

• Invest in a headlamp capable of up to 1000 lumens
• Reflective vest or jacket
• Blinking lights (front and back)
• Reflective tape on shoes, gloves or across your shoulder blades

Per Colorado law (CRS 42-2-805(1)), always run on the left side of the road, moving towards oncoming traffic. Assume drivers don’t see you. Fresh snow of course makes it harder for vehicles to see and stop, so give them extra space and time to react to your presence.

Final Thoughts: Winter Running is Mental Training

Every winter run is a deposit in your mental bank account. When you’re deep in the pain cave leaving the May Queen aid station, you’ll appreciate the days you didn’t give up. You’ll remember that you’re someone who prepares intelligently and doesn’t quit when it’s a little uncomfortable.

So make your screw shoes, grab those ski mittens, and keep moving. We’ll see you out there!