Does anyone here supplement running with snowshoeing when conditions are not favorable for running?

Nordic skiing

I'm a former Michiganian who used Snowshoeing off & on during the winter. Not sure how it compares with running, but be prepared for A LOT MORE EFFORT. Your quads will ache and you'll break a sweat real fast. The motion is different in that you just don't glide on top of the snow - there still is some 'sinkage' so you'll be raising your feet/legs on each step instead of just gliding forward. For some reason, when I moved to FL I lost my snowshoes.

Yes. I snowshoe quite a bit in the winter. I live in New Hampshire and use Dion running-specific snowshoes.

Agree with the other poster who suggested to prepare for a very different feeling. The "running" gait with snowshoes requires much more hip abduction and is slower and more effortful. It's good cross training though, in my opinion, and my legs feel less beat up as compared with running on pavement.

Showshoe running does require decently packed, groomed trail in order to be enjoyable. If you're just hobby jogging around a residential area that's been hit with snowfall, just put some YakTrax on a pair of old trainers or trail shoes, preferably something with a more rigid sole or rockplate.

Hope this helps and good luck.

I love snowshoeing and if you are doing a trail with some elevation gain I think it counts an an aerobic workout. I'm not sure it really replaces running but is better than skipping the day because of snow

You are not snow shoeing the same distance you would run.

Snowshoe running is really hard. I enjoyed doing snowshoe races and I totally sucked at it.

On groomed trails it's okay, once it goes into the woods it gets brutal.

It's a workout but I am not sure if that replaces real running on snow with trail shoes.

I haven’t ran in years, but I was in Jackson hole the week after Christmas during the terrible storm and I did a solo 10 mile snowshoe hike in the middle of the white out storm in grand Teton. Pretty epic. Almost fell in a river, the ice on Phelps lake started to break while I was on it. All in all, the last mile or so was a slog. If I fell I wasn’t getting up. I wasn’t really cold. I was exhausted.

Barney and Janis Klecker

I suspect op is in my general area of the world given your weather and options right now lol.

And in fact I snowshoe ran yesterday! I have running snowshoes though (tsl) but even still I'd agree that the gait is different and far more difficult than normal running. It's an excellent workout though....I'm not sure you need to do intervals or the like. Just strap on the snowshoes and get out there....you'll be tired plenty just cruising along at a decent pace. You'll do a fraction of the distance but will be more tired!

sbeefyk2 wrote:

I haven’t ran in years, but I was in Jackson hole the week after Christmas during the terrible storm and I did a solo 10 mile snowshoe hike in the middle of the white out storm in grand Teton. Pretty epic. Almost fell in a river, the ice on Phelps lake started to break while I was on it. All in all, the last mile or so was a slog. If I fell I wasn’t getting up. I wasn’t really cold. I was exhausted.

Why would you walk over a lake?

You are crazy.

+1 My racing snowshoes were in disrepair so I rushed to fix them before the storm hit, but we didn't get enough snow to use them. So my old nordic skis were recruited and were a great substitute workout for a couple days. Do that if you can.

Former ski bum wrote:

sbeefyk2 wrote:

I haven’t ran in years, but I was in Jackson hole the week after Christmas during the terrible storm and I did a solo 10 mile snowshoe hike in the middle of the white out storm in grand Teton. Pretty epic. Almost fell in a river, the ice on Phelps lake started to break while I was on it. All in all, the last mile or so was a slog. If I fell I wasn’t getting up. I wasn’t really cold. I was exhausted.

Why would you walk over a lake?

You are crazy.

In snowshoes that late in December, he should be fine. Especially in Jackson around Christmas. You only need about 2-4" to walk on a lake and Phelps Lake in late December should be pretty solid. He probably just never spent much time walking on ice to know that it creaks and moans throughout the day as it expands and contracts (it's not necessarily cracking). Unless you were by the inlet and there was some current under the ice, I imagine Phelps would be pretty solid. Great fishing there. The Phelps Lake / Death Canyon area is a beautiful spot. Lots of bears in the summer.