Backcountry athlete Karl Meltzer (photo by Tommy Chandler/Backcountry.com)
In the warmer months, aerobic conditioning is just so easy. You can get as high-end as you like with your training clothing and shoes, but when it comes down to it, you can be reasonably comfortable running or hiking in any well-fitted trail runners, shorts, and a light shirt. In the winter, however, aerobic endorphin addicts (possibly including this article’s author) have a harder time staying comfortable while hiking, running, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. You either layer minimally and freeze your muscles, or you overdo the layering, then sweat and suffer the dreaded clammy-freeze as soon as the breeze picks up. Your attention span can only weather so many Cheers re-runs as you crank away on the Stairmaster at the gym, and you’d definitely prefer to be outdoors. What’s a winter workout junkie to do? We dug deep and found some answers.
