For many hard-core runners, February is officially the "dog days of winter."
The extreme cold can be painful, the swirling winds have become more than a nuisance and the prospect of more snow is both slippery and intimidating.
Bring on the spring? Not so fast.
One group of runners has embraced the elements and would rather the return of spring take its time.
They are the new breed. They are snowshoe racers, and they include some of the top distance runners in the Merrimack Valley and Southern New Hampshire who turn in their running shoes for snowshoes on weekends from December through March.
A decade ago, there were a handful of snowshoe races scattered around New England. The sport attracted between 20 and 50 competitors. Now, there are usually two races per weekend, and they attract well over 100 competitors per race.
A recent race in Salem, Mass., had 190 entries. A unique night race in Madbury, N.H., in two weeks - all runners must wear headlamps - is already filled.
"I love it for a lot of reasons," said Jim Johnson of Salem, N.H. "I like that it's more difficult running, like mountain running, but I also like that it's so unpredictable — how the race goes can depend on the weather, the amount of snow, the kind of snow, all sorts of things.
"And it's nice just being outside at these winter New England places."
Moreover, it's comforting to avoid the snowbanks, plow trucks and cars that regularly threaten runners during the winter.
For Johnson, it's also enjoyable winning the races, which is something he's very good at.
Only in his second year of snowshoe racing, Johnson is the defending Granite State Series (nine races) champion, and he's won five races in the Western Massachusetts Athletic Club Series. Overall, he's already won 10 races this year and is gearing for the U.S. Snowshoe Association's championships next month in Fabius, N.Y.
Johnson got the snowshoe bug from Bradford iron man Dave Dunham and other members of the Central Mass. Striders. Dunham is kind of a pioneer in the sport.
Named the Mountain Runner of the Year for 2009, and already widely known for — among other things — his versatility in races (among more than 6,000), recording over 100,000 miles in his career, setting more than 140 course records and running in every city in Massachusetts, Dunham took up snowshoeing in 1999.
When Dunham started with his snowshoes, he'd go to races and usually find a field of about 25 contestants, a fraction of what he encounters now.
"Now, the average race has 75 to 180," said Dunham. "It's a lot different."
But, as usual, it didn't take long for the 45-year-old Dunham to adjust to something new. He won the first-ever national snowshoe championships in 2001 and, with a much tougher field, came in sixth last year. He regularly wins his age group.
"I really enjoy it and (unlike most runners) I look forward to the snow because of snowshoe racing," said Dunham. "It's great training for mountain running because you have to go slower and it's more work."
However, cautions Johnson, it's not for everyone.
"It's a hard adjustment for a lot of runners, especially for faster road guys," said Johnson. "They find that going from running five minutes per mile to eight or nine can be very difficult."
Snowshoers need to avoid falling, both because it can be tough to get up and because it can cause ankle injuries. Their strides are choppy in the snow and the conditions and terrain pose serious challenges.
"It's much harder than just running," said Dunham. "It's like running in sand ... but that's why I like it. It can be similar to mountain running."
Partly because the racing can be so demanding and partly because of insufficient snow, Johnson and Dunham usually train on the roads in their running shoes during the week, leaving the enjoyable, if taxing, snowshoeing for the weekends.
Runners turned snowshoers
Dave Dunham:
Running: Mountain Runner of Year in 2009, holds 147 course records, has won at least one race for 31 straight years, has won ultramarathons and run in every state and every city in Massachusetts.
Snowshoeing: Competed in 78 races and has won 23; National Snowshoe Champion in 2001
Jim Johnson:
Running: 2008 Seacoast Race Series champion, fifth in U.S. Trail Marathon Championships and 12th at U.S. National Mountain Running Championships; former scholarship runner at UMass Lowell
Snowshoeing: In 19 races in 2009-10, placed first 15 times, second twice and third twice; In 2009, was Granite State Snowshoe Series champion
Snowshoe racing tips
Tips from Bradford's Dave Dunham, the first national snowshoe champion.
1. Find a pair of snowshoes that work for you. For fast road runners, the best bet is to get the lightest pair available.
2. Seed yourself accordingly on the starting line because the start areas tend to be narrow and the courses are often single track trails.
3. Dress appropriately. It's very easy to overdress. Tights, gloves, a hat, and long sleeved T-shirt are almost always enough to remain comfortable.
4. Training for your first race should include at least some time on snowshoes. Other than the obvious change in surface, snowshoe running differs from trail running or road running in distinct ways. You have to sustain a somewhat bowlegged stride in order to avoid thumping your shoes together.
5. When racing, be careful not to get into trouble early. Snowshoe racing is similar to mountain racing in that respect. If you go into oxygen debt it can be very hard to recover.
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