Winter trail running can be absolutely beautiful. Enough so to offset the desire to stay inside where it’s nice and warm. So after your run in the winter wonderland, make sure you take care of those cold feet. Step one is making sure you went out with the proper cold weather gear. But even then your feet are going to need a little post-run TLC. If you were out in the snow, it’s always a good idea to check your skin from the ankle down to rule out anything serious like frostnip or frostbite. This would likely almost never happen unless you had exposed skin. If your skin feels numb, tingly or looks white, you could have frostnip (which is more common than you think and less serious than frostbite). It doesn’t necessarily need medical attention, just the proper at home care. Always warm your feet with warm, never hot water to avoid nerve or skin damage. Use a warm rag and apply to cold areas until color returns before soaking your feet in a bathtub. It’s also a good idea to check your feet for blisters as moisture is a common cause and wet feet go hand in hand with winter.

Tailwinds,
Coach K