What If Winter Isn’t Your Off-Season?
Hello Winter. Yes, we are expecting you.
The crisp days of fall — with leaves glowing as they line the yellow-brick trail — have officially made their turn into a brown, muddy, slick mess. The kind that hides those tiny ankle-FU rocks. Yes, winter, we see you coming.
It’s not the most glamorous time to be a runner, which sends many of us toward cross-training or into the arms of long-overdue rest.
But for some of us, winter feels like a quiet opportunity too.
What if I kept a steady base through these colder months and came into spring stronger? What if I felt amazing in March? What if next year could be my best trail-running year yet?
How do we hold the polarities of winter and building strength?
Of cold, dark mornings and that little spark saying, “Don’t give up now”?
Before we go any further, let me say this clearly:
Winter Running Perfection:
When you happen to have nailed the layering equation, the snow is below your socks, and you manage to avoid knocking piles of branch-slush into your shirt while ducking heavily-laden limbs.
Winter is a fantastic time to rest.
Deep, messy, pie-heavy, do-less rest.
Women are not meant to train like machines — we are cyclical, seasonal beings.
But the running world — much like the work world — often worships the endless summer: the high-output, always-on-the-go, race-every-month version of training that assumes we bloom all year long.
Problem is… we’re not meant to.
We’re seasonal.
We’re emotional.
We’re intuitive.
We bloom and retreat.
We push and we pull back.
We have times of fire and times of quiet.
And sometimes, those seasons don’t match the calendar.
Feeling Mis-Aligned
This year, winter is showing up differently for me.
I rolled my ankle in May — like really rolled it — and suddenly my summer slowed to a crawl. (Thank goodness planning Wild Woman Trail Races kept me busy — and reminded me how grounding community can be.)
But the big mountain adventure plans? Nope.
The dreamy circumnavigation of both Hood and St. Helens? Absolutely not.
Those crisp sunrise morning runs? Not a chance.
So now, here in November — when the world feels like it’s spiraling inward — I’m feeling a little fiery. A little upward. A little ready.
Winter Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All
There’s this myth that winter is automatically everyone’s off-season.
But for some of us, November arrives with a soft whisper:
“Now is your time to build.”
Even if the trails are muddy…
Even if the peaks are snow-covered…
Even if daylight only shows up while you’re at work…
You don’t have to shove yourself into a season that doesn’t match what your body is feeling.
A Better Question for Winter Running
Instead of asking:
“Should I train or rest this winter?”
Try asking:
“What does my body — and my life — actually need right now?”
This is a clue to your inner season. Here’s what that might look like…
☕If your body is calling for REST
Sleep in without guilt.
Stretch, do yoga, actually foam roll for once.
Eat warm food and nourish yourself like you mean it.
⛷️If your body is craving MOVEMENT
Add a weekly track session or treadmill adventure.
Head out for big cross-training days (hello, ski season).
Throw on a rain jacket and splash through puddles like the trail-running ninja you are.
🌵If your heart wants WILDNESS
Start dreaming about your spring race or adventure goal.
Learn new wilderness skills.
Make a weekly “micro-adventure” date with yourself — even if it’s just your local park.
The point? There’s no “right” way to winter.
There’s only learning to listen. Start by asking yourself what your body needs right now, when you can integrate essential rest and when you can charge, even without great daylight or weather motivating you out the door.
Winter Running Dichotomy
Epic moments of beauty, encased in cold feet and “maybe we’ll stick to low elevations next time” thoughts.
Look Ahead (Without Forcing It)
Take a moment this month to ask yourself:
How do I want to feel in February? Stronger? Steadier? Rested? Ready?
What wild adventures and races can I do with my strong and capable body next year?
What choices I can make now support the version of me I want to meet in early spring?
Let that guide your next move — not guilt, not comparison, not the pressure to be productive or to chill.
Most Importantly: You Don’t Need to Prove Anything
Here at Wild Woman, you don’t earn your place with miles, paces, or peaks summited.
You already belong — in every season.
👉🏽 If you’re ready to train, we’ll help you rise.
👉🏽 If you’re ready to rest, we’ll help you listen.
👉🏽 If you’re ready to explore the wilderness, we’ll bring the maps, the safety, the snacks, and the joy.
You are already a Wild Woman.
You’re already enough.
And you are stronger than you think.