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Adventures in Alaska Winter Running and How I’m Still Learning

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3 women go winter running in Alaska.

We’ve been in Alaska 3.5 years, and I’m still learning how to do it right. And more than anything else, it’s dressing for the weather that continues to get me, particularly when it comes to running.

Heading outside in Alaska in an exercise in understanding how to properly layer for the conditions, and then being more prepared than you hopefully need to be, just in case. A day’s temperature report is based on wherever the weather station is physically located. But temperatures can vary five to 10 degrees within even just a mile or two thanks to our topography, and the difference between five degrees and -3 can feel pretty pretty intense.

That’s especially true when you’re already trying to wear exactly the right amount of clothes and not one stitch more because you’re running. Too much and you’re sweating, getting wet and at risk of getting cold that way. Too little, and now you’re cold because you don’t have enough on. Dressed for five degrees and now, suddenly, it’s -3? Now you’re cold. Get cold? Better have an extra layer in your bag that you can put on — and cross your fingers that you can warm up again.

Then there’s your water. Drinking is extra important in cold weather because it helps you stay warm. But the hose on a traditional hydration pack will absolutely freeze, so you’re going to need a different plan. Small bottles next to your chest in a hydration pack are a good idea, but if they aren’t just right they’ll freeze, too. Making it work is a matter of finding the right thing for you.

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Pre-Game It: Make an Outdoor Plan

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If you’re in a part of the U.S. with heavy winter weather, it probably seems like spring and summer are still far, far away. But I promise, they are coming. And now is the time to make an outdoor plan.

Here in Middle Tennessee we are already on the verge of better weather. Yes, it’s still in the 30s every day. We still have days that are even colder. And we’ll probably have a few days of debilitating snow, maybe as late as April (here that means, you know, two inches). But we also have hints of green poking through the dirt, reminding me that someday, eventually, we’ll be spending the night in a tent.

Do you know what that means? It’s time to pre-game our outdoor plan.

You know I love time management. Part of that is making sure I have taken time to plan — so that I can use my time and energy well letter.

And yet every year I get caught with my pants down, so to speak. May rolls around and I realize I forgot to buy such-and-such thing or book a spot at one place or another. It’s not that I don’t know what I’m doing — it’s a lack of planning.

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Check Out This Perfect Outdoor Gift Idea

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Shopping for Luke is really tricky. If he wants something, he buys it. He doesn’t need me to make it happen. But sometimes you do just need to get your person something they wouldn’t actually buy for themselves. Bonus points if that thing is also practical.

Enter Cairn.

A new subscription box service, Cairn sends monthly boxes packed with awesome outdoor stuff — a great outdoor gift idea for anyone in your life (or, you know, yourself). The items aren’t gender specific, which is perfect because I have big plans to swipe the good ones from Luke to use for myself. (I’m just being honest.)

When I first heard about Cairn I knew I had landed on a perfect outdoor gift idea for Luke for Valentines Day. I figured I’d order a few months worth of boxes, watch the delight on his face as he saw the goodness, and then pocket the coffee granola bar for myself. Zing. (Again: honesty.)

But I don’t like to keep good ideas like this to myself, so Cairn sent me a few boxes so I could tell you about my brilliant gift idea — and now we can all see the delight on Luke’s face as he opens his box for the first time.

He had no idea what was in there before he opened it. (I miiiiiight have opened it a few days before, rifled through it so I could plot what I was going to take later, and put it back together.) Did you see how happy that mug made him? Score.

You can cruise to Cairn here to order a box for someone else … or one for yourself. Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.

 

Cairn sent us two boxes to try and the links on this page are affiliates — but all of our opinions are our very own. 

Here’s What You Need To Go Camping

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When we first started car camping (that means driving to the camping spot — not camping in your car, although you could do that too) I thought we needed all the things. All of them. Part of this was because buying new things for camping sounded like a lot of fun. Part of it was because I had no idea what the heck we were doing.

Fortunately I had Luke, camper extraordinare. New problem: Luke also liked to buy new things. Therefore, we did.

Don't know what to take on your first camping trip? Here's what you need to go camping. https://wp.me/p5hM3U-ec
Post-REI shopping glow. Let’s not talk about much money we had just spent.

While we did buy some things we didn’t really need (example: gas lantern) and some of it was nicer than required (example: fancy cots) most of it was a good call.

Do you have what you need to go camping for the first time? Time for a shopping trip? Through trial and error, here are our tips.

What You Need to Go Camping

Hold up. Before we go any farther let’s get this question out of the way: do you actually need to buy new stuff? Should you buy the nicest stuff? What about the Goodwill?

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Camping With Kids: The Gear

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So you want to go camping with your kids, but you’re not sure what kind of gear to buy. How will they sleep? Do they need a kid-sized sleeping bag? Chairs? Potty?

We’ve been hanging out with our kids in the woods since the youngest was just over 1-year-old. While we missed the whole tiny-infant-in-a-tent stage, we dove in during one that was slightly harder — giant baby who can sprint off while you’re not looking.

So what do you pack? Here’s my thoughts.

How much room do you have?

Depending on the age of your child you could bring All The Things with you on your camping trip. My rule of thumb is this: the more comfortable the kid, the happier he is — and the happier the kid, the happier the parents. I want my camping trip to be as relaxing as possible. That is not a thing if my kid is crying.

One of the reasons we bought our truly giant tent, the REI Kingdom 8, is because it comfortably fits cots for everyone. And when our youngest was little, it also fit a pack-and-play crib without any problem.

Camping with kids? We know what to pack. https://wp.me/p5hM3U-cy

 

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