My preference for winter traction

When confronted with slippery and icy roads, we must have some form of traction. It is simply not worth the risk of falling and injury; wearing traction is the only way to reduce your risk of falling in winter.

My preference for traction is screw in Icespikes because you can control how much traction you want. Nearly everyone has an old pair of last year’s running shoes. My year old shoes become my winter shoes with Icespikes . I found the clip on types are very convenient but add more weight and sometimes get tangled or twisted during running. Additionally, I like Icespikes because I can screw in the traction where I need it. I prefer having traction on the edges and back heal where the shoe first touches the ground. I don’t like having screws directly under my heal or on the ball of the feet because I can feel the screws.

The only problem is the screws wear down over time. In these photos, you can see my screws are ready for replacing. Of course you only have to replace those screws that lost their edge. NOTE: Icespikes has been a sponsor of MRM and MAGP series but I/we were not compensated for this post. I just bought more spikes today at the regular price. :)

Welcome to "Who We Are"

The Monadnock Regional Milers eNews has a new monthly feature called “Who We Are,” where we will introduce and profile some of our newest officers and directors. This will also be a platform for members, you, to occasionally share experiences and thoughts on running and related topics, both good and bad. Many MRM members have been runners for years and your knowledge and experiences can be quite valuable to runners who are new to the sport. Possible topics could be: “Why I like running in the cold”; “How I run safely in dark, winter nights”; “How I learned to run with arthritis”; “Running saved me when…“ Hopefully these examples inspire your creativity. Your experiences are valuable and we want to hear them. Pick your own topic then contact us with your ideas!

Ross Ramey, President

I’ve run all my life, at least for as long as I can remember. Around the back yard, fields, hustling to help Dad, eventually sports at school and high school. I ran ¼ mile and ½ mile in high school track. Ran mid-54, 55 sec for quarter and once ran 1:58 in the half. Also ran Cross Country, but in that time, it was mostly 2.2-2.5 mile races. I continued to run for enjoyment after school and into the Air Force. Each year we would have to run 1.5 miles on the track as part of our physical fitness requirements. In 1984 I ran 9:06 for the 1.5 mile, which was the fastest in the Hospital Squadron that year.

Nowadays, I am happy to run 9 min miles in races, and run mid 9’s and 10’s in my non-competitive runs. But it’s good to get out there and get the dust blown off!

I’m 65, retired from work 3 years ago. I trained as a Family Physician, worked as such in the USAF, and came to the Monadnock area in 1986 with my (also Family Physician) wife and 2 children, to open a practice in Jaffrey. The following year we had our third child. Recently we sold our house in Jaffrey to downsize, and have moved to Peterborough to live.

Running is fun and can be challenging in this area, due to hills, roads, and weather. The local races are great. Great running community and fun-- stories sharing recent runs, hikes, trails, rides, family doings, and meeting old comrades and competitors. It’s also lots of fun to participate in a bigger and non-local race, as well. I was fortunate to be able to run Boston in 2013 and 2014 to raise money for the Melanoma Foundation.

Running gives one many opportunities to either pay back or to pay forward the joy that it gives to us runners. Lisa (my wife) and I volunteer at the Boston finish line for the BAA, being President of the MRM and supporting local running, timing at local runs, running sweeps to make sure no one gets lost on the course, donating to the charities supported by the runs, like the area Food Bank, are all ways in which we are privileged to help pay it forward. To help.

I’m looking forward to seeing you all at the Chillers, or at other races throughout the year!