A respite from the snow made running outside seem like a palatable idea one weekend, so bundled up I joined a group of runners at Chestnut Ridge Park.

Only for this group, it didn’t seem like they needed much of a break in the weather to carry on with their workouts.

There are groups of runners like this across Western New York — some formal, some informal — who plow through (yes, metaphorically and literally) winter running.

As my journey to the finish line has grown in scope to include the Buffalo Marathon in May and a half Ironman race in the fall, winter training is more than just about base building this year.

It’s about preparation.

So I trekked out to Chestnut Ridge and ran about 8 miles, including one long, but gradual hill, and a romp through knee-deep snow on the return through the park.

Through this I learned a valuable lesson — watch your footing.

My first official injury of the 2008-09 season had me sidelined for two days. After my slop-and snow-filled run, my right ankle was terribly sore. The diagnosis — I injured my Achilles tendon but since there was no swelling, there likely was no tear. Instead, it was likely a sprain or tendinitis, which would get better with rest.

So while resting my ankle, what better time than to investigate the ins and outs of winter running.

Rich Clark, one of the gurus of the timing company Score This!!!, and a triathlete himself, runs all winter, including long weekend runs at Bond Lake in Niagara County.

“The weather provides a challenge that I like,” said Clark, who runs on a treadmill only as a last resort for safety reasons. “It gives me alone time to clear my head. I like the crispness of the air and a feeling of accomplishment after the run. I like when it has freshly snowed out, the quietness of my surroundings. The snow seems to absorb the noise.

“I tend to run farther if I go outside. I get all of the benefits of running that I wouldn’t get on the treadmill. I still need to get through the wind, run uphill or downhill, and [am] not faced with the temptation to quit because I still need [to] run home.”

Clark’s running at the moment is to keep up his fitness base before beginning his training program in January to prepare for the November 2009 New York City Marathon.

Running outside in the winter certainly presents its challenges. Mary Eggers, a triathlete and coach from Train-This (and my triathlon coach), says that acclimating to winter workouts is dictated by the athlete and what he or she is training for.

“One of my athletes is training for the Disney marathon and she hates to be cold,” Eggers said. “She gets cold very fast so we do most of her runs on the treadmill. This past weekend she had to do a two-hour treadmill run. I’m not running two hours yet, but I got on the treadmill next to her and walked for an hour and then did my run. If you need to do a long run on a treadmill, see if you can rotate some friends in to keep you company.”

Eggers also believes in substituting winter sports for runs — doing a snowshoe walk-run or cross country skiing.

Of course, that doesn’t apply to me since part of my training is for the Miami Half Marathon on Jan. 24.

The fun winter sports will have to be in addition to, not instead of, my running workouts. And running on a treadmill will actually be beneficial in my case as the regulated indoor temperatures will help me prepare for my training weekend and race in Florida better than the snow-covered and slippery roads of South Buffalo.

University at Buffalo cross country coach and elite runner Vicki Mitchell is a huge fan of treadmill training.

“I trained for my marathon predominantly on the treadmill — it was the safest and most consistent option that I had,” Mitchell said. “There are no distractions on the treadmill, like cars, dogs, etc. You can relax and enjoy the run for the run itself.

“I have had people question how well treadmill training carries over to outdoor running once spring time comes. Answer: Treadmill training carries over very well. I ran my [personal records] off of treadmill training. Coaching requires early morning workouts, otherwise you’ll never get it in. It’s usually dark at 5 a. m. so the safest and best quality option is a treadmill.”