Clouds’ Silver Linings Couple Finds Beauty, Love In Cold, Dreary Winter Runs

It’s 6:15 a.m. Spokane is cold, wet and dark; it’s the perfect morning to hit the snooze button and stay in bed for a few more minutes.

While many Spokanites are doing just that, Gunhild and Jack Swanson are opening their front door, strapping traction devices onto their shoes and beginning another run together.

The Spokane Valley couple estimate that each of them runs 2,200 miles, including about 10 marathons, per year. Many of those miles are logged together.

The couple met through Spokane’s running community. After several years of marriage, they discovered a race photo that was taken before they knew each other and included both of them running.

“We have a pretty strong bond through the running,” Gunhild said. “Most couples we know who run are like that.”

That bond shows up at the end of races. Jack said he knows Gunhild is having a bad day if he passes her in a marathon, so he makes it better by waiting for her and letting her cross the finish line first.

The Swansons also find each other’s support handy on cold mornings, when they motivate each other to get up and go running.

“We can talk each other into it,” Gunhild said.

Occasionally, they escape the cold weather and travel to warmer areas to race.

“We do it because it gives us an excuse to go somewhere,” Jack said.

“If you can travel to a race in a warm area, do it!” Gunhild said. “It’s a reason to train and something to look forward to.”

On Sunday, the Swansons will compete in the Partners in Pain 5K. The race is for couples who, according to the brochure, have “the crazy desire to run in the middle of winter, without regard to seasonal hazards.”

Running in the winter obviously has its disadvantages - ice, chill, rain, snow and few hours of daylight - so why do people choose to do it?

“Well, why wouldn’t you run in winter?” asked Partners in Pain race director Dori Robertson. “The runners who are the ‘Bloomsday runners’ will tend to find something else. I think they’re probably not quite as warped as we are.”

Robertson is such a die-hard runner she once took a jog before sunrise on a winter morning and collided with a tree. After that, she decided to confine her runs to the daylight hours, but the ice and chill aren’t a problem.

“I think that’s part of the fun,” she said.

Similarly, the Swansons said running is just a part of their lives regardless of the season.

“It’s just what we do,” Jack said.

“I love the first snow,” added Gunhild, who only opts for her treadmill when the temperature is below freezing or the roads too icy. “I can’t wait to get out in it. You get a feeling of adventure.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: BRAVING THE ELEMENTS Running in the winter has its own set of challenges, and winter runners have devised their own ways of braving the elements. Do a good warmup, get your blood moving with some drills and stretch as thoroughly as possible, Partners in Pain race organizer Dori Robertson recommends. Layer your clothing and wear mittens and a hat or scarf. The Swansons recommend “studded tires,” traction devices that are designed for construction workers and slip onto shoes. If you’re running in the dark, wear reflective clothing. Run with someone else if you’ll be in the dark or in a deserted area so if you slip and fall, someone will be there to help. Gunhild Swanson suggests running into the wind at the beginning of your workout. This way, you don’t have to face the wind when you’re tired at the end of the run and risk getting a chill if you have to stop.