Runner's Forum: Chicago winter running?

I'm a 25 year old female.  I just started running in October after a 10 year hiatus from the sport, and just as many years smoking cigarettes (I quit in September).  My motivation has been good, my fitness is improving.  However, now that its snowy and icy outside, I'm extremely nervous to get out there for fear of breaking my face and haven't run in a few days.  Any suggestions?

I can't afford a health club membership.  I was thinking of finding a clear path of a couple blocks and just running back and forth, or running in the middle of the street, but I was hoping for a better solution. 

I am in the Chicago suburbs and I did a fun run tonight through ice and snow with a dog on a hands free leash (leash attaches to your waist) so one wrong move and I would have been on the ground which leads to my suggestion.

  If you run when it is dark run with a headlamp and have it pointed towards the ground so you can see what it coming up in front of you (the nasty ice patch).

  I haven't tried any of the gadgets that you put on your shoes for traction.  I did buy some Asics Gel-Arctic shoes which have the spikes in them already  but haven't tried them yet.  I'm dreading the run in the new shoes phase.    Hopefully some cold weather runners can post some suggestions for the snow/ice running. 

I've run the outdoors here in both the burbs and city.  Both have their advantages and disadvantages.  Right now here in the burbs most of the snow is melted and I can run on the bike trails that run through the forest preserves.  I prefer using them and the horse trails since there's less intersections and traffic to get in the way.  The scenery is generally better too.  The temps have been mild enough to get in some good running too the last 2 days.  I do belong to a health club too and can use their track and other equipment to get my cardio vascular training in too.  I just like to do it outdoors though, instead of running around in circles. 

Chicago has its problems when it comes to running outdoors, no place is perfect though.  I prefer running in the warmer weather, but just grin and bear this time of year until the milder stuff comes.  From what I saw on the bike trails today, there's plenty of other people who have no problems with running outdoors this time of year too.

I moved from Atlanta to Chicago for a couple of years and faced some of your same fears about running in the cold, ice and snow. I quickly found that many of my worries were unfounded, at least in the part of town (Lakeview) where I lived. I ran at least 4 days per week in Lincoln Park and almost always found the paths clear. I did use a pair of "Stabilcers" (similar to the  yaktrax mentioned above but specifically made for running) on occasion, but never really found that I needed specialty shoes. If the  snow was particularly bad (good?) I would go out on an inexpensive pair of cross country skis that I picked up used - a couple of loops around the local  public golf course was better than any run!

I also found the right layers of clothing to be really important, particularly on the hands, ears, head and core body.

For me the toughest part of running regularly in Chicago was not so much the harshness of winter, but rather the length of it - here in Atlanta once we make it to the end of February all is good - in Chicago March and April were tough to make it through. The best way to do that was not through any fancy gear, but rather to find friends to go running with. If you can put together 3 or 4 regulars, there will always be somebody to coax you out the door, and you can return the favor when they are not feeling so inspired to get out in it.

Good luck - I really miss those freezing sunrise runs along the lake!