Last winter, I took my chances running on ice and glazed snow. It's not so bad, so long as you keep your stride steady, and don't try to change course any more sharply than a supertanker. This year, I got myself a pair of strap-on cleats for winter running.

They’re a lot like studded tires; they use sheet metal screws set into plastic, with stretchy cups to fit over the heel and toe. I’ve seen trail shoes with built-in spikes, too. Very cool, but I need to let my credit card cool down. The Stablicers I bought work well in snow and ice, but they’re uncomfortable on bare, frozen ground or pavement – enough so that I wouldn't use them with the spottier glazing we've enjoyed most of this winter. They occasionally wriggle loose, if you snag a cleat, and they also add a lot of weight, right where you want it least. It may not feel like much at the start, but if you’re going to be picking up your feet about 5,000 times, every extra ounce counts. The company's Web site quotes a Runner's World review, saying they didn't notice the weight. I do. 

 I’ve since seen an article suggesting that you can drive short sheet metal screws right into the lugs of your regular running shoes. I recommend #8 hex heads 3/8-inch long, but good luck finding them in local hardware stores.

I used my son (he asks that I keep his name out of this) as a guinea pig, putting about seven screws into each of his Timberlands for a hike up Watatic Sunday. They worked great, he said, and it's clear they won't do the boots any harm. He'll outgrow them soon enough anyway. I’m still skeptical that it can work on running shoes, but it’s worth a try. The worst that could happen is that the points of the screws jab into your feet and tear them to a bloody pulp, right?

Watatic, BTW, was absolutely gorgeous. The sun was shining, the wind whipping and the skies clear blue. We could see the Boston skyline, and make out the fire tower on Pack Monadnock. Grand Monadnock, of course, dominates the scene. Now that we've got our traction wired, maybe we can hit that one again, next time out.

If you want to try screwing your shoes, I've found only one Nashua-area supplier for bulk sheet-metal screws: Fastenal, a big wholesale company, has an outlet on Pittsburg Avenue, off Northeastern Boulevard. Even they don't actually stock the shortest (1/4") screws, but they can get them...