As winter sets in, the amount of daylight is limited. This makes it harder for winter athletes who practice outdoors to see what is in front of and around them, affecting their performance and safety. Junior Rebecca Krane, a member of the curling club, thinks that the gloominess of winter makes it harder for her to get into the spirit of curling.

“The day ends much sooner since it’s getting darker quicker,” said Krane “and by the time I finish curling and go outside, it feels like I lost a whole day, and curling seems to take forever.”

The curling club practices at The Country Club in south Brookline, and the fact that its members practice inside means protection from the elements that other teams have to experience.

“Curling is an indoor sport, and playing inside is a lot nicer than practicing outside, since the temperature is much warmer in the rink,” said Krane.

According to junior Siena Fried, a member of the girls indoor track and field team, participating in a sport that is ourdoor makes it difficult to breathe.

“It’s harder to breathe when you are running outside in the colder temperatures because it hurts to breathe through your nose,” said Fried. “You have to breathe through your mouth, which is less energy-efficient.”

Junior Mariah Nuzzo, also a member of the girls indoor track and field team, said that winter season practices are harder because the darkness makes it difficult for all runners. This is especially true for long-distance runners, who go on practice runs far from the high school.

“Usually, most mid-distance runners run close to the school, but it’s still scary in a way,” said Nuzzo. “You can only see a little of what’s in front of you when it gets really dark and if you run further away from the school, the path becomes less familiar.”

According to boys running coach Michael Glennon, his athletes usually run in places that frequently are plowed for snow, like the sidewalks of Beacon Street and paths along the Charles River, in medium-sized packs for safety.

“Last year, we usually tried to avoid sidewalks after it snowed because it could be slippery,” said Nuzzo, “Running on the road is dangerous too because sometimes there are cars.”

Glennon tells his athletes to take precautions.

“They are encouraged to wear reflective colors and neon clothing when running outside,” said Glennon, “and it is their responsibility to pay attention to where they are running.”

ShanShan Guo can be contacted at [email protected].