Winter is in full stride making conditions a little tougher for the runners, joggers and marathoners who usually fill the bike paths winding through the nation’s capital. Training for the spring’s Ottawa Marathon cannot be done on the treadmill and slogging through the slush, snow and sub-zero temperatures is enough to chill any runner’s spirit.

This year will be different. This month marks the inauguration of Ottawa’s Winterman Marathon - runners can stick closer to home for their marathon fix.

“Part of the goal is bragging rights,” says marathon coordinator Lawrence Conway. As the only full winter marathon north of the 49th parallel, Conway hopes to establish the Winterman as an annual race in a winter climate. “Imagine qualifying for the New York or Boston marathon by running in Ottawa in February.”

He first came up with the idea as a fundraiser for the local search and rescue organization Global 1 (SG1), a volunteer group that participates in racing events throughout the Ottawa area. As the former director of fundraising and a runner himself, Conway felt the next logical step was for SG1 to have a race of its own.

“Beyond fundraising, we wanted this event to put us on the map and let people know exactly what we do,” says Global 1 president Phil Feuerstack.

SG1 began in 1996 because the region lacked a ground search and rescue team. Local police rely heavily on volunteer organizations, says Feuerstack, because they often have insufficient manpower. As a self-funded, 60-person organization, the team looks to boost its reputation and raise money for advanced equipment and training.

“Beyond SG1’s goals, we want to see this become the winter marathon in Canada - even the world,” says Feuerstack.

Putting aside the daunting task of organizing a marathon and considering the sub-zero temperatures of a normal February in Ottawa, training for the event will be no lap around the track.

“It takes a kick in the pants to get you out the door,” says Joanne Merrett, who runs the Running Room marathon clinic.

Her 18-week clinic starts with runs between three and ten kilometres, five days a week, and increases to an optional 32-kilometre run.

Layering, hydration and proper footwear are issues in all seasons but black ice, frostbite, wind chill and blizzards give the Winterman a toughness factor summer races lack.

“Running in these elements definitely puts you in a different class,” Merrett says, “If you can make it through this, you can run anywhere.”

Conway came up with the idea last year, but says he got a lukewarm response from the NCC. Going back this year, he was given a trial event status for the 2009 Winterlude celebrations. Over 500 runners have already registered for the Feb. 22 event, which takes off at the Canadian War Museum.