Running during the stark, cold winter months in Minnesota can be hellish. Sidewalks are coated in ice, snowstorms prevent runs of any respectable distance, and cold air torments your throat as you gasp for breath. In other words, running indoors during the winter is essential, especially if you're training for a marathon. But you have a much better option than turning to a gym or buying a treadmill: running at the Metrodome. The Minnesota Distance Running Association sponsors running around the Dome's concourse from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday through the winter for the low price of $1. Seasoned marathoners and slowpokes alike trek around the wide, paved makeshift track, which fosters a palpable feeling of camaraderie among the runners. If you're a novice, however, keep your pride packed in your gym bag. The elite runners, especially the gray-haired senior runners, can sting the ego a bit when they lap you again and again.