Gear reduction starters were made just for this reason!
Another option would be a oil heater. I believe Summit and/or Jeg's sells them. They come in different styles. There are some that stick to the oil pan, some that replace a freeze plug in the block, or I've seen some that you cut a hole in the side of the oil pan and plug it into it! Most diesel trucks come with this option! It's amazing how much faster your motor turns over when the oil is warm in the dead of winter! Just remember to unplug them before taking off!
Batteries actually do better in the cold weather than hot weather. Heat and weak/tired/overloaded alternators will kill a battery. Batteries go bad in the winter time due to alot of electrical items going at the same time and not enough amperage to do all that (defrost/wipers/headlights/stereo/?) and charge the battery at the same time! (especially on short runs!) Heat will warp the plates in the battery and short out the cells. Hopefully this helps point ya in the right direction!
