Snow Running

Photo: Santa Clause is running to town!

Nearly 2 weeks on the snow has not gone. The last of it came down on Monday and then froze over and has remained there ever since. It's gone very cold and the north of England and Scotland is now just one big ice rink. Emma clocked -13C in the car on Tuesday, although it has been as low as -19 in Haddington by the Tyne.

Nevertheless, with a plan to get fit by Christmas in preparation for my London Marathon training I have had to find some means of getting a run in. Whilst snow is a little bit tricky to run in, iced over snow is a nightmare. On sunday I took part in the clubs annual 'Festive Half Marathon'. It is supposed to be a non competitive run open only to club members and a few others invited guests. As the snow lay thick on the ground we set off in groups and I was treating it as my Sunday long run. As we trudged through the John Muir Way the sight of untouched snow on the fields around Belhaven and Tynningham looked like they had fallen off a Christmas card. The 'festive' bit involved me wearing a Santa hat and beard. It was a good way of keeping my face warm, but I think I may have breathed in some toxic fibre from the beard which disintegrated the further on I went.

I ran round with Rhona most of the way, but as we hit the tractor tracks and deep snow for the second time I used my height advantage and long legs to speed ahead. I could see another runner ahead of me so for the last 2 miles I made it into a race and caught and passed him clocking a slow 1:40. However the winners only did it in 1:34 so I shouldn't be too disappointed. More importantly I felt fit and enjoyed the run. So now the challenge is to keep it up and try and get through the festive season without pigging out and vegetating. Tough choices will be made Quality Street vs fruit, mince pies vs energy bar, beer vs Lucozade, t.v. vs running!