It's that time of year again!

Not only is it now dark by mid afternoon, meaning that, unless I want to go out dressed like a Belisha beacon complete with head lamp, I have to try to go running during the day, it is also starting to get a wee bit chilly.

It is not so cold that I can go out wearing a windproof running jacket, or even a long sleeved top over my t-shirt, and it isn't really cold enough for long running tights either, but it isn't warm enough not to wear them. So, I set off on my run cursing the cold, trying to warm up frozen fingers my retracting them as far up my sleeves as possible, swearing that I will turn back at the first corner as it is inhumane to expect anyone to run around in such dreich (I had to look that word up as I've never written it down before) conditions. Pretty soon, about a mile in maybe, I begin to overheat, and then have to contend with removing a layer without strangling myself on my headphone cables or accidentally removing too many layers and finding myself at the side of the road in just my bra!

To be honest, I am not sure that it has ever been cold enough for me to run in a jacket and/or long sleeved top without it being so cold and dangerously icy that I would not venture out. The roads are all beginning to get slippy with fallen leaves, no more crunching through the leaf fall, it is more a case of treading carefully to avoid falling arse over tit down a slippery slope.

Despite the cold, today's run was fun. Two and a half miles gently up hill followed by two and a half miles back home again. I almost didn't go out. I'd intended to go to the gym, but left the house on the school run without a water bottle or my headphones, so came home again, and was about to change out of my running kit when I spied my neighbour returning from her run. I was guilted into going out, and I'm glad I did!