Sunday 28 November 2010

It is official...

... it is bloody cold out there!

I set off for a run this afternoon in long tights and a long sleeved running top over my t shirt. I normally have to remove the top as I get too warm, but not today. I didn't plan to run very far, but, despite the cold, it was a lovely day to be out and about. Clear skies, lovely views - when my glasses weren't steaming up as I breathed out, and barely a soul about. The roads were very icy in places, so I changed my planned route to keep on roads that stood a chance of having been gritted in living memory. There were still huge icy patches that took some negotiation - I didn't want to think what would happen if I did a Bambi impression on the ice!

As I got to about 2 miles out I decided that I would turn back at the end of the next track. Most tracks on my running playlist are about 3 or 4 minutes long, so would add about a mile to the total distance I would run. As the next track started (on random shuffle) I recognised the opening chords of 'Champagne Supernova' by Oasis and groaned. Not only is it not a great song to run to it is also over eight minutes long! The trouble with goals I set for myself is that, if I fail to achieve them, I feel like a real loser! So on I went, and then realised that the last 3 minutes of the run would take me down a really steep hill, which would mean a really steep up hill start to my return half of the run. Luckily, just as the road started to really plummet downwards I spotted a footpath to my right and veered off down there instead - virgin running territory for me! I avoided the steep hill, but will wait until the ground has thawed out a bit before running down the footpath again - it was very rough going!

I ran 7 miles today in 61 minutes - I know some of you out there will be laughing at how slow that is, but it is the best I have run in a long time! I feel as though I am gradually throwing off this awful run of chest infections and colds. I still had loads of energy left as I got home, but my thumbs were blue with cold and the children needed feeding, so I called it quits at 7 miles.

Not sure how much running I will get done this week, I'm off to Paris for a flying visit - can't remember if I left trainers in France, and don't want to pack them if I haven't as I have lots to take with me and am going on Eurostar rather than taking the car over on the train.

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