Six inches won't stop this kiddie

Well, my Olympic training programme remains on hold thanks to this pesky weather.

We've had huge 2 mililitre snow drifts here which means, of course, that everything has ground to a halt. No roads to run on - well the roads have been there, but buried underneath an inch and a half of ice. So, too dangerous this week to even step outside the front door. In fact, its been all we can do for Ernie and I to get to the Brick and Trumpet - the Half Share has been struggling to clear the road, to be fair. But today has seen another deluge of the white stuff. It must be deep out there because I heard the Half Share tell Buttocks the Oil Delivery Man that she hadn't seen six inches since 1997.

But if this weather is going to hang around much longer then I'm going to have to devise a special winter training plan - and I've done just that.

No matter the weather, I am grateful for having the opportunity to get outdoors. Well it gets me out of a few jobs apart from anything else. And being outdoors in fresh snow brings so many opportunities to show how you feel about certain people. Like the selfish ha'porth who insists on revving his motor bike every morning at 7 o'clock. So he got a snowball on the back of his helmet; as did the traffic warden, as did next door's cat who insists on peeing on my bike wheels.

But running in the snow is not without its hazards of course. But I say get your self dressed, get prepared and get out and have some fun. We didnt win three world wars with a give-up attitude did we? Lets see a bit of that old Gundog spirit eh?

Here’s a few Ron suggestions if you do opt to get out there:

Always dress properly.
For me, this means:
o proper head gear - for me that's my 1969 Leicester City bobble cap (minus bobble)
o a good quality pac-a-mac
o tights are for strange people and wally runners - I wear woollen leggings
o a proper Millets anorak
o wool socks
o Dunlop wet weather shoes - though if the snow is really deep, I run in wellies. It helps to build up my stamina. You may laugh but when did you last see Paul Ratcliffe in wellies eh? Exactly - and how many races has he won this year? Point proved.
Watch your footing!

There may be a sheet of ice under that fresh snow, so make sure your wellies or pumps are well scrubbed.

In fact, come to think of it, if the elements are against you and you find it just too slippy, why not just do as I do?

Forget the whoel bally idea and just go to the pub instead.

Keep on tapering

Ron