There are no medals for running in the snow

Winter is Coming, the Beast from the East has arrived, the wolves are running, no hang on that last one’s from the Box of Delights, but there are sound reasons why I am not running in the snow.

In a nutshell, they are:

1. I’m a bit tottery on my feet in this sort of weather
2. My right little toe has been hurting since my Sunday long run
3. I’ve got a half marathon on Sunday and you are allowed to taper in the week before your half, right?
4. I’ve still got this niggling cough – anyone else had it? Can’t seem to shift it, had for a couple of weeks now, terrible, particularly when you lie down at night. Oh hang on that’s four..

When I woke up this morning I was all up for my regular Tuesday ‘interval run’ around this field

I don’t want to ruin all my training with a last minute injury

But then I put the kettle on and doubts started to swirl around in my head, as my inner Wuss started to speak to me.

I had a great final long run on Sunday – 10.1 miles and have felt in great shape for the Broadland Half Marathon, but a toe nail or something has been digging in my right foot, so it’s a bit sore.

And what if there’s ice, or worse..black ice out there?

Mind you, if you are thinking about it, I did come across this useful blog with tips on how to run in the snow

Usually I’d be tapering – or easing up on the miles at this point anyway, so I don’t feel like I’m letting the side down, and I’m not some sort of sado-runner who needs to feel pain to think I’m getting a good work out.

And with less than a week to go before the Broadland Half Marathon, I don’t want to bugger myself up now.

So, instead I’ve listened to my instincts and those wise, wuss words and have convinced myself of sound reasons for why I’m not running in the snow and opted for a rest day instead; let the foot recover, and may be take in swim later this week and then a parkrun  or may be a three miler the day before?

Though I wouldn’t mind a run in some freshly laid snow..