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Cabin Fever

I don't mind running in the cold - I definitely prefer being wrapped up against the elements than over-heating and suffering from sunburn. But, with the snow, ice and sub-zero temperatures over the last few weeks, the challenge especially for evening runs has been finding a safe ice-free-ish route...

So I've competed most of my runs around the same mile loop, around and around, sometimes changing direction just to add a bit of variety. I think it adds up to about 25 miles so far and I’m starting to get a little bit of cabin fever.

I’ve been anxious to stretch my legs and experience some wide open spaces, or at least to run on a different stretch of pavement. 

The chance came this morning with a long-ish Sunday run in the winter sunshine, topping up my vitamin D levels and getting plenty of fresh air and lots of thinking time.

Wisdom from Cheryl Strayed
I set off with a vague notion of a route but happy to adjust and change direction if the conditions demanded it, or I just fancied crossing a road or turning left instead of right. One of things I love about running around Stoke-on-Trent is that it's not long before you can feel far away from the concrete; within a couple of miles of home this morning, I felt like I'd escaped the city and was breathing fresh air, taking in my surroundings, putting myself in the way of beauty (more wisdom from Cheryl Strayed); cabin fever soon forgotten.

I hit one dead-end where I didn't feel steady enough on the ice and show but for most part, I just ran at a pace to suit the conditions, speeded up when I could and slowed down when I needed to. My route even included a handful of new Strava-segment personal records!



As I ran back along the canal towpath, the ice and snow made for a really beautiful and peaceful run, although I did almost reconsider my route at one point - the usual trickle of water by one of the locks had turned into an impressive ice sculpture under the bridge and I had to slip-slide my way down. It wasn't very elegant but I stayed upright!

Next weekend, I'm taking part in my first race of 2019. After stretching my legs today, I feel ready for the challenge.






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