Running Roundup # 9

Last week saw me doing no running whatsoever! Actually, that isn't exactly correct. The Saturday saw me running to Parkrun, helping with the C25K group, (who actually completed the full course length with a mixture of running and walking), then I ran home for a total of 10 miles. I did a quick turn around at home and then I was off to Haweswater in the Lake District for the weekend.

The Haweswater Hotel

I'd managed a couple of 6 mile walks whilst I was there, in bitterly cold weather with the occasional snow flurry here and there, and then on our final morning we awoke to about 1" (25mm to you metric people) of snow on the ground.

After breakfast we began our journey home along the narrow, snow covered, winding roads towards the main road at Shap, when driving conditions improved and the sun made an appearance.

The rest of the journey was fine although I did drive through a couple of blizzards on the M6 motorway in Staffordshire where visibility was so short I had to turn my fog lights on.

So it was back to work and normality again on Wednesday, and I did think about going out for a run, but the outside temperature was - 4°C and I don't like the cold at the best of times, and I was thinking that I would be stupid to go out running in that, particularly as I usually get a bad, chesty cough at this time of year which keeps me off work for a few days, and at the moment, I can't afford the time off work or running, so I went to the gym and I ran 5 miles on the treadmill.

I don't particularly enjoy running on treadmills, and gyms I find are a bit warm for distance running, but it was better than enduring that cold outside, and particularly as I was running I could see through the window the Lliswerry runners on the track at the stadium, and I didn't envy them at all.

The weather forecast for the next day was for significant amounts of snow beginning in the afternoon until the early hours of Friday, so the running club made the wise decision to cancel that evenings run along with the C25K session. I had to leave work by 2:30 PM as the snow was coming down quite heavily and I had a 30 mile journey home.

And so the snow came down, and my alarm woke me at 05:45 AM as usual and I got out of bed to check on the snow conditions outside, already knowing that there was no way I was going to be able to drive to work that day, and in fact there looked to be about 5" -  6" ( 125 - 150mm) of snow on the road, so I climbed back into bed and checked Facebook to see what others were experiencing.

It snowed for much of Friday and I just watched it through my window, as well as others who had decided to try driving in it but only ended up wheel spinning a lot before giving up trying.

Saturday came and following some on line chat with friends, it appeared that the main roads were now clear but side streets still had lots of snow, and so a few of us decided to walk into town and meet for coffee. The 6 mile walk on the slippery pavements wasn't easy, but I felt I needed the exercise, and walking was better than no exercise at all.

Once home again I decided to clear the path leading to my front door and it turned out that it was approximately 18" deep (450mm ish).

The big melt began on Sunday when the sun made an appearance and the temperature rose to a whopping 7°C. So my running program was now able to resume with the Tuesday evening club run.










Tuesday's club run was titled, "The Estates Run", as it does exactly that, the route takes us through many of the housing estates in the village, and this route also includes the two big hills on College Glade and Trinity View before becoming more level for the rest of the 6.7 mile route.

The Estates Run Route

After having not run properly in over a week, it felt good to get out there and stretch my legs again, and most of my other club friends were saying the same thing.

Due to last weekends snow, the Newport half marathon had to be postponed, as it just wasn't safe to run in those conditions, although a few people did go out and ran the course on that Sunday morning.

The race has been rescheduled for Sunday 18th March, but unfortunately I'm already booked to run in the Weston Super Half, so I have contacted the organisers requesting that my place be deferred to 2019.

Wednesday evening saw Jenny and I back together again for another speed session, and this week it was back to hill reps.

Just a bit hilly 

This coming Saturday morning I was going to run my first of two 20 milers, including the C25K course in that. However, at the weekend I was chatting to Roni of Lliswerry Runners who said that she thought there was a place going at the Fission 20/20 race, and she and a load of others from Lliswerry were taking part in that and did I want her to see if she could get me a place. And so as it happened, there was a place going and it was mine if I wanted it. Well running is far more enjoyable, (for me anyway), as a group and so I agreed to take the place.

My reputation for baking is well known among local runners and so I know that if I don't turn up with cake, I'll be in big trouble, especially with one Lliswerry runner particularly, (she knows who she is 😉 ), and so I'm making a Coca Cola cake, which proved to be a firm favourite at Caerleon RC last year.

Another thing I'm going to make and try are Peanut Butter Energy Balls, a recipe I found on The Running Bug web site. I will let you know how I got on with these, and the race, in next weeks Running Roundup.

And so, until next week guys and girls, keeeeep running.

P.S. Only 4 weeks until Manchester 😲