From later this month I’ll be living without a car. And I’m seeing more and more of a special someone who’s been in my life for the past 5 months.
Last year I managed to keep running well into the winter - it was February/March when it got tricky. But last year I had totally free evenings and weekends to run at will. This year I have things going on and a social life.
So, my plan for this year is to make better use of lunchtimes and make the most of no car.
My intention is to do two 5k runs at lunchtimes each week and to run home from work (around 14k) once a week. I’m not worried about avoiding running on consecutive days any more - the 5 runs a week spell showed it isn’t a problem for me - and I have a lot of flexibility to try to fit in with the weather forecast. Greater Manchester’s rain will no doubt get me, though.
How are you planning to get through the winter?
Enjoy your next run.
Written by
Jay66UK
Graduate10
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Great that you are having to plan adjustments because you have met someone special 💖, and 24km a week is plenty isn't it, plus all the extra walking as you will me without a car!.
Sounds great Jay. Sounds like there’s so many great things have happened for you. As a Manchester girl born and raised, I know it’s wet 😂, but it’s truly an amazing City. I’m back to the basics of going out every other day. Best wishes for all of your plans. ❤️
Oh great news there! I think having a social life is perfectly acceptable as a no running reason! Hope your winter plans work out and that you are 100% waterproof. My son went to uni in Manchester and said it was nearly Christmas before he had his first dry day!!
Loving the adjustments and reasons! I’m hopefully just about to come off the IC and start again..... literally sitting in the physio’s now hoping for sign off to run again.
That sounds like a great plan, Jay. Especially the run home from work once a week – what a great use of time! I have lived without a car my entire life, but then I am in London, so it's easy. You will definitely get fitter by not having a car@ Great to hear about the wonderful developments in your personal life, too. Woo hoo long may it reign!
I have run through 2 winters now, and again, being in London it is not so bad. It's only ice that stops me; I love the cold and don't mind running in light rain, makes me feel like a super hero LOL! But, on the IC for the foreseeable, so right now focussing on doing strength training and yoga in the comfort of my warm living room. Soon as I am ready, I will be out there, come rain or sub-zero temps. I love it.
What lovely reasons for not being able to run at will! Snuggling up with someone special on these darker colder evenings sounds much more pleasant than hitting the road. Enjoy 😊
Fantastic news on the personal front Jay!! This will be my 2nd winter of running and am currently planning on just making it up as I go along, although I did join a gym recently in anticipation of a few cold spells - the north wales coast can be a bit brutal when it’s driving wind and rain, not much shelter 😕
You sound sooooo happy Jay, and you looked it at Lyme Park last week. I’m so happy for you! 😀
Wowsers, kudos for going car free. I couldn’t do that where I live, but I wish I could. My plan is to run 3-4 times per week every week over the winter, possibly resorting to the hideous treadmill if I have to. I’d like to do some more muddy trails - there are plenty round here - and keep my long runs ticking over in preparation for the Bath Half in March. 👍
Good luck tomorrow - can’t wait to hear how you get on! Awesome no doubt! 🏃♂️🏃♂️
Sounds a good plan Jay 👍 No way could I give up my car! I’m going to drop to running twice a week after the Great South I think, but start to increase the long run by a km a fortnight after Xmas to try to be ready for the Hampton Court HM I seem to have been ‘ persuaded’ to enter in March 😳 I’ve also got my cycling challenge to do (sofa to 50k) ready for a sportive at the end of March with my friend who challenged me, so cycling twice a week. Also going to carry on with 3 weight training workouts a week. Phew! Should keep me moving in the cold weather!
Well, my 4 week challenge has kickstarted me (10lbs lost and 5.5% body fat reduced) so, rather than huddle up in the warm, I decided I need to continue. HM, Monsal Trail 10k and Southwell 33k sportive, all in March, will kill me otherwise 😖
Looks like a great plan for you this winter. I have ran through a couple Canadian winters building up to a HM last year. This year my plan is to spend a bit more time enjoying our winter activities (snowmobiling and skiing) and just run whatever meets my fancy for fun and really try to focus on strength training, working on a weak glute and doggy ankle. I did my first trial run in my winter gear this year given it was -15C with windchill when I ran yesterday 😢
Congratulations Jay, sounds like you’ve got things organised and things are going well.👍
I’m doing the Croydon 10K in a couple of weeks so just keeping things ticking over for now. After that I’m planning to run 3 times a week, of which 2 will be 5K and one a longer run. At least that’s what I’m hoping for!😊👍
I’m aiming to do the Croydon HM in the spring so I’ll be training for that🏃♂️ I’ll base my training on the HUHM plan as it worked for Bournemouth last weekend.
An excellent idea to run two lunchtimes a week - far better than eating a sandwich at the desk. It also means it will be daylight, which is a big factor when you are working. Do you have a good running route home or do you share it with commuting cyclists 🚴♀️?
Winter running is a bit easier when retired, I do my runs in consultation with the weather forecast.
Good news that everything is still going well on the ❤️ front too. I do like a happy ending.
Leaving the car at home is a great idea. I have a a car but hardly use it I get to loads of places and see far more on two legs. You get into the habit of running errands. I got a cheapo rucksack from Lidl and wear it on my planned run. Pick up my shopping and head home - on foot if I’ve overdone it. You don’t buy more than you need, so you’ll save pounds on unplanned purchases, and petrol. I run to the bank, supermarket or post office or whatever It’s a great way of finding new routes and you soon know your area ( and wider) like the back of your hand I can get to outlying places I previously thought a car ride away. Using footpaths! When you’re a car driver you don’t take advantage of them. You’ll be amazed what you’ve missed. Your running will come on no end 😃👍
Winter running is fine. You get used to it. Honestly. You just acclimitise. The thought of it is worse than the actual doing. Once you’re out there it’s fine Get some cold weather gear 😃
I did a similar thread a while back. I’ve started doing one lunchtime run a week, usually the shorter run in the week and I can take a lovely hot shower when I get to the office, I’ve done this last 3 weeks and it’s been great and breaks up my work day! Also no one notices that I’ve slipped out for a run! Haha! I’ve also moved my long run in the week (9-10k) to a morning / lunch slot on the day I WFH as I get most flexibility to fit this in when I am working from home. My 5K run in the week will always be Parkrun. I like that all my runs offer me a different social scene and more importantly there’s no running in the dark, I’m very scared to run in the dark. It gives me less leverage when the weather is rubbish but so far I’ve managed it
This is a great thread for thinking of different ways to fit in my runs. Up to now I’ve just been running after work and then whenever I get chance on a weekend. As of December I won’t be able to rely on running after work two or three nights, so will probably drop down to one midweek run and a weekend run and see how I go
Sounds like a great plan, lovely to hear that your personal life is going so well. When I’m off the IC I will be glad just to be mobile again, I’m sure climbing the walls isn’t the best exercise 😂
Great plan Jay, and (as others have said) the mere fact of being carless will significantly increase your activity and fitness. It's also something near and dear to my heart - this time last year I was already on the slippery slope, and hardly ran at all between October and January
To avoid that this year my plans are...
1. Try to keep my fitness (as measured by Strava's "fitness and freshness" chart) at the same level it is now (the highest it has ever been)
2. Same race schedule as this year... HM in the Spring (not sure which one yet), monthly 10k races throughout the Summer, Cardiff HM in October.
3. Run 3-4 times a week, including one long (circa 15k) run, weekly total of 25k+, making use of the treadmill when the weather is nasty!
4. On the shorter runs, focus on improving speed, using interval sessions.
All of the above being monitored by my Personal Trainer, so that there's no hiding place if I lapse
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Winter running
Digging out the winter running gear for tomorrow's race.
London Winter Run - 1 day early
Meet up times and places for Sunday's Winter Run
