It’s a very Wintery hello from North Norfolk today. Timing in life has never been my strong point and so it is again this month...towards the end of January I decided to take a complete break from running, original plan was a week to rest a painful knee, (Runner’s knee I think) and recharge my batteries. After a few niggling health problems I was feeling a bit run down so decided to take 2 weeks and restart my HM plan from the beginning of this week ( I had been on Week 4!).
Something I hadn’t forseen was the possibility of having nowhere left to run. Prior to my break I had been reduced to just roads and paths around the neighbouring village after weeks of rain, all my normal lovely tracks drowned under squelchy mud. Then since Sunday we’ve had extremely heavy snowfall, I haven’t seen as much snow since I was in primary school in the 1960’s! It has been lovely to see, snow at its most beautiful, dry, soft and now all the individual snowflakes on the surface glistening in the sun.
So it’s been walking, well trudging, through deep snow, all that’s been possible from my house. You can see Mr J on the field top looking across to where the road is, buried under an 8 foot snow drift. On the pictures below another road out of the village blocked by huge snowdrifts.
So the short version...at the moment until the snow melts I have nowhere left to run. I’m hoping for Saturday which will be 3 & 1/2 weeks since my last run. Eek!
I’m wondering if all the extra yoga and strengthening exercises will have been enough to prevent further knee problems.... and if my energy levels will hold up as I try again to extend my mileage? 🤔
In a rash hopeful moment at the beginning of the month I signed up for the Robin Hood HM (Nottingham, late September so hopefully this will happen, Anyone else doing this one?). Today I’m not so sure I’m going to make it, the spirit is willing but will my aging frame carry me around? ?
My HM plan is 12 weeks so in theory I could run the distance for a trial run in time for my birthday in early May. Anyway, one day at a time, no run again today but hopefully a restart on Saturday.
If you can run Enjoy 😊, if you can’t Keep smiling 😊
Wow 8" drifts 😳 that's a lot of snow 🌨️❄️⛄Could you take up skiing 🎿?
It's so frustrating isn't it not being able to get out. I'm not hopeful for my run tomorrow.
How is your knee? They are troublesome joint!
I've been giving my knee marks out of 3 each day to see if I can tell of running of making it worse😂😂 It's something I was doing to monitor my old dogs osteoarthritis and it was really useful to see patterns.
We could do with a set of skis dijep, or snow shoes 😀 ...yes knees and hips both reminding me I’m getting older, my knee has been a 1 mostly whilst not running so I’ll try your scoring system when I get going again ...thanks, ...it’s frustrating not being able to see a physio in person, hopefully exercises & yoga will help, still going with my daily practice so that’s a real help .... I hope you’re able to keep going with your 10k plan without anymore knee pain 🤞 🤗
I know how you're feeling jorgeRuns. I haven't run this year 😲 I was going to start Ju-ju's magic plan again but we had snow. It seemed to take an age to finally go so I ventured out on the Friday just to see how my fitness had held up. I was ok so planned to start it on the Monday. Then the weather forecaster warned of more snow that week so I postponed - no point in starting if I'd have to stop. The snow never came but threats that it was imminent delayed me for a week because it was icy out there. I am currently doing physio for an ankle injury which I've been carrying for over a year. Fortunately it doesn't stop me from running but I didn't want to add to my troubles. Now we DO have snow albeit just a covering but it just won't go away. I haven't signed up for a marathon but I have signed up for the Vitality 10k to do with my daughter who is currently doing C25K. That's in May so I am pretty keen to get out also. Hey ho - these things are sent to try us. The lockdown has been getting to me of late so another reason for me to 'break free'. Hopefully I'll be doing that in the next few days. Trail shoes on and picking out my route very carefully. I'll be thinking of you on Saturday. I hope we can both get 'back on track' just not an icy one! 🥶😁
Thanks 59er, lovely to hear how you’ve been getting on ( not the frustration of it though) We’ve just been out for a beautiful walk, Snow is not going to go until that gulf stream shifts itself, some places have a sheet of ice underneath freshly laid snow so I can now see it’s not looking so promising for Sat, hopefully next week now🤞 It’s just not worth the risk of falling on top of everything is it? Sorry to hear lockdown has been tough for you and affecting your running, no one should feel bad about that, it’s such challenging times 😣 Lovely your daughter is running too and if it goes ahead and we dig deep & keep going we will have the pleasure of meeting up in London in May 🤗
That's frustrating for you jorgeRuns . Look at it as just an extended break. Sounds like you're keeping up your fitness with your yoga exercises and walking - puts me to shame, I have to walk my hound daily so get to trudge through the snow but that's all 🙂 Can't wait to get out for a run again probably next week.. Half Marathon entry - amazing! Go you!! Good luck with the plan when you get back out there.🏃😀
Thanks Runjilly, the daily yoga has definitely been an anchor to each day, especially as I don’t have a hound to drag me out everyday, just the laziest cat in the world! I think next weeks looking promising for us to get running again 🤞 🤗
Isn’t your snow amazing? we only had a dusting but with open windows at work i’m cold all day and can’t take myself out again when i get home even if there wasn’t ice in a lot of our paths Rest do the rest of strengthening exercises and stay safe and warm
It sure is, we had a walk today again and the light, shapes and shadows on the snow was really beautiful, .... That’s so tough on you Sola to have to work in such cold conditions, no wonder you don’t want to go outside when you get home, roll on the warmer weather, 🤗
Aww warm weather will be good, it’s the Covid thing because my boss and I have to share an office so when one of us leaves even for a little while the mask comes off, windows get shut and fan heater goes on then the other comes back in and it’s open and on again, we have to leave and go outside to drink our tea too so roll on spring
You've certainly got a lot of the white stuff there. Same where I am. Annoying when you have a plan in mind, isn't it? But I must say walking in the snow is hard work - so its sure to keep your fitness up until you can run again.
It was so beautiful walking out in it today, but definitely hard going in places, most of my usual running tracks are thigh deep in snow , I really don’t know where all the water will go when it melts, we’ll probably have to switch to water sports! 🤗
Same here - we had more snow last night on top of yesterdays partial thaw a re-freeze. I reckon it might be Sunday before I manage to get out again. Am making do with walks in the woods in my wellies for now.
Hope you manage to get out for a run soon - take it nice and steady when you do.
I will thanks, the first run on my plan is just 2 miles. Yes we had the same Birdlady ice beneath the snow so definitely waiting until it’s thawed, we’ll just have to be patient 🤗
Go for it JRs! I'm sure we're all running less than w'd like due to snow, cold and general malaise! But having that HM goal will give you the incentive you need.
I'll be looking out for your posts - especially after R1 on Saturday!
Thanks & yes so many obstacles in people’s way at the moment, what a tough Wintervit is ,....after my walk today and looking at the forecast it looks like it’ll be next week before it thaws enough, but a few more days won’t hurt. I planned to do the Robin Hood HM twenty years ago and couldn’t do it following an accident so if I do manage it I’ll be over the moon, definitely a good goal to keep me running. How are you doing? Are you and your family all recovered fully? 🤗
Im not worried too much though, I've had to take long breaks before - IC, work etc - and the road will be there waiting at the right time
Nothing is worth a bad, or Running Gods forbid, a permanent injury. Year three, I went through three months of physio because I "just had to" finish a charity run with a dislocated hip. The fear back then that I would never be able to run again has made me a lot less frustrated times like this. And its a great feeling the first time you can get out again
As you say "Keep smiling" and I wish you many happy miles in your future
Thanks for sharing your experience Irish-John, it’s a strange fear we have isn’t it? although I know it’s totally irrational there’s this little niggling feeling that I’ve lost momentum and this enforced delay will scupper ALL my plans and running goals! I think the slightly more realistic fear hiding behind is that my knees ( and one hip) are almost worn out and that I’ve left this running malarkey rather late in the day. 🤗
I keep in mind that its not how "good" I can run, but how much I can enjoy it :)I probably look a right slow mess on my runs - but I have fun, and I cover respectable distances
And, by the time I might not be able to run at all, well - aiming at super long walks is a fun challange in full retirement
I envy y'all over there on that score - I did a bit of the Wales cliff walk years ago, would love to do it all and places like Hadrians Wall etc
I figure running now is the best bet I can put for avoiding a non-sedentary and horribly confined "Old Age"
Hi jorgeRuns, love your message title🥶 That is a lot of snow ! IHope your training gets back under way soon, and in the mean time enjoy all that snow, which I think is a bit like marmite, and I love both ☃️
Loving this beautiful powdery snow, reminds me of my childhood! It's rare nowadays, winters are more likely to be rain and floods. So I am embracing the joy of walking in pristine snow for a change
That's a lot of snow jorgeruns. I'm thinking if the temperature rises the roads might be OK to run in a couple of days but the fields round here are still white and it still keeps trying to snow. I tried walking one of my footpaths yesterday and under the crisp snow there was still squelchy mud so it'll be a while before I'm off road again.
Yes Lifluf, the same here, it’s just going to be whatever bit of road is clear of snow for sometime to come. When I started running last January it didn’t rain once whilst doing my Couchto5k, a very different Winter this year 🤗
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Solstice Run, running towards the light
5.5K Run and motivation (or lack thereof!) 
A post winter storm Bingo run❄️✅✅❄️
Running in the rain 💦🏃🏽♀️💦
Gave up on run today 
