Anyone else struggling with the weather?!

[StringTheory]

Happy New Year All! In the autumn I managed to increase my distance and pace towards a 10K but I’ve been struggling this month due to the icy conditions. There was a brilliant post in the couch to 5 K group that made me take the pressure off but I’m missing struggling to hit the ground running 3 times a week. I really don’t want to fall and have an injury so when I am out I call these gingerly runs. I am trying to do maintenance runs but very keen to start my 10K journey. What are others doing to keep fit and not lose momentum?

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate10]

Smiled when I read this...

healthunlocked.com/couchto5......

Many, many of us are struggling with the weather and the yearning to get out. I have been unable to run for over ten days! EEEK!

The answer is wait... if you read the linked post and then you judge that the situation is dangerous, wait.

So wait and up the indoor stamina and the strength work. There is so much to choose from and the S and F forum is a great place to begin looking for ideas for a routine that suits you.

Just a few that I put out last week, but so many more there, to look at for legs, feet, arms, core strength and loads more.

healthunlocked.com/strength...

I am as many are using Yoga, ( and I am not a massive Yoga fan ), but it really does hit those parts that need to be kept supple.

Mind and body need support at these times, but as Shelley said,

" If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind ? "

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10]

You are absolutely not alone!!! I’m still walking at the moment but had to cut short yesterday for safety. It’s such a nuisance when January comes round and you’re full of new year enthusiasm then the January weather is like this!!

I’ve been doing some indoor exercise classes at home and at the gym, and hopefully I’ll be running on the treadmill soon.

It always feels like it will last forever but usually it’s not so bad as to be unsafe for too long. Let’s all cross our fingers!!

[GoogleMe Graduate10]

It can be so hard to learn to just 'sit with' the way things are. I'd agree with the suggestion to do the fitness things you *can* do. (And I'd include meditation, breathing practices and relaxation practices in that too)

This is very temporary (unless we are back in 1963, which really did go on a long time). And it hasn't been unusual for people to find that an enforced break doesn't set them back at all, with the break doing them good in a way they never expected.

(Although one of the biggest risk factors for a fall is... fear of falling...)

[Shana_k]

Good morning from a very frosty and icy Birmingham. I too, have been struggling to keep my 3 runs a week momentum since Sunday. My Thursday night run club was cancelled too. This leaves me with my strength training classes. I have been consistent with strength and weights for 3 days of this week and hope to return to a long run some time over the weekend, weather permitting. I sometimes feel as if my fitness will be lost because of my missing week of running but i remember always that the fitness that i have built wasnt built in a week. It took me quite a few years and still going strong. So its ok if nature has other plans and its ok if we take a short break but as long as we get back to our main goal as soon as its safe to do so, is the main thing. Good luck and keep going!

[RiceAndPeas]

Hi StringTheory, it's such a worry that all the hard won fitness will get lost during a lay off but from my own experience you never lose as much as you might think. I had several lay offs due to injury and illness last year and was always surprised by how quickly I got back under full steam again.

Why not set yourself a little challenge like doing 50 squats every day while this mini ice age continues? You can do them in sets of 5 or 10 at intervals through the day. I did this while I had a lay off for 2 weeks last January and actually found my running had improved as a result.

[Susiepaul Graduate10]

I saw a brilliant daily challenge, 50 squats,50 sit ups and 50 push ups a day. No special equipment needed, and something you can build into your day quite easily.That said I'm finding the push ups hard, but working on it.

Re no running, I share your pain, but it really isn't worth the risk

[Gentlydoesnt]

I went out today and did 25 mins of running and 1/2 the pavement was covered in frost, I nearly slipped a few times and was even running intentionally slower than normal. Lots of dog walkers to have to negotiate which means for me going onto grass verges and the like to allow them to keep going straight on. Consequently I have just ordered a treadmill that Oldfloss mentioned and will use that indoors - £600 is a lot of money but if it saves me ending up in A&E due to a hip fracture etc it’s money well spent. I went out when the temperature was slightly above freezing but amazingly I saw many people jogging when the paths were even worse !. Running across junctions on the local roads ( many of them ) is also a bit of a risk as well as a lot of cars coming out of the residential areas. I haven’t done any early morning runs for ages now I used to run at 6am that would be impossible now and even after 4pm this week it’s been risking it. Thankfully I did manage to get runs in yesterday and today, today though was far worse condition wise.