I might be one of the first this year...

[runswithdogs]

For running in the snow. Yep. As with many years here, just skipped right past fall. Two days ago I ran and was too hot at 25 Celsius. And today the white stuff came.

I have learned some things.

1. Wear contacts. Between my glasses fogging up and the melting snow I couldn't see anything and had to carry my glasses and run half blind.

2. Seize the perfect weather window. I was able to get out before the ground started to freeze and ice up, but after real flakes formed so I didn't get too wet.

3. Warmup walk was cold but I heat up just the same one I started running.

4. I must be a runner now, because the only other excuse for that behavior is insanity.

Welcome to winter friends!

[Ejbirdy Graduate]

Wow really , where is 'here' ?

[runswithdogs Graduate in reply to Ejbirdy]

Calgary, Canada. Our weather is fickle - I expect it to pop back up to something more reasonable again shortly.

[Ejbirdy Graduate in reply to runswithdogs]

Ah I see , I thought it might be Scotland

[Hidden in reply to Ejbirdy]

Eek, I hope it's not snowing in Scotland yet! Just imagine the [dare I mention it] vote if it were snowy.

[Tikiczocky Graduate in reply to Hidden]

I can confirm that it's NOT yet snowing in the Scottish Highlands! Tis autumnal with a wee chill in the air...great for my w4r2 this morning! As for the vote...a decidedly frosty atmosphere in the north currently!! Bah!

[Hidden in reply to Tikiczocky]

I can cope with the snow (when it comes), but the vote....could we hear about something else now, please?

Good luck with W4R3 when you do it.

[swanscot Graduate in reply to Hidden]

It's not snowing here, but i encountered quite significant temperature change last week. On Tuesday I was walking on the Cairngorm plateau in T-shirt and shorts and got a wee bit sunburnt on my neck. The next day when walking over the plateau, I was dressed in my fleece, windproof jacket, hat, gloves and buff around my neck!

[Hidden in reply to swanscot]

Lucky you being on the plateau ~ cracking view? As for fleece, I tend to pack a lightweight one or windproof in all conditions...just in case.

Dartmoor is starting to turn golden, yellow and brown with bit of red; all rather beautiful.

[swanscot Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Brilliant views most of the time. We camped at Loch Etchachan for 2 nights and climbed Beinn Mheadhoin, Derry Cairngorm and Ben Macdui.

Photos uploaded to my Flickr account here:

flickr.com/photos/swan-scot...

[Hidden in reply to swanscot]

I didn't know I could turn such a vivid shade of green! I am SOOOOO envious. Cracking views from what looked like a wonderful walk.

Is that a Tera Nova tent? It looks like their logo.

Off for a ride on the Dartmoor lanes now, and I should be marshaling at the Tour of Britain on Thursday, but Izzie goes into be turned into an 'it' and not a girly dog on that morning, so I have had to pull out.

[swanscot Graduate in reply to Hidden]

This 3-day backpacking trip to the Cairngorms was my birthday treat. All I wanted for my birthday was to do a high wild camp (I'm a cheap date, huh?) and this was certainly a high camp.

Yes, the tent is our ten year old TerraNova Laserlarge1. With it being a tunnel tent, we find it a bit 'flappy', therefore noisy, in high winds, but is otherwise a good compromise of weight to space for two.

[Hidden in reply to swanscot]

How observant am I?

What an excellent preesie, and one you can both share and look back on for years to come. I shall suggest something similar to the Mrs.

We own Terra Nova Ultra Quasar, and being the Scout quartermaster, I have access to 8 Super Quasars, one Terra Firma and one Laser. Excellent tents. The Quasars are a bit heavy, but my God, they are tough. The Laser is tiny (half a man tent) but is sooooo light.

Get back out there before the weather changes, and enjoy your running in the Autumn.

[jaxmc64 Graduate in reply to swanscot]

Swanscot, Your link to photos (& activities) are super - you travel, walk and camp in most beautiful, amazing places!

[swanscot Graduate in reply to jaxmc64]

Thanks. With living in the Highlands of Scotland, it's not hard to find amazing places to walk.

[GettingFitter Graduate]

Wow incredible. That's really early isn't it?

[Hidden]

25 degrees to snow in 2 days ?? That's extreme...Will you be able to keep running outdoors in the winter ? Or will you retreat indoors to

a gym or similar ?

[runswithdogs Graduate]

I'm not too sure. I'll try to keep going outdoors, it's mostly the ice that concerns me. I have these things that slip over your shoes with little picks in them - I used them for dog walking and winter hiking. But they're not great on bare pavement, so I'll have to see. Otherwise I guess the treadmill, though I hate gyms. The university also has an indoor track - I think that might be a little better.

[Hidden]

France has similar weather, nothing between freezing and boiling! I've not sen snow after a sunny day like that but in October it usually changes over night - once it went from 32C to 9C the next day...people think I'm bonkers to go home to UK for winter, but I know what I'm doing!

[Bazza1234 Graduate]

Running in the snow?? Hmm- I'll have to think a bit about that one. Is it anything like running in the rain? -- because I DON'T do that!! Well - actually I did once for 5 minutes this week, but that is only because I didn't look at the Weather Bureau radar closely enough before I went outside.

Actually - now I have discovered that I don't do running in the snow either -- because it never snows where I live . Thank heavens for that - I was starting to get worried . There is a lot to learn about in this running hobby

[swanscot Graduate in reply to Bazza1234]

Running in the snow can be delightful - in the right kind of snow.

swanscot.wordpress.com/2013...

[jaxmc64 Graduate in reply to swanscot]

Insightful and breathtaking