Maybe it's the time of year

[sheps]

A lot of people seem to be struggling at the moment and I'm wondering whether it has to do with the time of year - later sunrise, earlier sunset, cooler, rain more likely and, in my area, strong winds, too. Bright crisp autumnal days are one thing but cold dark mornings are quite another.

I've checked out the opening times of my local gym to give the indoor treadmill option a go. We do get really wild weather in West Cornwall and the beautiful cliff tops suddenly become unwelcoming and dangerous places - if you can see them at all through the fog. I need an indoor alternative.

I'm also reminding myself that I started in January in the darkest days and kept it going through the taxing first weeks so I really have no excuse for bottling it as often as I have recently.

However, I notice in here that there seem more than the usual number of threads talking of lack of motivation. I wonder if longer term posters have recognised a seasonal trend. It's not unreasonable to assume that more people will start running as summer approaches so I hope that people don't drop out as winter is coming. I certainly don't want to fall by the wayside.

I've been getting great motivational prompts from #jancanrun so will try and do the same for others. We have to keep this glorious wave of enthusiasm going.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

I love this time of the year... I started late October in the Winter of 2015 and Graduated the week before Christmas.. The only time I run inside is if it is icy or I have been recovering from illness or injury.. ( my cross-trainer)

I log all my runs and re-reading some of them from 2015 and the beginning of 2016, I can hardly believe I ran in some of the weather conditions... but each run bought new joy... crisp mornings, falling leaves and crunching leaves underfoot.. misty mornings, rain-slicked lanes and hedges touched by the first frosts..oooh I can't wait now

If you have some safe routes.. not cliff tops.. then get out as often as you can.. you say yourself, you have done this once, when you started the programme.

The established runners are all still here... they run in all weathers and in all seasons...embracing each one for the delights they offer... we may moan a tad sometimes... but we would not have it any other way

Bring it on... you will do this as and when you are able...