As I said in last nights blog I had decided to brave the cold weather this morning and try out my new Yaktrax's. I wrapped up warm 3 layers, cropped running bottoms and a pair of joggers over the top, a woolly hat & gloves (I hate being cold) but decided I would take along a rucksack so I could strip off if or as I got too hot.
When I got out of the car couldn't decide whether I would need the Yaktrax's as some of the pavements seem to be pretty clear and thought I could probably just dodge the icy bits. So decided to put them in the rucksack and start off without them. Only got a few yards down the road and a few slips and slides later and decided they had to go on. The pavements were so varied some were totally clear, others were still thick with snow, some were skating rinks. Yaktrax's went on and I ran without slipping or sliding once. I passed other runners who were all running in the road they must have wondered how I was managing to stay upright. They really do rock!!!!
I had a clear route mapped out (which i'd even written the names of the roads down as my sense of direction is awful and I can get a bit lost) and off I go. I'm starting to get warm so the hat comes off and then the gloves and finally my joggers which I stuff all into my rucksack. I am finding the rucksack a real pain and wish I'd not bothered to bring it. At about 2 miles I realise the back section of the rucksack has come unzipped and everything in there has come out. Panic sets in and I think Yaktrax's but then to my relief I realise they're on my feet. Keys are in front pocket, phone in middle, so the only things that are missing are jogging bottoms, woolly hat and running gloves. So turn round and retrace my steps, as I said sense of direction not good and even worse in reverse. I couldn't even remember where on the route I had taken them off. Eventually I found the joggers laying in the snow and ice (not expensive ones but old faithfuls) and then the hat and gloves all safely back in the rucksack which now I have tied tags together so they can't come out again. So had to change my route slightly but sort of got back on track and a 4.5 mile run done mostly on ice and in freezing temperatures.
Hot chocolate and hot shower required