Running in Snow and Ice

Following my last two posts, I was reminded that when I went for the papers (one third of a mile down the road) the last two years, it was very icy. Didn't used to stop me from running though - if I miss a day, the opposition won't! Some comments -

1. Don't do a fast run in very cold weather - you breathe in freezing air and you end up with stomach cramps. Dougie Gray of ESH once ended up on the grass curled in a ball with stomach cramp after breathing cold air in too deeply;

2. Do not run on roads that are not well used - the foot traffic of pedestrians and the warm air from vehicles will take away most of the ice.

3. Or keep off the roads altogether and run on the country or on Land Rover tracks: drive to the start of a country run or public park (like Colquhoun Park or the Recreation Ground at Dalmuir) and run there;

4. Wear gloves and if you find you don't need them always drop them at a spot easy to find when the run is over!

Cyril once said to me that in winter you are out and the roads are slushy, women are poking umbrellas in your eyes, buses are spraying you with snow, prams are bashing into your shins and you're thinking "it's great to be out of the house getting peace and quiet for five minutes!"