Working out what to wear isn't the only problem we cold-weather runners face. Snow and ice on the paths and streets is a seasonal hazard - though not as much in London as it is elsewhere. A few years ago, I went out for a run in Philadelphia, which was still recovering from one of the huge blizzards that hits the east coast of the US every winter. The run began ok, but the further I went, the less the paths had been cleared, until I found my feet sinking nearly knee-deep in the snow. At which point, the only thing you can do is give up and build a snowman. Ice is, if anything, worse. Nothing dents the desire to go running more than crashing head over heels at top speed.
The cold does tend to adversely affect my performance, as well. Some runners I know absolutely thrive on it and do their best times in the winter. As for me, I've noticed a regular seasonal dip in my timings, which I'm convinced is something to do with the blood vessels constricting to conserve body heat, thus restricting the amount of oxygen you can pump round your body. That's the excuse I'm using anyway.
So I don't expect to be setting any PBs before Christmas. I hope to get a few more training runs in before the festivities start and the mass consumption of food and drink starts in earnest. And then I'll be looking forward to the new year and setting myself some running goals for 2018.
In the meantime, happy Christmas and wrap up warm.
