Run three miles, have a cup of tea. Repeat.

Posted by simon on 1/15/2007 on simon's blog

With two hours on the schedule for today, I'm betting I wasn't the only Magical Miler throwing open the bedroom curtains this morning to the sound of expletive deleted. Snowing again.

Looking on the bright side (actually, it wasn't very bright at all, but as gloomy as a London Sunday), it was noticeably warmer. A positively balmy 10 degrees or more. Oh joy! Uncharacteristically, Abby tried to talk me out of running. She knows that my long run days inevitably consist of me a) biting off more than I can chew; b) getting lost on the trails at least once; and c) being reduced to a grumpy, sulky, aching mess for the rest if the day as a result.

So, first concession: yes, I would take a mobile phone with me in case I needed to call International Rescue. Then we went for a coffee that turned into two as we waited for it to stop snowing. Well, it never did. So a cunning plan was hatched... instead of heading out to the nether regions of obscure trails and mountain tracks, I would run the route of the High Five road race: a five-mile route that literally goes past the end of our street and is a nice blend of uphill and downhill through quiet neighbourhoods.

I can recommend this strategy. I was able to stop after one three-mile lap and change shoes. My Nike Trails were just not coping with the snow, so I switched to Ascics road race shoes with Stabilicers attached. I kept the cell phone but ditched my bottle of Accelerade.

After the second, longer lap -- hey, I got lost! What can I say? -- I stopped for a drink, cleaned up my glasses and outer gear and booked a cup of tea to be ready for me after another 30 minute-lap. This is so cool. Bobby recommends taking walking breaks during runs anyway, so this was just an adaptation. It's so great to stumble into the front door and be handed a cup of tea. It warmed me up nicely to go and face the last and faster lap.

I'd better not repeat this run too often in case I run the High Five later this year, or I will just have to stop for a cuppa halfway through.