Miserable winter in England (Read 984 times)

My running was going so well until it started getting dark by 6pm. Any ideas how to motivate yourself when you cannot run in the sunshine. I have no night running gear, anyone got any good kit for staying safe in the dark .The weight is piling on and I need some encouragement to get off my fattening arse and back ounding the streets. The gym is OK but I get bored after about 8k on the treadmill.

I lived in Scotland for three years, so I feel your pain on the miserable winters. And I, too, frickin' hate running in the dark. And on the treadmill. But before the other folks here offer their wisdom on a hundred different flashlights, glow in the dark vests, helmets with lights on them, and assorted geekery ... how about the obvious question: can you run in the morning? It's still too dark then, too, for now, but the clocks move back an hour in a couple weeks (unless the U.K. doesn't do the daylight savings thing!). Can you get on the road by 6 or 7 in the morning, before work? Or are you so far north that it's still not light then? (By the way, getting moving earlier supposedly boosts your metabolism all day, making it easier to keep off the pounds, and letting you eat more curry. Although why you Brits like your curry is completely beyond me )

Although why you Brits like your curry is completely beyond me )

Maybe because it totally rawks!!! I could eat curry several times/week (another reason I wish we had a Trader Joe's--they have some awesome curries)! I agree with Jake...if you can get out in the AM, do so. But even then motivation can be hard. We have pretty "british" cloud cover in these parts during at least 6 months of the year and I can already see it killing my motivation (add rain, wind, snow...ick). Even though the Summer heat and humidity were miserable, I really hate bundling up and feeling so cold as I first step outside. It's enough to make a person turn around and crawl back into bed. k

I agree w/ Mike...suck it up & go. We have clouds & rain, then wind & snow, then more cold, wind & snow. A blizzard, then a freeze, then some biting wind that almost knocks you backwards. Getting out there sucks. The first few miles suck. Your body is cold & tight, it doesn't want to relax & run. It hurts to breathe in the cold air. But you do it. You run that first couple of miserable miles, then a couple more, then 5 more. And when you are done, you drink a big cup of hot cocoa & say, "screw you, Old Man Winter, I ran & kicked your cold, miserable ass!"

Cold and Dark is the name of the game for me in the next few months. I'm in NE Scotland, a wee bit North of where JakeKnight lived, and it's real cold and real dark. Up here you travel to and from work in the dark for months so unless your out at lunchtime you've got to "suck it up". I don't as yet so everything I'm doing already is at night. My suggestions for coping/keeping it going are- 1) Buy a couple of cheap track suits (ones with a hooded top so you can look like Rocky and with the slight furry/thermal ling to them). You can wear these over your more usual stuff in combination to suit the prevailing conditions. They're cheap so you can get them wet/dirty. You can always open the zip, put your hat in the pockets etc. to make you more comfy again dependent on the conditions. Apart from the pretending you're Rocky bit (.........eye of the tiger it's the thrill of the fight, rising up to the......................)I found these extremely helpful in keeping me going in snow & rain last winter. They are quite heavy but these are only for training so who cares? I think they're great value. 2) Buy a cheap fleece hat. Can be washed and dried very quickly and can be removed mid-run to suit conditions but the main thing is when you set off you'll feel a bit more snug (40% of heat loss is through your head) and hence feel more like carrying on. 3) Warm up as best you can before you go outside. 4) Set a goal! Enter a race in the spring or something, pay that money! Then you've got a clear target to aim for and you can structure your training rather than letting the 'I'll put it off 'til it's light' demon strike . You won;t be able to otherwise what a waste of money? Always gets me anyway! Other stuff; run with someone, join a club, run at lunchtime etc. All makes sense. Main thing, the main motivation- Make it fun! (as best you can) eg. When Rocky had run the streets, and been followed by kids, and sweated, and pushed, and hurt, and run up the stairs, and turned by the monument............he punched the air! With both hands and for all he was worth, he punched the air. He enjoyed it, for one reason or another and despite the toil, he enjoyed it! That's the trick! Good luck. Cheers, FC

Hi Simo, I lived in England up until the age of 24 and did many night runs. I have several suggestions; Don't sit down, never get comfortable at home before you want to leave. Tell yourself that you will run for 10 mins and if you dont feel like running after those 10 minutes to turn around and go home.

I agree. The best motivational advice I ever heard for days when it's cold out and warm in bed and you don't feel like getting up (or running after work) was simply this: put your shoes on and head out the door. Plan to run (or walk) just across the street. Maybe down to the corner. Tell yourself you'll quit when you get there. 99% of the time, you'll find that once you get that far, you'll just keep going. The other 1% of the time, you can come home and have a beer. We won't tell.

I like fluffchub's gear list. Pretty much what I wear too. I really have to run in the AM or" it don't happen"... When I run in the dark I wear a reflective vest and a flashing red light that cliips onto me. I also most generally have my dog along (he's starting to grumble about runining in the dark and the rain...whoose). I wear gloves and a fleece headband if it is below 40 and .... I run with tunes...so, I just rock out for 3 to 6 miles before going to work. It's actually the only time I listen to my MP3 player, so I always look forwrd to it....even in the dark.

Well if you ran with the gals I run with, rain snow or shine, there is no better motivator!!!! Here in Alaska...temperatures drop...it gets pretty dark...and you hafta get out at noon! No ifs ands or butts! Running through the snow on trails in the winter is so much fun and every now and then a black wolf will join your party. Just find some friends who like to get out with you and there you have it!