Ok, a little background first. I am male, 41, and have been running for just over a year. As in 13 months. I am pretty fit ( 50 - 60 push ups in a minute, able to do chins, can bench press my bodyweight etc ). I also have an unhealthy fascination with parentheses ( but that's a topic for another day ). I was a life-long gym rat until injuries forced me to drastically limit my weight work a few years ago. I have also been deep into yoga for a few years at a time once in my twenties and again in my late thirties. I first started running on a whim last February. Technically, it was the November before that, but I quickly developed shin splints and other injuries that forced me to give it up for the better part of that December and all of January last year. Ok, so I've been running since last February, and the first time I ran a mile without stopping last March was the first time in my life that I had ever done so. When I first started running I lived in the Tampa area and actually really loved running down there over the summer. I had no problem running in the heat whatsoever, and was genuinely afraid of how I would do over the winter when I moved to Toronto last August. Much to my surprise I not only survived running up here in the winter but I actually thrived. I ran during blizzards. I ran on snow. I ran on ice. Most of my runs are either 5k, 10k, or 15k. In the last few months I have added one 21k run every few weeks. I run, on average, 4 or 5 days per week. With the exception of the 5k most of my routes are at least partly over trails that are not maintained in terms of snow removal etc. The reason I kept running on them during the winter was because, to be honest, no one up here clears their sidewalks and there was no more ice or snow on the trails than there was on the sidewalks. The rest of the routes are over side streets, but if you have ever driven in Canada or been around Canadian drivers you understand where I'm coming from when I say that I feel safer running on ice pack in the middle of nowhere than on surface streets in Toronto. Ok, so here's my problem. I did something last Friday that I haven't done before. I quit after 6k of a 10k run. I just... stopped. I didn't want it anymore. Winter has refused to let go up here and it was maybe 2C out there ( I've run 10k at least a dozen times this winter when it was -5C or colder ), it was windy, and the ice packed trail that I was running just felt like it was tearing me up. Logically I know that it was tearing me up. The parts of the trail where the sun was shining through were softened to the point that the snow was reduced to tiny ice pellets that felt exactly like running on a beach. The parts of the trail where the trees blocked the sun were still solid ice and horribly uneven. These surfaces would alternate about every 100 meters or so and my ankles were constantly turning in or out on the uneven ice, and then snow pellets felt like quicksand. Yeah, whine whine. I have been running on this since November without an issue. In fact, I loved running on it. I loved knowing that there were only a handful of people still out there running on that mess. Still, there I was on Friday, 6k into a 10k, with only 1k of trail left before I hit the side streets and breezed home with the wind at my back, and I just stopped. I started to walk back to the last intersection, stopped, turned around and tried to make myself finish. I ran maybe 200 meters before I stopped and headed back again. I was done. So now it's Sunday. It's 2C again, with the hope of hitting 4C this afternoon. I had planned on running a 15k today. I went to walk my dog earlier and while it is 2C, there is a steady 20k wind that gusts up over 40k. None of the ice or snow is melting, and I just can't bear the thought of running out into that wind today. I thought about just doing a surface street run but again, I just don't want it. So now I'm negotiating with myself. I'll run the 15k tomorrow when it's supposed to be 8C, which is somewhere in the 40's, but it's also supposed to rain all day. Or, I can wait until Tuesday, 4C, rain, and high winds. As I type this I'm fairly certain I'll end up taking a few days off and running on Wednesday instead. I guess what I'm wondering is... why? I've been through bouts of being over-trained before in my gym days, and that's not what this feels like. Is it just winter fatigue? Does that happen to northern runners where, at the end of winter, you're just done with it? Or am I just being a big baby and I need to "HTFU". I mean, really, I thought that I had "HTFU" all winter. Seriously. Help me out here.

Answer one: Go ahead and take a break. Don't feel bad about it, that defeats the purpose. You'll be ready to go after a few days. Answer two: HTFU. Either one will work. Arla

Ahhhh welcome to spring...except when it isnt. It is really common to hit a "I am so freaking sick of running in this crap" point this time of year. My running partner and I have been going strong all winter and now grouse every run about the weather and the dark hours. Happens every year. The teasing temptation of spring makes this everlasting shit unbearable. The calendar says it is spring dammit, so where the hell is it? Take a little break if you want or go run on a treadmill for a few days (nothing gets me back out there faster than the dreadmill option) or HTFU and just do it. Whichever.

For me, I've found that I've completely wimped out with this weather. I've let my winter shield down and am ready for spring and can no longer mentally handle anything wintery.

I had planned on doing my long run for this coming week on Tues...but have you looked at the forecast? 20+mph winds and snow/rain mix. I can't do it. Dane has half-days all week and did is being kind enough to take a half-day so that I can get my long run in...I hope he can switch to Weds. I don't think I can make myself run for 2.5 hours in that crap. We're at about 5 months solid of cold, wet, "wintry" shit.

(Deep breath, big smile) Now I feel better. Hope you will too.

Wanna pass that joint, man...only way you could be smiling right now is if you're high.

Marcus...your avatar! Bwahahaha...

Ask me why I live in the south? It is 56 F. Tuesday we are lookoing at 71 F. Now I understand why people run on treadmills.

LMAO, I was going to say the same thing. I ran all winter in Toronto. I found the last 2 weeks to be great for running and I found the small residential streets completely bare. Sidewalks do suck though I'll give you that. ....... Just push through man! MTA: Welcome to Canada

here here...I agree, and the weather today was beautiful....AND I have travelled the world and the drivers suck EVERYWHERE. Toronto is no safe haven but we do have some good drivers 'up here'.