One Cold December Night

22/12/2010 - Needed to get out for a run.  I'd been cooped up working at home due to the inclement weather and was going stir crazy.  So I donned the running gear, technical T-shirt, running jacket, thinsulate beenie, thinsulate gloves, leggings, head torch and the trusty Nike Lunarglides.

20:30 pm, said goodbye to the family reminding them if I did not return to avenge my death. The original plan was to take to the tracks that lead into the countryside fields.  Then I remembered last week.

Last week I set off at night across a blanket of newly laid snow and went feral.  Off into the countryside following the tracks between the fields with only my trusty head torch illuminating my way.  It was lovely.  Then after about 1/2 hour I realised it was also very, very dark.  The torch does a good job of lighting up the 10ft in front but sod all beyond that.  Oooo very isolating.  Completely black all around.  Then it occurred to me what would I do if I slipped and broke a leg?  Sure I had my mobile but can you imagine:

Cold and afraid.

 Rings home from the mobile.
"Hello, it's me.  I've fallen and I think I need rescuing"
"Street name? No I'm in a field, errr not sure, I went west, about 1/2 hour"
"What can I see? I can see some lights in the distance, orange ones, what? I'm directly under the moon, directly under!"


So I decided to stick to lanes that skirt the villages.  Still dark and covered in virgin snow but close to noticeable landmarks. If you've never run on snow let me say it's great, nowhere near as slippy as you might think and a bit like running on sand.  So you get a good workout.

Through the gate, onto the track.

Set off through the village and onto the first track.  Switched on the head torch and off I go.  Oooo the lovely crunch of fresh snow under foot.  It's very quiet and there's no one around, perfect.  After a while I decide to see if I can capture some photo's, which turned out to be pretty pointless on the mobile in the pitch black.  But anyway:

"ET phone home"

Onwards we go till I hit a dead end, turn round and head back.  Back through the village and swing a left up another lane towards another village. Get as far as the next village and have to turn back.  Head home and finish a very fulfilling 10k.  Step in the house to a welcoming family (well at least to the missus saying "You're bloody mad" and the daughter asking "Why are you sweating?").