30th-5th January Run notes

Tuesday

A cold wind blows in over Ardsley reservoir as the sun finally starts shining. The morning has been dark with a red and golden sky before I got here. I do the loop and see a few walkers before heading back and down the hill from Tingley past the lone stonemason chipping away as usual. Just before home I encounter two drivers who get a bit silly on a mini roundabout and one gives chase. I can't really tell what happened by the time I realise what is going on but the dramatic act of circling the mini roundabout just to chase someone down reminds me why I hate driving.

Friday

It's gone chilly and snow is on the forecast so worked in a weekday long run. I follow my well-worn path to Woodlesford via Rothwell and keep on the Wakefield road through Swillington to Garforth. This is mostly uphill and for whatever reason makes the whole enterprise much more of a slog than last weeks run around Penrith (should have had an extra slice of toast?). By the time I'm running back down the Greenway to Robin Hood I start to feel a bit leggy and have to munch through some emergency jelly babies. These keep me going for the final uphill five kilometres to home.

Sunday

Whiteout. Planning has paid off because last night the snow came. There must be 4-5inches or so round Leeds and so a shorter (allegedly easy) run fits in nicely. I'm in my Sauconys and they pay off, keeping my feet largely dry and giving me some extra grip as I switch from churned up roads to deeper drifts on the footpaths. It's early enough that there are plenty of fresh bits of snow and without many people and vehicles about the ambience is magical. However, it's still snowing and I have to put on sunglasses to keep the flakes out my eyes, everything requires a little bit of extra care to avoid a slip or foot into a deep drift. It's great fun though and rounds off week 1 of 2025 as I prepare for Brass Monkey.