Return of the White Stuff!

A rigorous stretching session and a much longer warm up jog preceded the planned short tempo at distance training on Thursday. The short tempo turned out to be a shorter (surprise, surprise!) tempo session than last week and much faster. Together with the sleet blowing at us we really were treated to a tough workout! Friday's Carr Lane run was much tougher than I had anticipated. I had hoped to get up it in one go but this was not the case, the hard session the night before really showed. I had a much needed and, I thought, well earned rest day on Saturday in preparation for our long run on Sunday.

Opening the curtains on Sunday morning I was shocked to see a white blanket of snow and it was still coming down. I immediately thought this would put paid to our long run. However, a few hours later Sophie texted me to say 'is nowt we haven't seen before. See you at 2 pm' I was delighted! Acting like a small child I demanded Martin take a photo in our snow covered garden before I set off, just in case it had all melted by the time I returned!

Off I went to the meeting place at Apperley Bridge Lisa was there too - perfect! We set off with the intention of seeing how it was under foot and making a decision as to whether to stick to our planned 15.7 mile route or just run 7.5 miles along the canal towards Rodley and double back to make up the 15 miles. After last week's long haul from Silsden on the canal I didn't much fancy that but needs must.

After 3 miles or so Lisa announced that now was decision time, follow our route or carry on along the canal? Sophie very nicely asked a lady if she would take a photo of the three of us before we agreed to go along with the plan and so turned off the canal up towards Horsforth, continuing through to Adel, Bramhope, Yeadon, Rawdon and finishing off with a gruelling downhill to Apperley Bridge, by this time we were all weary but I couldn't help feeling great satisfaction at sticking to our plan even though the white stuff had tried to scupper our best laid plans......