Sunday 18 October 2015

New Posts for Winter season 2015/2016

Hi there.

I know that there are a few of you that used to read this blog regularly.  I also had not realised that it has been nearly two years since I last put a post on here,  I am hoping to change that this winter season and to post a little more regularly.  Temperatures in the UK have not dropped too much yet (days are still generally above 10C) but there is a definite chill in the air in the mornings now.

As far as what I have been doing in the interim not too much really.  I still do a lot of shirtless running in all weathers and temperatures here in the UK.  I have run several 10km and half marathon distance races over the past 2 years (all shirtless) - often being the only runner that will be shirtless at the start of the race.  I even seem to be getting a reputation of running races shirtless as one of my friends heard a conversation between two other runners recently where the one commented to the other about my shirtless state and the other one replied that they had seen me at other races and that I always run that way! 

Not been doing too much cold water swimming as there is not really anywhere around me that is convenient for doing that.  However, I am planning to run a few obstacle races over the winter which will involve going through water so I may need to do some preparation for those. 

One time when I was away in January of this year at a coastal town I did an early morning shirtless 10km run along the promenade.  There was frost on the ground and some icy patches where the water had frozen underfoot.  When I got close to the hotel there were a few young guys approaching me and they passed some comment to me about the cold.  I said it was not that bad and I was heading off to the sea now for swim.  I don't think they believed that I would actually go in the water as they stopped and watched as I went down to the seashore and stripped off to a very skimpy rio/thong bathing suit and then ran into the calm water for a swim.  The water temperature was around 7C so not that cold really.  After about 5 minutes I got out, put my shorts back on and then walked back that last 500m barefoot to the hotel for a session in the heated pool and the steam room.  I wish that I had challenged or dared the young guys to go swimming with me as I think that maybe one of them may have taken up the challenge.  Maybe next time. 

Let me know if you would accept such a challenge.