The temperature here in Calgary was -20C for a week, and I chickened out on my runs. That's right, no running at all for 10 days. The cold spell is over and I'm back to running again, but it's definitely winter running with the temperature always below freezing, and with packed snow as my running surface.

I've found a simple schedule that works for me. Two runs on the weekend, and two during the week. The weekend runs are nice… the air is crisp and the sun is bright. The weekday runs are less pleasant. At 5pm the sun has already gone down, and the fact that I can't see the ice patches means that I have to run very cautiously. By the time my run ends, it is close to pitch black. And I'm continually blinded by the bicycles with their super-bright headlights. Did you know that many people in Calgary ride their bicycles all winter? The ice must be even more of a problem for them than it is for me.

Oh, and something new today. A beard icicle! I'm used to having my beard become caked with ice, but this was different. I had a beautiful little icicle, about an inch and a half long, hanging off my chin.