Arctic Adventure Running (aka getting to work in Glasgow)

More than a foot of snow fell over the central belt of Scotland in the space of just a few hours on Monday morning leaving the road networks and public transport in chaos. Being an early starter I was already in work when the snow started to fall so I missed most of the excitement. I was cursing myself though for not having any running kit in work, as by foot seemed to be the only viable option for my 8 mile journey home.

However, I was fortunate to get a lift most of the way home with a colleague who somehow managed to avoid most of the gridlocked roads and navigate his way around abandoned cars.

On Tuesday, with little prospect of any trains or buses and my car buried deep under snow at Milngavie station. I decided that running into work might be my best option. Many drivers had spent the night in their cars on gridlocked motorways and so driving was not an option even if I could manage to get my car out. I have covered the 8 miles to work many times and even taking it easy can be there within about 55 minutes but running it deep snow with temperatures said to have plummeted to -15c overnight meant that this could be a bit of an adventure!

Having packed my work clothes and some spare winter gear into my rucksack, I set off wearing about 5 layers, two hats and two pairs of gloves. My Asics Trabucco trail shoes grip well in the snow so I wore those, it was hard going and extremely cold as I passed one or two people trying to dig their cars out of the snow. After a mile and a half I noticed a train at the station so I jumped on and remarkably it left just about 5 minutes late. I was looking forward to arriving at work having run all the way but I was a little relieved to be sat on the warm train. It soon became packed out with commuters trying to battle their way into work and there was a great deal of optimism until it came to a sudden halt 4 stops out of the City Centre. It was clear it was going to be a long wait and so I jumped out and started to run. In the city the pavements were treacherously icy but I slithered my way along the Clyde side and up into an almost deserted City Centre. I got some odd looks as I ran along Bothwell St passing a few commuters cautiously edging their way along the icy footpaths but I had made it, with the help of the train in about 85 minutes!