We’ve all been there. Even the most adventurous and trail-hardened among us has, at one stage or another, been stood in a toasty warm house and faced down the cold.  Procrastination sets in and we start coming up with a million and one reasons why we shouldn’t go outside for a hike or run – the paths will be too icy, too wet, too windy? Perhaps you’ll go later when it clears. Or tonight, when with one of your friends?  If any of the below sounds familiar, let us know.

Stage 1 – Window staring

You decide it’s time to go out.  But after looking out of window and noticing that everything has a frosty glaze to it, you subsequently spend 15 minutes asking everyone in the house how cold they think it is outside.  Of course, you could actually go and look for yourself, or check your the weather app on your phone.  Having tiptoed outside, stared at the sky as though you’re trying to predict what the weather will do, passed pleasantries with the neighbour out walking their dog, the cold suddenly takes effect.  The only recourse: to go back indoors.

Stage 2 – And action

You decide it’s REALLY TIME TO GO OUT NOW. Ignoring everyone’s advice, you put on two base layers, a t-shirt, jacket, hat, gloves etc. You  then prat about long enough to start sweating profusely in the house. You decide you’re wearing too much and start stripping off, to then do a changing parade of jackets vs windproof tops. Do you wear a hat? Thermal top or long tights? Will your gloves be thick enough? Has the iPod been charged along with your other hiking/running gadgets? No, well, best put them on charge and delay the outing for a few more minutes.

Stage 3 – Actually leave

After significant faffing, upon finally leaving your house, you immediately lose feeling in fingers, prompting a number of four letter expletives, all whilst questioning your stupidity for not keeping the extra layers on.  Perhaps the ‘Go Bold, Go Cold’ motto wasn’t such a good idea. You rush back indoors, put more layers on and go back out again feeling pleased with yourself.

Stage 4 – The Phantom Nose Drip

After 5 minutes hiking into the icey wind you start to get the sensation that there’s a small drop of snot on the end of your nose. There’s not, but everything’s so cold there could be. You use gloves to dab end of nose and hope no one notices.  You go to take a selfie only to notice that your camera battery is flat. Typical.

Stage 5 – The warm and fuzzy feeling

Having previously been too cold, 15 minutes in, you suddenly get a warm flush, realising that you may have one too many layers. You start to sweat, which when it’s near freezing outside, isn’t exactly ideal. You revise your thoughts on the ‘Go Bold, Go Cold’ and decide that perhaps that is the way to go after all.

Have you found it difficult to motivate yourself this winter? If so, let us know how you’ve overcome it?