There is some high-tech stuff around these days. Try a zip-through jacket that you can easily take off and tie around your waist without breaking your stride – tip: double knots hold better. The trick is to have the right gear, and for me that means layers. You’ll be amazed how quickly you warm up once you get moving. Pro: you run or train faster, harder or further than you otherwise would, because if you stop you’ll freeze. Granted, there’s a caveat or two on that, but I think there are more pros than cons. The thing is, I’ve realised that cold weather training is your friend. Even harder when our ever-present smart phones tell us exactly how cold it is. When you know it’s cold out there, it’s hard to lace on the trainers and face it. The number one excuse right now has got to be Canberra’s arctic mornings and freezing evenings. As I lay there in my warm and comfy bed, I got to thinking about the ways we sabotage ourselves and the excuses we make to avoid our exercise plans. Don’t get me wrong, I was loving the opportunity for a knee-throbbing lie in. Then I aggravated a recurring knee injury while showing off on an evening run on Thursday (hey, when some clown has conveniently strung toilet paper across your path like a finish line, I defy you not to take a victorious leap through it). I promise you all that I really was going to attempt my first Parkrun last Saturday morning (it’s a free, timed 5km run, held every Saturday at a park near you, I’ll tell you more once I’ve done one).