Snow patrol 
November turned out to be a sound training month in which I accumulated the highest monthly totalof the year, 332km/206 miles. The unusually cold November and early December weather is now producing unusually large quantities of c in accession to record freezing temperatures for the sentence of year.
Conditions are often worse elsewhere in the UK, causing major problems in many cases, so the fact I have been capable to run at all is a major bonus. After last week's 56 miles, this week is the first taper week ahead of the Pisa Marathon on December 19th. I had planned to remain on Monday and Tuesday but the attack of hard snow overnight on Monday forced a rethink so I headed out on Tuesday morning. It was 0c/32f when I headed out with fresh snow on the ground. I had few problems staying upright but took it easily - 9.73km/6.05mi in 0:51:34 at 5:18km/8:30mi pace - during a poor run to Stony Stratford and back.
The temperature dropped even more overnight on Tuesday, -4c/25f, and the snow froze producing some treacherous, rutted conditions underfoot on Wednesday. At this point of my preparations for Pisa, the final thing I ask is an injury caused by my own stupidity so I was resisted the enticement to go out and stayed indoors. 
The temperature dropped to -5c/23f overnight on Wednesday but around 4cm of new snow on Thursday morning created a nice, soft cushion and some grip (photo,left) so I headed out for a 10-mile run with the temperature at -2c/28f. I headed for Ouse Valley Park (see photo, top) which looked like a view from Christmas card. Again I was having no problems staying upright and I was enjoying myself so often that I decided to add an additional 3 miles - 21.11km/13.12mi in1:50:39 at 5:14km/8:26mi pace (HR 140). 
The Ouse Valley Park route passes through a tunnel underneath the Wolverton Aqueduct which forms section of the Grand Union Canal. The freezing temperatures are producing some amazing stalactite formations in the tunnel (see photo, left), which I had to break and admire for a minute. In other news - my HR seems to be binding in its happy zone and this morning's RHR was 46, the last ever recorded I think. The bad weather agency that Sunday's Perivale 5-mile race in West London is now at risk. The conditions is set to improve over the weekend, though whether this will be sufficient for the rush to go ahead, I am not sure. Thanks to everyone for comments on the marathon pricing and Wolverton 5 posts. Your encouragement and insights are very much appreciated. Tues 30 Nov (snow 0c/32f) 9.73km/6.05mi in 0:51:34 (pace5:18km/8:30mi) HR 138 Thurs 02 Dec (snow -2c/28f) 21.11km/13.12mi in1:50:39 (pace 5:14km/8:26mi) HR 140
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