One of the joys of winter trail running is permanently wet feet, as amply illustrated by the photo above. Somewhere under all that mud are my nice (formerly) shiny new Salomon XA Pro Ultra’s. I get a lot of people asking me for advice on a good winter shoe, as all the manufacturers have brought out Goretex versions of their good summer shoes, to pimp as winter shoes.

I’d advise against these, as not only does it add weight to the shoes, but while it may stop water getting in, when less than ankle deep in water, it stops moisture getting out. This often results in rubbing and blister issues. My personal preference is to stick to summer trail shoes, with a good grip, as they ventilate well, and dry quickly. They are also good in snow and on ice. The key is to look after your feet, and to stay nimble and comfy.

At the moment my own training goals are to get a decent amount of running under my belt during the winter months, so when spring comes around, I can up the mileage to build towards the summer ultra season. I’ve got a fair bit of personal trainer work lined up in the coming weeks, but have some spaces for last minute bookings.