How about this as an excuse from a beginner - me. Its 2 inches of solid, lumpy ice on all paths and roads within 15 miles except for the M3 motorway. Running around a park in the dark would be pure stupidity unless you have a death wish and all running clubs evenings start and finish when I am still at work. That said, when it clears up I will be out again and cant wait.
Albert, I thought running was not an elitist clique of "so much better than thou" people that you can find in other walks of life. I hope this remains to be the case.