Running in extreme wind is something every regular runner meets eventually. Mine arrived on day 2,111 of my daily running streak, while I was working away in the north of the UK and trying to fit my run into the middle of the day.

The wind was around 40mph, with gusts of 40 to 50mph. The canal beside me is usually completely still. Today the surface had a current, with waves moving across the water. That showed me more clearly than any forecast how strong the wind was.

Why I ran where I did

I came down to a sheltered stretch of canal, low in a valley, to get some protection. At that level the wind was noticeably weaker than on the higher ground around me. There were still moments when a gust arrived and I could not run at all. I stopped, waited for the gust to pass, then carried on. At one point something large stood on the path ahead of me and I waited for it to move. Anyone who has met an irate swan while running knows why I did not argue.

Here is my honest position. I run every day, and the first piece of advice I give about extreme wind is this: if you do not have to run, do not. The wind is far more dangerous than most people give credit for. I hold both of these facts at once. Today I ran because I chose the location carefully and I had run this stretch several times before.

Three lessons for running in extreme wind

1. Stay away from traffic. Vehicles in strong wind behave like large metal sails. Earlier in the day I was driving on the motorway and had to fight to keep the car straight. If the wind pushes a lorry around, a car mounting a pavement is a real risk for anyone on foot. Avoid busy roads, especially where vehicles travel at speed.

2. Stay away from edges. Water, drops, cliffs and raised walkways all carry the same danger. A gust catches you, moves you off line and leaves you no time to correct. Today I ran alongside a canal, which is the opposite of my usual rule. My reasons were that I was in an unfamiliar area, I knew this route from previous runs, and the low position cut the wind. Those reasons were specific to today. Without them I would have chosen differently.

3. Do not assume you are invincible. Runners often feel capable of handling anything. We are not. I know runners personally who have lost their lives on runs because of the conditions. I do not say this for effect. I say it because the risk is real, and a sensible plan removes most of it.

What this means for a long streak

My streak has a long-term vision of 16.5 years. After 2,111 consecutive days I have covered 16,234.39km, which leaves 23,840.61km of the 40,075km lap of the world. Roughly 40 per cent is behind me and 60 per cent remains.

A streak that long depends on one thing above all: being able to run tomorrow. Consistency does not mean running through anything. Consistency means making decisions today which protect the next thousand days. On a day like this, the discipline is in adjusting the plan: choosing the shelter, picking a known route, waiting out gusts, and keeping distance from traffic and edges. Toughness is the smaller part.

I run daily in barefoot-style footwear, and I film each run as part of a fundraiser for children's causes. The target is £1M for causes such as Great Ormond Street and BBC Children in Need. The mission only works if I am still running years from now. Every daily episode is a small piece of evidence that steady, careful effort adds up over time. Risk management is part of the mission, not a distraction from it.

A short checklist before you run in strong wind

- Ask whether the run is necessary today. If not, rest or move it. - Check the forecast for gusts as well as average speed. - Choose a sheltered route you already know. - Keep away from busy roads, water edges, drops and exposed walkways. - Tell someone your route and expected return time. - Be willing to stop, wait or turn back.

If you run regularly, you will face rough conditions at some point. The aim is to meet them with a plan.

If you want to see the conditions yourself, watch Episode 2,111 of Diary of a Runpreneur. If you have a question or a tip from your own experience in strong wind, leave a comment and I will reply to anything relevant. If you believe in the mission, subscribing and sharing helps put the vlog in front of more people, which helps raise more for children's causes. I will be back out tomorrow.

Watch the full episode: https://youtu.be/s-SbtEXTMKI