The weather has been so absolutely fantastic I have only missed 5 days riding since 25th December.
Now it's wet and muddy which is a shame and to top it all, I made some pathetic excuses to myself last night at 8pm not to ride and stay in & watch the Bond movie. Again. I am too weak.
Had an evening's turbo but it's just not a good substitute.
Personally, I've found in the past 2-3 years that time spent training now in Jan & Feb is so worthwhile and really sets you up for the early part of the summer & the promise of good weather in say March and then into the rest of the summer. Being ready for a weekend away blitzing a Welsh trail centre before the great unwashed are fit enough is a great bonus to early-year training.
It's also important to get out on 2+ (?) night rides a week as like it or not, that's a mind over matter issue and if the darkness and the cold & wet win out, then you know as well as I do, it a not quite the simple matter as it appears here in type – moreover it's exposing a weakness that really should be banished to Room 101. Flinching in the face of a little adverse weather is not something that mountain bikers are known for, quite the opposite, it's for us to be out in the fresh air, riding the trails, byways and woods with no regard for the wind & rain or dark evenings. This is what we do.
There: pep talk complete!