Using winter wisely…

Kim Wills Clayden | Blog, Mountain Biking Uk | 28/12/2012 11:10am

Guest blog: Neil Cain on motivation and making the most of winter

Neil, our new guest blogger

Neil Cain is a 37-year-old graphic designer who lives on the Isle of Wight. He’s been riding for 20 years and has worked in numerous roles in the bike trade, including as a mechanic and MTB guide. This is his first blog for MBUK.

Ah, winter. God’s way of recycling summer. It’s the time you really need to get out and ride – apparently ‘summer races are won in the winter’, but when, in reality, the TV and sofa are far more appealing. (And as I don’t really race much anymore, ‘winning races’ doesn’t really provide much motivation.)

So yes, I have been bad so far this winter. Apart from a few wet, rigid singlespeed excursions there’s been little to harp ceremoniously about.

I wish I could – I’d love to say ‘I am a winter riding demigod. Slime and grime are nothing to me. I laugh at the cold and sneer at frozen fingers,’ but I can’t. As winter crawls on even my road commuting has dried up, and the pounds are making their presence felt.

Still, I’m looking on the bright side. I have a plan. I’m taking advantage of God’s recycling. I’m studying maps and Google Earth, wondering whether local favourite trails can be extended.

I have been using the time I’d normally spend riding exploring – I’m checking out places I’ve not ridden for a while and others that are totally new – because there’s less foliage and fewer people about I can get to places previously out-of-bounds.

I’m following deer tracks to see where they go. New cheeky trails are forming in my head, and I know now is the best time to get them on the ground. Come April, when things start to grow, I want them to be ridable.

So it’s good. It’s positive. Winter’s great! All I need to do now is get out of my warm, comfortable bed…

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