I haven’t wintered well.

Far too much time being ill really knocked my motivation for riding. After the longest lay-off in several years, I struggled more than I was expecting when I got back onto the bike towards the end of January. Feeling like I had lost all my fitness, even the lightest and shortest ride had me struggling more than I could ever have imagined. Legs hurting and lungs burning, it was pretty miserable.

But a couple of weeks of steady riding, coupled with this morning’s beautiful blue sky and the first real sign that spring is nudging ever close, and I felt a renewed sense of motivation.

Poking my nose out of the window, the air felt warmer. So I dug around in my wardrobe and, towards the bottom of the pile under the tights and legwarmers, I found a pair of three-quarter-length tights. I pulled them on, along with the rest of my kit; just a long sleeve base layer and medium weight jersey, and cycled the short distance to work.

And it felt great. A sense of renewal, a sense that the long cold winter is firmly a distant memory. My fitness is also starting to come back to me, slowly, but I can sense a return to form.

Suddenly, overnight almost, I’m really looking forward to the season of cycling: racing and sportives, touring and Audaxes. Bring them on.