I love this time of year. The crisp air, blue skies and the sight of your own breath combine for the most inspiring of all the seasons.

It’s especially satisfying braving the cold as the temperature plunges south, leaving the warmth of your abode wrapped up like the Michelin man and plunging into the freezing cold air. The first few minutes are horrible, as icy tentacles crawl over your exposed face, water streams out of your eyes and the body recoils in shock.

But resist the temptation to hot foot it back home and after 30 minutes or so, when the legs have gradually warmed up and the body acclimatises to the low temperature, you realise it’s not so bad after all.

I keep rides relatively short and brief when it’s this cold, but my hands are usually the gauge I follow for when it’s time to start heading home. My body seems particularly rubbish at circulating blood to my hands, and even as I type this in the warmth of the office, my hands feel cold!

If there’s a chance of ice on the roads, I’ll rethink heading out on the road bike. A crash last winter on an unexpected ice covered road left me limping for several days and isn’t a risk I want to take. Instead, I’ve decided I’ll pump up the tyres on my cyclo-cross bike and go off-road for my fix, choosing a route that takes in several of South London’s parks. That or the turbo trainer will get dusted down after being stored in the cupboard since I last used it 8 months ago, but only as a last resort.

So don’t look out the window and let your heart sink at the sight of a cold day, frost covering the neighbours cars or, even, snow. Instead, with enough decent clothing make sure you get out there this winter and enjoy the most thrilling season of the year.