The summer seems so far away as I look out of the window into the "Dark Winters Night", my mind playing games with itself, do I really want to go out? Missing one night won't make a difference will it? It looks cold out there, but its warm inside, do I need to bother? The list starts to become an endless stream of excuses for not going down to the shed, to get my "Dark Winters Night" companion. "IT" has no excuses like, its cold, I can't be bothered, wonder what's on telly? The only thing stopping "IT" going training is my commitment.
The battle is over, my conscience getting the better of me, as always. Out I step looking like something from "Scott of The Antarctic". Fleece cycling jacket, thermal trousers, overshoes, woolly hat. Two layers of tops on underneath my jacket, two pairs of socks on my feet, under the overshoes and cycling shoes. Its probably 2 deg Celsius out there, but it certainly feels a lot colder and by the time I return, it certainly will BE!!!!. Ah well here goes, quick check over my "Dark Winters Night" companion, lights secure, Polar heart rate monitor fixed to the handlebars, perhaps it won't be so lonely after all. The beeping of my HRM. being a constant reminder, that my faithful training partner has not let me down with excuses. "IT" also has no excuses, as to why it cant go training.
After all the excuse making, and conscience battles, the ride itself was pretty un-eventful, I was a bit over cautious, too many layers of clothing, still better to be safe than sorry, you just never know what might happen on a "Dark Winters Night" when you're the lonely rider. But the question I ask myself, Am I the lonely rider? after all I have my companions, We may not be fluent in the same language but we all understand each other, and we will ALL, be out there again, the next time on a "Dark Winters Night".
