Autumn and Winter Training

When autumn arrives and the weather gets cold and wet, it's hard to find any motivation to go out on the bike. This year will have to be different - I need to keep up my fitness so that I'm not struggling to regain it come spring time.

Val bought me some good wet weather gear for my birthday last month, but that doesn't get over the problem of cold hands and feet. Big gloves are usually enough for the hands providing I don't stop for long, but my feet - aagghh! Even with Sealskins socks, then cycle shoes, then Neoprene overshoes, and an old pair of hiking socks over the top of that lot, making me look like the Abonimable Snowman on two wheels, they are still like two blocks of ice after an hour. If anyone knows the secret of warm feet, please post a comment!

Trying to keep warm on last year's freezing 'Christmas Cracker', with Richard Dugdale

I've covered over 2,000 miles on the bike so far this year, but no matter how much I do, my leg muscles don't seem to want to get any bigger. Everyone else seems to go up hills faster than me. Do muscles refuse to increase in size at age 58 or do I need to do some strength training? Again, if you know the answer, post a comment.

I'm off to Switzerland on Thursday for two days' walking. That's three trips away in five weeks, so I'll have some serious grovelling to do when I get back, before I start some serious work looking for sponsors - food, clothing, cycle spares, accommodation, and anything else I can think of.