How to stay motivated over winter?

It's hard. Mornings are dark. Evenings are dark. Daytime is generally wet and windy. Or cold. We do get some amazing days in between, but as a general rule, a lot of brits hibernate, and therefore reduce training massively through the winter. Winter is when we should actually be building up our base levels ready to hit the ground running in the spring.

So how do you get your backside off the sofa and out the door training when the rain is coming down thick and fast?

There's so many ways to get going. I could list them 1-10 style (the internet seems to love lists) but instead am going to focus on just one.


Inspiration is all around you, you just have to look for it. For me, I get it from my two little boys. So how is a 4 year old and a 8 month old going to motivate you to get out the door?

It clicked for me one afternoon walking back from the school pick up. I noticed how he jumped in every puddle. Kicked every pile of leaves he came across. Danced around each (and every lamppost!) we walked past. He was just having so much fun, without a care in the world and completely ignorant to the impending storm coming our way or the 1.5 mile uphill walk he just finished!

So on my next run, turning right out of my door (instead of left - change keeps you going), I headed up to the hills (we live near the South Downs) and I jumped in every puddle I ran past. Clambered up every muddy slope. Found trees to sprint to and jog back down to the path from. Sadly, no lampposts... anyway, you get the idea. I went out with the intention of getting muddy, wet and just enjoying myself, forgetting about the training goals for a moment.

The result? I covered close to 10km in pretty good time, doing some great interval work in between (the tree sprints). And I felt invigorated after being out in the wet and wild (if safe to do so of course!)! Nothing a warm shower couldn't solve afterwards!

So this winter, channel your inner kid and get out there and enjoy it again. Use winter to recharge, have some fun, get wet & muddy.

You never know, you may realise you actually like it!

Matt Coyne

TriPals - Adventures in Triathlon


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