I’m in UK for few days, and this morning I have woken up to 50kph winds, rain and clouds… well, I shouldn’t be surprised as it was exactly the same when I went to bed, and I have to admit it reminds me exactly why I decided to move to southern Spain for the winter!

Oh well, I have my bike trainer waiting in my living room so can thrash out a quick hour of intervals, and a visit to the gym for pool and weights will fill in my afternoon before I head to Gatwick. But the amount of motivation required to train is so much higher if faced with cold wet weather and/or stuck indoors grinding my way through a set on a turbo trainer.  I really do have a new found appreciation of all the UK athletes who train through winter, they are definitely more d dictated than me. At least in Tokyo, where I have spent the last 20 years, the winter is generally dry and bright even if it is cold and crowded!

Tomorrow I fly into Valencia, where I will meet a “fresh of the boat but already in love with the city new arrival” for lunch and then take a few hours to explore the town together, before I catch a bus to Javea.  I really cant wait to wake up on saturday morning to sunny blue skies and warm sea breezes, and get my long run in before lunch. Then on Sunday will be long bike, and the WhatsApp call has literally just arrived for riders for this week ride, so I will take my brand new bike and joining my brand new bike friends for my first group ride in Javea, I am guessing will be a bit of mountain, a bit of  countryside, maybe a bit of seafront, all on quiet roads in with sunny weather and temperatures of around 20%.

Whats not to like?? Who needs motivation when all this is waiting? I feel so lucky to have this opportunity to live in such an amazing place, and I cnat wait to get back there.