It’s November. Halloween is over. Mariah Carey’s voice is haunting the aisles of your local supermarket. All the signs are there: British winter is nigh.

Now, there are people who genuinely love winter - and there is a lot to love about it. But it’s probably not completely unreasonable to assume the majority of winter lovers aren’t endurance athletes. To runners, winter training means learning to run in the dark again and dealing with wet feet. To cyclists, winter means setting up the dreaded turbo trainer. To triathletes, it means all of the above plus potentially spending more time in the pool. But, regardless of sport, it means less daylight, lower temperatures and a whole new set of potential hurdles to overcome to get the training in.

But what if you could love winter training? Let’s look at the main hurdles and find a way to overcome them so that you can keep doing what you do and step up your game for next year.

Weather

Pouring rain, snow, howling winds or frost can all have very significant impacts on your training. We admire those who push through adversity to get the work in, but not at any cost. Elite sport is about maximising the risk-reward ratio: there’s little point attacking the slippery roads of the Peak District for your bike intervals when a turbo session can give you the same training stimulus with none of the risk. And that mentality carries over into running, too. Instead of trying to hit your tempo run in a blowing gale, you could move to a nearby treadmill or switch things up and head into the woods for a muddy trail run in grippy shoes.

Safety

As the days grow shorter and the light fades faster, visibility and safety become even more important. This is true for everyone, but especially for women who often feel less confident running alone in the dark. There’s no empirical evidence that running alone in the dark is more dangerous than any other time, but it can feel that way - and if that feeling is what’s keeping some people from doing what they love, then it absolutely matters.

This winter, plan your routes with intention: stick to well-lit paths, let someone know your plans (or give a loved one the means to track you via GPS), and whenever possible, run or ride with others. There’s real strength in numbers. It also makes sense to invest in some high-visibility kit that makes you hard to miss. From reflective jackets to flashing lights, there’s lots of stuff out there that can keep you safe on a budget.

Equipment

It sounds like a no-brainer, but it’s worth stating the obvious: good kit makes a world of difference. A lot of apparel out there these days costs an arm and a leg, but it’s worth eeking out the reasonable price tags and scouting the sales for the essentials that will keep you comfortable outdoors - or equipped to carry on indoors. Nothing like a good pair of gloves, a windproof jacket and a good pair of leggings to keep the party going until Spring!

Time

Those of us who work the more corporate-y jobs will know that Q4 and Q1 can get absolutely manic in the office, and most can relate to demands of the end-of-year festivities. Once again, this is a great opportunity to work on your flexibility as an athlete. You may struggle to get your hour-long run in on an evening as usual, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do something more time-efficient like a 20min circuits session or a 30min progression run. Maybe the 3-hour ride is off the table this weekend, but why not do a 45min Zwift race instead to switch it up? Adapting your training is still training. And sometimes, changing the stimulus and shocking your system is actually the best thing you can do to level up.

Motivation

Does anyone else feel like winter is about waking up in the dark, working while the sun is up, and coming home in the dark? Yes, almost everyone. It’s only natural for motivation to fade in those circumstances. Almost all of us are in the same boat. There’s no point feeling guilty or down about it. Be kind to yourself - heading out for a training session on a dark, cold, wet evening after a full day of meeting your responsibilities is a lot to ask.

When motivation dips, picture those first few days of Spring when you can enjoy your first session in short sleeves, or that first bit of warm sun on your forehead. Use that feeling as a reminder of why you’re in the work now. What you do in the dark earns you those effortless miles in the sun later.

Maybe this winter is the perfect opportunity to join a running club or a cycling group near you. That will set you up to still enjoy training outdoors safely, stay connected with like-minded people, and give you a Community of experience to tap into when trying something new. SUMMAT Run Club and Bakewell AC head out every Wednesday evening for a social 5km run, and SUMMAT’s Saturday morning ride-outs are a great way to keep the wheels turning through winter.

Community makes all the difference when motivation dips and everything feels much harder. It’s what keeps us showing up safely and with purpose.

Expertise

‘Tis the season of adaptation, and that can put less experienced athletes in very unfamiliar environments. New runners might be taking on their first XC races, novice cyclists may suddenly be doing their first turbo intervals sessions in their lounge, etc… Stepping out of our comfort zone can be daunting and confusing, but that’s where the real growth happens. Seek out advice and help from people who have been there and done that.

Winter can be the perfect opportunity to step up your game and build a stronger you for the year ahead. Winter might demand that you be more intentional with where, when and how you do your training, but it doesn’t have to be a forced break. Keep an eye on the forecast, and allow yourself to be flexible.

For us at KOTWF, 2026 has already begun. We are all about achieving more today to achieve even more tomorrow. Why not look into bespoke coaching or one of our training plans to get you started? Let’s make this winter a time for quiet progress, strength in flexibility and resilience. The light will return. We will be ready.