Five days post-op, my recovery is going well. The first couple of days were rough; the pain, swelling, and discomfort were all part of the deal.

But the last day or two have been different.

Today's the first day I haven't needed painkillers or antibiotics, and the daily nose rinses are getting easier.

There's less blood, easier breathing, and I'm generally feeling more normal. That's progress, right?

The thing is, I'm still exhausted - more tired than usual.

And that's frustrating when you're someone like me, used to being fit, active, and constantly on the go.

You want to bounce back immediately. You want to feel like yourself again. You want to get back to normal life, back to training, back to doing all the things that make you feel alive.

Except... you can't. Not yet, anyway.

After surgery and anaesthesia, your body needs real time to recover, not just trying to push through it, but actually letting your body rest and do its thing.

So that's what I'm doing. One day at a time. Resting. Letting recovery happen naturally.

And here's what hit me: this whole process is exactly like fitness.

Recovery - whether it's from surgery or from training - can't be rushed.

It takes patience. It takes consistency. It takes small daily actions, repeated over time, to get back to full strength. You don't rebuild fitness in a week. You rebuild it through weeks and months of steady, intentional work.

Which brings me to winter training.

This time of year, a lot of cyclists make the same mistake I was tempted to make after my surgery - they try to do too much too soon.

They chase big gains. They push hard. They think winter is about grinding and grinding hard.

But it's not.

Winter is about maintaining your base, keeping things steady, and setting yourself up for success come January.

When you give your body the right conditions to recover and adapt during these quieter months, you come back stronger, fresher, and ready to make real progress.

That's the principle behind what we're doing at Cycle Lean this winter.

If you want to stay consistent over the next few weeks and start 2026 feeling strong and ready, I want to invite you to grab the Cycle Lean Black Friday Bundle.

It includes a four-week plan designed specifically to keep you fit and healthy over winter without overdoing it. You'll maintain your fitness, you'll stay on track, and you'll avoid the burnout that comes from pushing too hard when you should be recovering.

Plus, you'll secure your spot in the Cycle Lean Project starting in January, where we'll focus on getting you leaner, stronger, and fitter than ever before.

Spots are already being taken, and the offer closes December 1st.

Don't wait.

Grab your bundle now and set yourself up for a strong 2026.

Neil