I was staring at my calendar this morning — November 19th — coffee going cold, and I felt that old familiar knot in my stomach.

The same one I used to get every winter.

Because for years, my routine was always the same:

I’d barely train through November and December… then spend January and February in full panic mode trying to catch up.

By the time April rolled around, everyone else who trained through winter was flying, and I was miles behind, watching them disappear up climbs I should’ve been able to hold.

I hated that feeling.

And honestly, I thought that was just “how it is” when you’re a busy cyclist in your 40s.

But this year something shifted.

Eight weeks ago, instead of falling into that old pattern, I followed the exact 8-week training block that now lives inside the Cycle Lean Project (our group coaching programme)

And the results surprised even me:

+20 watts on my FTP

–3 kg on the scales

Stronger on the bike… on just ~5 hours of riding per week

Nothing extreme.

No heroic winter mileage.

Just consistent, smart training that actually fits around real life.

So when I caught myself starting to slip this morning — that winter voice whispering, “Leave it, just sort it out in January…” — I had a moment where I just laughed.

Because I finally know better.

I know what happens when I roll into winter without a plan.

And now I also know what happens when I actually follow one that works.

That’s why I built the Cycle Lean Black Friday Bundle — for people who feel exactly like I used to every winter: behind, frustrated, and dreading the idea of starting over in January.

This bundle gives you the head start I spent years wishing I’d had.

Here’s what you get:

✓ A complete, busy-cyclist-friendly winter training plan

✓ Cycling-specific nutrition that works even when life gets chaotic

✓ Recovery strategies that stop burnout before it starts

✓ A guaranteed spot in the next Cycle Lean Project (so you’ve got accountability and community when you need it most)

✓ Plus… the Cycle Lean Blueprint — the exact program I used to build those recent gains

Here’s the thing I learned the hard way:

Winter isn’t the season to survive.

It’s the season that decides whether you spend spring chasing… or leading.

If you want to roll into 2026 already fitter, lighter, and stronger — not stressed, behind, and trying to undo six weeks of damage, this is your moment.

Check out The Cycle Lean Black Friday Bundle!

Your April self will thank you.

Neil