How bad do you want it was good.
I have some goals for next year, and I need to keep up the training during winter, but oh my is it cold out there. I finished an 11 mile trip on Friday and when I got back to the house it was 28F and pitch black. I’ll buy something next time I’m in town so I can tolerate those temps a little better.
I just started MTB in August, hadn’t ridden a bike in 20 years before that. I died after two laps of my property (2/3 mile). My longest dirt trip so far is about 15 miles with 1000′ of gain, so I’m getting better. I want to be able to do the annual Silver Peak or Bust run on the bike next October. It’s 33 miles, 2400′ (elevation gain) straight climb to start, then up/down all around.
I quit smoking back in May, 2015 after 25 years of 2 packs a day. I vape now, which does generate some laughs when I’m hiking. I am unable to breath enough during MTB to be able to vape unless it’s real mellow stuff with company. 30 minutes after the trip I can take a drag. Mountain biking came as a result of quitting smoking, where I live (mountains/valley) and I used to ride a road bike a lot back in the last 80’s and early 90’s. Used to do 80 miles in a day, once a month.
Seems like us humans are good at finding excuses. Wind, rain, heat, cold, snow, daylight, time. Good luck with your efforts to get in shape. I can’t imagine doing a century at this time.