I left the house at 6:25 this morning. All was quiet with just a couple of newspaperboys sharing the road and the odd car driven by an unlucky soul with an impractical commute ahead of them or an absolute need to be at work early.

I was different. Slick tyres spinning silently, change-of-season chill on my ears and arms, swiftly growing light levels and regular breathing uncommonly loud in the windless air.

I blasted down to Leatherhead and round the one-way system, then back up to Bookham, puffing hard up the shallow valley and secretly pleased with myself to have got out. 25 minutes. 6 miles. That’s all it took, alarm off, kit on, breakfastless but out there.

Back at the house, chest and belly chilled from the cold air but a hot shower and some cereal later and I was ready for work. Blood still pumping, calories still burning but exercise banked before a day in the office and feeling strangely awake.

Is it sustainable? I don’t know, but I’ll see how it goes. It’s not too much to be a burden but far enough to make fast riding a bit of an effort. Just riding along I guess.

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About the author

Matt is one of the founding Molefathers of the Muddymoles, and is the designer and main administrator of the website.

Having ridden a 2007 Orange Five for many years then a 2016 YT Industries Jeffsy 29er, he now rocks a Bird Aether 9 and a Pace RC-627.

An early On-One Inbred still lurks in the back of the stable as a reminder of how things have moved on. You can even find him on road bikes - currently a 2019 Cannondale Topstone 105 SE, a much-used 2011 Specialized Secteur and very niche belt drive Trek District 1.

If you've ever wondered how we got into mountain biking and how the MuddyMoles started, well wonder no more.