If you’re reading this on Monday Jan 18th, hello and welcome officially to the most miserable day of the year. Psychologists determine the most depressing 24 hours of the year based on a number of variables, which include the weather, the feeling of a need to take action and a lack of motivation. There are more, but I can’t be bothered to list them....

Now I fear I am perfect fodder for a dose of Monday blues this year, as I struggle to even recall my New Year fitness resolutions, never mind implement them. Honestly I am turning into Bridget Jones. The flipping weather has frustrated my return to road/park running, just when I was at my peak of errrr wanting to do it. I tried to go to a Zumba class last week and there was a power cut at my club, so it was shut. I ask you, what are the odds of that?

I buy a new gismo gadget thingy, for my new training regime, which I can’t use. I don’t even actually know what it’s called. And I realised, with an air of gloomy resignation, that I will have to purchase some new running gear, because the stuff I had, I ran into the ground, no pun intended, when I did the marathon back in 2005. To make matters worse, everywhere you look there are people running up and down the byways of this fine land, with a jaunty, slightly self-satisfied air and I'm not one of them.

I did manage a 3-miler in the gym at the weekend, which made me feel slightly better, but honestly, my January fitness report would definitely say could do better. I know I am only training for a 5-mile relay leg of the Edinburgh Marathon in May, so it is hardly panic stations. But I would like to feel that I could run so much further, if I wanted. So all in all, I feel a bit like Kevin Pietersen at the moment. Caught between a rock and a hard place. It’s all there, but I can’t quite seem to find it.

Note to self. I have just realised KP and Christian Bale look slightly alike. Discuss? Okay I did use the word slightly....  So please cheer me up with some witty repartee. If nothing comes to mind, just a joke or a few kind words. Anything to obliterate the memory of an innings defeat in Johannesburg and the fact that is still only the middle of January and the summer seems so far away....