A PEEBLESSHIRE athlete has gone viral after sharing her gruelling training regime with the world.

Since taking up mountain biking at the age of 12, Katy Winton has progressed to becoming one of world’s top enduro riders.

The 23-year-old’s current training revolves around the Enduro World Series (EWS), in which she finished sixth overall last year. 

Her first international event of this year will be the EWS in Rotorua, New Zealand, which takes places on Saturday, March 25 and Sunday, March 26. 

Katy races for the Trek Factory Racing team, dubbed as one of the most prestigious brands in cycling. 

In the YouTube video, which racked up over 3,500 views in a week after being uploaded to the site midway through last month, Katy’s gruelling training efforts are displayed as she takes on the freezing conditions in and around Tweeddale.

From trudging up the hills in the snow, to working out at all hours of the day, the video highlights Katy’s dedicated work ethic, while the backdrop shows off the ever-changing landscape throughout the seasons of Peebles and beyond.

Katy told the Peeblesshire News: “I race Enduro - a rally style format for mountain biking. 

“We have a series of timed stages of predominantly downhill and it’s the accumulated time of these stages that is the race, and the fastest time wins. 

“We have a time limit to get to the stages and can be riding around seven hours but race from 25 minutes to over an hour. Basically I get to go up mountains all over the world and race down them as fast as I can!

“I raced Cross Country MTB since I was 12, progressing through Scottish Cycling and British cycling support programs picking up two British Championship titles and series wins and represented GB at World cups. 

“In 2013 I made the change to Enduro, and have never looked back its the best decision I’ve ever made, it’s so much fun and it’s allowed me to travel to world and make a career out of my passion.”

Where once the months between November and January were the domain of hardy hill farmers keeping their flocks alive, there is now a new band often seen out amongst the sitka spruce, peat and heather of the Borders in mid winter. 

The area has a raft of “new school” professional mountain bikers - all determined, all striving for success and all with self belief. 

They know how to have fun and where once they lived and breathed downhill, now riders like Lewis Buchanan, Gary Forrest and Mark Scott have added to a list of Enduro pros next to names like Ruaridh Cunningham and Reece Wilson. 

For a professional rider it would be easy to head for California, Australia or New Zealand in early November, but there is something about the tough environment of the Borders that builds confidence and it’s not just the domain of grizzled men with sheepdogs by their sides, or the many top male riders we see in the area. 

Indeed, there is a new breed of competitor coming out of the Borders and Katy is spearheading the charge - where once Emma Guy and Lee Craigie were the leading Scottish lights, it is now a diminutive 23-year-old with a hidden fire behind her eyes.

Katy added: “Tweeddale is one of the best riding spots in the world, we have have a brilliant variety of trails and lots of them too! 

“The weather just makes it hard during the winter, I don’t mind training in it, it’s just the constant washing up and cleaning when you ride every day that gets very wearing, and just being cold all the time. 

“But it’s what makes us Scots tough, it really tests you and your motivation if this is in fact something you want to pursue, and every year it’s tough but it never stops me. 

“I want to succeed more than I want to hide from the weather!”

To watch the video online, visit: www.youtube.com/watch?v=wk0ScMhs8yk