2013

2013 turned out to be a decent year of keeping active, even if the numbers don't quite tell the whole story. Across 50 activities and just over 2,268 minutes of moving, I managed to spread my time across riding, running, and a brief dip into open water swimming. Running was clearly my main focus — 37 runs covering 247 kilometres, with the Marlow Half Marathon standing out as a real highlight and 17 personal records to show the fitness was building nicely. On the bike I notched up 12 rides and 262 kilometres, racking up an impressive 168 achievements along the way, which kept me motivated through those early morning sessions.

Compared to 2012, though, there's no hiding the fact that overall volume dropped — 73 activities and 3,524 active minutes last year versus 50 and 2,268 this year, so there's clearly room to rebuild that consistency. My running pace averaged 6:32 per kilometre in 2013 against a stronger 5:60 in 2012, and my heart rate was running noticeably higher too, which tells me my aerobic base needs some work. Cycling distance also fell from 413 kilometres down to 262, and swimming almost disappeared entirely after five solid sessions in 2012 — that one lone open water swim needs some company in 2014! The positive spin is that I know exactly where the gaps are, and with Marlow Half in the legs and those PRs as proof that the engine still works, next year is all about getting back to — and beyond — where I was.

Summary generated by Claude