October 2017

October was a quieter month than I'd been hoping for, though looking at the numbers honestly, perhaps not entirely surprising for this time of year. I managed 14 activities across the month — 9 runs and 5 rides — for a total of around four and a quarter hours of actual moving, which sounds less embarrassing when you say it like that. The running was the more interesting story: 30.5km across those nine sessions, including a couple of Parkruns (always a reliable way to feel simultaneously fit and humbled by a nine-year-old), and I somehow managed to rack up 10 PRs along the way, which either means I'm getting faster or my previous times were spectacularly bad (almost certainly the latter). The cycling was a pleasant addition — a handful of lunch and evening rides that were more "getting some air" than any serious training, but I'll take it.

So, compared to September, the total volume dropped fairly noticeably — 255 minutes this month against 370 the previous month, and the running distance fell from 48.3km down to 30.5km. What's interesting though is that my average running pace improved from 7:04 per km to 5:57, which suggests the shorter, sharper efforts are doing something useful, even if the mileage isn't quite there. The heart rate numbers also came down across both disciplines, which is either a sign of improving fitness or the fact that darker, colder mornings have a wonderfully moderating effect on one's ambition. Going into November, the honest goal is simply to keep moving — the clocks have gone back, the excuses are abundant, and the bike rides are going to require lights.

Summary generated by Claude