Not sure what’s up today—this is the third time I’ve tried to do this. Maybe it’s me, maybe it’s the app, maybe I just keep hitting the wrong button. Whatever. Let’s call this one off the cuff, because that’s exactly how it feels.
The important bit: another good session.
Strong. Organised. Full-on. Bit of rowing, bit of weights. Finished with a couple of fast 250m sprints, let the engine rip, felt solid.
Keys went in the box again. That’s becoming a habit now. Quiet statement, every time: I’m here. I belong.
It’s Friday. The weekend starts now. That’s all I’ve got. Just a check-in. Job done.
Today was supposed to be a standard long row, 10K, get in, move, reset the head. But something shifted mid-session.
10K came and went. 12K sounded doable. The hour mark was within reach… And before I knew it, I was chasing down 17,000 meters.
17,000. The furthest I’ve ever rowed in a single session.
And I’m delighted with that.
I didn’t plan it. I didn’t go in with a strategy. I just followed the rhythm, stayed present, and let it build,
until what started as a quiet mental reset turned into the longest, most committed row I’ve ever done.
A Week Worth Remembering
It’s been a hell of a week.
Fastest ever 2,000m on Monday
A high stakes presentation on Thursday (which went brilliantly)
And now this: a new distance milestone, pulled from what started as uncertainty
There’s been a lot of self-doubt recently. Work stress, pressure, tiredness, old voices creeping in. But I’ve rowed through all of it. And today, I proved to myself, again, that it’s still in me.
Meditation became a mission. The mission became mindset. And the mindset brought me here.
I’m at home now. To rest. To be with my people. To enjoy this one properly. And let it land.
I went for a ride on the bike yesterday—60km all in—and it felt great. What really struck me was the shift in mindset. I kept recognising where I was and thinking, “Oh, I’m here already” instead of “Oh, I’m only here.” Just a small difference in words and thoughts, but a massive one in terms of progress.
I really gelled with the bike. Getting a proper bike fit and a new saddle was such a good call. Not just because I’m now physically connected to the bike, but because it actually saved me a load of cash.
I’d been eyeing up new bikes—maybe a gravel bike, an “adventure” bike, or a racier road model. Something exciting. But the bike fit brought me back to the 11-year-old Giant I already own. And now? It feels like new. It’s as exciting to ride as I hoped it would be when I first bought it all those years ago.
I probably could’ve gone further than 60km yesterday, but I surprised myself by deciding it was a good place to stop. I didn’t push past “great ride” into “slog”—and that feels like progress, too.
I’ve got a 150km ride scheduled for September. In past long rides, I made rice cakes from a cycling nutrition book. To be honest, I couldn’t face them again. So before the ride, I asked ChatGPT for fuelling strategies and a few recipe ideas.
I tried one of its banana oat bar suggestions, and aside from a few flavour tweaks and a more refined fuelling schedule, they worked really well.
This is good. I’m pleased with how the bike is performing. I’m pleased with how I’m performing. And the rowing is complementing the cycling beautifully.
It’s going to be a good summer—training to break the 7-minute rowing barrier and getting ready for that 150km.
The Sub-7 Experiment 