The bikes are coming back out, life is changing around me, and this feels like the calm before the storm…

Now that the weather is starting to behave itself again, the bike is coming back out of hibernation.

It’s currently in for a service, which feels like the right moment to give myself a bit of a service too.

I did a weigh-in back in October and then another at the weekend, and my metabolic age has dropped from 36 to 32. I’ll take that!

At the very least I’m now aligned with the direction I’m heading in, rather than drifting the wrong way…

The target between now and April is to get that number under 30. That might be ambitious, but I’ve never been particularly good at setting easy targets.

Getting back on the bike, staying consistent with training, and keeping an eye on what I’m doing outside the gym should help nudge things along.

Another theme dominating life at the moment: babies.

Between now and mid-April, four of my friends will welcome new arrivals. I’m genuinely excited to meet them… and equally excited about the ability to hand them back after a quick cuddle!

I’m not ready for that level of responsibility myself just yet.

Everything over the past week or so has felt like a gradual wind-down. I’ve got a week and a half off coming up, and I’m planning to use it properly – switching off, resetting, and doing just enough to make sure that metabolic age doesn’t creep back up from its current respectable number.

Parkrun has been cancelled for the past two weeks thanks to what feels like continuous British rain, so I’ve been heading out solo instead. Running alone gives me a bit of focus and a throwback to earlier routines… just getting out the door and getting it done.

My upcoming break also lines up nicely with a gym deload week, which means when I get back I’ll be primed for a week of chasing personal bests!

That rhythm – ease off, reset, then push – feels like a good metaphor for the moment I’m in generally.

So it’s bikes being serviced, training being tweaked, babies arriving, and a holiday ahead that offers a rare chance to slow down. The calm before the storm, if you like.

And I’ll take calm while it lasts…