A quick look at what I’ve been running, playing, and learning this month.

Training Goal: sub-20m 5k by end of 2025 – attempt planned for 23rd before Christmas eating
Total Distance: 160 km
Elevation Gain: 1,931 m
Key Workout: 8 x 3min at 5km pace – hard!
How it felt: Not enjoying running along the road all the time, but needs must

On the Table: One Night Ultimate Werewolf – played with grandparents and kids, great fun once we’d worked it out. Fast and furious
On the Speakers: Darkness on the edge of Town – Springsteen – my highest rated album from the 1001 albums project. Also really enjoyed Jazz Samba by Stan Getz
The Verdict: Maybe these two could go together, but love the darkness in the Springsteen.

Reading: Children of Ash & Elm by Neil Price – Vikings were so weird, so metal, so unlike today’s civilisations even though the people were basically the same. Fascinating the different ways society can organise
Listening: Got round to listening to the Acquired episode on Google, great story although I wonder if they over-emphasise the importance of the individual
Cool Tool: ActualBudget – amazing personal budgeting software. Won’t appeal to everyone but a complete gamechanger for me. Will do a separate post on it

The Monthly Log: December 2025