Geoffrey's Blog

Geoffrey's Latest on Running

Geoffrey Hayward seated next to the Velopark Torbay parkrun sign, capturing a selfie. He is clad in a black sports outfit and appears content. The backdrop features a cloudy sky with other participants and volunteers visible in a park environment.

Pushing the Pace: 12 Seconds to Go

December 21, 2023

Hi there! It’s Geoffrey again. Last week, I continued chipping away at setting a new 5K personal best. As you might know from reading my blog, I have been following a relatively regimented weekly workout routine, which includes sessions like 8-Second Hill Sprints and 1K Repeats while also trying to balance recovery. Five weeks into the journey, and according to Strava, on Saturday at the Velopark Torbay Parkrun, where I met up with the Jog On Crew, I ran within 12 seconds of hitting my 5k PB. Today, I’ll look back at week 5 of my training and discuss an unexpected twist in my VO2 Max results, which gave me food for thought.

A family photo with Geoffrey Hayward wearing a green plaid shirt, his youngest child Lizzie in a white angel costume with golden wings and a halo, and Ewa Hayward wearing a black and white patterned dress. They are standing in front of a Christmas tree, smiling at the camera, with other people and holiday decorations blurred in the background. The photo was taken after Lizzie's school nativity show.

Embracing the Wind: A Week of Racing, Resting and Learning

December 13, 2023

As I stepped into last week’s training, I focused on the City Runs Exmouth 5-Mile race on Wednesday, 6th December, a challenge I eagerly anticipated. Reflecting on the importance of listening to my body, as emphasised in my previous training, I approached this week with a relaxed view. I stepped away from the routine I had been following over the previous weeks to prepare for Wednesday fully. So here is how week four went in my journey towards a new 5K personal best and a seemingly valuable lesson learnt.

A group of runners dressed in Santa suits with white beards and red hats participating in a festive race.

My Third Week on the Road to a 5K Personal Best

December 4, 2023

In the third week of my journey towards achieving a new 5K personal best, I found myself in a challenging dance between rest and vigorous training. The intensity of this balancing act came to a head by Thursday, serving as a stark reminder of the crucial role that listening to my body plays in training. The week’s standout moment was the Cranbrook Christmas Cracker – a festive Santa run that, while slower than anticipated, was still a moment of joy. Reflecting on this week’s experiences, I am keen to delve into what worked, what didn’t, and how I can apply these lessons to not only the coming week but also to my broader training strategy in pursuit of my goal.

A frost-covered garden on a misty morning. The lawn is coated with a thin layer of white frost, bordered by flower beds and a variety of potted plants. A wooden bench sits at the back near a wooden fence, surrounded by the dormant, leafless branches of plants, hinting at the quiet of winter

A Runner's Second Week Towards a 5K Personal Best

November 27, 2023

In last week’s post, I revealed my strategy for chasing my next 5K personal best. In this week’s post, I will recap the strategy, and talk about how I have applied it, and reflect on the adjustments I will make for next week. From rigorous intervals to strategic recovery, this week’s effort culminated in a 5K course PB at the Cranbrook Parkrun, bringing me one week closer to the 5K personal best I am chasing.

Geoffrey Hayward undergoing a cardio workout on a stationary bike inside a room with white walls, connected to a VO2 Max testing apparatus with a breathing mask, surrounded by exercise equipment.

VO2 Max and Reclaiming the Pace

November 23, 2023

In pursuing our passions we often find ourselves veering off track occasionally. This year’s spring and summer months were a whirlwind of family commitments and garden landscaping that took me away from the roads and trails. In this post I would like to reflect on this period discuss how VO2 Max testing served as a wake-up call and share with you the new goal I am chasing down.

Hanna and Geoffrey making a video of the Plank Challenge.

The First 10 Days of Building Strength for a Worthy Cause

June 11, 2023

In life, we often find ourselves drawn to causes close to our hearts, seeking meaningful ways to make a difference. As an advocate for Alzheimer’s Research UK, I am wholeheartedly embracing their 30-Day Plank Challenge, and I am pushing myself to new limits while helping raise vital funds for a cause that resonates deeply with me. Join me as I recount the first ten days, where planks have become more than just exercises.

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Geoffrey's Latest on Computing

And abstract image of programming code surrounded by a light bulb.

Notes on Successfully Running Ubuntu in VirtualBox

January 26, 2024

As a Software Developer who likes to use Ubuntu for Development but can sometimes only run it as just another window in Windows, I would like to share some nuanced VirtualBox configurations I built up over the years.

Setting Default Values in GitHub Actions Workflows

October 20, 2023

GitHub Actions is a powerful platform for automating workflows and tasks in your software development process. When creating workflows, you often need to set default values for variables or parameters, especially when certain values are not always going to be provided. In this blog post, let’s explore two techniques to set default values in GitHub Actions workflows, including a handy ! contains() approach and the double pipe || hack. We’ll also discuss the potential limitations of the double pipe hack.

A post style illustration of a slack slash command that shows an Octocat

Triggering a GitHub Actions Workflow with a Slack Slash Command

May 10, 2021

In this post I am going to show how you can trigger a GitHub Actions workflow with a Slack Slash command.

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A photo of Geoffrey running through the woods during an autumn half-marathon.

About Geoffrey Hayward

Running has always been a part of my life, but my journey as a runner didn’t truly begin until I stepped onto a gym treadmill at age 34.

Personal Bests

Distance	Time
5K	21:46
10K	46:08
Half-Marathon	1:39:50
Marathon	3:59:51

Hi, I'm Geoffrey, and welcome to my blog.