Geoffrey's Latest Posts
Responsible AI Coding: What I’ve Learned So Far
May 9, 2025
ComputingA whole new way of coding. When JetBrains offered me a trial of Junie, an AI assistant built into IntelliJ, I had to give it a go. I soon saw the potential, it’s kind of like an AI coding partner (albeit a little dumb at times), but that’s okay, if used responsibly. So here’s what I’ve learned about coding responsibly with AI—so far.
Progress, Nutrition, and Next Marathon Ambitions
October 28, 2024
RunningA year has flown by—filled with ups, downs, all in the pursuit of one goal: getting faster. Life, especially with family responsibilities, has been busy. But with a 5K and 10K PB, things are progressing. So let’s recap the year, look at what helped me run these PBs, and announce the start of training for the 2025 Ghent Marathon.
Notes on Successfully Running Ubuntu in VirtualBox
January 26, 2024
ComputingAs 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.
Pushing the Pace: 12 Seconds to Go
December 21, 2023
RunningHi 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.
Embracing the Wind: A Week of Racing, Resting and Learning
December 13, 2023
RunningAs 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.
My Third Week on the Road to a 5K Personal Best
December 4, 2023
RunningIn 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 Runner's Second Week Towards a 5K Personal Best
November 27, 2023
RunningIn 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.
VO2 Max and Reclaiming the Pace
November 23, 2023
RunningIn 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.
Setting Default Values in GitHub Actions Workflows
October 20, 2023
ComputingGitHub 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.
The First 10 Days of Building Strength for a Worthy Cause
June 11, 2023
RunningIn 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.
Conquering the Exeter Great West Run
May 26, 2023
RunningThe Exeter Great West Run is a hilly, challenging half-marathon through my nearest city (Exeter). Being a local closed-road event, it’s kind of essential to participate. Well, it would be rude not to, right? Also, it seemed like anyone in our running club (Cranbrook Running Club) not running was still out cheering. So as you can imagine the atmosphere was fantastic and I enjoyed the event very much.
Week 12: Running Manchester Marathon
April 20, 2023
RunningIt’s taken a few days to decompress from the Manchester Marathon, hence a late post. Before embarking on this training block, the idea of running a full marathon seemed like a doable but daunting distant dream. But I have done it, and I am proud of the achievement.