I’ve talked before about monitoring resting heart rate and how it can help identify when you’re getting fitter (or the opposite). I try and keep an eye on mine, tracking it using my FitBit Blaze watch.

Trying for a smile at the top of a local Cat 2 climb.

After a period of shall we say, less than ideal physical activity and eating patterns, my resting heart rate crept up to 62bpm. My on-the-bike fitness was suffering and I was most certainly getting lazy! Over the past couple of weeks I’ve started to build the distance/intensity back up and it’s starting to take effect.

Since doing so I’ve seen my resting heart rate come back down to a much more reasonable 57bpm. It shows that my cardiac fitness is slowly returning. I’m starting to feel like a cyclist again and less like the guy who ate all the pies!