I do not know if it is just part of my personality or when I have time to think about these things I become obsessed with metrics. I think it is all part of the digital age where smart devices allow you track numerous parts of your life.

Since being in Toulouse this spring with the nice weather and having lots of time on my hands I started walking every day and continued running (but much more than I did in Alexandria in the cold of winter). I am now obsessed with tracking my steps and doing a walking workout on my Garmin every day. I make sure that I take at least 10,000 steps per day. I know this is good for your health and recommended but now I create walks just so I can get the steps. Before when I was in Toulouse and, generally, in Alexandria, I walk as part of life but now I set out to intentionally walk so that I ensure that I get the 10k steps. It is a combination of enjoyment as I really like walking here but also the need to make sure that I have the 10k.

I track the weekly steps to see if I have beaten the previous week. If I am close or near beating the step count, I work to ensure that I beat it. This is not necessarily good as it means I keep trying to take more steps. I should be happy with making the 70k for a week but I am not averaging more like 120-130k a week. Part of that is because I run three days a week on top of the 10k walking steps. So those days, I average over 20k a day.

With my Garmin, it tracks all kinds of different performance metrics and I buy into all of them. For running, it is the goal to get down to less than 8 minute miles. I am right on the verge at the moment but am pushing hard to get back down to the 7:30 minute mile. At my best, when I was younger – slightly – this was not out of the question. I am working to return to that pace.

Other metrics are sleep, heart rate, breathing and more. I track them every day and try to ensure that they are all within targets that like.

The other metrics I have become obsessed about is reading. This has become fairly easy as I read every day here in Toulouse as I spend a lot of time alone which gives me lots of time and space to read. I have read every day for the last 388 days. I became determined to read everyday after I retired (June 30, 2024) and had already read everyday for two months before the start of retirement. I do not know how long I will be able to keep up this streak but I want to do it for as long as I can. Even when not in Toulouse I ensure that I read first thing every morning to ensure that no matter what the day brings I will read.

On the reading streak, the one that is even more determined for me is the weekly reading goal. I have read every week for almost the last seven years. I have about 6 weeks to hit the seven year mark. I know I can continue this reading goal as reading is fundamental to my life.

The Kindle tracks this and also gives you 15-16 challenges every quarter to try to meet. I am ensure it is a marketing ploy to get people to buy more Kindle books. I work to achieve all the goals very quarter. Some are fairly easy and make it too easy to get but some require some thought and concentration to ensure you meet them. I make sure I meet them.

I am sure there are other quirks in my personality that I can add to this thought process but this enough for now.