October Novel Prep Challenge

So I entered this challenge to learn the process for writing a novel, while not planning to do the nanowrimo myself. I understand that people doing the November challenge are not starting their story writing until that start gun goes off.

But for usual circumstances, when you just want to tell a story, wouldn't it be a usual practice to have started actually writing your story by this point in planning?

I ask this as I noticed, over the past day or two (I'm in the setting defining stage of the exercises) that I feeling blah about the tale. Starting to forget what excites me about the storyline. Kinda losing touch a bit with the characters. So I feel like I need to start writing them already, so as to remember the love. If you know what I mean.

So yeah, I am wondering if 'usually' a planning sort of writer would have already begun writing by now. Or, does how I am feeling, perhaps mean that I am not really a planner writer and one of these pantsers that you hear about.

Anyhow, I have been wondering about this, and so thought to ask people who might know.