Weekly Log 06-Aug-12 to 12-Aug-12

Monday:  0

Tuesday:  0
Took a 2nd day off after a hot, busy weekend of racing.

Wednesday:
9+ miles.  Weekapaug/Misquamicut loop, including 3+ miles on the beach.  Was going to jump off the beach at Misquamicut State Beach, but for once timed it right so that I was running right at low tide and loving it.  Continued past Pleasant View Inn, then back roads home.
3+ miles.  Westerly Fun Runs, week 8.  18:15.  Results here.  My final Westerly Fun Run 5K of the year. L  I ran a great first mile in 5:34, but without Jonny or anyone else pushing me this week, my second mile dropped all the way back to a more comfortable 6:03, before finishing mile 3 in 5:53.  Why do I let that 2nd mile drop so far off?

Thursday:
26 miles.  5:30AM bike with Steve.  From the Y, Route 91 to Bradford and rolling hills on Route 216 back to Route 1 and Westerly.  Then rode Atlantic Ave and Ocean View Highway, where we did 4 1-miles sprints.  I cannot keep up with Steve, did manage my sprints in the 21-23 mph range.  Good workout!
 6 miles.  Mastuxet to Tom Harvey, Wicklow, and Shore.  Slow mid-7s.

Friday:
5 miles.  Denver, CO.  Elevation 5,300'. 
Arrived Denver 1AM today, a long day (20 hours ago) from when I got up Thursday morning to ride with Steve.  Slept in a bit, then asked the airport hotel receptionist for advice on running routes.  Sometimes I get great advice; unfortunately today was not one of those days.  I've highlighted the phrases below that were a real turn off to me:
"When you go out of the hotel, turn right, there is a sidewalk that winds around other hotels and makes about a mile loop.  It's great for jogging and at least keeps you on concrete."

Awesome, I came 2,000 miles to Colorado to run mile loops on concrete sidewalks!  With such advice, I decided to do the exact opposite and turn left away from the hotels.  There was only one main road out here, but managed to run the shoulder in a variety of surfaces (as you can see in the photos below).  Funny, I never did find the concrete sidewalks!

Paved shoulder along part of the road:
interesting landscape

Even when the road got busy towards the
Interstate, trails alongside the road made it just fine

Bonus! - short trail up a small hill.
I could feel it uphill, presumably due to elevation.

Spent the afternoon at the Denver Zoo with the family, and played in the hotel pool this afternoon.  By this time tomorrow, we should be at Rocky Mountain National Park - I'm assuming my running won't be on concrete sidewalks there either!

Saturday:
12 miles.  Holy Cow Trail Stampede 10K.  See separate write-up.

Sunday:
 7 miles.  See separate photo essay "Rocky Mountain High"
0.25 miles.  Swam at the YMCA of the Rockies pool with my boys. 

Weekly totals:
Run:  42 miles
Bike:  26 miles
Swim:  0.25 miles

Cool end of the week here in Colorado.  The fun continues next week ...