Weekly Log 3-Jun to 9-Jun-2013

This week's blog posting is dedicated to my Mom.  After living in this country for 50 years, my Mom became a US citizen this week.  Mom has been there for me through thick and thin and at many of my life events, including my first Boston Marathon, so I was thrilled to be there for her at her naturalization ceremony on Wednesday.  Happy to see Mom will always retain much of her heritage, though, as her test for me was to drive her to the ceremony in Johnston using nothing more than her GPS barking orders to me in German!

Monday:
16 miles. Watch Hill, Misquamicut, and Weekapaug shoreline roads with FiveK.  Absolute hammer show on the flat sections of Ocean View Highway and Atlantic.  It appears that Strava is more popular with cyclists than runners, as may of our run segments may have 2-5 people, whereas the 3 major segments on this ride range from 76 to 191 people!
Ocean View Highway was our first and fastest segment at 23.8mph, which was good for 20th out of 191 on the leaderboard.  Rode Atlantic Ave eastbound at 22.5mph, where Tom and I took an easy spin in Weekapaug, before one final sprint:  Hammered Atlantic Ave westbound into a very slight headwind at 20.9mph.  I was spent after that last 2.6 mile sprint, and took me a little bit to stop panting like a dog, but wow, what a workout!  Really stoked on this one.

Tuesday:
7 miles in the Borough.  Stonington Fun Run week #2 drew at least triple the previous week's crowd, no doubt due to the better weather.  Even dragged FiveK into the mix.  At the start of the fun run, FiveK, Mike B, and I were running together, but we broke apart over time.  I could see FiveK was eager to chase down the leaders, so it was good for him to take off.  I ran with Mike for the 1st (of 2) laps, but by then a pack of about 5 had encircled us, and as our pace had slowed in Mile 2 to 6:30 (from Mile 1 6:21), as the pack took off, I was eager to stay with them, so I went with them for the final mile of 6:07.
Did a cool-down run with FiveK, and as I could sense he was having a miserable time today between a run on a beautiful day where he drove his convertible, warm but not hot temperatures, and ocean views on the course, I added to his misery by dragging him dockside for a free drink along the water at our WTAC table. Doubt we'll ever see that guy again [dripping with sarcasm].

Wednesday:
1,000 yards.  Alarm went off at 4:15AM, and I did not want to get my carcass out of bed, but this is where having a partner in crime really pays off.  Knowing FiveK was picking me up in 30 minutes for our 5AM swim meant I "had" to get out of bed.  Really glad I did, as we had a great workout of 450 warm-up, 2 x (2 x 50) [49, 53, 50, 54] - wish I could lower those, mixed with drills.
6 miles.  Fast forward to late afternoon.  Had to bring Matthew to Chariho for a Hershey's Track Meet practice, so used my hour there to go for a solo run.  Ran out to Meadowbrook Pond, where I picked up the North-South Trail up to Pine Hill Road, and roads back.  A little hot on the roads and open cornfield sections of the trail, but cool and awesome on the forested section of trails.  Saw two runners and a mountain bike rider on the trail.
One of the runners had a wooden rod, inevitably to ward off hissing chipmunks woodchucks that scare off Mike B on his runs, but unlike Seth, he carried the wooden rod in his hands and not his shorts.
Unplanned progression run, as I felt good along the way and picked it up:  7:12, 6:45, 6:46, 6:38, 6:14, 6:11.

Thursday:  0

Friday:
6 miles.  445 Club with Tom and Mike, first one from Mike B's house.  Out and back on roads I had never been on, so I was taking in the scenery for the route, from neighborhoods to farms.  70' hill climb on the way, pushed it in the last mile.

Saturday:
3 miles.  Charlestown - Ran Back Road Ramble course with Tom and Matthew.  We figured for sure this would be the day that that Critchlery dude would show up, but not today - it'll happen.  Cool feeling (57 degrees and breezy) soon gave way to sweaty humidity.
1,000 yards.  We followed up the run with a Watchaug Pond open water swim.

Any of you Strava experts know why Strava is smoothing my swim lines (in first image),
whereas Garmin Connect is showing more natural course lines (in 2nd image - immediately above)?
I'd like to think I swim perfectly straight swim lines! :) , but I know that's not reality

Matthew had some minor trouble and anxiety between his first open water swim of the year, swimming into the current and waves, and problems with new goggles.  He did fine on the return after some adjustments, and Tom and I continued on.  I can't keep up with him, but we decided ahead of time on a distant buoy to head for, and had a couple of checkpoints.  Felt good, but wouldn't have wanted to go further with my first tri tomorrow.
Matthew, on the other hand, apparently didn't get enough bricks, as he came home, met up with a friend, rode 10 miles and then went out for another run.

Sunday:
Mystic Y Tri.  Write-up shortly.
0.7 miles (we'll go with 1,000 yards)
14 miles
4 miles

Weekly Totals:
Run:  26 miles
Bike:  30 miles
Swim:  3,000 yards

Week recap:
Oddly enough, got 3 swims in this week and pleased with my efforts there.  The bike mileage was a little short, although Monday was just AWESOME and I think it paid dividends at the tri.  Now into tri season, I won't be averaging 45 miles running anymore, but would like to get it closer to 35.
Loving the fun runs (Westerly starts Wed 6/12) and the tri season.