Saturday, June 3, 2023

Weekly Log 22-May to 28-May-2023: Finally a Swim

Monday:  4
Westerly, RI.  Late morning run with Matthew at Grills, after my now semi-annual skin cancer follow-up.  No new lesions or complications, and most of the rest of the medical visit was surprisingly running related, as I was happy to answer many questions about Blessing of the Fleet.

But I digress.  Grills will soon be overgrown but for now is very runnable.  After all the technical running and elevation gain last week, my quads and calves were very sore.  Took it short, easy, and slow.

Tuesday:  2 walk, 7 run, 0.5 swim
Westerly, RI.  CCC.  Today's self-appointed assignment was to clear the perennially overgrown white trail on the western edge of the clearing.  Led a group of five, and with loppers, weed-whackers (bladed and string), gas hedge-trimmer, and chainsaw, we got it cleaned up nicely.  For a little while anyway ...

Charlestown, RI.  4.5 mile run from Burlingame Picnic Area solo, mix of dirt roads and trails.  DOMS.

Charlestown, RI.  0.5 mile SWIM!  Ironman Maryland is less than four months away now, so it's really overdue.  As I walked down towards the picnic area beach, a gentlemen in an RI DEM shirt came out to greet me.  He asked me if I was checking in for the swim.  Huh?  They were about to run swim tests for RI State Lifeguard Non-Surf Certification.  I told him I was too old to be a lifeguard, but he said nonsense.  They had the buoys set up for their 1/4 mile course, and I asked if I could swim it if I stayed out of the way of the testers.  He said sure, and they wouldn't be starting for 30 minutes.  

Donned my wetsuit, bright green swim cap, and goggles.  I was ready for that cold feeling as the water entered my wetsuit, but really the water wasn't bad at all.  Got into my slow but steady rhythm, and didn't stop until I got to the buoy 1/4 mile out.  Adjusted my goggles a bit and off we go.  I can't swim a straight line to save my life, but looking later on Strava it wasn't as bad as I feared.  As I exited the water, an instructor came over and complimented my on my swim.  Undeserved, but I'll take it!  I asked what the standard was for passing what they called the "endurance swim", and she said 10 minutes or less for 1/4 mile.  Looks I just snuck under that by the skin of my teeth.

So how did it feel?  Tiring, actually.  My arms were sore for a few hours afterwards.  Will definitely need a few more of these swims before I'm ready to try to ratchet up the distance.

South Kingstown, RI.  On way back from Wakefield Running Company, I stopped at Browning Woods for a short run with Brady.  I think the last time I was here I ran with Chris, and that was back when he lived in Charlestown, so maybe five years ago?  Longer?  Short and easy on the 2.5 mile loop, which fortunately had SKLT markers at every intersecting trail.  

Wednesday:  10
Exeter, RI.  Arcadia trail run with Brady.  Parked and ran from the check station, where I ran into Ben Q and his dog just about to go out for their own run.  Just over 1,000' of gain, mostly on the Breakheart Trail.

Thursday:  8 run, 3 walk
Westerly, RI.  First 'Round the Pond run in quite a while.  Beautiful morning out there.  Roads very quiet, before the onset of summer tourist season.

Friday:  3
Hopkinton, RI.  Short and easy flat trails with Brady at Grills Wildlife Sanctuary.

Saturday:  16
New Gloucester, ME.  Pineland Farms 25K.  Separate write-up to follow.

Sunday:  8
Charlestown, RI.  Easy trail recovery run with Matthew and Brady on VG trail.  Legs are sore from yesterday's race, but not trashed.  Dip into Watchaug Pond post-run.

Weekly mileage:  56 run, 6 walk, 0.5 swim

Weekly synopsis:  Decent week.  Got in a good trail race, plus my first swim of the season.

Weekly highlight:  Pineland Farms 25K.

Weekly lowlight:  Tired legs.  It will be good to have next week off from racing.  My legs will thank me.

No comments:

Post a Comment