Groton, CT
Run #1: 3 Miles. Ran the new Brew Run course, post-Brew Run meeting. While the water back home in Westerly (Atlantic Ocean) is certainly more scenic than here (Long Island Sound), it's still attractive, and with the course I designed and mapped out for this year, almost the entire final mile has waterviews.
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| Views in final stretch of race are going to be pretty good! |
Run #2: 3 Miles. Poquonnock Boardwalk and a little bit of Bluff Point State Park.
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| Set up new Coleman tent for the first time |
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| This is huge! I don't think we'll feel cramped anymore. And hopefully the raised seams and domed entry-way will truly make this much more resistant to getting wet in rainstorms. |
Tuesday: 8 run, 1 walk, 1 swim
Westerly, RI
Run: Busy and early morning. Started out with a low tide barefoot beach run from Weekapaug Breachway with Brady and Matthew. I lagged behind both of them on the way out; Matthew ran with shoes on the way out and barefoot back and that seemed to slow him down a bit. Nice ocean dip as usual, followed by a cold brew at the Innlet.
Walk: It's a Tuesday morning in the summer, which means it's time to meet up with the rest of the small WLT Mowing Team. Today was weed-whacking at Sunnyacres. Last time I did this (last summer) I got strung repeatedly by multiple yellow jackets before I could get out of the stone foundation where they lived. This time I only weed-whacked the interior foundation walls from above ground, and at the first evidence of yellow jackets, I was able to move away quickly and successfully without getting stung.
Swim: Finishing the weed-whacking early, I figured I'd go for a 0.5 to 1.0 mile swim at Watchaug Pond. RI Park officials had a different idea, and intercepted me and told me no swimming there due to high bacteria today. Ugh. Thought about Quonochontaug Breachway at the state boat launch, but as it seems that's really just for boaters, I abandoned that and head back to where we were early this morning: Weekapaug Breachway. I remembered the ocean was flat and tranquil this morning, but was doubtful if I could get a parking spot. I did! (None left when I returned.)
I figured I'd swim out a 1/4 mile and back 1/4 mile. But along the way, I just got into my groove (slow, but steady), and before I knew it, I had swam (swum? swimmed?) a mile. Only two stops for the unexpected: 1) I lost my bright yellow cap - initially thought I'd never find it and didn't need it for visibility, but then decided protecting my bald scalp made weaker from two cancer excisions was a better reason to look for it - I found it!, and 2) struck something with my head, and realized I had swam right into a piece of driftwood. Never had either of those two experiences before!
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| Hydrangeas Jana picked from our front yard. This was a bush I won a two years back at Kelley Half Marathon, and planted with success. First success ever with hydrangeas. |
Wednesday: 4
Westerly, RI. Usually I'll double on Fun Run Wednesdays, but with the Blessing on Friday, I'm just taking it really easy. Ran an easy 6:40-ish place during the Fun Run tonight.
Pre-Fun Run, I had heard from Matthew that Watchaug Pond was back open for swimming today, so I headed there (or to the boat launch to be specific) with Brady. I made lots of new friends there, with the oldest being age 6 and youngest age 2. So you know, about my same age developmentally. One five-year old boy asked me if I could play with him and his ball (sure, why not?), and a four-year old girl asked me to watch her swim underwater (again, why not, as long as it was fine with her Mom [her Mom was actually really happy I was playing with her kids]), but most of the group was understandably much more interested in playing with Brady and jumping off the dock with him and throwing balls for him to fetch.
Thursday: 3 walk, 6 run
Westerly, RI. Walked with Projo "Walking RI" author John K through Winnapaug and Avondale Preserves. He was looking for shorter walks this time in response to reader comments, and it fit better in the summer heat. He met me for coffee at my house, as I was happy to reciprocate the hospitality he and his wife have shown me at their home, and then we were off. This should be in a Providence Sunday Journal article soon.
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| Avondale Preserve is beautiful in the summer! |
Charlestown, RI. Another very warm day with temps in the low 80s. Too hot to bring Brady. Easy run with Matthew at Ninigret and dip in Lil Nini Pond afterwards. Was instantly surrounded by about 100 Pumpkinseeds. One of them came up and picked at the scab on my knee; that was awkward.
Friday: 12
Narragansett, RI. Blessing of the Fleet. Brutally hot. Separate write-up to follow.
Saturday: 0
Just felt weak with perhaps some heat illness from last night's scorcher race with a real feel of 89°. Opted to take the day off.
Sunday: 10
Richmond, RI. Carter and Carolina South loop with Matthew and Brady. Temp was 60° at the start! Felt better than yesterday, but still didn't have much energy. Kings Factory Road is technically closed for bridge work on the Pawcatuck River, and Carter Preserve is very overgrown, so that will be my last run there for a while. Food/drink at The Food Truck on 91 after a short dunk in Meadowbrook Pond.
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| My cousins from Michigan visit but once a year, and it was nice to get together for a dinner at The Fisherman in Noank. |
Weekly mileage: 45 run, 3 walk, 1 swim
Weekly synopsis: Low mileage week. Intentional taper going into Blessing. Will ramp up run mileage again next week and also plan to get back on the bike (my least favorite of the three tri sports).
Weekly highlight: Carter / Carolina run.
Weekly lowlight: Blessing. Just oppressively hot and humid.
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