August 4th through August 10th

Sunday: 6.5 mile recovery run on local, 7:45 pace.
Later in the day, 1 mile on the beach with Boumenot.

Monday: a.m. 20 mile bike ride, mix of hills on country roads and beach roads.
p.m. 1/2 mile ocean swim

Tuesday: a.m.  445 Track Workout at WHS with Boumenot.
7X400 w/400 recovery..splits ranged from 77 to 70.
1X200 in 30 seconds at the end.

My alarm never went off and I almost slept through the workout.  I jumped out of bed at 4:38, texted Mike, and busted over to the track.  I swear I was half asleep when I started running but didn't want to miss this one.  Meanwhile in North Stonington, Wakey Wakey probably popped open one of his eyes right at 445 and laughed at me as he worked on his beauty rest. Knowing that summer is nearing it's end, I know I'll be limited to only a few more of these fun early morning workouts.

Maybe Wakey Wakey has the right idea!

p.m. 4 miles on local roads..first 3 on my own, last mile with Lulu.

Wednesday: am-52 mile ride with Schonning and Duda..
Very humbling ride, found out what it is like to try to ride with the big boys.
Averaged 19.2 mph
Climbed 1581 ft.
Time: 2 hrs, 40 minutes
Longest ride ever

pm-WTAC Tom McCoy Fun Run, 17:37
Warmed up with Boumenot and Jonny Eckel for about a mile.  Throughout the warmup and before the run, I felt tired and flat.  After helping out with the kids' run and recording times, I threw on my headphones and hoped to get an honest run in so I could help out with timing.  Once the run got going, I hung with the lead pack and figured they'd drop me like a bad habit.  With a half mile to go, I sat in 5th place and was pretty happy with my effort after my morning ride.  I was able to pick off a few more guys and finished strong.  Very happy with the effort.
(4)


Thursday: am-3/4 of a mile swim from the Town Beach with Schonning.  It was really choppy out there today and I think I drank a gallon of salt water.  With the chop, I couldn't get into much of a rhythm.

pm-5 mile run on local roads..I felt beat..not sure of pace.

Friday:am- Swim at the Y..not sure of exact yards, but did some solid volume for me and felt strong.
Highlight of the workout..3X50 on a minute..all reps sub 40..
pm-3+ miles in the rain.

Saturday: am- 2 mile barefoot beach run on the thick sand of Weekapaug Beach with Lulu, my cousin Pat, and his dog Lily.
pm-3+ miles from Misquamicut.

Totals:
Running: 8X, 33 miles
Lulu's Running: 3X, 5+ miles
Lulu's Swim: 1X in the ocean and she was not a happy camper.
Swim: 3X, 2 1/4 mile
Bike: 2X, 72 miles
Core: 1X 15 minutes of stretching.

July 28th through August 3rd...TRI Time!!

Sunday-Crabman Sprint Triathlon in Matunuck
Results  23/433

Since my high school days I've always wanted to do a triathlon.  As a runner and fitness freak, I've been impressed by people who compete in triathlons.  It's not easy to be able to swim, bike, and run well.  In the beginning of 2013, I set out to complete the Block Island Tri.  After training with various WTAC Athletes, primarily Gazelle Walker, my enthusiasm for the sport increased and I signed up for the Crabman.  On Saturday, I picked up my race number and swag and put all of my gear together at night for my early morning Sunday adventure.  The coolest part of the whole endeavor was that I had my "home boys" to race with (Thank you Gazelle, Captain Crutch, Mark, Matthew, & Dave).

After cruising down to the race at 5 am with Crutch (yes, Wakey Wakey was up bright and early), I got marked up, set up my transition area, and took a short warmup run and talked strategy with Gazelle. Prior to the start of the race, I was slightly nervous in a good way and wondered how it would all come together for me?

Looks like we have a new member!!

I hung with the crew before the start and before I knew it, my wave was off on the swim. Upon entering the ocean, my goggles immediately filled with water and I frantically tightened them up and pushed the swim.  As I tried to progress through the water, I felt constant kicks and grabs.  On some occasions, I was also the guy grabbing and trying not to kick anyone.  I felt strong in the water, but also felt like I could have went a bit quicker (the crowd didn't help).  As I got out of the water, I realized I was in a pretty good spot.  "Sweet!"  I ran up the beach, saw my parents and gave them a thumbs up, and shot off to T1 as quickly as possible.  As I flipped off my wetsuit and switched up my gear, I immediately realized my transition was anything but smooth.  Oh well, first tri...get after it on the bike.

The bike portion was really cool.  I'm happy to say that I didn't get passed by anyone.  I battled with this one guy the entire time.  I was highly impressed by the biking skills of many of the athletes out there.  The bike was the one area where I passed a number of athletes, but was not able to chase any of the big boys down.  Overall, I averaged 21.5 mph on the bike.  I'll take it...for now!!

I ran my bike through the field over to T2 where the biggest transition I had to make was switching my bike shoes to running shoes.  The real deal tri athletes have special laces that save them time from having to tie shoes.  Prior to Crabman, I didn't think this was a big deal and opted to stick with tying my shoelaces.  Lesson learned.

Run time=my time!  I felt surprisingly good coming off the bike.  In my head, I hoped to hammer out the run.  Besides my first mile (5:25), I'm not sure of any of my splits.  I do know that I passed a number of people, but was feeling some fatigue during miles 2 & 3.   Being Tommy 5k, I've never finished a big/long race and it felt really rewarding to cross the finish line.   Shortly after finishing, I felt pretty good and headed back out on the course to cheer on the other guys who were still out there.

While I have some improvements I want to make, I felt really satisfied with my first tri.  Since I enjoyed racing the event and love the training, I'm hooked now.  Running will always be my first love, but I think I found a mistress who I'm really in to!!!  I plan on chasing for CRABS in 2014.

Congratulations/ Thank-yous
Gazelle Walker-for placing in his age group and being a general beast.  Thanks for all of the training tips, your positive attitude, and always pushing me.

Captain Crutch-finishing your first tri.  I knew you had it and you finished really strong.  I also appreciate you picking up my bike and the ride down.  Hope you are back at this one next year!

Mark & Matthew-placing in your age groups.  It's just a matter of time before you go flying by all of us old guys.  We'll go down fighting!

Boumenot-thanks for getting me started by letting me borrow your wetsuit!

Schonning-for all of the tips about swim technique and transitions (it's a work in progress)

Jana-as always, thanks for catching the action with your photos.  It's always nice to view them afterwards.  I know all of the WTAC crew appreciates it.  Also, thanks for getting up at 4:30 to watch a bunch of nuts in their endurance endeavors.

Mom & Dad-thanks for waking up, coming out to cheer us on, and for listening to my non-stop stories about training, racing, and the crew.

Monday-
am-1300 yd swim at the Y.  Complete with the 50s on a minute.
pm-16 mile cruise through Watch Hill on the bike.

Tuesday-
am-3X200-200-400 with Boumenot at WHS..445 style.
Felt kind of flat, but still got a really good workout in.

pm Dog Watch Fun Run 5k, 18:21
Felt completely spent and tired.
On the first lap, Gazelle told me he would stay with me and then would let me go on the second lap.  Truth is, I was toast.  Kept pace on the second lap, but was really feeling it when I finished.
(9)

Wednesday-
am-close to 1 mile swim from Town Beach w/Gazelle, Schonning, and Orlando.  Felt pretty good out there.  Followed up the swim with an easy 3 miles on the beach.

pm-WTAC McCoy Fun Run with Muddy.
Talked Muddy into running 630 pace with me and promised him I would keep things under control.  My main goal tonight was not to push or take the bait with the BI Tri on Saturday.  My plan is to be all rested up for that show.
(9)

Thursday-17 mile bike ride..usually roads..tried to push a Strava segment on Ocean View Highway. Unfortunately, a car stopped to let some golf carts pass..bye, bye awesome Strava segment!

Friday-6th Installment of our weekly Run/Splash with the WTAC Crew.  5+ mile shakedown at close to 8:30 pace on Watch Hill roads and beach.  Nice turnout this morning (Gazelle, Boumenot, Crutch, Matthew, and new guy Chet). We finished the morning off with a light 10 minute swim.  I think I swallowed a gallon of salt water this morning..delicious.

Saturday-BI Triathlon, 1:17:16, 5/326, 1st in age group
Results
1/4 Mile Swim: 9:23, 10th
12 Mike Bike: 40:31, 34th
4 Mile Beach Run: 27:22, 3rd

*Race Report to come


Run Miles: 5X, 32 miles
Lulu's Miles: 0
Swim: 5X, 3800yds
Bike miles: 4X, 56 miles
Core/Stretch/Strength: 1X, 20 minutes

July 21st through July 27th-CRAB Hunting..

CRAB Hunting..

Since the beginning of the year, it's been my goal to complete a spring triathlon or two this year. Well, my time is up and next Sunday is the big day for my first go around in this endeavor.  To my surprise, I've really enjoyed the variety of training and think my body will thank me for it in the long run.  I'm excited and hopeful for the race, but also realize I'm going to get rocked by the big boys.  For now, my goal will be to cover the distance and pick some spots where I can be competitive.  Training goal this week: sharpen up and don't get hurt.


Sunday-a.m. Misquamicut Loop with my cousin Pat, who just turned dirty 30..2.6 miles.7:30 pace
p.m. Since all of my house guests had departed, I was looking to get out on the roads.2.6 miles at a solid clip around 8 pm.
(5)

Monday-1200 yd swim with mixed in drills at the Y.  Chatted it up with frequent tri winner, Jeff Duda, about Saturday.  Afterwards, I went to PT for my IT Band and Tendonitis..kind of depressing but whatever..I'll keep pushing in moderation. Cut up some some trees in my backyard in the afternoon and was too tired/lazy to do anything else afterwards.

Tuesday-
a.m. 445 Club Track Workout with Boumenot.
Prior to one, I really wondered about the weather and our chances of not getting poured on.  Mike and I made a deal that if it was raining heavy when we woke up, we would hold off on the workout.  Checking the radar around 4:25, it looked like we were in the clear with definite precipitation around the Norwich area.  Game on!

Arrived at the track, did a mile warmup, and it was go time.
4X400 w/400 jog recovery (72, 72, 71, 70)
Short walk rest and then a jog to the 200 starting area.
4X200 (33, 32, 31, 31)
(4)

p.m. Dog Watch Fun Run
Mile warmup with Boumenot and my right calf was screaming at me.
Chatted it up with a colleague and my parents prior to the start.  Ended up running with J.P. the entire time and we made a gentleman's deal to keep it comfortable out there..608, 623, 600..no idea of final time..think it was under 19 somewhere.  Enjoyed drinks on the dock with the WTAC Crew!!  Good fun.
(4)

Wednesday-
a.m. approximately 1 mile swim from the Town Beach with Schonning and Orlando.  Finished things off with a 2 mile barefoot jog and splash.

p.m. WTAC Fun Run..18:40..
Just to mix things up, I decided to drop and do 20 push-ups at every mile marker.  This workout kicked my butt!

Post run, I was talking with a vacationing runner who turned out to be a one time qualifier for the US Olympic Trials in the Steeplechase in 96.  He told me he found the fun runs online and thought the WTAC was a pretty awesome club!

Took a quick splash with Boumenot to cool off afterwards.
(5)

Thursday-BOP Ride-17 miles
I really needed to get at least one ride in prior to Sunday's tri.  As the rain started to come down, I contemplated bailing on the ride but decided to "man-up" instead.  The first part of the ride was fast and smooth..the second half was very windy and the rain was picking up.  I decided to call this ride BOP (Bottom of the pile) since I was no KOM on Strava today.  Still happy I rode and I worked hard for it.

Friday-a.m.mile swim with Schonning..did the typical swim from the Town Beach to the A Frame House and back.  Once we arrived back at the beach, we decided to swim out to the buoys and swim fairly hard in..great swim..I still have such a long way to come, but it was good fun.

p.m. 3.3 miles with Lulu..6:40 pace..really humid and my tendonitis was really acting up. Post run stretch.

Saturday-Road Kill Shakeout Run from my parents' house to the Town Beach..3.4 miles..21:52..6:23/mile according to Strava.  After a quick dip in the ocean, hitched a ride home with my parents and headed off to NBX for Crabman packet pick-up.  Ran into Crutch, chatted it up about the race, and grabbed my swag.

Totals:
Run: 8X, 27 miles
Lulu Run Miles: 3.3 miles
Bike: 1X, 17 miles
Swim: 3X, 4000 yds?
Stretch/Strength/PT:2X, 1 hr of PT, 30 minutes of stretching

July 14th through July 20th

Sunday-SAILFEST 5k, 16:43, 5th
Results

I was really on the fence with this one..I needed a race to pump me up..haven't put anything good together or been pumped up to run since the Foot Pursuit..knew the Gazelle family would be running...and was working on meeting up with an old college teammate who was vacationing in the area..enter Sailfest 5k!

When I woke up, I knew the morning was going to be a big ole' hot and humid suffer fest.  Warmed up close to 2 miles with the guys..The race was everything I expected-competitive field, challenging course, and hot.  Overall, I was really pleased with my effort.  I even passed a guy in the fast 3/4 of a mile..felt beat towards the end, but I think everybody did.

Monday-5 miles..33.09..nasty heat.

Tuesday-Brick Workout.
16 mile bike through Watch Hill area..50 minutes
3.3 mile run in 19:48.

Wednesday-a.m. 40 minute swim with Gazelle, Schonning, Duda, and Orlando from the Town Beach.
p.m. Mile Warmup/WTAC Tom McCoy Fun Run..17:53..nasty hot, very tired.

Thursday-5+ mile run in oppressive heat...6:18 pace.

Friday-5th Installment of the Beach Run n Splash..6 miles..45:52..
Splashed at Fenway Beach.

Saturday-Hill n Beach Bash Ride w/Gazelle..36 miles. 2:03
We really rocked a Strava segment of this ride..we tied for 3rd out of 239 on a section..pumped about it because my cycling skills aren't the best.

Totals:
Run: 6X, 24 miles
Lulu: 0 miles
Swim: 1X, 1 mile..not enough for the week
Bike: 2X, 52 miles

July 7th through July 13th

Sunday-8 miles with Muddy on Misquamicut roads.  It was only 7 am, but it was still hot and humid.  I think Muddy ended up with a total of 13 miles for his run..the post-run splash/body surf was the highlight of the run.  Post run quick stretch followed by tree cutting.

Monday-16 to 18 mile bike on local roads..took about an hour..didn't measure, just rode.

Tuesday- a.m. Track Workout with Mike (Which Way?) at WHS.
I arrived at approximately 4:45 and Mike already had a mile and a half warmup in the bag.  Does he sleep at all?  We warmed up for another mile and dug in..
600-400-200-600-400-200 w/jog rest
147, 70, 32, 145, 68, 31
Short jogdown..(4)

p.m. Dog Watch Fun Run w/Gazelle & Boumenot
After work I was feeling extra lazy and tired.  The physical therapist "officially" diagnosed me with IT Band Syndrome and tendonitis yesterday.   The idea of taking a nap and laying around sounded really nice.  All of sudden a text message from Gazelle (fresh off of a mountain journey) comes in.."I'm definitely in for Stonington tonight..let me know if you want a ride."  Thinking about it, I figured a few of the WTAC Cats would be down there.  My boy Crutch finally made out it out last week and seemed game to come back this week ("Beers and running talk on the back deck afterward.  Great night.  Love the Borough!  See you all next week!" Crutch's Blog, 7/2/13).  After thinking about hanging out with the Gazelle, Boumenot, and Crutch,  I told myself to man up.  When I arrived, no Crutch!

Warmed up with Gazelle and Boumenot for about a mile.  Gazelle and I agreed to run 6:30s..that didn't happen..ran low 6s and high 5s..finished in 18:15.  Mile hard warmdown w/Gazelle. (5)

Wednesday-a.m. 30 minute ocean swim in my new wetsuit with Gazelle, Schooning, & Larry Orlando. Still working on my form but actually felt strong out there today.  Special thanks to Mike B. for letting me use his wetsuit for the past couple months..much appreciated!

p.m. WTAC Tom McCoy Fun Run 5k, 17:47 1st
Warmed up solo for about a mile.
Trying to control myself I decided to do a workout with this run and do 1 minute hard/1 minute easy.  Hit the mile in 5:30, 2 mile in around 11:15...Played cat and mouse with strong teen runner Nick C.   When I finished my last hard minute on the final turn, I knew Nick was within striking distance and finished it strong.  It's only a matter of time before I'm constantly trying to chase down the kid.   I was really happy with how this workout went.  Mile warmdown with Boumenot..fun stuff!
(5)

Thursday-1200 yd swim at the Y.  In a genius move, I forgot my goggles at home.  Right before arriving at the Y, I realized I didn't have them and figured I'd ask the life guard if there was a pair hanging around..no dice.  It made the swim harder and less fun.  Finished off with 20 minutes of aqua jogging.

I had a late afternoon visit to the physical therapist for my ITB and tendonitis.  I did some exercises and had some therapy on my achilles area.

Friday-Week 4 of Run/Splash with Gazelle.  After a late night, I was looking for a later start!  Gazelle was doing a longish run of about 13 miles.  I met him at the gazebo in Watch Hill for an additional 7+.  While the air was cool, the humidity was up.  Throughout the run, I was looking for any sprinkler I could find to stick my head into.  We ran pretty fast throughout the run and had some good climbs, especially on No Bottom Road.  We hopped onto the beach for the last few miles and cranked out the final mile in 6:15.  We finished the run right in front of Taylor's House...as we cruised down, the guards were looking at us like we were nuts.  Enjoyed a splash in the ocean post run and it felt really good on the legs. 7+

Saturday-BRICK
18 mile easier ride with Gazelle.  We picked up Lulu to run 3+ miles on the rain potion. Ended up getting poured on for a few minutes.

Totals:
Run: 5X, 37 miles
Lulu run miles/walks: 1X, 3 miles
Bike: 1X, 34 miles
Swim: 2X, 2400 yds
Core/Lift/Stretch: 2X, 25 minutes

June 30th through July 6th

Sunday-4+ miles on local roads..6:23/mile. Hot and steamy..can't imagine doing a long run with the real runners.  Post run stretch.

Monday-1300 yd swim at the Westerly Y.  Warmed up 500 yd, 2X50 yd, drills, 2X50 yd, warmdown.  Felt good to be back in the pool.

Tuesday-a.m. track workout with Which Way ( I guess that's his new nickname) and Gazelle.  As I arrived at the WHS track around 4:45 am both of these guys already had over a mile under their belts.  Do they sleep at all?  I'm not really sure.  Anyway, back to the workout.  Mile track warmup.  Followed this up with 4X400 w/400 jog rest, walked 200 m, and then did 4X200 w/200 jog rest.  I was especially pleased with this workout because we were all really consistent.  My splits were the following (400s-72, 70, 69, 68) and (200s-33, 32, 32, 32).  I felt really good throughout and made sure not to overwork.  Mike offered a good reminder not to push the turns and I kept that reminder of back of my head.  Right when we finished the workout, the rain started and I did a very short jog to try to remain loose.  (5)

p.m. 2.5 mile shake-out on local roads since I did warmdown after the workout this morning.  Stretched when I finished.

Wednesday- a.m.-SWIMMING with the BIG boys.  I met Steve Schooning and Jeff Duda at the Town Beach for a 40 minute swim/1 mile + swim.  These guys are legit triathletes and I knew I would struggle to stay near them in the water.  Regardless, I was motivated for the workout and was willing to listen to any tips they could offer.  Entering the water, I immediately noticed the surf was on the rough side and it would be a good opportunity for me to experience the surf while really trying to swim through it.  Steve and Jeff were extremely smooth in the water and it seemed like they were moving effortlessly.  My goal was to just keep them in my sights and remain comfortable.  All in all, it was a really good and fun workout.  I'm really liking this tri stuff even though I'm not good at it.

pm -WTAC Tom McCoy Fun Run..5k..20:50
Warmed up for a mile with JP and then connected up with some other WTAC Cats to do the run at an easy pace.  This group included the Gazelle, New Zealander Ryan, JP, and myself.  It was fun running in the group and chatting it up with other runners along the course.  I was really happy to keep things under control with a morning race coming up. (4)

Thursday-a.m.Quonnie 4 Mile Fun Run on the 4th, 22:31 1st
Results
I can't come up with the last time I ran a race that started at 7:30 a.m.  My pre-race routine was a but different this morning since I didn't wake up early enough to throw down a breakfast.  Instead, I ate a few handfuls of cereal, had some orange juice, and shot over to Quonnie.  Driving into Quonnie, I was trying to spot out arrows and race markers...but nothing.  I ended up pulling into the ballfield where race registration was taking place.  I happened to be one of the first runners to show up. As soon I started warming up, the sweat just poured out of my veins.  I felt I was in a sauna and maybe even went out on a bender the evening before.

Before I knew it, the race director was shooting out commands and the race was underway.   Right from the start, I matched strides with a fast looking young guy and tried to determine what kind of fight I was in for this morning.  After rounding the second corner, the young guy put a little gap between me and him.  Shortly after that, another guy made a move on me and jumped into second place.  Crossing through the first mile in 5:44, I was immediately disappointed.  Not only was I feeling lethargic and slow, but I was in third place.  The front two guys maintained a gap on me and I was becoming more and more frustrated.  If I was hitting fast splits, I could have dealt better, but this was just bad.  After hitting the 2 mile mark in 5:41, the leaders still were in my sights.  I told myself to maintain.  Right around the 3 mile mark, the 2nd place guy came right back to me.  Keeping with my negative thoughts, I figured he was tired but was also conserving himself for a strong finish.  I told myself to forget about him and focused on the lead guy, who the entire community of Quonnie seemed to be cheering on.  Right around the 3 mile mark, I ran neck and neck with the guy.  I could definitely tell he was a college runner and wasn't sure he had much left in the tank.  Instead of letting him hand, I tried to make a gap between the guy and myself.  After pulling slightly away from this dude, I took the lead for good and actually felt really well.  Running on windy roads with frequent turns, I could no longer hear that guy behind me.  Crossing the finish, I took the win in 22:31 and 5:38 pace.

While I wasn't happy with my first few miles, I was really pleased with my finish (i.e. ran my last mile in 5:22).  It was a good lesson learned and moving forward, I will give more thought to just trying to hang in there and see what happens.  1 mile cooldown.  (6)

p.m. Bonus Sightseeing Adventure with Mike B.  As I'm sitting in my chair at the Town Beach, I catch quick glance of this dude running by.  I took a second look and noticed the guy's form and sure enough it's Which Way?!  I watched him for a second and made a quick, impulsive decision to try to catch him and run with him.  We ended up running to around the Pleasant View and back.  It was a fun little trek with many sights to see (both good and bad).  Nice way to add on 3 fun bonus miles.

Friday-Week #3 of the Beach/Splash Friday runs with Gazelle and Which Way.  We started at 5:30 a.m. in Watch Hill.  Initially, we ran quiet roads and ended up hopping on the beach before hoping back on the roads by East Beach.  We finished the run at Napatree and quickly jumped in the water to cool off and body surf.  Ended up running 6 miles total and I came back to Napatree later in the day on the boat.

Saturday-After feeling some serious tightness in my calves and lower legs the night before, I opted for an easier bike ride.  Ended up riding between 18 and 20 miles.  Later in the day, I fit in some pushups and stretching in between chores.

Totals:
Run: 7X, 30+ miles
Lulu miles: 0 (but I did take her for a walk)
Swim: 2X, 2900yds
Bike: 1X, 20 miles
Core/Stretch/Strength: 2X, 60 minutes

Synopsis:
Overall, it was a well balanced week.  I wish I could have made it out on the bike more, but you can't do it all. The 30 miles was the most I've run in months and I was really happy to get in that long swim Wednesday morning.   This next week should be another solid training week.  The week after is going to be hectic.

June 23rd through June 29th

Sunday-I actually slept in for a change..made it to 7:30 am..can't even come up with the last time I slept that late..maybe the long sleep is due to the depressing Bruins loss last night, maybe it's from trying up with the Gazelle...hmm..

3.75 mile loop in the heat...22:55.  I came home mapped it out, did some calculations and figured out I was running 6:06 pace..I'll take it.

Post run stretching and weights..bench press/curl rotation.

Monday-took the hybrid out for a 45 minute ride (sightseeing journey) through Misquamicut.  When it's busy down in Misquamicut, I'm reluctant to go play on the road bike.  Beach traffic and cycling do not mix well.  The scary moment of the day came right as I proceeded through a green  traffic light by the intersection of Winnapaug and Shore Road.  Following the rules of the road, I carefully progressed through the intersection and this lady came really close to taking me out.  I was a but baffled by the whole interaction and was careful not to drop any explicits.  Shortly after, an SUV pulled up aside of me.  I immediately thought to myself, "Here we go!"  Turns out it was Boumenot and his son Connor to my pleasant surprise.  We chatted for a minute and Boumenot opted not to run me down (He said I had nothing to worry about, I'm not in his age group).   The rest of the ride was fun and uneventful.  When I came home, I stretched for a bit.

Tuesday-  a.m. Speed workout with Muddy..2 mile warmup, 8X200m w/200 m jog rest.  Splits were around: 34, 35, 34, 33, 33, 33, 32, 31..1 mile warmdown and then on to my day job!

p.m. Dog Watch Fun Run 5k..around 20 minutes..Mike Boumenot was my wing man tonight..we cruised down to the Borough in the Mustang and then cruised the streets on foot together.  Fun night with a ton of laughs! Mile cooldown.
(10)

Wednesday-WTAC Tom McCoy Fun Run 5k, 17:45 5:37/mile, 3rd
1 mile warmup with Boumenot.  Prior to the run, I was once again contemplating exactly how hard I wanted to run.  On a rather humid night, the Fun Run was packed with talent tonight.  College runner JP, Nick Celico, Muddy, Johnny Miles, Gazelle, Boumenot, and the Junior Gazelle's!!  Throw that line up together and you have yourself a track meet.

Going into this one I had the plan on trying to run even.  I thought to myself, "5:50s would be nice."  As the run went out, JP immediately took command and never looked back.  Young gun Nick was immediately right on my tail.  Jonny took the bait as well as we cruised through the first mile in 531.  The second and slowest mile we hit in 548.  Once we hit Crandall Ave., my heavy legs started to yell at me as the race moved on (I'll blame it on the track workout!). I told Nick to go after it and closed out the last mile in 534.  JP and Nick Celico took care of business tonight.  The young bucks made me feel old and tired.  Mile cooldown with Boumenot, JP, and good girl runner Brandi.

Lazy Thursday-I didn't feel like doing much of anything after work today.  My body kept telling to take a nap instead of working out.  Working out prevailed..push-pull routine (pushup sets, bentover rows, abs), bench routine (bench press, single handed kettlebell rows, medicine ball twists), pull-up routine (pull-ups, curls, abs), and finished off with some stretching.

Friday-Headed off to the Charlestown Breachway with Gazelle and Boumenot for Round 2 of our Friday Beach Run/Ocean Splash sessions.  Prior to the run we made a quick stop by St. James Chapel to see if Muddy Puddin' would be joining us.  We didn't spot him, so we headed down to the beach.  We ran local beach roads that were nice and flat on this humid morning.  Today was especially enjoyable because it didn't feel like anybody really wanted to push the pace.  In the last mile of the run, we all ditched our shoes and ran barefoot down to the beach.  As soon as we finished running, the rain poured down and we hit the water.  On the way home, Mike treated us to some coffees from D & D.  Awesome!  (7.5)

Strength session: push-ups, pullups, shoulder exercises, rows, medicine ball twists..some stretching.

Saturday-42 mile ride with Gazelle from his house, through town, out to Greenhaven Road, to North Main Street, roads/farms/hills of North Stonington, and finally made the trek back home on Rt. 216.  Today's ride was a sufferfest and I enjoyed every minute of it. Besides the start of the ride, we rode rolling hills almost the entire time.  I'm hoping these kind of workouts will help out come tri time.  We hit Dave's Coffee at the end of the ride for some much needed iced.  Sign me up for more of these!

North Stonington Farm Country/Winery

5k can't hang!

Wakey, wakey Crutch!
Someone hit the zzz button

Totals:
Run: 4X, 27 miles
Lulu run: 0
Bike: 2X, 57 miles
Swim: 0
Core/Stretch/Weights: 3X, 70 minutes

Synopsis: Overall, a very good run week.  To my blog followers out there, my mileage may not look like much, but it's the most distance I've covered in awhile.  I'm still feeling the IT Band and bursitis in the heel area.  However, it doesn't feel as irritated as it once did.  For now, I'll take it.  I'm very happy with the distance of my weekly bike ride with Gazelle and quality of my strength workouts.  Despite the fact that I'm not running fast right now, I am enjoying training and the variety of activity.

Downsides:
-I did not get a swim in.
-No run for Lulu (humidity played a factor.