Summer Steamer

100% humidity has finally arrived. The amazing thing is the temps have been moderate enough that I haven't put in the AC window units yet. Still, it makes running and biking a sweaty proposition. I've biked in and home the last two days - 36 miles total (good for 9 eq.miles) - and yesterdays ride home yesterday made me a disgusting ball of sweat. I also did a short 4 miler at lunch yesterday with similar disgusting results. On the plus side -I'm feeling pretty good for the most part - the allergies have subsided (I won't say gone away - I still feel as though my throat is closing up a little some times) and my legs feel better than they have. I felt my lower back and forearms a little on yesterday's ride home - but that's more normal - I can deal with that.

Tour de France Finale

After almost 39 years of living on this planet, I've finally discovered the Tour de France. With my San Diego Madres languishing near the bottom of the baseball standings for a majority of my summers (and, subsequently, my interest in MLB getting towards NBA levels of disinterest), and College Baseball finishing up it's season in mid-June - the Tour turns out to be a great summer diversion. This year, the Versus network busted out great coverage both on my HD TV and via a live stream on the internet. Following the helicopter vantage of the riders pedal through the French countryside or up the Alps is mesmerizing and relaxing - and pretty much the closest I'm getting to a vacation this year. Congratulations to this year's winner was Alberto Contador and all the riders who challenged him (the Schlecks in particular). And thanks for getting me to the one month mark before College Football kicks in.

Training is off to a good start this week. I pushed Julia in the double stroller over to Noank - braving the hills, heat and humidity for a good 52 minute - about 5.7 miles.

Sudafed

After driving the Struggle Bus most of the week due to either an allergy (molds - taking over New England) or some type of virus - I think I may have found a solution. Sudafed may have cleared me up. It's not just a handy precursor to meth - it still can clear out the head. The throat's feeling much better as well (less drip I suppose). Such a simple solution - but we've been out of it at home - and I hadn't gotten around to buying more until this morning. Anyway - still a little under the weather - but hopefully on the rebound.

I did attempt a lunch time run. Legs felt horrible and humidity was pushing 100% - so I kept it slow and short - 4 miles - the Avery loop plus the Eastern Point parking lot. That may be it for the week folks.

Summer Weekend

So we almost saw the balloons in the air Sunday morning in Wakefield. It was still a fun trip: we did manage to see the last balloon in the air giving rides, and then watched the model airplane hobbiest fly planes in the air. The kids liked the petting zoo - amazing how little ones react to animals. The day ended with a 2 mile round-trip hike from our 'hood to the Mystic-Noank library for a little music and ice cream with some of our neighbors.

In retrospect, I should have ran the 2 miles - since I'll again be struggling with getting a decent weekly mileage. I did go out for a nice run Monday - 5.3 miles, but have developed a sore throat and low grade cold feel the last few days - similar to last month. Hopefully this one won't turn into the z-pac requiring sinus infection that last months did. It may just be a passin virus since the Nasonex doesn't seem to be making much of a difference. Anyway, I skipped my biking yesterday and then did the run/swim today - since it's pretty low impact: good for 2.7 miles running and 3 eq.miles in the water. Hopefully I'll feel better tomorrow and be good for the round-trip bike.

Back in Mystic

So we made it up from a great trip to the shore on Wednesday. The kids seem pretty happy to be back with their toys and friends. Wednesday was a travel day. I'm thinking of getting them up earlier either Saturday or Sunday and heading over to Wakefield for the hot-air balloon show. They do a "glow" every night this weekend and start every morning off with a big fly (or so its says on the website). I think the kids might like it.

So yesterday I made it back to work just in time for a seminar talk - and a post seminar talk run. I talked Dave B into heading out and we ended up doing the 5.3 mile loop, which includes both Avery point and Jupiter loops. The pace seemed pretty fast - Dave B was thinking under 8:00 min/miles (we'll say 7:50). I can't find my watch anywhere - so I'll have to just guess until I get around to replacing it.

Today has been like my own mini triathlon: I biked into work (9 miles), ran (4.5 miles) and did my first Long-Island sound swim of the year (~0.5 miles; or 6 lengths down at the Shenny beach). I'll also be biking home (another 9 miles). So that about 4.5 eq. miles biking and 3 eq.miles swimming: 12 miles total by the time I get home today. Kinda makes up for light schedule earlier in the week.

More Shore

A lot of pool and beach time so far this week. We did a few hours at the pool yesterday and headed into Atlantic City for the beach today. I've been to a few beaches down here over the years and ACs stacked up well. It helped that it was free. The sand was good, the breeze and temp were perfect - and the water felt great. The girls had a very good time. Kids love sand.

I managed to run to/from the pool yesterday (2 miles each way) and did 400 yards in the pool. I would've like to swim more -but I don't have my goggles - so I have trouble getting going good. I did some more swimming in the ocean today - pretty much the only person out of thousands it seems - interested in actually swimming. It felt great - but I still had the goggle problem. All told - I'm up to maybe 800 yards for the week. After getting back I did about a 3 mile jog. So after two days - I've got 7 miles running and ~2-3 eq. miles in the water.

Shore Weekend

So I'm down at the Jersey Shore to visit the in-laws and attend my wife's uncle's wedding - which was today. The wedding, in Ocean city and the reception, in Somers Point, were both great - wonderful food at the reception. It's actually been a good food week - I had a great Ahi Tuna sandwich earlier in the week in Boston during the lunch break of a software training class. And while the foods been tasty, my training has suffered a bit. I managed a round-trip bike ride on Monday and a run on Wednesday (4.7 miles), but I've been too busy traveling the last 3 days to get out - so the week's going to end with just over 10 miles running and 18 on the bike - my worst week in a while.

Some other things that have been bothering me are the allergies/throat - which feels like it's closing up when I sleep, and sleep in general - up a 5:00 on Thursday and 4:00 on Friday (to beat traffic) + a spotty night last night. Hopefully tomorrow I can get out again.

4th of July Weekend

We had a nice weekend. The weather finally didn't totally suck. I started out by jogging down to Eastern Point Beach [2.5 miles including the Avery loop] to meet the wife and kids for lunch. The kitchen at Eastern Point is really very good. Julia and I started her sea-shell (sound-shell?) collection - which is now sitting on her window sill. The 2.5 miles is the shortest training run I've ever done - but still counts. Week: 16 miles running, 18 biking (2:15 and 1:30 time wise).

Yesterday I managed to finally fix my grill (replaced the burner - which had rusted out and other repairs) and then we headed over to the Mystic Seaport - and witnessed by far the lamest parade I ever saw. I think it was suppose to be a parade as they were long ago. If that's the case - parades really sucked back then. Anyway - the kids had fun washing and drying laundry at the seaport museum. That's what wenches' did back in the day - right up there for fun with the parade I suppose.

Julia's birthday was today - and we launched it in fine form by washing cars. Jen's was devistated by seagulls at the beach parking lot Friday - and I couldn't handle driving around Mystic with the seagull shit on it anymore - so I set the kids to work. Following lunch, I loaded Julia into the stroller and jogged her over to Noank. It was a 5.7 mile round trip - but I took it easy - you can't really go balls-out with a 5-year old in the stroller. And we stopped at the little beach in Noank for about 10 minutes to look at little crabs wander about. The rest of the weekend was filled in with me trying to watch the Versus network's Tour de France [this works from work!!! Not that I'd ever do that - for an entire month - while working] coverage, which I find fascinating. Something about the combination of the helicopter view of the rolling French countryside, narated by the British commentators I really find calming and relaxing. Anyway - week's off to a good start.

First Beach Day

Met the family down at Eastern Point Beach today. Although the weather has been spotty this, we got a pretty nice beach day this afternoon. I yanked this awesome photo from someone's flickr page. Obviously it does not reflect today's weather, but it was by far the coolest photo I found by googling 'eastern point beach groton' - so it stays. The girls had a great time - Julia even started her first sea-shell collection.

I managed about 2.5 miles running after leaving work to meet them - to go with a sweltering 5.5 mile loop yesterday and a 3.1 miler along the Mystic river on Wednesday night. Mostly due to weather, I only managed 1 bike this week - but all told it's about 16 miles running and just under 5 eq.miles on the bike - about 20.5 total. I'll try and get an early start Sunday for next week - since Thursday and Friday'll be travel days.