New Haven Century - Recap

The goal was the full 100 miles, I knew my butt was not properly trained for this distance so there might be a struggle, there might be some whining.  The stupid cold/plague/allergies are hanging in there so there might be some coughing and snot rockets.

As I packed up my stuff Saturday night for a early a.m. departure to New Haven, CT, Dave suggested a second tire.  100 miles is a lot of miles, you might need it.  I was hoping to not need either of the tubes.  He also said, "We really should get a good frame pump.  The ones we have suck."  Kinda late to do anything about that now wasn't it?

I left on time, mentally checking my list as I drove away.  I forgot my water and electrolytes bottle.  SOB.  Turned around to get home to find Dave calling me to let me know that I had forgotten these things.  Ah, thanks hon.  No snark, seriously I appreciated the call.   The century riders were asked to leave no later than 8 a.m.  I was going to be right up on top of that with this 30 minutes I just lost.  Oh well...  

The directions from Google were sketchy once I got close to The Devi's Gear Bike Shop, I had it surrounded all the 1 way streets were messing with me!! Eventually figuring out where I could park Ro's SUV.  OH yeah, Vinnie is back into Christine mode, not even a month later and we are back to this "SRS Airbag Failure" complete with the interior flashing lights and rapidly swiping windshield wipers.  Grrrr....  I think I may get a new car sooner than 2017, but we shall see...  

Got parked found some other riders we all chatted, they were doing the 100 too and the course was nice.  Oh ok, sounds good.  

Found the check in, noted that someone was being told that the streets in Milford, CT were not marked with paint, but with chalk.  This was not noted in the 'welcome to the ride note' other course marking issues were.  Hmmm...  Poked around for more information and where is the bathroom??!!

Off I went just a minute past the latest start time, had a difficult time getting a signal and then a last moment panic about the directions.  

Milford was a problem and I and others did get lost. What a cute little town!!  That got all straightened around after reading the turn by turn directions and eventually finding a heard of bikers (or are they a clouder or a pod?)  Couple bonus miles, no biggie.  

I was cruising along fairly well bummed that I wasn't riding with anyone, or even meeting up with people at the end, ultimately enjoying the beauty of this part of Connecticut (once I got out of Milford).  My next challenge was the arrow pointing left to an obvious bike path, sweet.  I pedaled along there for quite a while, 4 miles, and then began to wonder if I was going the right direction.  Of course I was not, and no one should be surprised by this, especially not me!

Got myself back on the right path, love my iPhone and Google maps!  This caused me to miss a rest stop, which I didn't think would be a problem.  Silly girl.

Landed at the 100 turn left 64 go through.  I hemmed and hawed and my butt voted, through.  Ok then.  The 'hills' were over it was just the next 50 or so (because of my scenic adventures) that I was concerned with and frankly I was tired.  I'd been at it for 4.5 hours and did I have another 4.5 in me?  Wasn't sure and didn't want to find out.

Missing that rest stop was noticed when I drank my last water and electrolyte drink, I was parched, gag.  Found a gas station and stopped, frantically checking on my bike to make sure no one stole it while I was waiting to pay for the water.  Oh sweet water...  Pulled out of there to notice someone flagging me down for a rest stop not 100 feet away!!!  She said I was yelling and waiving.  I said I was so thirsty.  I did stop and top off my water bottle and snack on a few PBJ finger sandwiches jibber jabbered with some bikers.  They too went straight instead of a left at the cut off.   15ish more miles till the end, sweet.

Made it about a mile and hit something, sounded like plastic, then sounded like a mini explosion as my tube went flat.  Oh yippie...  Got that all straightened around, pumped up the tire and checked everything and noticed the tube coming out of a hole in the side of the tire.  Hmmm... OH wait I read something to put a dollar bill in between the tube and the tire.  Feh, what the hell, took it all apart again and slid the dollar bill in there, pumped the tire back up again.

Neatness doesn't count!

The tube with the gash

The tire, after I got home.  Dave was pretty impressed by this!

After I fixed the tire, for the second time, a gang of motor-bikers came zooming by.  Wowza.  The first time I had pulled over into a gas station (my quest for water) which wasn't even open.  As I'm going to get back on the road.  Cop motorcyclists sirens and lights flashing and then what must have been a mile of bikers two by two.

The first time I saw them.
I waved, they waved, wonder what that was all about?
It was VERY loud!

They all appeared again just as I was finishing up fixing my flat.   Had I been on the road that would have scared the crap out of me and who knows what may have happened.  Things happen for a reason, right?  I was off the road and I think that was a good thing!

I stopped a couple times to put more air in the tire but I wasn't getting that sucker up to 110 psi, no way no how.  Riding tired on a low tire sucks, did my best to make the best of it and pedaled forward.  Eventually finding the finish, and then Ro's car which contained an icy diet coke, ahhh.

http://app.strava.com/activities/159718118/overview

Ahhhh.... Nice to get out of the bike shoes, which really are well ventilated, especially when I went down hill I could feel the breeze on my toes, the clean clothes were nice; nothing was as nice as that icy diet coke.  

Sincerely,

Beth, not a century rider, yet!!  

PS Gizzy did get a short walk, we had to cut it short to pick up a pizza for dinner.

Weekly Recap 6/23 - 6/29

Ok so yeah I went on a 26 mile bike ride when I got home from NH.  I was a little bonkers after the drive and needed to do something, and vacuuming wasn't going to cut it!

http://app.strava.com/activities/156923582

Monday - Run 4 / TRX / Dog Walk

So fun to run on Monday.  I was amazed at the over flowing badge basket in the guard shack.  Got a nice high 5 from Mike B along Shennie.   The 4 felt good, glad it was under 10, my hips hurt a bit from NH, either the mountain or the strange bed, who knows.  The pounding on the asphalt seemed to realign what ever was off.  More my left hip than right, curious...

Karen came back for a second week of TRX, yeah!!! So hard to get someone to commit.  

Gizzy was not having any of me sitting, he got up in my face about it, boy can he whine at a piercing tone!  We went for a walk, not as long as Sunday.  He does so well in this dry weather, it is hard to keep him from his exercise, I am sure it helps keep my old guy young.
 
Tuesday - Bike to work / Walk with the usual suspects / Bike to Dog Watch / Run one lap with Steve / Bike home / Dog walk

Wowza, Saturday seemed to catch up with me, I couldn't my legs moving without any real effort.  Probably  not the best day to bike to work, it was the only day I could.  Wed there was rain in the forecast and Thur I am in NY for a Black Tie dinner thing.  Just glad the dress my friend picked out actually fit and looked as good as she said it would.  It is time to get back to regular NY visit, Lori is back from Medical next week and I am eager to get involved in some new projects.  Time to schmooze... blech...

The bike in was good.  The bike to Dog Watch was acceptable.  The wind was from the south so even the wicked cool downhill on 215 South was slow, I had to work at pedaling.  By the time I got to the Brook Street cut over it was pretty clear that hill might best me.  It didn't, pshew!

Ran with Steve for one lap, my heart wasn't in the second lap and he runs faster than me so go forth and speed away my friend.  It was fun taking pictures of everyone finishing up.  I have to post them!

Bike home was good, should have stuck around for Mike B and Gazelle.  However when I got home Dave was just getting home and had dinner so it was PERFECT timing.  

Again Gizzy won, he got a walk.  Spoiled much?

Wednesday -  Tom McCoy fun run w/Jennifer 3.1 / Bike to and from 10

Someone else who runs my pace!!  Whoop!  

Ok so I missed the first two fun runs, the first I have no idea and last week the plague... or maybe I only missed 1?  

Jennifer I met through the Red Felt Running Club I'm part of on FB.  I got involved with them with my first Marine Corps Marathon and eventually the New England chapter found me.  Very cool.  I scoped out her Daily Mile, totally in my pace range!  She isn't much of a run and talker so that was ok.  We chatted a bit for the 3.1 miles, and went to the Andrea for drinks afterwards.  May not be the free beer of the Dog Watch it will do!!

Biked home, my first post beer biking venture.  A little weird, all good though.

Annnnddd Gizzy lost - he laid by me on the chair/ottoman whining up a blue streak....  sorry pal.

Thursday - NY (2 mile walk)

I attended the A.Leon Higginbotham Corporate Leadership Award Dinner in NYC on Thursday night.  Fabulous event.  I think, in general, people forget or simply don't truly understand the Civil Rights Movement and the lasting impact it has on society today.  What it means to be equal and have the same rights black white man or woman. 

This was also a nice opportunity to get to know, outside of work, lawyers and non-lawyers I've worked with over the years.  Funny how we have these connections be it running, yoga, or the awesome beaches of South County RI and probably never would have known about them otherwise. 

The 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, one of the gals and I looked over at each other and said, imagine what this room would be like, we've come far, and she has come even further having the double whammy of black and female.  We chuckled a bit, noted that we don't feel worthy, and went back to listening to Eleanor Holmes Norton's acceptance speech.  Truly an amazing woman, 77 years old, full of life and passion.  An event I am so glad to have been able to take part in.


Friday - Lunch run with Ro / Bike ride? / Dog walk - per Gizzy

Set out for 4 miles with Ro, neither of us were really feeling it, as evidenced by the last 8/10 of a mile, the easiest part of the run!!  Good to just jibber jabber about girl stuff for 40 minutes.  I am getting much better about talking and running, kinda impressed myself especially because my lungs are definitely not back.   Maybe tomorrow?

Saturday - Rest! (oh and a dog walk - I might even take Gizzy somewhere!)

Sunday - New Haven Century Ride / please no dog walk...

After talking about what was the worst scenario I signed up for the full century.  The worst case is my butt is so sore I have to get hauled back in the SAG Wagon...  I think it will be fine,  the tough part (read: hilly) of the ride are the middle 40 miles.

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/440097086

Sincerely,
Beth, running and riding and glad to nearly be done with the cold/plague/allergies

Wordless Wednesday

Sincerely,

Beth, who proved the back of this phone case IS a bottle opener and doesn't need any more comments on her poor pour...  but of course, if you have good ones bring 'em!

Mt. Washington Race - Recap

Wayyy back in the fall and through the spring the conversation went something like this:

Ro: "Interested in signing up for Mt. Washington, it's only one hill."  
Me:  "Sure" 
Ro:  "It's a lottery, this will be the third year, I haven't gotten in the last two, this WILL be the year."
Me: "Awesome"  *thinks* hmmm... what are the odds we will get in? I might want to find something out about this race and eventually I did (on June 21st).

I've been through New Hampshire on the way to Maine a couple times and I visited once, way back in 1995? Which ever year Gretchen and Jefferey got married and I spent a week driving around New England in my convertible (which was one of the best vacations I've ever had).  Um, yeah, not really familiar with this Mt. Washington, at all.

March 18th arrived and we got the eMail team "Fit 4 Anything" got in!  There would be 8 runners and we had 3 drivers.  Drivers were very important, this is how you get down from the top of the mountain. Well you could run...

My focus was on training for the 50K so I really didn't do much hill training, I did keep up my endurance training for the 6 weeks post IAT, to a degree, I figured I could gut it out at  15 - 18 minute miles for 7.6 miles.  Someone said your average 1/2 marathon time should be the time to shoot for.  Ok so 2:15 was my A goal.  I didn't avoid hills but I didn't really go out of my way to find any. 2:30 was my realistic goal, my B goal.  Not getting swept was my C goal.

Then I got this cold/plague/allergy thing and it settled in my lungs, brought out the asthma, oh yippiee.  Dug up the old albutero and dosed myself as needed to open up my breathing and control that horrible asthmatic cough, super sexy, not quite gob o'spit on the face sexy, but I don't think I can pull that look as well as some people ...  sounded like I'd been smoking a couple packs a day since birth. 

Friday I drove up to New Hampshire, once I finally got into NH and on 16 North it was an awesome drive, so beautiful.  Stopped at a scenic area in Ossipee:

And then a few miles later:

The team, now 6 and 1 driver met up to go pick up bibs.  We lost 1 to a foot injury, another to Lyme Disease and 2 drivers.  So... huh...  can we fit 7 people in a Subaru?  Could we stack them like cord wood in Steve's truck?

Back:  Tim, Steve, Mark, Don
Front:  Me, Ro
Um we don't really look concerned about this getting down or up the mountain (in the background) business

Saturday: Two vehicles to the mountain one parked and sent Don's wife, Suzan, to the top.  She was more than a little iffy about driving and was absolutely not going to drive Steve's truck to the top, she was even a little iffy on driving HER car to the top, she did and we are forever grateful.  So off we went to find an additional ride down.

A ride down was found, the remaining three people surrendered their "auto tag" tag on the bottom of the bib.  

Um, did someone get the gal's cell phone or vehicle make and tag so we could find them?  Ah, no... feh, someone remembered what she looked like and drove, it would be ok.

Everyone got all lined up earlier I took a good couple puffs from the inhaler (actually following the 30 minutes pre activity instructions, surprising, right?)  hoping like hell that would be OK and shoved it and my long sleeved shirt into my hydration pack.  SO glad when someone said "Glad I'm not the only dork with a hydration pack."  Hey, we all do what makes us most comfortable.

Absolutely gorgeous day!!!  Even the summit looked clear!!

Don said he was thinking about sticking with me.  I figured that would last about 20 seconds past the start gun.  The gun went off, Don was gone, huh not even 20 seconds, off  we went, down hill so that was easy, the flat and then the up hill started I ran a little bit up the start of the hill and could hear the gurgling in my lungs.  Slowed to a power walk and a couple lung clearing coughs.  Evaluated my A, B, and C goals and thought, hell I'm keeping them, or maybe I should just stop, what if I do damage?  Then I saw a some beautiful flowers and rocks and I was distracted, what exactly was I going to see and experience on this journey?  What an opportunity, I cannot pass this up.  Remember passing up that one climb on the Great Wall with Dave and his brother your first trip to China?  Yeah, that was stupid.  You watched them and photographed it and kicked yourself later and never missed another climb like that one. 

Mile 1 - 15:46 - Ok not so bad, maybe I can do this.  The trees were beautiful and the flowers and the people perched on rocks cheering us on.

Mile 2 - 17:12 - Yippiee!!  I was slowing, however, keeping a stead pace and passing people, so this is OK.  Or maybe my cough was scaring them off?  Now I'm seeing some streams through the rocks and hearing the lovely sound of water running and splashing over rocks, so soothing.

Mile 3 - 19:19 - Ok now we can see through the trees, oh wow.  Amazing, the picture doesn't do it justice.

Mile 4 - 19:09 - Beautiful, starting to break the tree line, the wind is picking up a bit, and it does feel pretty good, at the moment. 

Mile 5 - 20:30 - steeper than it looks and we are breaking the tree line!  

Mile 6: 20:31 Think you can get a jist of the steepness, I stopped along here to put on my long sleeves, my hands were really getting cold (remember gloves next year).

Mile 7 - 21:30 See the white in the distance, that is snow in a bowl on the mountain!  

 Mile 7.6 - 19:16 and the fog rolled in and the temp dropped even more.

Almost done - I'm such a ham!!  (plus I had LOTS of time to meet my B goal)

Finish line was up an even steeper hill!!!  Are you kidding me??  I did manage to RUN across the finish line too...  Waiting at the end was a medal and a blanket.  A warm soft fuzzy wonderful blanket.  I wrapped up my chilly self (ok frozen) and set out to find the rest of the crew and snuggle under the blankets in Suzan's warm car with my team mates!!

Official results 2:26:12 - B goal met!  For the full results click here.  Seriously click the link and check the times of the top placers, the winner Joe Gray 59:09, under an hour.  Seriously amazing!!  Truly amazing mountain runners!!

Check out this interview with Joe and last years winner Eric Blake, On the Level!

Some sweet photos by Scott Mason!   And Joe Viger, even one with Scott!!

I'm pleased!

Our team did very well, most meeting their A or B goals! Tim, unfortunately got a bad something or another with dinner and wasn't quite up to his expectations.  He finished with a smile (ok maybe a grimace), on not a lot of sleep.  Impressive any which way you slice it!!   Can't wait to run with this gang again!!

Tim, Don, me, Mark, Ro, Steve

Ro!!  Team Captain!

Don!

Ro, Steve, me

Afterwards, because we hadn't had enough fun Steve took us on a hike of Glen Ellis Falls.  So worth the mile up and downhill!

I waded in the freezing cold water.  It felt SO good!!

  
Post race we hung out on the porch of the Eagle Mountain House sweet view!!

Sincerely,
Beth, so glad she wasn't taken seriously when she volunteered to be the second driver.  Absolutely looking forward to running the mountain with this crew and more next year.  Till then, see ya running around Groton!

PS.  We never did find the gal and we all got down the mountain and no one had to walk it.

Weekly Recap - 6/16 - 6/22

I'm enjoying this weekly log stuff.  Nice to assemble what happens day by day week by week.  Now to review what has happened.  Specifically,  I need to rehash my 50K training as I have been romanticizing the experience, time to remember the hours of training and the mental challenges during the race and pick an appropriate race for my skill level and ambition.  Suggestions?

Monday - 6 miles / TRX / Dog Walk

Same old same old work route.  I had a frustrating phone call and still owe someone an apology for my reaction.  I'm getting there, slowly.  

TRX was good, Ella recruited a friend!  Always good to have a new person, helps remind us the correct way to do things.  Like lunges!  

Gizzy demanded his walk, he is so cute and impossible to resist.

Tuesday - 13 miles bike / Ro Walk (1/2 of the usual suspects) / Husband walk

I was going to commute into work, woke up feeling a little iffy so I slept in a bit.  As the day progressed so did this summer cold/allergies.  I left work early and took a bike ride, figuring that may help sweat some of whatever out and I wanted to move and it is hot, I'm not a fan of temps over 70, at most 75.

The fog was rolling in , eerie and cool to see all at the same time, nice temperatures by the shore.  Nothing spectacular on the ride, I could tell I am a little worn down. 

Dave and I went out for our wedding anniversary and took a long walk after dinner.  We went somewhere neither of us have been in Stonington Borough, Noah's.  His first comment was "I think we are the youngest people in here."  not sure what tone that was setting.  Oysters were on the appetizer menu, oh stop...  we had a dozen they were very good.  Better than the ones at Matunuck Oyster Bar.  Then again I only eat the MOB ones in December.  All the food was spectacular.  The Stonington scallops (mine) were perfectly sweet and melted in my mouth.  Dave had the cod and that was light flaky and perfectly done.  Definitely some place we will go again.  Walk down to the beach and back was nice.  

Wednesday - Dog walk

Oh yeah, I woke up miserable, no bike commute to work.  Left early, took some Mucinex D crashed on the couch and woke up as Dave was off for a road bike ride.  Even in my insane jealousy I couldn't get up.

Took Gizzy for a stroll after the sun started to set, it is getting a little warm for him, he was fine and happy to stroll along checking in on whatever updates the other dogs left in the neighborhood and adding in his two cents.

Thursday - Nada - 

Coughed up a lung, good core workout...  

Friday -  Nada

Travel to NH - pretty sure I'm going to wake up feeling like a million bucks this ick will be behind me....  yeah, that didn't happen... but compared to the previous morning, MUCH better.

Saturday - Mt. Washington 7.6 Miles  recap here:

Sunday -  26 Miles Bike / Dog Walk

Sincerely,
Beth, summer colds suck, glad to get it over before summer actually starts!

Wordless Wednesday

 

 

 

 

 

Sincerely,

Beth, sharing the caring wedding anniversary gift from my husband of 14 years.  (they work when he bikes, guess it is time for a run in the woods?)

Pan Merrimack Challenge Charity Ride - 100K - Recap

I've been struggling with how to recap this. After writing a recap, not liking it, and then sleeping on it and running on it and talking to my Mom I think the important take away is safety and helmets.

The conversation with my Mom went like this:

ME:  I rode my first metric century, translated 62 miles, well 66 because I rode with a woman who has the same faulty sense of direction I do.  One of the women in our group crashed and has a minor concussion.  Her helmet was cracked and it probably saved her life.

MOM: I am so sorry for your friend.  Adults wear helmets on bicycles?  That is interesting.  Is there a law?  They had to make a law for motorcycle riders to wear them and now they are repealing that law because the motorcyclists don't want to wear them.

ME:  In RI and CT you have to wear them until you are 16 after that it isn't a law.  I don't think there is a helmet law for motorcycles in either state either.  

MOM:   How odd is it that an adult would choose to wear a helmet on a bicycle and not a motorcycle?   We always made you kids wear helmets on the dirt bikes and go carts.  

ME:  I don't get it either.

Some background on the ride:  

The Riverside Rockets Pan Mass Challenge (PMC) Team put on a bike ride, in conjunction with Riverside Cycle, Michael's Harborside, and Trek to raise funds to meet their fundraising commitment to the Pan Mass Challenge.    (I can't figure out how to make that sentence any smoother, probably break it down more - and yes, I edit technical documents for a living, go figure)

Team LUNGStrong and the Riverside Rockets are sister teams (or is that brother teams, oh hell, sibling teams) and they support each others events to raise the funds for the PMC.  Our fundraising commitment is waived for this ride, yeah!  Thanks!  Perfect, a supported 100K ride, I need to ride with people, and I really want to meet a few of the Team LUNGStrong folks, many birds, one stone!!

Diane Legg is the reason LUNGStrong was founded.  She is a 10 year lung cancer survivor, and only 52 this year. Diane rides the PMC, this will be her 3rd year and the 4th year of the team.  Diane also runs.  I met Diane the first time I ran with Team Lung Love, 2011 for the Providence 1/2 Marathon.  An amazing woman, bar none.  She was pretty clear she rides about 14 miles an hour and has a tough time with hills.  Well, yeah anyone with 3/4 of their lungs left might!   I knew riding with her and the other women on the team  would be perfect, I can manage that pace in the hilly area I ride and am still trying to master hills.  Plus I REALLY needed to ride with a group of people to see what that was all about. 

So on to the story, because there is always a story:

I got to the start wicked early, after stuttering to get out Metric Century (for some reason my brain cannot remember things lately)  I picked up my package and was handed a number and a map.  Humm.. a  number, where does this go I asked.  Anywhere we just need to make sure all the riders are accounted for.   Looked around for other LUNGStrong jerseys and found a couple and introduced myself.  Eventually meeting up with Diane who loaned me her LUNGStrong jersey from last year, then managing to miss the team picture, there were about 20 of the 60 LUNGStrong PMC riders on the ride.  Total number of riders, under 100 for the 100K, for the 25 and 10 mile dunno...

Diane, Korky, Monica, Mary Ellen, Sara, and I were in a pack.  Diane took the lead and set the pace, we'd pass her up hill and wait for her at the bottom if we needed to.  Monica and Korky would break away for a while and then we'd regroup.  

I didn't want to get lost, because yeah that is something I do and following cue sheets isn't easy and there was no way I was going to hork the Garmin from Dave he was already kinda ticked I took the road bike pump with  me to MA.  Hmmm, is there an app for that?    The course was marked with a "P" and a directional arrow on the pavement.  Well it rained heavily the day before and the night of and the morning of, some of the key markers were in puddles...  yippie.  There were a few times all we could say was "Where is the flipping P???" 

None of us are really sure how we got of course, I think we were all still a little wigged out from what happened to Monica. 

Two falls:

Where is Mary Ellen?  We looked over and there she was in the grass giggling.  She forgot to un-clip when she stopped.  Whoops!  We hoped that would be the only fall...  it was not.

Monica was out in front on a slight downhill and then she was down.   Lying on her right side in the fetal position still clipped into her bike.  Out cold for a very brief time.  

I went ahead up the road to slow traffic another biker went back to slow traffic.

Front tire caught in a crack in the asphalt. 

Cracked helmet, scraped up knees, ripped gloves and jersey.  She has a minor concussion, Corky (who went with her in the ambulance) had a nice picture of her all bandaged up with two thumbs up.

I was behind Corky, looking in a different direction and missed the fall, it happens that quick.  Corky said she nearly ran over Monica.  Diane was amazed we all didn't end up in a huge pile up.

Really not much more to say than that.  Falls happen.  Crashes happen.  They are scary and it is very important to be aware and keep an eye on the road.  Monica will be OK, thankfully.

Back on course:

We did get back on course, actually going the wrong direction, which was funny considering Diane and Sara live in the area.  Got to where we needed to be and checked in at the last water stop (we were some of the last riders out on the course).  Chitter chatter about the woman who fell and she was with you.  Diane changed the course for us at this point and took us on a much more scenic route along the Merrimack River rather than on 113, plus we actually saw the river and not as many cars!  

Two Rollerbladers:

I don't want to end this on a sad or troubling note.  In the metric group were two rollerbladers.  Seriously, they rollerbladed (or is it called in-line skating) 62 miles.  They didn't take all the same roads, some were in to rough of shape.  On a particularly nice stretch of new tar they drafted off of us and we all chatted for a couple miles.  Interesting guys.  What a feat 62 miles on blades!!!

Sincerely,
Beth, who never underestimated the power of a helmet, Dave and I have both cracked a couple mountain biking.  

Weekly Log 6/ 9 - 6/15

Monday - 4.2 / Dog Walk

I may be turning over a new leaf and running on Monday.  Nice easy loop around campus in the rain, ahhhh.  Biking is low impact I'm not ready for a break on Monday.  TRX was off the table and I did nothing core strength-wise, I'm so lazy when it comes to that stuff.  I have great intentions just no execution. 

Tuesday - Walk with the usual suspects / 5K fun run @Dog Watch / Dog Walk

Able to participate in the fun run at the Dog Watch in the Stonington Borough.  Met up with the usual suspects (Don and Ro) briefly caught up with Jana, Mike B, and Jeff.   

The view off the back deck (The Dog Pound) of the Dog Watch is beautiful

Gizzy and I had a nice walk, he was rather insistent and I am a complete pushover for that gray mug.

Wednesday - 6.2

A building is being demolished on campus.  The usual exit and the entrance to the gym was blocked off.  So traipsing through the buildings was necessary to get out the the road. Fortunately I was walking with a few other runners, so it wasn't so bad.  Beautiful day for a run.  The Morgan (the last wooden whale ship in the world) was sailing into New London Harbor.  I saw it at the Ledge Light Lighthouse as I was on the UCONN Avery Point campus, and then up the Thames as I ran Eastern Point Beach. It was like I was running it in to the New London harbor.  HA!  Very cool to see.

http://www.mysticseaport.org/wp-content/uploads/Charles-W.-Morgan2.jpg

Walking back to the locker room required walking among the clean non-sweaty non-stinky people.  Thankfully I saw another runner (all cleaned up) as he was walking back to his office.  The only thing I could think of was and said out loud (I have no filter) "I feel like I'm walking the walk of shame."  He laughed.  I laughed.  What else could either of us do?

When I got back to the locker room I did find out that I could have come in the back gate.  Oh well...

Thursday - Bike 39 / Dog Walk

After insanely checking the NOAA site Wednesday night it looked like the rain would hold off so I could bike to work on Thursday.  Checked again first thing in the a.m. and looked clear.  Woke up feeling a little 'fragile' after drinking a bit to much Wednesday night (dinner with a friend and more at home, some nights are just like that, right?), I figured the exercise would help purge the last of the ick from my system, it did.  A little rough the first few miles. Whaddyagonna do, right?  Yeah yeah, put the booze in the top cabinet and hide the step ladder.

After a cleansing ride into work the day started with a disorganized conference call from someone who apparently wanted a new policy reviewed and approved however wasn't willing to give me any information.  She had a very cutsie British accent and while that may work with some people, um not me, please send me the document.  The day wrapped up as it started, I was informed by my procurement contact (after sending my usual monthly follow up note on the contract) he had moved to a new job on May 1st.  And the new guy has been working on it.  New guy let me know he just got the contract that morning. 

The ride home was into the wind and pleasant and I took 10 seconds off my Fort Hill climb, so yeah, me!  

Friday - Nothing 

The only reason I met my FitBit steps for the day was because my failing memory caused me to go up and down the stairs as I kept for getting things!

Saturday -  66 Bike / Dog walk

Pan Merrimack Challenge 100K  (with bonus miles because well sometimes it is fun to take the scenic route OR I found my people, they get lost too!) with Team LUNGStrong.  Rode with 5 great women, Diane, Sarah, Mary Ellen, Monica, and Corky.  

Monica had a crash, ambulance ride, and is ok.  Minor concussion and very bandaged up.  Lesson learned:  PAY ATTENTION, cracks in the asphalt are dangerous.

Diane is a 10 year lung cancer survivor, rider, runner with 3/4 of her lungs left.

Sarah a tri athlete has been living with MS for over 20 years.

Mary Ellen, Corky, and I are boring...  riding, running, and tri-ing to support our friends!

My butt survived the ride!  

Sunday - Run and ride - see how close to my mileage goals I can get?

Sincerely,
Beth, Absolutely in awe of people overcoming challenges

Wordless Wednesday

Fit Bit Stats 6/2/14 - 6/8/14:

Sincerely,
Beth,  who ran 25 and walked 8 of those 62 miles logged on the Fit Bit last week and thinks it is a pretty nifty device.

Weekly Log – June 2nd – June 8th --- Editorial note on Friday's entry

Monday – 13.6  /  dog walk / TRX

Ran with the Housewives of Narragansett – recap here.

Late afternoon I needed to move a bit, I was stiff and cold from sitting so long after a long run.   Gizzy and I went for a walk around the high school.  Westerly HS has an amazingly beautiful campus, the school opened in 1938.  While the exterior is gorgeous the inside is still being refurbished, and even being childless we always vote for school funding.  The school always seems to make top marks so they have to be doing something right!   The school makes the community and one of the reasons Dave and I decided to live in Westerly.  

After TRX Ella’s pup, Henry got to meet Joy’s rabbit, Kabookie.  It was funny.   The rabbit is all of 7 lbs and the dog 11.  We had fun watching them to interact and Henry get into his big dog attitude, then Ella sweeps him off his feet and he is all confused, silly pup!

Tuesday – 16 on the bike / afternoon walk with the usual suspects

Tuesday kicked off the Dog Watch runs for the summer and I was bummed I wouldn't be running the first one (the story isn't really all that interesting - mostly be being annoyed by changing plans).  I decided I would bike out to wish well the folks I knew running.  I contemplated turning this into a brick, nahhhh… another time.  

When Dave and I were out riding on Saturday he said, why are your breaks loosened?  I gave him that screwed up looking face he hates so much and a “Huh?”  Then he pulled the lever down on the back and the front break.  I tested them.  Wow they worked great!  Very touchy and grabby,  I’d been wondering if something was off because my breaks didn't seem to be working.  Must have been like that since the Tour de Lyme, I took off the back tire when learning how to change a tire and then the front tire to put the bike in the car.  DOH!!!  Now I know, those lever thingies are supposed to point down…  must be why I was having such a hard time stopping quickly?

Wednesday – 3.7 / dog walk

National Running Day!   I celebrated by running in Bluff Point, one of my favorite places to run.  Recalling my run with Ro last week I focused on pushing myself and not backing down.  I lost focus on this a few times and just ran to enjoy the run.  The woods are losing their Day-Glo green and are starting to become a more rich deep green.  It was so beautiful along the tree-lined fire roads.  Dave and I met for lunch at St. Sophia to load up on Greek food.  YUM. Perhaps not the best lunch before a run, oh well.  We were clued in on this dessert: Galaktoboureko  AKA Greek Gold.  OMG it was delicious!

Bailey came over in the evening to take a walk with Gizzy and me so they could get to know each other better and she could see what his habits are.  She will come back in a couple weeks to take him on a solo walk.  He was far more energetic than he usually is and once we got home and Bailey was gone he crashed on the couch big time.  Silly dog.  

Thursday – 5.1

I was supposed to go to NY for a meeting, it was supposed to rain.  I decided not to go, I’ll run in the rain, I’d rather not deal with NY in the rain.  Probably not the best political move on my part.  Honestly my time was better spent on work rather than 6 hours of commuting and 8 hours of work and being exhausted on Friday.  I got a little kudos for my 15 year service anniversary (6/14) whoopie twang...  

The rain was scheduled to be done about 4 p.m. as was the 2 hour meeting I was supposed to go to NY for, kismet, right?  

5 miles after the rain felt good and helped drum out a big hunk of the apathetic grouchies I'd been accumulating since Tuesday.  

Friday - Nada 

Annual "Got Tossed" party at a co-workers house.   While my boss suggested I finish out the work day like a good girl when he gave me my lay off notice by phone, these gals boss said "You can take the rest of the day off."  So they did, stopped at the packy for booze and another store for swim suits and 'enjoyed' the afternoon in the pool.  I still flip the hipster doufus the finger (behind his back because I'm classy like that) when he dares to show his face in Groton.  Who uses a weekly catch up call to drop the "your laid off bomb"? a hipster doufus that's who!   Phtttt....    Point of clarification - this was the ANNUAL "Got Tossed" party, celebrating the anniversary of lay off notices.   Some bosses are human and say -- "Go home, no point in finishing out the day."  While the Hipster Doufous told me that it was his preference I didn't leave work early, or discuss our conversation. Sorry to alarm anyone!! And thank you all for your concern!!

Saturday - 41 bike / dog walk

Dave was my back up biking partner for the morning.  Nicole was debating on a swim and bike clinic.  She went and I'm glad she did.  Her first open water swim.  I'm incredibly bummed I won't be there to cheer her on for her first sprint tri....   I'm running up a mountain the day before and well who knows what shape I'll be in.  Dave is getting a lot of mileage out of being second choice and if 30 miles gets me ice cream what does 40 get me?  (A kick in his perpetually sore shin?)

After mapping out a route on Friday night, I sent it to Dave so he could load it to his super cool Garmin Edge 800.  That thing worked great! It told him when we were off course and on course and worked very well.

All in all a good ride, I feel like I'm going slower, there is some physics lesson in here somewhere, I'm sure.  Not too many comments from the peanut gallery (Dave) just to not lock out my arms.  A lesson I learned very well when the road got choppy on a down hill in a shady part and there was a stick and things looked like a big pile of crash for a moment before I got it all righted.  After asking what happened the peanut gallery suggested had my arms not been straight that wouldn't of happened.  Thanks, thanks a lot and so noted, I was much more careful and probably too cautious on the rest of the down hills from that point forward.

Sunday - Brick the first, 12.9 / 3.6 / 8.3

Went to bed with the idea of a brick for breakfast.  You don't even want to know what sort of dreams my subconscious came up with, suffice it to say I"m glad this part of my personality only comes out in my own mind, and occasionally Dave is subjected to it when I talk (or sing) in my sleep.  Fortunately for him I stopped throwing punches before he met me.

Up and at 'em for a nice day.  Dave's ride didn't start until 9, so I could skate out with out a lot of hullabaloo (really that is a real word, huh).  I aimed for a minimum of a 10 mile ride to Weekapaugh Point to run Quonnie Beach (just shy of 4 miles), and then take the most direct way home.  Isn't it funny how you spend enough time running and riding the same roads  you know just about how many miles (or in some cases exactly how many miles) from one point to the next? I wasn't sure I wanted to go all the way into Watch Hill and ride up that hill by Taylor Swift's house (If she was home I'd probably trip over most of the male population in the WTAC, ha, ha. ha ).  I did want to see what I could manage on the Ocean View Ave Yosemite to Bayberry segment.  1.1 miles nearly pancake flat with no wind this a.m. with my probably tired legs from yesterdays adventure.  Dave teases me unmercifully about these segments.  I think they re a good measure of my progress.  This particular one is a favorite, it is a beautiful stretch of road in one of the most scenic and beautiful place to run and ride.  That helped me determine how I'd get out to Weekapaug.

Once I got 'down the beach' lots of vehicles lined up to get into the State Beach at Misquamicut, huh.  I'm not a spend the day at the beach person, it certainly looked to be shaping up for a nice day for those who do.

Got to Weekapaug, took off my shoes, wandered around, took some pictures, and then ran.  It was lovely, low tide was at 11 a.m. so the nice to run on  hardish softish sand was getting exposed little by little.  There were very few people out.  I ran along remembering when I'd take the old fogies there, before Sage passed away.  I should take Gizzy out there soon before it gets too warm for the old guy.  They used to have such fun running around in the sand and the surf.  After she passed I really didn't go out there much with any of the dogs, I did ride out there to run to the breach way and back.

July 17th 2012 - they were having a fun time being crazy boxers -
Sage the brindle on the left, Gizmo the fawn on the right.

Rinsed off my feet with the members only foot shower, shhhh.... put back on the shoes, socks, helmet, and gloves.  Time to go back home and deal with being a grown up... or maybe I'll mow the lawn with my space watch on and see how close I can get to a mile in my teeny tiny yard!  

Sincerely,
Beth, feeling a less blah and unmotivated...