Weekly Log: 7.21.14 - 7.27.14

Blessing of the Fleet week is here!  That means July is approaching its end.  Crazy.  I always get nervous about this race - it has a lot of fast folks and I always worry that I'm not prepared for it.  Plus there'll be people I know watching - I want to do well.  I ran a 6:24 pace but I'm filled with doubt as to if I can match it.  I know I'm capable of faster times now but I'll have to focus.

My legs are feeling tired lately despite the reduced mileage.  I'm considering taking two weeks off from running to give my legs a rest.  Plenty of training coaches/plans (including the Daniels one I'm reading) recommend taking some time off as a preventative measure to recharge your legs and avoid injury.  I'm thinking that after the Blessing I may take a break from running and just focus on cross-training for two weeks.  We'll see if that idea sticks.

Monday - Providence, RI - 6.3 miles

18 pull-ups w/ equal # of assisted (standard/chin-up/wide) 3/3/,4/4,1/1,3/3,3/3,2/2,2/2

Monday blahs and I set out to just wander around the east side of Providence.  Went up and over College Hill, try to avoid the construction that seems to be everywhere.  Made one honest effort at scaling the hill from the west and it was a hard climb towards the end.  Jonny would have a field day up here.  Once I begin training in earnest for the fall I'm going to have to make more trips over here.  The hills will make me strong.

Tuesday - East Providence, RI - 5.5 miles

280 push-ups (standard/decline/wide/Pike's Press) 40/30/40/20/30/25/40/15/40

Once again I didn't have much motivation to get out there.  It was very hot and all the usual routes weren't appealing.  Finally decided to do a loop around the Turner Reservoir twice.  I hadn't run it in a while and it's probably 85% trail.  I ran it once in each direction.  The East Providence side has lots of gnarly roots to contend with as you run right along the water.  The Seekonk side is longer with a wider trail but fallen trees to hurdle.  In the end I was glad I got out there but the heat wore me down.

Wednesday - East Providence, RI - 4.4 miles

Ab Ripper X (15 minutes)

My last run before the Blessing.  I went over to the 10 Mile River Bikepath to get in a few easy miles.  I didn't intend to push the pace but once I got out there I was feeling pretty good.  It was another hot day but the unlike East Bay Bikepath there's a decent amount of shade.  Overall pace for the run was under 7 minutes and I finished feeling pretty good about Friday.

Thursday - 0 miles

P90X Chest & Back (50 minutes)

I had no plan to run today with the race tomorrow.  Instead a return to Chest & Back where I churned out a total of 260 push-ups during the workout.

Friday - Blessing of the Fleet 10 Mile Road Race, Narragansett, RI - 12.9 miles

Official time: 1:02:48.  53rd place.  Report forthcoming.

Saturday - 0 miles

Maine bound for a big party with friends.  There'll be no running this weekend.

Sunday - 0 miles

Maine bash was a great success.  Way too much beer and laughs made for a rough ride home on Sunday. Calves are extremely tight from Friday's race and Sunday morning's dehydration.  Good times.

Weekly Mileage: 29.2 miles

Year to Date: 1,156.9 miles

A two week running is hiatus is now underway.  Let it begin!