Tri Training Week 6: Sportscation

Weekly Mileage: 43.62 (8.85 Running, 3.77 Swimming, 31 Biking)

Well, what an improvement a week makes!  It helped that this week I was training in Portland and Bar Harbor, Maine.  It's hard not to want to go outside and play when you're in Maine with great weather! 

Oh, did I say something about great weather?  I forgot that on my first vacation day I was minding my business, enjoying a 40-minute run around Back Cove in Portland when I heard the slightest rumbling of thunder.  I turned from the blue skies to glance across the cove, and there stood a giant gray thunderhead, coming straight at me.

Now those of you who know me (I bet you know me if you're reading this...) know that I'm a pokey little puppy.  Always close to the end of the finisher pool in any "race," my goal is just to finish a little faster than the time before.  Let's just say I hope there's a giant thunderhead 40 minutes out from the end of this triathlon, because I frigging booked it!  I almost beat the storm around the lake, but with about a quarter mile left, it let loose and I was soaked.  Best friend (and donor!) Amanda picked me up a few minutes later, and she found me drenched and shivering beneath a big tree.  I had completed 3.6 miles, and finished a 5K in 35 minutes for the first time ever!

The weather the rest of the week was far better, with sunny skies, friendly old ladies at the local YMCAs, and beautiful scenery to keep me motivated.

Once we arrived in Bar Harbor, I convinced my girlfriend that we should rent bikes and she should come with me on my training ride.  The first half was glorious.  We coasted down a hill to find a beautiful lake, surrounded by trees and rocks and sky.  The sun was shining, kids were playing in the water, and all was right with the world.  Because we had biked quickly and up a few hills, we were plenty hot and sweaty and jumped right in the chilly lake.  We were only pretty sure we saw a sea monster once.  Which was weird.  Because it was a lake.

ANYWAY.  After a long swim, we hopped back on our bikes and set out for the carriage roads.  We accidentally ended up on the Park Loop Road, which is incredibly hilly, quite busy, and seemingly without a speed limit.  Courtney now refers to it as "The Death Trap," and we were quite thrilled we made it safely back to the bike shop.

The rest of the trip included hikes (totally counted as running workouts), a few more swims (both at the Y and in the lake), and a LOT of ice cream (lest you think this exercise nonsense is making me waste away...).   Our final adventure ended on top of a mountain(ish), where we watched the fog roll in from above the clouds.  A perfect end to a perfect week of relaxation and training.  I think we'd all get a lot more exercise if we were permanently on vacation...