6/21/10 - 6/27/10

I finally succumbed to summer in southern RI.  I'm settling into my typical summer activities, but trying to keep up the running at the same time.  Monday was the solstice - I played basketball in the extreme heat with my coworkers on my lunch break (feeling more coordinated and quicker) then met my family at the beach after work.  Tuesday I spent the day helping my dad move furniture.  Wednesday and Thursday were very hot and humid, and it didn't make sense to me to run (I wish running in the early morning or night were an option for me this time of year). 
Friday, the temperature was in the low 80's, but much less humid.  I decided to get a long run in, and went with the 13 mile course I've been doing from my office the last few weeks.  I was a little worried about running for so long in the heat with only a water bottle, but I just finished up rereading Bernd Heinrich's Why We Run: A Natural History (here is a quick review that I thought was fair), and in this book he describes how humans evolved as long distance runners in the heat.  I kept my pace even and felt good as I did the 3.25 miles of roads and the 6.5 miles of trails.  The return on the road was a bit more difficult.  I finished my water bottle, and felt pretty hot the last 2 miles.  I stuck with it and finished in a time of 1:40 - the same time as my previous two efforts!  My legs felt tired that night, but my body felt good. 
Saturday, I took my dad and my kids to Parker Woodland in Coventry, RI for a hike.  Last cleared in the early 1900's, this forest has diverse species of large trees (especially oaks) and an interesting human activity past.  I was very proud of my 4 year old son who hiked two miles of it, before requesting (by whining) a shoulder ride.  My 2 year old daughter hiked about a half a mile, and I carried her on my shoulders or arms the other 2.5 miles.  It was a great day in the woods.  Sunday, we headed out onto my in-laws' sailboat and had a nice swim off of Napatree Point to complete my week.