Fast Summer

     Yes, I have been wrapped up in my own little world the past few weeks.  Between work, 2 summer swim leagues, and family time, something has to take a back seat.  The weather seems to have taken a breather around here and let up on the heat a bit.  I have been trying to run early morning, but that is not always convenient.  I am in week 6 of the half ironman training and have begun to consult my veteran wife as to what I should feel like at this point.  The miles and yards seem to be piling on at this point and the heat just makes matters worse.  The kids 2 swim practices a day that we frequent help tremendously with time to get the workouts in without interfering with the family, but even still I find myself tired and lethargic at times from the heat.
     I have spent the past few months fighting my lower back pain/tightness.  I have been to the chiropractor a number of times and done countless yoga and therapy exercises on a daily basis.  None of it has solved the tightness and pain in the lumbar sacral area.   My next stop on the therapy bus will be at the local massage parlor.  M picked me up a 90 minute session to try out.  I know I get a lot of muscle tightness that clamps down on the vertebrae back there, I just hope that the massage is not a one hit wonder. 
     Props to my sister for winning her AG (age group) in her triathlon this past weekend.  She is my long distance training partner for the Outer Banks Half Ironman.  I guess I need to step up my game a bit.
     Was able to get out on a new route the other night with a good friend of mine, Sam.  We headed up route 20 from his house and made a loop from Stony Point, out Burnley Station, back on Watts Passage, then made a bee line (literally, he got stung) to the pool where we met the families for dinner.  I was in a slumber on the couch with an aching back when Sam called and had bearing problems in the rear cassette of my bike. I was less than enthused to hit the road that night.  Turns out, it was just what I needed to get going again.  Sam has a way of picking things up and keeping you going.  His riding abilities are superior to mine, so he is a master at riding just fast enough to make me work hard.  I keep saying I need to ride more with him to get better (plus I enjoy his company).  I need to work on making that happen.
     Swim is the theme of the day tomorrow.  Long course practice at 6:30a with B, then P and I will pick him up and head over to summer league practice at Key West for a couple hours.  I hope to squeeze my long run for the week in during the Key West practice.  Oh yeah, we have to be at Washington Park at 4:30p for the meet with City.  Where do the days go.  Later.