7.53mi, 63:37

Christy Carlson Romano, "Say The Word"
Metallica, "Orion"
The Cure, "A Forest" (from the Concert album)

WX at 0800: 48 (9), DP 46 (8), BP 30.46 (1031), Calm, mist, RH 93%

Odometer 1: 228mi

Z3 continuous, faster finish.

Today was supposed to be a recovery run but I ended up going a little harder than I expected. However, I don't think I'll be getting in a run tomorrow so I can live with doing 16 miles in two days at what amounted to easier than race pace.

I've also been around my brother-in-law's stepkids the last two days, and today's run might also represent some kind of catharsis since I can't legally choke the shit out of them regardless of how bratty they can be from time to time.

Splits:
2.51: 21:15 21:15 (08:28)
0.98: 29:35 08:20 (08:30)
4.04: 63:37 34:02 (08:25) (08:27)

9.7mi, 79:23

The Replacements, "Left of the Dial"
The Replacements, "The Ledge"
that dog., "She Doesn't Know How"
The Animals, "When I Was Young"
Chris Stamey and Peter Holsapple, "I Want To Break Your Heart"
Cub, "Green Eyes"
Cub, "Leapfrog"
Airborne infantry cadence from Band of Brothers
Ministry, "Stigmata" from In Case You Didn't Feel Like Showing Up

WX at 0800: 35.1 (1.7), DP 34.0 (1.1), DP 30.41 (1029), winds Calm, RH 95%

Odometer 1: 221mi

Z3 to hard Z3 finish.

I didn't think today was too cold, at first, but I didn't have the benefit of
checking weather before the start. I figured it was about 40 degrees, in
shorts and sweatshirt.

Lo and behold, I get back, and it's 35 degrees...which would explain the
frostnip in the wrists as I jettisoned the sweatshirt about midway, thinking
it was about 40...ha, ha, ha.

Today was a fast (relative) run only because the terrain is almost completely
flat and completely unrestricted. It was actually a pretty good to just
stretch it out, but it's probably one of the most pointed examples of
negative splits I've experienced in a long while.

Splits:
4.86: 39:46
0.98: 47:34 (7:48)
4.04: 79:23 (33:49) (8:11)

5.1mi, 42:51

Iggy Pop, "Repo Man"
James Horner, "Resolution and Hyperspace"
The Bats, "Courage"
The Bats, "Straight Image"

WX at 0800: 28.9 (-1.7), DP 27.0 (-2.8), BP 30.44 (1030), winds WSW 6, RH 92%

Odometer 2: 202mi

Z3 mostly. Easy start.

I'm planning on a long (over 8) run tomorrow, so I'm taking today easy. My right achilles tendon is also starting to flare up. That's either an overuse injury (which I've never had before) or it's from busting my ass on the ice two days prior. Take your pick. I guess I should start stretching again. Oops.

I attribute the second running mantra to watching the making-of-Aliens documentary on disk last night. I got the Alien Quadrilogy for x-moose this year, and it fairly well rocks. Naturally, I was seeking out all the big

Splits
1.5 12:36 12:36 08:24
2.1 30:27 17:51 08:30
1.5 42:51 12:24 08:16 08:19

5.1mi, 42:14

Richard Rodgers, "The Turkey Shoot"
John Williams, "The Last Battle"
John Williams, "Duel of the Fates"

WX at 0700: 17 (-8), DP 15 (-9), BP 30.66 (1038), winds NNW 2, RH 92%

Odometer 1: 211mi

Z3. Strong Z3+ finish, right at oxygen debt.

I was a little apprehensive about going out this morning based on the weather readings, but once I got going, it turned out to be a therapeutically good run - not too long, not too hard. The finish was as good as I've felt in a long while. I'm not sure why. It earmarked what some runners call "cruising."

Splits
1.5 12:34 12:34 08:23
2.1 30:13 17:39 08:24
1.5 42:14 12:01 08:01 08:12

7.6mi, 64:18

Circle jerks, "Under The Gun"
The JudyBats, "Weren't We Wild"
R.E.M., "Crazy"

WX at 0800: 26 (-3), DP 17 (-8), BP 30.45 (1031), winds Variable 2, RH 68%

Odometer 2: 196.5mi

Z3 with some Z2 spots. I was holding effort to avoid busting my ass (which I did once in a downhill turn) on the numerous spots of black ice that were out there. I spent most of today running over broken ice in an attempt to maintain traction over the extremely slippery surface. Running downhill had a distinctly Keystone Kops flavor to it today. The positive splits are as much a function of legs being more tired from dodging unsafe ground. Today marked the first run in four days, though. Yesterday would've been a run had it not been freezing rain where I was at the time.

Yesterday morning in Fayetteville, however, was marked by snow with sleet and some freezing rain. That snow and water froze over, creating a nice ice rink throughout scenic North Carolina.

I wouldn't be all that surprised if I'm not at work tomorrow, given that the temperatures are not likely to go much above 40F today.

Splits
1.5 12:17 12:17 08:11
2.1 30:12 17:55 08:32
1.5 42:57 12:45 08:30
2.5 64:18 21:21 08:32 08:26

Screwing the pooch

Today is x-moose.

I failed to conduct sufficient Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield and got my wife two box DVD sets and some other stuff she preemptively got for herself under my and my children's names.

Oops.

My gift ideas are bluntly cut and dried; I maintain a Wish List on Amazon for that reason. There's not a whole lot of mystery to the list. If it's not on the list, it's probably something exceptional, but nothing fell in that category this year.

I am now looking for a necklace of pearls, as she had informed me today...

Note that the traditional wedding gift for the 5th anniversary is "wood." I'll stop there.

Maybe I need to get some Ranger Body Armor before next x-moose...

Get your fat ass in the holiday spirit

I've been on the Dead Runners Society list over the last decade or so (I first subscribed to the list in fall 1991). I heard about a most disturbing event in the last week.

I've always been somewhat of an iconoclast, but this pushes the limits of reasonable iconoclasm. Nonetheless, the Santa Speedo Run sounds like something I might actually want to do just for the sheer go-to-hell factor. Note the required attire and, more notably, the time, date, and place.

The thought of running through Boston in the proverbial jock strap, balaclava, and a light coat of oil is a mite scary. Also note the almost completely male field in this running event.

I'm also reminded of a few of my friends from the Woodberry Forest School who used to occasionally do "nude dude runs" during our prep school years as an act of rebellion. WFS is, and will continue to be in the forseeable future, an all-boys boarding school.

7.6mi, 62:00

Henry Rollins, "Drive-By Shooting"
Wire, "Come Back In Two Halves"
Philip Glass (with Suzanne Vega), "Lightning"

WX at 0700: 59 (15), DP 57 (14), BP 29.87 (1011), Winds SE 8, RH 93%, very light drizzle

Odometer 1: 216mi

Z3 no man's land.

Today presented a great opportunity for a long run...and a tempo one at that. Unfortunately, the tempo is lacking if I'm in no man's land most of the run and I can only eke out 62 minutes. Some of this is attributable to the holiday season (and I get pretty fucking curmudgeonlike around x-moose time), some of it is just lack of consistent training.

I don't think there's anyone around my speed to run with in the mornings, and meeting up with a running partner has its own challenges. Then again, I might be better off doing PT with a group in the morning; I might actually do something other than run. My pushups and situps (and occasional pullups) are limited mostly to the month prior to a physical fitness test.

Tomorrow marks the return of the cold. This has been a bizarre December for weather, though. Warm up front, cold as shit earlier this week, nice today, wet turning cold and shitty into x-moose.

Splits
1.5 12:04 12:04 08:03
2.1 29:36 17:32 08:21
1.5 41:46 12:10 08:07
2.5 62:00 20:14 08:06 08:08

5.1mi, 45:29

Nancy Sinatra, "You Only Live Twice"
Moby, Matrix (lobby scene)

WX at 0700: 28 (-2), DP 24 (-4), BP 30.29 (1025), Calm, RH 86%

Odometer 2: 189mi

Z2.

I woke up this morning intnding to do a 7.6 run. My gut feeling was to roll over and go back to sleep. This morning was an exercise in willpower since I just didn't feel like heading out.

I almost turned back. I can't believe how disinterested I felt in running this morning. I eked out five easy since I just didn't feel like going much faster, physically or mentally.

Splits
1.5 13:19 13:19 08:53
2.1 32:25 19:06 09:06
1.5 45:29 13:04 08:43 08:50

7.6mi, 62:15

The Ventures, "Walk - Don't Run"
The Innocence Mission, "Mercy"
Pizzicato Five, "Twiggy Twiggy vs. James Bond"
Shirley Bassey, "Diamonds are Forever"

WX at 0700: 26 (-3), DP 6 (-14), BP 30.27 (1025), winds SW 7, RH 42%, WC 17 (-8)

Odometer 1: 208.5mi

Z3-4.

I hedged my bets about today's weather after chickening out on yesterday's brisk 19F (-7C) morning. In doing so, I wore one too many layers and had to suck it up the entire run. There is such a thing as too many layers, and while my face was a little chilly, the rest of me (particularly upper body) was warm. Too warm. I probably would've been faster if I'd been a little colder.

In spite of that, today was a productive run. Yesterday was a good example of "if I don't run in the morning, I will do no significant physical work the rest of the day."

The cold is beatable, even for long runs. I just have to be a little smarter about layering next time.

Splits
1.5 12:07 12:07 08:05
2.1 29:36 17:29 08:20
1.5 41:49 12:13 08:09
2.5 62:15 20:26 08:10 08:10

7.6mi, 61:23

AC/DC, "Thunderstruck"
The Connells, "Logan Street"
The Pixies, "Alec Eiffel"

WX at 0800: 33 (1), DP 30 (-1), BP 29.82 (1009), winds SW 2, RH 86%

Odometer 2: 184mi

Z2 start, Z3 midpoint, no man's land finish.

Today wasn't as cold as I thought it was going to be. I've been skipping days because of lack of industriousness. I also realized I've been drinking far too much coffee for my own good. When I can smell metabolized caffeine two days after the fact when hitting the shitter, I know it's too much. The upshot to that is my utter and complete lack of energy in the last two days. In spite of this, I need to make myself run more. At least more than what I did in the last week.

Splits
1.5 12:10 12:10 08:07
2.1 29:21 17:11 08:11
1.5 41:31 12:10 08:07
2.5 61:23 19:52 07:57 08:03

distances at the coast

Notes to self for the next time:

From start of in-laws' house long loop, western side: 2.51mi back to Country Club Rd
Eastern side from Persimmon Rd SW around Sunfield to Pinewood to Beach and back
All of Sunfield from Persimmon Rd SW: 1.15mi
To Beach Rd back to Persimmon Rd SW: 2.41mi
From Persimmon Rd SW to start point: 0.48mi

Running southern leg of Country Club Rd out and back 1.25mi
Running northern leg of Country Club Rd out and back 1.10mi
Entire distance back and forth of Country Club Rd 2.35mi

Carolina Shores Pkwy from Country Club to Persimmon Rd: 0.98mi

Aggregate of all parts:
About 7.5 if not running Country Club Rd length.
About 8.6mi if also running north leg of Country Club Rd.
About 8.8mi if also running south leg of Country Club Rd.
About 9.8mi if also running all of Country Club Rd out and back.

Jump 59, Ste Mêre Eglise DZ, A/NT and static J

Chris Stamey, "Insomnia"

Drop altitude 1250 feet AGL, time of drop approximately 1050
WX at 1100: 46(8), DP 21 (-6), winds 0 at surface, RH about 35%.

Today was wacky. And cold. Temperature at manifest call was 28(-2). Chilly!

Mean effective winds this morning at the outset were 12.5 knots. They were 0 at ground level and about 25 knots from the west at drop altitude. The wind shift occurred around 500 feet.

My JM duty today involved a hell of a lot beer math since I wasn't dropping off the panel markings this morning. I was estimating for an early release and judged about right. None of my jumpers landed in the trees.

My jump was about as good as it gets. Unfortunately, I forgot to count on the way out. Bad, bad, bad. Fortunately, I jumped a size 4 parachute harness and was remarkably free of any riser burns on the side of my face...and had a good clean exit with no twists. Routinely, I've been jumping a size 3 harness, but to account for my fat head (and probably my fat ass as well...), I need to go a size up. It worked out. Looks like I'll be jumping a size 4 from here on out...

With no surface wind, I was able to steer to a specific location, and it was fun. Boy, do I love jumping steerable parachutes.

Six more left! Next jump probably won't be until January.

I am a weenie.

WX at 0600: 19 (-7), DP 17 (-8). BP 30.53 (1033), Calm, RH 98%

Note the temp. No wind chill reading (not that it would matter much in this temperature).

As I sti here in skivvy shorts and a t-shirt, I rationalize all sorts of reasons why I don't want to go outside.

Note Bob the Heat Tab(tm), as my infantryman peers often call the sun, has not emerged above horizon yet this morning. Yet another reason to boot.

So I won't. Not today. A few years ago at Fort Leavenworth, I decided to go for a run. There was snow on the ground and it was about the same conditions; less than 20 F. By the fourth mile in I had frosted eyebrows and eyelashes. It was about as Kafkaesque a run as I could remember because it was so damn cold. During the middle of the morning, at that.

If I decide to come out for the jump tomorrow (as I probably will) it probably means I'll be breaking out an assload of snivel gear because I'd much rather look like the Michelin Man and be warm than look cool and be unbearably cold.

The sometimes-practiced dictate of "if you look cool, everything will be fine" is not to be used in these conditions.

I am a weenie. But a judicious weenie.

7.6mi, 64:58

"Jester" from the computer game Terminal Velocity

WX at 0600: 26 (-3), DP 12 (-11), BP 30.45 (1031), winds NNW 8, RH 53%, wind chill 17 (-8)

Odometer 2: 176.5mi

Z2 throughout.

Today was damn cold! In spite of it, I deliberately went easy (and mentally and physically probably wasn't ready for much more today). Today was going to be a recovery/fatburning run. Nothing more, nothing less.

Splits
1.5 13:03 13:03 08:42
2.1 31:27 18:24 08:46
1.5 44:10 12:43 08:29
2.5 64:58 20:48 08:19 08:32

7.6mi, 60:20

Michael Kamen, "Parapluie" from Band of Brothers
The Connells, "Fun and Games"
The Cure, "A Forest (Tree Mix)"
Michael Kamen, "Bull's Theme" from Band of Brothers

WX at 0700: 30 (-1), DP 19 (-7), BP 30.19 (1022), winds NW 6, RH 63%

Odometer 1: 201mi

Z3 to Z4 at times.

Today's run was going to be a 7-miler if for no reason than yesterday's was so abbreviated. The legs are still tired and I'm not quite sure why. Then again, maybe I should actually spend some time doing leg presses instead of just talking about it.

Today's run was neither blindingly fast nor slow, but given relative effort and my lack of running (or activity, for that matter) in the last few weeks, I guess that's not too depressing.

Cold and clear, a little chilly, but not too windy and good running conditions.

The rest of this week is supposed to be like this. Whee.

Splits
1.5 11:48 11:48 07:52
2.1 28:44 16:56 08:04
1.5 40:43 11:59 07:59
2.5 60:20 19:37 07:51 07:55

6.3mi, indeterminate time

First split: Hilary Duff, "Come Clean"
Second split: Cooler Kids, "E Is For Everybody"

WX at 0600: 45.0 (7.2), DP 36.0 (2.2), BP 29.79 (1008), winds WSW 9, RH 70%

Odometer 2: 169mi

Z3 mostly.

Today was about as good a day as it gets for running. I had to curtail the midpoints of the run because I had to detour home to hit the latrine. Once that was done, I was fine, but that's something I probably should have taken care of (more preemptively) before starting. Today is the last of the warm days, though. It's supposed to drop to freezing or thereabouts starting tonight. The encouraging thing is that with today's run times, I guess I didn't lose as much as I thought on the Disney Fat-A-Thon.

Splits
1.5 12:07 08:05
2.5 19:08 07:39

3 static SAF and Jump 58, Sicily DZ, A/NT, Polish Wing Exchange

No soundtrack.

Static SAF duties, 11 DEC 04.
I never think much of human nature during the x-moose season, and the annual Toy Drop at Fort Bragg is always an indicator. A lot of people show up attempting to get one or more of the foreign wings (this year, German and Polish) and you get to be witness to some slimy shit.

A few years ago there were two aviation officers (married to each other) who showed up with McDonald's Happy Meal Toys. Unsat! Never mind that those aviation officers were making flight pay in addition to jump pay. In spite of that they couldn't be bothered to spend any money on a fucking toy!

The kind of toys that came in were an interesting indicator of demographics. Single guys below the rank of sergeant tended to gravitate towards toys that they might have played with a few years prior (action figures, etc.). One guy (bless his heart) brought a bike to manifest call the morning I jumped (12 DEC). I missed getting a photo of the guy who showed up to manifest call with a big stuffed horse draped over his shoulders and back.

Saturday marked my running two, nominally three safety duties. All were over Sicily DZ from a C-130 aircraft. That in itself was unusual since I haven't jumped a C-130 since 2002. I was assisting a German fallschirmjager jumpmaster team who had a hell of a lot more jumping experience than I'd ever probably get. These guys were great, though. They were very proficient at what they did, and were very enthusiastic about the process. The sergeant major in charge of our German jumpmasters gave us some hardware, namely the patch for their company, an identification badge to hang off a uniform, and the German Parachutist Badge in gold, indicating a German master parachutist. The US guy I was working for on the jumpmaster team happens to be in charge of the awards branch for my command, so it works out nicely. The irony is that I'll be wearing a German rating higher than the US military parachutist rating I'm currently authorized, but I think I can comfortably hang up having to look for any more foreign jump operations..

I will say that after pulling three safety duties' worth of flight time on the day of, I felt well caught-up on Computed Air Release Point procedures in the C-130. Should I feel so froggy as to want to pull another duty in a C-130, I'm all set.

I don't feel that froggy. But the German gold wings sure look nice.

Jump 58, 12 DEC 04.
Drop altitude 1500 feet AGL, time of drop approximately 1000

WX at 1000: 46 (8), DP 30 (-1), winds WNW 6, unlimited vis, RH unknown.

Today marked the culmination of my participation in this year's Toy Drop event, where German and Polish paratroopers pulled jumpmaster duties and thus were able to award foreign jump wings to American paratroopers participating in the jump. Today's jump featured a Polish static jumpmaster calling out American practical work in the aircraft in Polish. There was no effective change to actions in the aircraft today, though.

I now realize why I bust my ass to jump as much as I can. It's for reasons like today, where I forget to count to six thousand as I go out the plane. I was distracted because I got a good riser burn this morning as I exited.

There was a lot of oscillation at start, but after gaining canopy control, I was able to get wind direction and face into the right direction.

Today's jump was highlighted by an inexperienced female jumper in front of me who was shaking on the plane ride up, shaking while standing up waiting to exit, and otherwise had a satisfactory jump. I was thinking briefly of what would happen if I didn't get a chance to exit, but she exited without incident.

I spoke to a Trial Defense Service attorney today and she did verify a legendary story I was told in the Infantry Officer Advanced Course, where a soldier in the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment (when it was still in Germany) found out that his wife's new baby wasn't his. He then found the father, beheaded him, and brought it to his wife in the hospital in a bowling ball bag as a gift. I'm all about bad karma and getting payback, but even that's a tad extreme by my standards. I don't know what happened to the guy and I need to check back with another attorney to see if it was published anywhere so I can verify it firsthand rather than through anecdotal evidence. Does this mean I might be interested in law? Dear god, I hope not.

This marks my eligibility for a third foreign airborne badge...

Seven to go!

5.1mi, 42:44

Hilary Duff, "The Tiki Room"
Blue Oyster Cult, "Don't Fear The Reaper"
The Dream Academy, "Life In A Northern Town"

WX at 0600: 59 (15), DP 59 (15), BP 30.03 (1016), winds WNW 6 fog, RH 100%

Odometer 1: 193.5mi

Z3 no man's land start, Z3 finish.

My legs still won't do much in the way of raw power, although todays splits weren't as depressing. Today indicated that maybe the road to recovery might be sooner than I thought. Part of that recovery may entail some work in the weight room on leg presses.

I wasn't killing myself for these splits and the weather was fine enough for a medium-intensity run. Not too cold, not too hot.

Splits
1.5 12:30 12:30 08:20
2.1 30:27 17:57 08:33
1.5 42:44 12:17 08:11 08:18

5.1mi, 45:10

AC/DC, "Thunderstruck"

WX at 0600: 55 (13), DP 55 (13), BP 30.05 (1017), winds SW 2 fog, RH 100%

Odometer 2: 162.5mi

Z2-3 for effort, but very little output from the legs.

And thus begins the slow road to recovery. I was thinking of going 7 this morning. Alas, that wasn't going to happen at all. My legs were loose rubber this morning. I wasn't breathing too hard, but I wasn't getting much in the way of return on effort, either.

Maybe I need to be more realistic about my short-term training goals after last week's fat-a-thon.

Splits
1.5 12:47 12:47 08:31
2.1 32:04 19:17 09:11
1.5 45:10 13:06 08:44 08:46

FUCKING FATASS ALERT

I spent the last week on the cruise ship Disney Magic. I left weighing about 180lbs. I popped the scale at 188 tonight.

I knew I was eating a lot but goddamn I didn't think I was taking on 8 x 3000 Kcal. This doesn't count the runs I got in (not fast, but at least an hour long):

Sun 28 NOV: 7mi, 61:04, Z3 no man's land
Mon 29 NOV: 7mi, 61:03, Z3 no man's land
Tue 30 NOV:50min on the ergometer
Wed 1 DEC: 6mi, time indeterminate, speedwork
Thu 2 DEC: 9mi, 81:24, Z3 even

This is totally fucking unacceptable. This now entails a directive shift in workout plan.

Emphasis is now on distance to shave weight. I guess I'll also have to start watching what I eat a lot more judiciously now as well. Shit.

I think I'll hold off on getting a new ID card until I don't look or feel like such a fat fuck.