10.0mi, 85:35, 30 DEC 06, Anaheim/Stanton CA

Silverstein, "Defend You"
some guys from 6RTB, "RI Theme Song"
The All-American Rejects, "It Ends Tonight"
Michael Kamen, Band of Brothers Suite 2

WX at 0800: 46.9 (8.3) DP 36.0 (2.2) BP 30.19 (1022) Calm RH 66
WX at 0700: 43.0 (6.1) DP 35.1 (1.7) BP 30.18 (1022) N 3 RH 73

Odometer 2: 300.7mi

Z3.

Last long run in SoCal, and it was a pretty good one. I needed a good one after yesterday's break. The fact that most of Orange County is laid out in mile-by-mile blocks makes splitting easy. Not too fast, but the object was to burn energy before today's plane rides back to the Land of Flyover...

If there's one conclusion I got from this trip, it's that Kansas is not home for me, and I don't think will be. I'm definitely from the East Coast, specifically the mid-Atlantic. SoCal isn't home, either.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.01 08:29 08:29 08:26 08:26 1.01
1.00 17:00 08:31 08:30 08:28 2.01
0.99 25:39 08:39 08:43 08:33 3.00
1.00 34:08 08:29 08:28 08:32 4.00
1.01 42:34 08:26 08:23 08:30 5.01
1.00 51:12 08:38 08:41 08:32 6.00
1.01 59:52 08:40 08:37 08:33 7.01
0.99 68:19 08:27 08:31 08:32 8.00
1.00 76:57 08:38 08:37 08:33 9.00
1.00 85:35 08:38 08:38 08:33 10.00

5.0mi, 44:26, 28 DEC 06, Anaheim CA

The Bats, "Courage"
The All-American Rejects, "It Ends Tonight"
Michael Kamen, Opening Credits to From The Earth To The Moon

WX at 0800: 46.0 (7.8) DP 37.0 (2.8) BP 29.84 (1010) Calm clear RH 70

Odometer 2: 290.7mi

Z2 high.

Today was a day for wogging, mostly. I started a little faster than I should have, but settled into a more normalized pace by the end. I was tempered by an upper back muscle cramp. Still, it was a good therapeutic run after fighting my way through I-5 enroute to Burbank yesterday. That was a hard drive, although the drive back was quick.

Yesterday's hard run was another reason to go easy today, so I can get in one more good run before the end of our vacation here and our return to the land of Freeze-Yer-Ass-Off.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.01 08:43 08:43 08:39 08:39 1.01
1.00 18:01 09:18 09:19 08:59 2.01
2.00 35:29 17:28 08:45 08:52 4.00
1.00 44:25 08:56 08:55 08:53 5.00

8.5mi, 71:50, 27 DEC 06, Anaheim CA

The All-American Rejects, "It Ends Tonight"

WX at 0800: 57.0 (13.9) DP 53.1 (11.7) BP 29.93 (1013) W 7 partly cloudy RH 87

Odometer 2: 285.7mi

Z3-4.

I typically use long runs, partly to clear the mind, but when I'm traveling, mostly to scout the immediate neighborhood. I was trolling for the location of the nearest In-And-Out Burger, which is, interestingly, next to the local Islamic district, if all the signs around advertising schwarma and falafel, often in Arabic, were any indicator. This made interesting contrast to the several Korean churches I passed enroute to there.

I did also find the place where I'll gas up our rental car. $2.45USD a gallon for regular unleaded. It's $2.06 back in Missouri near Kansas City Airport.

The last 2 miles were on overdrive. Some of this was trying to weave through the wave of crowds coming towards Disneyland. Some of it was frankly indignancy at a sedentary lifestyle - and since I was at the 6.5 mile point, I was fully warmed up and fully capable of burning the crowd. Chalk one for vanity.

This is one time where I think the GPS was actually accurate. MapMyRun comes up with 8.5 miles; my watch clocked 8.43, so I think a 0.07 mile difference represents acceptable accuracy in this case.

Splits from GPS track
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.01 08:32 08:32 08:28 08:28 1.01
0.88 16:12 07:40 08:43 08:35 1.89
0.12 17:16 01:04 08:53 08:36 2.01
1.00 25:54 08:38 08:39 08:37 3.01
1.00 34:17 08:23 08:23 08:34 4.01
1.03 42:55 08:38 08:22 08:31 5.04
0.96 51:07 08:12 08:30 08:31 6.00
1.00 60:27 09:20 09:21 08:38 7.00
1.00 68:31 08:04 08:02 08:34 8.00
0.42 71:50 03:19 07:49 08:31 8.43

4.9mi, 42:04, 26 DEC 06, Anaheim CA

Lillis à Laoire, "Wander my Friends"

WX at 0700: 46.9 (8.3) 34.0 (1.1) 30.14 (1020) Calm RH 60

Odometer 2: 280.2mi

Z3.

We landed at John Wayne Airport last night...at the charming hour of 10:48pm. Based on jet lag, it's 1:48pm CST and once we had our car and my obligatory getting blown past by a bunch of people on Interstate 5, we ended up in Anaheim last night.

Attack on Disneyland will ensue presently forthwith.

SoCal has nice weather. I haven't run in weather like this in almost forever.

I ran two on the dreadmill just to be sure about relative pacing, and partly because Wakko's Wish was showing on TV, specifically HBO, this morning.

I didn't feel like I was going 8:20 pace this morning, but if that was the case, groovy. Tomorrow, depending on how I feel, I'm going to pick up the distance some.

Dreadmill
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
2.00 17:34 17:34 08:47 08:47 2.00

On road
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
2.94 24:30 24:30 08:20 08:20 2.94

9.0mi, 75:28, 24 DEC 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

The All-American Rejects, "It Ends Tonight"
R.E.M., "Pretty Persuasion"
Michael Kamen, Opening credits to From The Earth To the Moon

WX at 1000: 34.0 (1.1) DP 30.0 (-1.1) BP 30.18 (1022) Calm clear RH 85
WX at 0900: 28.9 (-1.7) DP 26.1 (-3.3) BP 30.18 (1022) SSW 5 clear RH 89

Odometer 3: 121.9mi

Z3-4.

Today was crazy fast. It probably started that way since I got suckered out in a fast start. The commander of Fort Leavenworth was running with his son (I believe) along the same route. As he burns past me, I realize that it was him and rendered the appropriate greeting...as he was waiting for his kid at the top of the hill. Once I had the momentum, I continued to remain on target.

In spite of it all, I was trying to figure out why I felt so sweaty - although the increase in temperature probably had something to do with it.

I think I probably could've gone even faster had I jettisoned some snivel gear. The 0.28 uphill split after running the airfield (3.82 split) was particularly rewarding since I'm continuing to improve running uphill there.

Still, I can't complain too much for a PR at this distance, given its punishing uphills.

CORRECTION: Not a PR...I set that on 14 OCT at this distance by about 16 seconds. I find that somewhat hard to believe, but I guess that makes sense based on my excessively fast start.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.34 02:35 02:35 07:36 07:36 0.34
0.87 09:56 07:21 08:27 08:13 1.21
2.28 28:47 18:51 08:16 08:15 3.49
3.82 61:42 32:55 08:37 08:26 7.31
0.28 64:15 02:33 09:06 08:28 7.59
1.10 73:20 09:05 08:15 08:26 8.69
0.27 75:28 02:08 07:54 08:25 8.96

Oh hell yeah

My basic crotchetiness around x-moose doesn't keep me from laughing my ass off when I see spoofs like this:

Is that you John Wayne? Is this me?

So say we all...

A sign of hope in the Long War

When a former Wahabbist with a degree in sharia starts defending the outcasts from the moral police in Saudi Arabia, there is some hope for the future that there will be a workable solution to having reactionary cocksuckers like Al-Qaeda running around for the foreseeable future.

3.0mi, 27:03, 22 DEC 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Corrosion of Conformity, "What (?)"

WX at 0800: 37.9 (3.3) DP 35.1 (1.7) BP 29.85 (1010) WSW 8 overcast RH 89

Odometer 3: 112.9mi

Z2.

Words fail to describe my general lack of motivation today other than my basic desire to sustain whatever weight loss I've been able to pull off, which I suspect is mostly water weight.

I went from weighing 185ish to 180ish and dramatic changes like that don't happen in the lard department.

I was starting to loosen up by the end, but I just didn't feel like running. My two presumed recovery runs from the last two sessions weren't that at all.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.27 02:27 02:27 09:04 09:04 0.27
1.24 13:28 11:01 08:53 08:55 1.51
0.86 20:47 07:19 08:30 08:46 2.37
0.65 27:03 06:16 09:38 08:57 3.02

Where I'll be visiting

Ironically, as I get ready to leave in a few days for a whirlwind trip of Southern California, centered almost entirely on some joint called Disneyland, I find this piece on the insularity of many Americans these days...

4.0mi on the dreadmill, 34:50, 20 DEC 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Bear McCreary, "The Shape of Things to Come"

WX at 1600: 48.0 (8.9) DP 46.0 (7.8) BP 29.88 (1011) ESE 15 rain RH 92%

Odometer 2: 275.2mi

Z3 low.

Four miles of wogging, sort of. I set the dreadmill for 8:57mi and found it too slow, so I set it to 8:34/mi and actually didn't work as hard I thought I would. Incline was set for no more than 2%, and stayed actually at around 0.5% and 1.5% from time to time.

Almost a Z2 run, but a little more effort than a Z2, although I wasn't breathing all that hard.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
4.00 34:50 34:50 08:43 08:43 4.00

5.26mi, 43:49, 19 DEC 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Bear McCreary, "The Shape of Things To Come"

WX at 1600: 39.9 (4.4) DP 18.0 (-7.8) BP 30.37 (1028) E 13 overcast RH 41%

Odometer 2: 271.2mi

Z3 high-4.

I thought I was going to do some light wogging. What I didn't count on was the length of the loop around the airfield here at Fort Leavenworth. When I checked relative time based on when I thought I was going to get back (I was on a time crunch as the Princess was in gymnastics class and I definitely did not want to stand her up at the end of class waiting for a ride), this run turned from "light wogging" (which the first mile, which wasn't, but admittedly, almost all downhill) to "holyfuckingshit I need to get back pronto!" I don't consider this to be race pace by any stretch - and I was overdressed (if relative level of sweat after the run is any indicator) for it, but for relative effort, I thought it was pretty good. I do need to start sharpening based on an expected race pace of under 8:00/mi for any half-marathon or shorter. Maybe that'll come with speedwork later.

It did mark probably the fastest road running I've done in a while based on relative speed - the 3.82 loop is mostly flat, but the 0.28 that follows it is a brutal uphill (which I normally take at around 13-minute/mi pace or so based on relative effort).

I made it back, but I didn't realize how fast I was really going until I computed splits against distances.

So much for light work, but at least I ran today, which is a hell of a lot more than I can say for yesterday.

Tomorrow needs to be an easy recovery run of about four or so.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.98 07:46 07:46 07:56 07:56 0.98
3.82 39:40 31:54 08:21 08:16 4.80
0.28 42:22 02:42 09:39 08:20 5.08
0.18 43:49 01:27 08:03 08:20 5.26

9.0mi, 77:59, 17 DEC 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Bear Mccreary, "A Promise to Return" (and a lot of vain attempts to recall "The Shape of Things to Come")
Lillis à Laoire, "Wander my Friends"
Saxon Shore, "Amber, Ember, Glow"

WX at 0900: 44.1 (6.7) DP 21.0 (-6.1) BP 30.11 (1019) NE 14 overcast RH 39%

Odometer 3: 109.9mi

Z3.

Today started faster inasmuch as I was wearing a lot less snivel gear than my last time I did this course. My finish was slower, something I attribute to running six the day prior. Another contributor to my faster time today was not having to climb through a train to get across the tracks near the airfield at Fort Leavenworth.

Time to see if I can keep this streak up. Maybe I'll go for some easy wogging tomorrow.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.34 02:57 02:57 08:41 08:41 0.34
0.87 11:16 08:19 09:34 09:19 1.21
2.28 30:50 19:34 08:35 08:50 3.49
3.82 63:00 32:10 08:25 08:37 7.31
0.28 66:42 03:42 13:13 08:47 7.59
1.10 75:45 09:03 08:14 08:43 8.69
0.27 77:59 02:14 08:16 08:42 8.96

6.1mi, 53:34, 16 DEC 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Dear Nora, "The Flats of Irony"
Sarge, "Clearer"

WX at 0700: 55.9 (13.3) DP 53.1 (11.7) BP 29.7 (1005) S 12 overcast mist RH 90%

Odometer 2: 265.9mi

Z3.

Today started as slow wogging, but turned into some fairly disciplined tempo work. This was the first day I forced myself to get out of bed and finally run. I'd slept in the last three days largely because I felt too tired to do much of anything.

My desire to burn lard overcame my generally wanting to sleep in. This is important.

The steady acceleration was a nice touch this morning. I did three miles going the normal direction on a tartan track this morning, followed by three miles in the opposite direction. Wind was definitely a factor - as well as the guy who started running in lane 1 opposite to me on mile 5. Because of that, I think I started grinding faster and the momentum was settled by the time he departed and I hit mile 6.

All in all, not a bad run, but doesn't obviate my doing my usual long run tomorrow.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.01 09:39 09:39 09:33 09:33 1.01
1.01 18:57 09:18 09:12 09:22 2.02
1.01 27:58 09:01 08:55 09:13 3.03
1.01 36:50 08:52 08:46 09:06 4.04
1.01 45:22 08:32 08:26 08:58 5.06
1.01 53:34 08:12 08:07 08:50 6.07

4.7mi, 40:27, 12 DEC 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Bear McCready, "Worthy of Survival"
Bear McCready, "The Shape of Things to Come"

WX at 1000: 37 (3) DP 35 (2) BP 30.02 (1016) W 10 mist RH 93%

Odometer 3: 100.9mi

Z3 high-Z4.

I suspect my legs were tired after Sunday's ten miles and yesterday's semi-abortive erg session.

In spite of this, I feel reasonably satisified with this run in spite of relative level of effort. I was running right at anaerobic threshold for a good chunk of this run - so approximating about the level of effort I'd expect to run for a ten-miler or half marathon.

I should be alarmed at the pacing, or should I? If the goal is to start speedwork in late January to be ready for the PT test, I need to start paring off the poundage. This means I really need to buckle down and lay off the grease. Relative to the last time I took one with real preparation, I'm about 20 seconds/mile slower. Every pound I jettison will help - and last time I weighed in, it was at 186. Not good.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.27 02:15 02:15 08:22 08:22 0.27
1.24 12:52 10:37 08:33 08:31 1.51
0.85 20:25 07:33 08:53 08:39 2.36
1.24 30:45 10:20 08:20 08:32 3.60
0.85 38:05 07:20 08:38 08:33 4.45
0.27 40:27 02:22 08:46 08:34 4.72

6,000m on Fluid S350, 24:11, 11 DEC 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Nothing much in the iThink except snippets of Bear McCreary, "The Shape of Things to Come"

WX at 1700: 57.9 (14.4) DP 50.0 (10.0) BP 29.9 (1012) S 13 partly cloudy RH 97%

Odometer 2: N/A.

Z3.

First things first, yes, I've changed my background. Having spent a few years jumping out of planes, I thought a C-17 and some paratroopers would be appropriate - seeing as how the last jumpmaster duty I pulled (and likely to pull in the immediate future) was out of a C-17.

There are things about the Fluid S350 that I seriously dislike.

1. There is no battery for the computer. So if there's no accumulated charge, or you stop long enough, the fucking computer resets. This is goddamn problematic when the only way to program countdown distances is to stop. The computer is too far for my arms to reach.

2. If you stop actively pulling for more than a few seconds, the fucking computer resets, even if there is enough charge.

3. The hook for the heel rest has a tendency to come out during hard spinning. This means I have to stop. This means the counter fucking resets. This means I get fucking pissed.

4. No drag factor! Wattage doesn't really mean shit relative to effort.

I like the relative speed I'm spinning, but I don't think it translates the same way. because water provides more damping, and relatively more propulsive force, I'm spinning much, much faster on the Fluid than I would on the Concept. The Fluid's computer still sucks.

At least the Fluid has a much more padded seat than the Concept. My ass hurts less when I get done, but I'd still rather be on a Concept. Looks like I need to go back to the Concept...

Splits
Distance: 6000
Time: 0:24:11
Per 500m: 02:01
Wattage 210ish
Per Mile 0:06:29

It's that time of the year again

So it's time to revisit this site...

Fuck Christmas!

10.4mi, 90:22, 10 DEC 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

From the Battlestar Galactica Season One soundtrack:
Bear McCreary, "Passacaglia"
Lillis à Laoire, "Wander my Friends"

From the Battlestar Galactica Season Two soundtrack:
Bear McCreary, "The Shape of Things to Come"

WX at 0900: 41.0 (5.0) DP 23.0 (-5.0) BP 30.08 (1018) S 21G28 clear RH 48%

Odometer 3: 96.2mi

Z3.

This felt uneven, but it's the first time I've run any significant elements of this course in a while. Because it's so hilly, the elements of this are uneven for pacing...but I wasn't looking to do anything but work off lard today.

That's probably going to be the strategy through late January when I transition back to speedwork in preparation for my PT test, probably sometime in March.

I gave the Bear McCreary Battlestar Galactica soundtracks from both seasons a good listen last night and am simply impressed by their excellence. Not surprisingly, I now have something other than Hilary Duff or Limp Bizkit and DMX to serve as a running mantra.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.34 02:58 02:58 08:44 08:44 0.34
0.87 11:03 08:05 09:17 09:08 1.21
2.28 29:40 18:37 08:10 08:30 3.49
3.82 62:53 33:13 08:42 08:36 7.31
0.28 65:46 02:53 10:18 08:40 7.59
2.51 88:26 22:40 09:02 08:45 10.10
0.27 90:22 01:56 07:10 08:43 10.37

10,000m on Fluid S350, 41:42, 7 DEC 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Nothing in the iThink.

WX at 1700: 17.1 (-8.3) DP 1.9 (-16.7) BP 30.77 (1041) WNW 5 clear RH 50% WC 8.7 (-12.9)

Odometer 2: N/A.

Z3.

The weather had a hell of a lot to do with why I went spinning rather than running this afternoon and why I slept in this morning. It was cold this morning!

There's a new rowing machine, a Fluid S350. I'm not so sure how much I like this one, as the computer on it is just not as good as the one on the Concept Model C I've used in the past.

On the other hand, I think it represents a better workout - the return is not as spring-loaded as the Concept, and I honestly have to work harder against water than against wind resistance, probably since I get more damping from a water-based cylinder than I do from the wind-resistance one on the Concept.

The seat's a lot softer, which is always good for the tuckus. Naturally, being a new machine, it's a lot more steady than the Concept.

While I was spinning, I saw a high school kid playing some wallball with a lacrosse stick on the basketball court. Always a good sight to the eyes, to see lacrosse in the Midwest. Reminds me how much I'd like to go throwing around with, well, anyone these days.

Splits
Distance: 10000
Time: 0:41:42
Per 500m: 02:05
Drag Factor N/A
Per Mile 0:06:43

6.1mi, 53:33, 6 DEC 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Saxon Shore, "Amber, Ember, Glow"

WX at 0600: 36.0 (2.2) DP 25.0 (-3.9) BP 30.11 (1019) WNW 5 mostly cloudy RH 63% WC 31.2 (-0.4)

Odometer 3: 85.8mi

Z2-3.

Six miles of wogging was the goal, and for the most part, that's what I got. My legs were feeling some of the earlier workouts this week, and besides, this was needed to burn off some of the residual lard from the Hostess Blueberry Fruit Pie I ate yesterday.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.01 09:19 09:19 09:13 09:13 1.01
1.01 18:16 08:57 08:51 09:02 2.02
2.02 36:04 17:48 08:48 08:55 4.04
1.01 44:49 08:45 08:39 08:52 5.06
1.01 53:33 08:44 08:38 08:50 6.07

4.7mi, 39:48, 4 DEC 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

50 Foot Wave, "Hot, Pink, Distorted"
Corrosion of Conformity, "What(?)"

WX at 1600: 42.1 (5.6) DP 21.9 (-5.6) BP 30.3 (1026) WSW 8 pcdy RH 44%
WX at 1700: 37.9 (3.3) DP 23.0 (-5.0) BP 30.3 (1026) SSW 6 pcdy RH 55% WC 33.3 (0.7)

Odometer 2: 259.8mi

Z3.

Not too hard, but probably should have been wogging. The temperature drop probably accounts for why my forearms were starting to freeze up. They pinked up nicely in the shower afterwards.

It is the only time I've run with no snivel gear while outdoors in recent memory.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.27 02:16 02:16 08:26 08:26 0.27
1.24 12:34 10:18 08:18 08:19 1.51
0.85 20:03 07:29 08:48 08:30 2.36
1.24 30:20 10:17 08:18 08:26 3.60
0.85 37:35 07:15 08:32 08:27 4.45
0.27 39:48 02:13 08:13 08:26 4.72

New Look

Debating about whether to keep this or revert. I've only published the index under the new template for that reason alone.

7.08mi, 59:04, 3 DEC 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Silverstein, "Already Dead"
Dear Nora, "Flats of Irony"
mewithoutYou, "January 1979"

WX at 0800: 15.1 (-9.4) DP 7.0 (-13.9) BP 30.70 (1039) WNW 7 clear RH 69% WC 7 (-13.9)

Odometer 3: 79.2mi

Z4.

I was determined to get out this morning but had to derail the workout briefly to change after going out the first time.

I ran at just anaerobic pace, but noted steady (albeit very slow) acceleration. Since this was being done on a track, I ran in lane 2 since I didn't want to go short on the mileage. Total mileage was actually 1.011mi per four laps, making it 7.078mi in the aggregate.

The last mile was an attempt to get at 2:00/lap at the end, at which I was successful.

Running when it's 15.1F outside wasn't as horrible as I thought it'd be, though.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.01 08:54 08:54 08:48 08:48 1.01
1.01 17:22 08:28 08:22 08:35 2.02
1.01 25:48 08:26 08:20 08:30 3.03
1.01 34:12 08:24 08:19 08:27 4.04
1.01 42:34 08:22 08:17 08:25 5.06
1.01 50:53 08:19 08:14 08:23 6.07
1.01 59:04 08:11 08:06 08:21 7.08

2.0mi + 5,000m on Concept2 Model C, 21:40, 1 DEC 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

None.

WX at 1300: 29, DP 12, BP 30.15(1022.2), W 8 few clouds

Odometer 2: 255.0mi

Z3-4.

It's been a while since I've gotten on the erg, and it shows. I had problems trying to keep what I thought was normal pace.

My follow-on assignment after the School of Advanced Military Heresy is now very much in doubt and I'm in the interesting position of going back to my old job at the 101st Airborne Division after this if all pans out.

That explains no iThink for this.

I quit rowing at 5,000 and decided to go on the elliptical, which I did for all of 7 minutes, and then finally got on the dreadmill and set it for about 8:00/mi pace initially, finishing at 7:30/mi pace. The fact that I can do that on the dreadmill is a good sign. The fact that I just didn't feel like sticking it out to do more than 5,000 on the erg is a bad sign.

Splits
Distance: 5000
Time: 0:21:40
Per 500m: 02:10
Drag Factor 145
Per Mile 0:06:58

6.8mi, 58:30, 29 NOV 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Petra Haden, "God Only Knows"

WX at 0700: 34.0 (1.1) DP 32.0 (0.0) BP 29.95 (1014) N 18 mist RH 92% WC 32 (-5)

Odometer 3: 71.2mi

Z3 low-mid.

I wasn't looking to do much beyond an easy aerobic run. This ended up being a little more than just easy, but that's still okay. The objective was to expend lard, when I realized that I was noticeably fatter in recent photos than ones I took last year.

This fundamentally changes my training focus until I get that lard burned off. For that I think I'm going to need a few months. Then I need to concentrate on speed again.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.27 02:23 02:23 08:52 08:52 0.27
2.09 20:26 18:03 08:38 08:39 2.36
2.09 38:23 17:57 08:35 08:38 4.45
2.09 56:09 17:46 08:30 08:35 6.54
0.27 58:30 02:21 08:42 08:35 6.81

4.7mi, 39:35, 27 NOV 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Anberlin, "Cold War Transmissions"

WX at 0700: 45.0 (7.2) DP 37.9 (3.3) BP 30.09 (1018) NW 3 haze RH 76%

Odometer 3: 64.4mi

Z3.

I never thought I'd say it, but damn, I'm glad to be back at Fort Leavenworth.

Being back in NC was wacky. Going back to Fayetteville, as we did for an afternoon was particularly disconcerting. I did, however get a haircut from my old barber, who does a superlative high-and-tight. If there's one thing I absolutely can't get here at Fort Leavenworth, it's a high-and-tight where someone actually shaves off the side and back of my head.

That might account for some of the relative speed this morning for a Z3-level run. I guess I should aspire to something faster, but I'm pretty happy with that for my relative level of effort.

I'm not too crazy about my incipient arthritis in my right ankle, though. Nothing that 1000mg of naproxen sodium a day can't fix...so long, stomach lining.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.27 02:17 02:17 08:29 08:29 0.27
1.24 12:39 10:22 08:21 08:23 1.51
0.85 20:09 07:30 08:49 08:32 2.36
1.24 30:19 10:10 08:12 08:25 3.60
0.85 37:21 07:02 08:16 08:24 4.45
0.27 39:35 02:14 08:16 08:23 4.72

Somehow I am not particularly surprised

Which South Park kid are you most like? Cartman You are just plain evil and heartless. Though you're sly, and you come up with brilliant schemes, you're pretty dumb and close minded. Other people hate you... screw them!

Click Here to Take This Quiz Brought to you by YouThink.com quizzes and personality tests.

~11mi, 93:56, 25 NOV 06, Cary NC

Some guys from 6th RTB, "RI Theme Song"
The Connells, "Fun & Games"
Limp Bizkit and DMX, "Rollin'" (Rap remix)
Gustav Holst, Suite No. 2 for military band in F major, Op. 28/2 H. 106

WX at 0900: 46.9 (8.3) DP 35.1 (1.7) BP 30.35 (1027) NNE 3 clear RH 63%
WX at 0800: 36.0 (2.2) DP 32.0 (0.0) BP 30.34 (1027) Calm clear RH 85%

Odometer 2: 252.0mi estimated

Z3.

Once again, the inconsistency of GPS splits makes me unwilling to vet this for exact distance, but I spent a lot of time running parts of the American Tobacco Trail, an oddly named entity that's a nice rails-to-trails project in Wake County. It should extend to Chatham County as well.

It was cold but warmed up fast. That's the rough part about trying to estimate amount of snivel gear to really wear. I went one layer down as I rolled up my sweatshirt and started running t-shirt only on the return leg of the trail run.

Splits
None of report. 93:56/11 mi = 8:32/mi

8.25mi approximate, 66:54, 23 NOV 06, Cary NC

Limp Bizkit and DMX, "Rollin'" (Rap remix)
Silverstein, "Already Dead"

WX at 0900: 44 (7) DP 41 (5) BP 30.09 (1018) N 8 light drizzle RH 89%

Odometer 2: 241.0mi estimated

Z3.

First time running in Cary in a long while. I'm inherently distrustful of the GPS tracks I'm getting off the Timex watch I have, and today was no exception.

I don't buy the prospect of running 8:06/mi for what I ran today...but I don't have the imagery and plot to vet the course I ran. I thought it was more important that I actually ran over an hour today, given how much I ended up eating for dinner.

Splits
1.35mi, 12:07
5.95mi, 49:42
8.25mi, 66:54

4.7mi, 40:47, 21 NOV 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Silverstein, "Defend You"
Silverstein, "Already Dead"

WX at 0600: 42.1 (5.6) DP 23.0 (-5.0) BP 30.22 (1023) S 22 clear RH 46%

Odometer 2: 232.2mi

Z3 high.

I was grinding away at a fast start for no good reason this morning. The Silverstein album is pretty good, actually. I have to deliberately veer off some of the songs I know better and in doing so, actually found a pretty decent mantra in "Already Dead."

This morning started far too fast. The pace settled once I was finished with my first lap (the second 0.85mi split), but there is a definite latency period from when I expend my fast-twitch stores and before the slow-twitch muscles really settle for legitimate return on effort. That crossover point happens anywhere around 25-35 minutes, but usually before 30 minutes.

That's probably as good as any for why 10 miles has traditionally been my strongest event; I can reel in other competitors as I continue to accelerate while others die at around the 7-8 mile point. The crossover point hits somewhere around the 5 mile mark. That doesn't work for me on the 10km (not enough time) and definitely not on 5km or 8km (too short) distances.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.27 02:14 02:14 08:18 08:18 0.27
1.24 12:44 10:30 08:28 08:26 1.51
0.85 20:29 07:45 09:07 08:41 2.36
1.24 31:07 10:38 08:35 08:39 3.60
0.85 38:28 07:21 08:39 08:39 4.45
0.27 40:47 02:19 08:35 08:38 4.72

YGTBFSM

This is supposedly military in its etymology, but I must have missed this acronym, and I consider myself more than a passing observer of military culture. I think it's probably too clumsy for casual use, though.

"You've Got To Be Fucking Shitting Me" doesn't really translate that well into an acronym.

Or, even more bluntly, don't substitute an unwieldy acronym when the expression "fuck that shit" is just as evocatively useful.

3.0mi, 25:18, 20 NOV 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Anberlin, "Cold War Transmissions"

WX at 0700: 25.0 (-3.9) 21.9 (-5.6) 30.49 (1032) W 6 mist RH 87% WC 17 (-8)

Odometer 2: 227.5mi

Z3.

I had to cut this a mile short for time constraints.

I knew the GPS was off! I was being cheated .05-.06 per mile and that's why I felt abnormally fast. I made it a point to run in lane 1 rather than lane 8 as I usually do...just to vet the GPS. I'm glad I did.

This makes much more sense.

It was a mite nippy, especially on the ears this morning. I might actually have to contemplate headgear for the first few miles of a run - of course, I wouldn't have needed it after mile 2 or so.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST GPS
1.00 08:18 08:18 08:18 08:18 1.00 1.059
1.00 16:51 08:33 08:33 08:26 2.00 1.068
1.00 25:18 08:27 08:27 08:26 3.00 1.062

6.0mi, 51:59, 19 NOV 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Tokyo-Rose, "Saturday, Everyday"
Silverstein, "Smile In Your Sleep"
Silverstein, "Defend You"

WX at 0900: 28.9 (-1.7) DP 25.0 (-3.9) BP 30.45 (1031) WNW 5 clear RH 84% WC 23 (-5)

Odometer 3: 59.7mi

Z3, Z4 uphill.

I was thinking about running 9 this morning, but decided that after a week of running almost nothing that 9 on the second day back might not be such a good idea. I was tired in any event. I had a lot harder time getting up hills than I normally do in these conditions, so there is some implied rebuilding to do here.

The assault of emo this morning is attributable to my buying Silverstein's Discovering the Waterfront last night. I'm not sure if emo is a guiltier pleasure than, say, Journey or Eddie Money. At least emo is a tad more predictable. An old roommate of mine's reaction sums it up: "you, Mr. Alternative Music, are listening to Eddie fucking Money?!"

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.32 02:51 02:51 08:54 08:54 0.32
0.89 11:06 08:15 09:19 09:13 1.21
0.68 16:27 05:21 07:51 08:43 1.89
0.67 22:06 05:39 08:29 08:39 2.55
2.24 43:03 20:57 09:20 08:58 4.80
0.86 49:50 06:47 07:51 08:48 5.66
0.32 51:59 02:09 06:44 08:42 5.98

One last request

Cliffed from Wikipedia:
Speakers for the Dead are the wandering representatives of a Humanist movement (not a religion, though they are treated with the respect accorded a priest or cleric); they research the dead person's life and give a speech that attempts to speak for them, describing the person's life as he or she tried to live it.

Speakers for the Dead seem to have arisen as a movement in response to Ender's 'Speaking' the life of the Hive Queen (and the life of Hegemon Peter Wiggin) in widely-read books that slowly subvert human hatred of the 'buggers' into sorrow over a Xenocide, the complete extinction of an alien race.

I had occasion to attend a memorial service for an officer killed in Iraq earlier this week. It was respectful, and in many senses a hagiography (although I'm trying to avoid some the implied negative connotations of that word).

It made me think a lot about what I want out of a memorial service, inasmuch as I'm a diehard atheist. But I would like a Speaker, for that one. I don't want a hagiography. I want truthful intent.

4.7mi, 42:58, 18 NOV 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Anberlin, "Cold War Transmissions"

WX at 0800: 27.0 (-2.8) DP 24.1 (-4.4) BP 30.25 (1024) NW 7 clear RH 88% WC 19 (-7)

Odometer 3: 53.7mi

Z2.

Today was going to be a 6.8mile, but I decided to cut one lap. I just didn't really feel up to it and I also realized I went out with far too much snivel gear. Just because it's below freezing doesn't mean I wear as much as I did. Won't make that mistake again.

I was not fully loosened up until the last half mile. On the other hand, this is a good break from the total lack of running I did this week. Next week I have to be more disciplined about getting out the fucking door.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.27 02:31 02:31 09:21 09:21 0.27
2.09 21:43 19:12 09:11 09:12 2.36
2.09 40:31 18:48 09:00 09:06 4.45
0.27 42:58 02:27 09:04 09:06 4.72

8,000m on Concept2 Model C, 34:33, 16 NOV 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Metallica, "Enter Sandman"

WX at 0700: 32.0 (0.0) DP 25.0 (-3.9) BP 29.95 (1014) NNW 14 overcast RH 74% WC 21(-6)

Odometer 3: 49.0mi N/A

Z3 high.

First time on the Concept in about a month. It was much harder to keep up what I considered normal speed; my nominal average is around 2:10, but was probably a little closer to 2:11-2:12 had I not turned on the jets in the last 1000m.

I have this to thank for my late breaking Metallica mantra. "Enter Sandman" isn't really a good song for spinning, though.

Splits
Distance: 8000
Time: 0:34:33
Per 500m: 02:10
Drag Factor 140
Per Mile 0:06:57

Some minor escapism...

Your results:You are Malcolm Reynolds (Captain)

Honest and a defender of the innocent. You sometimes make mistakes in judgment but you are generally good and would protect your crew from harm.

Malcolm Reynolds (Captain)		80%
Zoe Washburne (Second-in-command)		75%
Wash (Ship Pilot)		65%
Kaylee Frye (Ship Mechanic)		60%
Dr. Simon Tam (Ship Medic)		60%
River (Stowaway)		60%
Inara Serra (Companion)		50%
Derrial Book (Shepherd)		40%
Alliance		40%
Jayne Cobb (Mercenary)		30%
A Reaver (Cannibal)		15%

Click here to take the Serenity Firefly Personality Test

4.0mi on the dreadmill, 33:48, 13 NOV 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

The RI Theme Song. (An appropriate song for deprogramming myself of last night's estrogen-fest.)

WX at 0700: 33 (1) 32 (0) 30.04 (1017) W 2 clear RH 93%

Odometer 2: 224.0mi

Z2-3.

First time I've run on a dreadmill since, well, Iraq. The weather itself is a good reason for why I didn't run outside...besides the fact that there aren't any safe places to run around the hotel at which we were staying.

I was planning on going 6. Then I was planning on going 5. Then I settled for a faster 4. I fucking hate dreadmills.

Splits
33:48 for 4.0mi on the dreadmill. After missing the first few splits, I gave up on trying to record anything consistent, but I started at 8:42 and finished at 8:03. Once I was warmed up there actually wasn't a whole lot of drastic increase in relative level of effort. I guess that speaks to a legitimate level of distance base.

Smell the estrogen

I was witness tonight, in Omaha's Qwest Center, to The Cheetah Girls in concert with Vanessa Hudgens and some other girl singer whose name has already been dumped from my memory.

There were men there who I'm sure there were there at their daughters' behest. I was just surrounded by scores of girls, all in the ages of, well, under 10. One woman I spoke to said her husband wouldn't come. Another took their youngest and then went to the casino. They don't have a hair on their ass.

We bought two t-shirts. Cheetah Girls t-shirts. To the tune of $30 a piece. $60 for a pair of shirts?! Ah, rochambeau for pre-teenybop swag...

Thank god for combat earplugs. Those seriously saved my bacon. After a decade of heavy weapons fire and jumping out of planes, my hearing is trashed anyway, but I'm trying to save what little I have left.

The redeeming feature of it was seeing some new Hilary Duff video. Guilty pleasure, but Hilary Duff is pretty hot, actually. Curiously appropriate, since the song is called "Play With Fire."

4 x 1mile repeats on track, 34:27, 12 NOV 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Metallica, "Battery"

WX at 1000: 46.9 (8.3) 26.1 (-3.3) 30.06 (1017) S 18 clear RH 43%

Odometer 2: 220.0mi

Z2.

I am distrustful of my Timex GPS as I get wildly different readings of speed at the same level of effort. I suspect there may be some hidden masking of signals, but I might want to vet the length with my Garmin GPS 12XL at sometime.

If the mile splits are accurate, I shouldn't get too bent out of shape for a recovery run, but the thought of running 8:36 pace on a relatively easy pace doesn't make sense for me at this point in my life.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:35 08:35 08:33 08:33 1.00
1.00 17:23 08:48 08:47 08:40 2.01
1.00 25:49 08:26 08:27 08:36 3.00
1.00 34:27 08:38 08:36 08:36 4.01

9.0mi, 78:15, 11 NOV 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

The Cure, "A Forest" (Tree mix)
The Cure, "A Forest" (from 1984 Concert live album)
Stabbing Westward, "Bizarre Love Triangle"

WX at 0800: 27.0 (-2.8) 23.0 (-5.0) 30.33 (1027) NW 6 clear RH 85%

Odometer 3: 49.0mi

Z3.

Nothing ambitious today, just a run to burn fat. This ended up being
faster than expected as I settled in and ran mostly negative splits.

The extremely slow 0.28 leg is attributable to having to go over the
links between two railroad boxcars. Otherwise, the run back was
representative of steady acceleration, which is a reasonably good trend.

I should've worn sunglasses today. It was bright. I'm not used to
running in daylight.

Today is Veteran's Day. I prefer the Commonwealth's usage of
Remembrance Day, myself. Two treatments I found come from the Great White North and Down Under.

Ironically, I wasn't able to find an official British site on the
internet on Remembrance Day.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.34 03:06 03:06 09:07 09:07 0.34
0.87 11:20 08:14 09:28 09:22 1.21
2.28 31:11 19:51 08:42 08:56 3.49
3.82 64:00 32:49 08:35 08:45 7.31
0.28 67:01 03:01 10:46 08:50 7.59
1.10 76:08 09:07 08:17 08:46 8.69
0.27 78:15 02:07 07:50 08:44 8.96

Holy fucking shit

Things just got a lot more sporty in Strategic Plans and Policy land...

4.0mi, 36:24, 8 NOV 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Annie, Heartbeat (Simlish mix)

WX at 0600: 46.0 (7.8) DP 43.0 (6.1) BP 29.65 (1004) S 8 mostly clear RH 89%

Odometer 2: 215.7mi

Z2.

Nothing fancy. My running partner has inconsistent speed, but I was also tired from yesterday's time trial. I deliberately went easy.

For an explanation of today's iThink, read this description.

Splits: 36:24 in 9:06 average.
I need to remap the route, and I don't have time right now...and really, for a recovery wogging run, it's not that important.

6.0mi, 46:28, 7 NOV 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

New Model Army, "The Cause"

WX at 0700: 37.9 (3.3) DP 37.0 (2.8) BP 29.93 (1013) Calm heavy fog RH 96%

Odometer 3: 39.9mi

Z4.

I needed to do a quick one, but I didn't feel like running the Teardrop of Suck (which includes uphills in excess of 40 degrees). Thus, six mile time trial on the track!

I was pleasantly surprised at split times - but wonder if there are GPS inaccuracies at work that might be contributing to a false sense of speed as well.

With the amount of fog today, I guess an English band is appropriate - although whenever I think of heavy fog, the Cure's "A Forest" is invariably the first song to come to mind.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.01 08:16 08:16 08:13 08:13 1.01
1.00 15:53 07:37 07:39 07:56 2.00
1.01 23:34 07:41 07:38 07:50 3.01
1.00 31:07 07:33 07:33 07:46 4.01
1.00 38:44 07:37 07:39 07:44 5.00
1.00 46:29 07:45 07:46 07:45 6.00

4.7mi, 41:11, 6 NOV 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

The Early November, "Baby Blue"
Corrosion of Conformity, "What(?)"
Hilary Duff, "Wake Up"

WX at 0600: 55 (13) DP 48 (9) BP 30.06 (1017) Calm mist RH 76%

Odometer 2: 211.7mi

Z2-3.

I almost slept in this morning; that I actually got up was sheer force of will, considering I'd gone to sleep at 2:25am...and woke up at 6:00am. I'll probably be paying for it later, but I needed to run. Partly for relaxation (nothing ambitious was going to happen today), but partly to burn accumulated lard.

It wasn't wogging, but it's wasn't particularly fast, either. I accelerated gradually, once I passed the 25 minute mark. From there, I was just continuing to accelerate as I kept running. All in all, not a bad run...which was infinitely better than the alternative of sleeping in.

Since I didn't do my customary long run on Sunday, it was just a matter of doing it early, or forcing out a 10km erg on the Concept, and this, quite frankly, would've hurt a lot less.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.27 02:26 02:26 09:03 09:03 0.27
1.24 13:24 10:58 08:50 08:52 1.51
0.85 21:04 07:40 09:01 08:56 2.36
1.24 31:41 10:37 08:34 08:48 3.60
0.85 38:54 07:13 08:29 08:44 4.45
0.27 41:11 02:17 08:27 08:44 4.72

The next movie I feel compelled to watch

Will Smith, in The Pursuit of Happyness.

The lyrics to "What Ya Gonna Do PL?" (also known to some as the "RI Theme Song")

Because I can't get it out of my damn head, I figured I'd share it with the rest of the world...because it's just that catchy. I'm not a graduate of the Special Forces Qualification Course or Ranger Course...but I spent enough time in the latter to witness a fair amount of this happening in front of my eyes...at least without the rubbing one out with a Maxim Magazine...

Correction: giving credit where credit's due: Sounds of SWC is the origin of the song. In the proper context, the song is about Phase II of the Special Forces Qualification Course, although I'm sure there are plenty of Rangers out there who can empathize as well.

What'cha gonna do, PL?
What'cha gonna do, PL?
When Murphy shows up and shit goes to hell,
What'cha gonna do, PL?

What'cha gonna do, PL? (What'cha gonna do?)
What'cha gonna do, PL? (What'cha gonna do?)
APL’s got us lost but you be the boss,
What'cha gonna do, PL? (What'cha gonna do?)

Okay, PL. You and your team have an ambush 7 clicks from here in two hours.
You’ll have Claymores out, security set in, and I don’t want to see any fucking shortcuts.
I want a full op order in 20 minutes and I expect to hear a WARNO in 10.
What are your questions, PL?

What'cha gonna do, PL? (What'cha gonna do?)
What'cha gonna do, PL? (What'cha gonna do?)
8 clicks to go in the rain and snow,
What'cha gonna do, PL? (What'cha gonna do?)

What'cha gonna do, PL? (What'cha gonna do?)
What'cha gonna do, PL? (What'cha gonna do?)
When Murphy shows up and shit goes to hell,
What'cha gonna do, PL? (What'cha gonna do?)

What the fuck is going on, PL?!
Where’s your fucking security?
Your 240’s unmanned, the gunner’s off in the bushes dropping off a SEAL team,
Your SAW gunners are asleep and your Alpha Team Leader’s rubbing one out with a Maxim magazine and a white light behind that fucking tree.
Are you in charge of this gagglefuck?
What the fuck are you doing, PL?!

What'cha gonna do, PL? (What'cha gonna do?)
What'cha gonna do, PL? (What'cha gonna do?)
You got 5 cantaleens and no MREs,
What'cha gonna do, PL? (What'cha gonna do?)

What'cha gonna do, PL? (What'cha gonna do?)
What'cha gonna do, PL? (What'cha gonna do?)
When Murphy shows up and shit goes to hell,
What'cha gonna do, PL? (What'cha gonna do?)

Hey! Wake up!

Okay, stop, PL. Where the fuck do you think you are?
Show me on the map. No, point to it. Not with your finger, jackass!
Are you kidding? That’s where you think you are?
All right, PL. You got 20 minutes till hit time and you’re lost.
I’m going to help you out. You’re right here. See that? Good.
Set your compass to 270 degrees. Think you can cover 4 clicks in 20 minutes? Let’s find out.

(Incoming!)

All right, that’s it! You guys better get on the damn ground when one of those goes off or I’m going to start assessing casualties!
I said get on the damn ground!
You’re not flat when that fucker goes off, you’re dead, you hear me! Dead!
Now get them out of here, PL!

What'cha gonna do, PL?
What are you gonna do, PL?
All night on your feet and not a wink of sleep,
What'cha gonna do, PL?

What are you gonna do, PL?
What are you gonna do?
When your team freaks out and people start to shout,
What'cha gonna do, PL?

You’re going to freak…out. (x2)
You’re going to freak the fuck out. (x8)

What'cha gonna do, PL? (What'cha gonna do?)
What'cha gonna do, PL? (What'cha gonna do?)
What are you going to do when you don’t know what to do,
What'cha gonna do, PL? (What'cha gonna do?)

What'cha gonna do, PL? (What'cha gonna do?)
What'cha gonna do, PL? (What'cha gonna do?)
When Murphy shows up and shit goes to hell,
What'cha gonna do, PL? (What'cha gonna do?)

WHAT'CHA GONNA DO?!

All right, all of you wake the fuck up!

WHAT'CHA GONNA DO?!

WHAT'CHA GONNA DO?!

I marched OPFOR up and down this road four times, right over your fucking objective and you all slept right through it!

WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO?!

I’ve had it with you, PL! You’re a fucking moron!
You’re incompetent. Time for extra training!
(Incoming!)
You’re dead, you’re dead, you’re dead!
Where’s the fucking RTO?
You’re the RTO? You’re dead, too!
You even know your nine-line, PL? You better figure it out real fast!
If I were you, I’d start getting your people outta here before more of them die!
Maybe you want to get a MEDEVAC enroute, what you do think, PL?
Do you even know where your patrol base is?
What direction are you fucking going, PL?
Where’s your fucking medic?
You’re the medic? You’re fucking dead, too! You’re fucking dead!
Keep going, PL! What in the hell are you going to do now, huh?
You know what, I’ve had it with you, PL! YOU'RE DEAD!
FUCKING NO-GO! Who’s next in charge?!

4.0mi, 31:18, 3 NOV 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

some unidentified guys from the 6th Ranger Training Battalion, "RI Theme Song"

WX at 0700: 30.0 (-1.1) DP 19.0 (-7.2) BP 30.39 (1029) S 9 clear RH 63%, WC 21 (-6)

Odometer 3: 33.7mi

Z4.

What'cha gonna do, PL?
What'cha gonna do, PL?
When Murphy shows up and shit goes to hell,
What'cha gonna do, PL?

What'cha gonna do, PL?
What'cha gonna do, PL?
Eight miles to go in the rain and snow,
What'cha gonna do, PL?

Fast run because I had little time...and it paid off in the initial start. When you're in a hurry, you're in a hurry. The "RI Theme Song" is pretty catchy too. Now it's stuck in the back of my head.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.86 06:09 06:09 07:11 07:11 0.86
0.73 12:01 05:52 08:02 07:35 1.59
0.98 19:54 07:53 08:01 07:45 2.57
0.78 26:05 06:11 07:55 07:47 3.35
0.65 31:18 05:13 08:02 07:50 4.00

4.0mi, 35:01, 2 NOV 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

opening to 82d Airborne Division chorus introduction, played every duty day morning at Fort Bragg at 0630
Silverstein, "Smile In Your Sleep"

WX at 0600: 32.0 (0.0) DP 17.1 (-8.3) BP 30.43 (1030) WSW 7 clear RH 53% WC 26 (-3)

Odometer 2: 207.0mi

Z2.

Wogging on the track wasn't really, because of the temperature. Good god was it cold this morning. First time I've gone full pants, sweatshirt, gloves, and hat for an entire run.

I have to debate the accuracy of my Timex GPS watch as it was reading wildly unrealistic split times for what I was running this morning. No way in hell was I running anything close to a 7:10 mile at ANY point this morning.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.01 09:11 09:11 09:07 09:07 1.01
0.99 17:56 08:45 08:48 08:57 2.00
1.01 26:44 08:48 08:45 08:53 3.01
1.00 35:01 08:17 08:17 08:44 4.01

10,000m on Concept2 Model C, 43:05, 1 NOV 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Stabbing Westward, "Bizarre Love Triangle"

WX at 1700: 46.9 (8.3) 15.1 (-9.4) 30.32 (1026) NNW 7 clear RH 27%

Odometer 2: 202.6mi N/A

Z4.

Today was a textbook example of how NOT to spin. I decided to start, and felt fine enough to spin at 2:00/500m. No shit. I cleared my first 1000m in 4:01 and my first 2000m split was 8:09. I think this was a Big Mistake, as I was just spent for the rest of the workout. I was barely pulling 2:09 and there were parts where I was barely holding down 2:15.

On the other hand, I think this drag factor is about right for this distance. I just have to be lot more disciplined to not flame out the start like I did today. I was able to finish fairly strong, at about 2:00/500m for the last 500m, but that was driven by desperate desire to finish within 43 minutes, which, of course, didn't happen. I was spinning 1:53/500m at the end.

My legs are tired; my right quadricep is surprisingly tired, or it might be the onset of some other cold-related ache, as it was ungodly cold this morning, causing me to chicken out.

Splits
Distance: 10000
Time: 0:43:05
Per 500m: 02:09
Drag Factor 133
Per Mile 0:06:56

6.8mi, 57:44, 31 OCT 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Death Cab for Cutie, "The Sound of Settling"
Death Cab for Cutie, "We Looked Like Giants"
Guns & Roses, "Sweet Child of Mine"

WX at 0500: 35.1 (1.7) DP 21.9 (-5.6) BP 30.12 (1019) N 12 clear RH 58%

Odometer 3: 29.7mi

Z3.

The G&R only showed up because I chanced across this footage of Kelly Clarkson, trashed, at a G&R show, still outsinging everyone else in the show...This is what I get for reading the Washington Post story on how Youtube is regarded differently by some media firms. Sigh.

First run since Thursday. I was playing single parent this weekend and was just too busy to get someone to watch the Princess (Household6 and the Sledgehammer were away this weekend). That was probably a good enforced rest, though., which I really needed.

I felt like I was slowing down as I ran progressively more negative splits, but I could tell I was getting tired. I also have the beginnings of a cold which I need to kick.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.27 02:24 02:24 08:55 08:55 0.27
2.09 20:18 17:54 08:34 08:36 2.36
2.09 37:54 17:36 08:25 08:31 4.45
2.09 55:21 17:27 08:21 08:28 6.54
0.27 57:44 02:23 08:50 08:29 6.81

computers are evil, but so are standardized tests

I had occasion to take, on Thursday, the Graduate Record Exam for the first time in over a decade. When I took it in 1996, I remember it to be one of the more punishing, harrowing tests I've taken in a while.

The GRE is, for all intents and purposes, a version of the SAT on steroids and crystal meth. I would've thought, that as an Army officer, that I'd have a reasonable grasp on how to answer the critical reasoning questions on the GRE. Oh, hell, no.

This new one is the first ETS test I've taken that was done as a Computer Adaptive Test. I was too busy trying to figure out how to answer some of the questions to realize that feeling like I was getting kicked in the nuts repeatedly by the test was actually a good indicator. I was more concerned about not finishing the test in time, as unlike the old SAT, there is no penalty for answering questions wrong on the GRE. I can't speak for the current SAT.

I routinely do a lot better on the verbal than I do on the math portions of standardized tests, but I was gratified to know that my GRE scores this time were higher than any other standardized test I've taken, if the unofficial scores are any indicator.

I did actually study up for the GRE this time, unlike the grand total of 1 day's preparation I did for the GRE the last time. I think my improved performance has a lot to do with actually practicing on the test this time around.

There is something to be said for UI, and while the one for the GRE sucks, it's the same as the one that they distribute for free on their PowerPrep software off their website. Practicing on their software beforehand seriously saved my bacon.

I hope I never have to take another standardized test from the Educational Testing Service again, though.

10,000m on Concept2 Model C, 42:57, 26 OCT 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Kim-Lian, "Kids in America"

WX at 0600: 53.1 (11.7) DP 50.0 (10.0) BP 29.82 (1009) NE 5 fog RH 89%

Odometer 2: 202.6mi

Z4.

First time on the erg in a while. It was that much more painful as I've been doing physical therapy on my right ankle, which was presenting for arthritis a few weeks ago. I think, now that it's gotten cold and the barometric pressure has for the most part changed, that it shouldn't be problematic, but given this morning's weather, spinning was fine, also.

Splits
Distance: 10000
Time: 0:42:57
Per 500m: 02:09
Drag Factor 148
Per Mile 0:06:55

4.1mi, 35:28, 24 OCT 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Corrosion of Conformity, "What (?)"
The Cure, "A Forest"

WX at 0600: 34.0 (1.1) DP 25.0 (-3.9) BP 30.22 (1023) SE 8 fog RH 69% WC 26 (-3)

Odometer 2: 202.6mi

Z3 high start, last 2 miles Z2.

The 2.13 at the start was to get to the start of a run which would be intended as wogging, and for the most part was. The start was fast since I started late and didn't want to stand the guy up. I didn't, not for long.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
2.13 16:47 16:47 07:53 07:53 2.13
1.00 26:26 09:39 09:39 08:27 3.13
1.00 35:28 09:02 09:02 08:35 4.13

6.8mi, 56:08, 22 OCT 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

"Jester" from the DOS computer game Terminal Velocity

WX at 0800: 34.0 (1.1) DP 27.0 (-2.8) BP 30.2 (1022) W 7 mostly cloudy RH 75% WC 28 (-2)

Odometer 3: 22.9mi

Z3 high.

Good god was today a cold one. I had double gloves and a hat. Polypro gloves and the hat came off after the first 2.09 lap.

It's gratifying, though, to run nothing but negative splits, and today was a textbook example.

I could tell a definite acceleration at the 36-37 minute mark, as I fully warmed up. If this is what I can expect going into the winter, this is pretty good news.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.27 02:17 02:17 08:29 08:29 0.27
2.09 19:53 17:36 08:25 08:26 2.36
2.09 37:11 17:18 08:17 08:21 4.45
2.09 53:58 16:47 08:02 08:15 6.54
0.27 56:08 02:10 08:01 08:15 6.81

8,000m on Concept2 Model C, 34:20, 20 OCT 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

David Bergeaud, opening credits to Earth2
Michael Kamen, closing credits to From The Earth To The Moon

WX at 0600: 36.0 (2.2) DP 30.9 (-0.6) BP 29.85 (1010) SSW 9 clear RH 81%

Odometer 2: 198.5mi N/A

Z3.

For a day I was planning on doing something different, I was singularly out of gas. The 2:09/500m average pace is deceptive; I was dragging ass, as I was rowing a signficant segment at 2:12 with some parts as slow as 2:15.

It could be that my legs are tired...just maybe. Tomorrow is a Do Nothing But Eat day.

Splits
Distance: 8000
Time: 0:34:20
Per 500m: 02:09
Drag Factor 182
Per Mile 0:06:54

5.1mi, 44:01, 19 OCT 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Michael Kamen, opening credits to From The Earth To The Moon

WX at 0600: 41.0 (5.0) DP 30.0 (-1.1) BP 30.04 (1017) NNW 7 overcast RH 64%

Odometer 3: 14.1mi

Z3.

Today started fast and inconsistent. Then we started hitting hills and we slowed down considerably. Still, today was productive, but inconsistency is bad. I'll need a more disciplined approach later on.

I wore some snivel gear, which is kind of unusual for only 41 degrees, but I was glad I did at the end. It was chilly...

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.27 02:07 02:07 07:50 07:50 0.27
2.09 20:22 18:15 08:44 08:38 2.36
2.09 37:53 17:31 08:23 08:31 4.45
0.67 44:01 06:08 09:09 08:36 5.12

4.0mi, 35:20, 18 OCT 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Nothing in the iThink.

WX at 0600: 52.0 (11.1) DP 45.0 (7.2) BP 29.84 (1010) N 13 overcast drizzle RH 77%

Odometer 2: 198.5mi

Z2.

Today was a recovery run. GPS on the track, target time 9:00mpm. I can live with 35:20, though. What I didn't count on was it being as cold as it was. 52 degrees was chillier - and I think the relative humidity and wind speed didn't help either. I needed to do some wogging, though, so today was productive. I have to avoid the temptation of overtraining, particularly in weather like this.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:44 08:44 08:42 08:42 1.00
1.00 17:32 08:48 08:46 08:44 2.01
0.99 26:17 08:45 08:48 08:45 3.00
1.00 35:20 09:03 09:01 08:49 4.01

10,000m on Concept2 Model C, 42:53, 17 OCT 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Moonbabies, "Sun A.M."
Moonbabies, "War on Sound"

WX at 0600: 55.9 (13.3) DP 52.0 (11.1) BP 29.56 (1001) SSW 8 mist RH 87%

Odometer 3: 9.0mi

Z3-4.

Today was a day of tired legs. My legs weren't feeling so hot after all the running in the last few days. Tomorrow needs to be wogging. Plan is four miles on the track going no faster than 9 minute pace.

In spite of it all, though, I was pretty pleased to spin under 43 minutes regardless of how tired my legs were. My hamstrings were pretty well smoked today.

Splits
Distance: 10000
Time: 0:42:53
Per 500m: 02:09
Drag Factor 140
Per Mile 0:06:54

4.7mi, 41:05, 16 OCT 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Trey Parker, "America, Fuck Yeah"

WX at 0700: 57.9 (14.4) DP 48.9 (9.4) BP 29.74 (1007) SE 12 overcast RH 72%

Odometer 2: 194.0mi

Z3-Z4.

This morning's iThink stemmed from a discussion of North Korea and the recent tensions over nukes. My running partner was watching Fox News (which I try really hard not to watch) last night and he was telling me about how they described a second Korean War happening.

Herroo, Mister Brix!

Today's run was a textbook case on starting too fast and blowing it. The first split wasn't actually at 7:41/mi pace but wasn't much slower than 8:00/mi pace. After the fast start, we backed it off, then

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.27 02:04 02:04 07:41 07:41 0.27
2.09 20:27 18:23 09:04 08:40 2.36
1.24 31:19 10:52 08:46 08:42 3.60
0.85 38:40 07:21 08:39 08:41 4.45
0.27 41:05 02:25 08:57 08:42 4.72

9.0mi, 75:12, 14 OCT 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Scott Cossu, "Demeter/Rejoicing"

WX at 0800: 36.0 (2.2) DP 21.0 (-6.1) BP 30.12 (1019) W 6 clear RH 54%

Odometer 3: 9.0mi

Z3.

First run in the new shoes and it was good. The weather conditions were just about perfect, although my hands were cold by the end, even in spite of my gloves.

Still, it was cold. This underscores why summer is just a holding effort while winter is where I make my real progress.

This breaks my old PR by about six minutes. Yes! I was gratified to run an average pace of 8:23/mi, although holding 8:05/mi in the last 1.4 was definitely worth it.

Splits
SGMT AGGREGT SEGMENT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.32 0:02:47 0:02:47 08:44 08:44 0.32
3.19 0:29:12 0:26:25 08:18 08:20 3.50
3.82 1:01:20 0:32:08 08:25 08:22 7.32
0.28 1:04:08 0:02:48 10:08 08:26 7.60
1.37 1:15:12 0:11:04 08:05 08:23 8.97

Iraqi patriots

I was respectful of my Iraqi Security Forces counterparts, but this is a tragedy indeed.

Sectarian violence will be the undoing of the Iraqi state. In a country composed of such wildly different demographics, I have to wonder why we didn't study our history and maybe consider a federation after all.

That said, I did not know about the Scorpions; but the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Force (ICTF), the élite Iraqi military special operations unit, was very, very good indeed. I don't dish out the descriptor of élite much - but the ICTF's professional competence - tied to their strong nonsectarian identity. They weren't Shia, they weren't Sunni, they weren't Kurds - but they were definitely Iraqi patriots, as was COL Mamuri.

These Iraqi patriots are our best chance to prevent Iraq from tanking.

3.7mi, 33:41 11 OCT 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Hilary Duff, "Wake Up" (Ultimix)

WX at 0600: 46.0 (7.8) DP 42.1 (5.6) BP 29.72 (1006) W 8 clear RH 85%

Odometer 2: 189.3mi

Z2.

I desperately need to find a different default mantra. Much of the reason is because of the tempo of the song - which fits. I just need more variety than teeny-bop.

Today was a zone 2 wogging recovery run, in spite of the disproportionately fast start. My legs were tired and today was a prime candidate for sleeping in. Tomorrow I think I'll row, as the forecast calls for temperatures right around freezing.

Weather like this, though is dangerous. I tend to overtrain in conditions like this because the weather is good and I perceive a lost window of opportunity if I don't train hard. Then I end up training too hard.

My new shoes should come in sometime today, I hope. 200 mile overlap between shoes seems to be about the going crossover point for shoes.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.86 07:12 07:12 08:25 08:25 0.86
0.73 14:19 07:07 09:45 09:02 1.59
0.98 23:18 08:59 09:08 09:04 2.57
0.86 31:08 07:50 09:07 09:05 3.43
0.28 33:41 02:33 09:04 09:05 3.71

4.7mi, 40:09, 10 OCT 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Corrosion of Conformity, "What(?)"
Corrosion of Conformity, "Negative Outlook"
Hilary Duff, "Wake Up" (Ultimix) [yes, no shit, it keeps coming back.]

WX at 0700: 51.1 (10.6) DP 41.0 (5.0) BP 30.14 (1020) NNE 9 overcast RH 68%

Odometer 2: 185.6mi

Z3.

Today was the first real run back after going on profile. My profile states "run at own pace." I ran a time that indicates I could have passed the physical fitness test with comparatively little effort. I'm not in shape to get my usual 290 points or so, but that's not important right now. The sad thing is that I'm prohibited from running two miles for time. Lame.

My ankle didn't bother me much so long as I didn't turn on it. I was watching that pretty closely.

What I didn't realize was that I was faster at the end than when I started - I certainly didn't feel that way when I finished. The general inconsistencies of speed come from hills.

Yay.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.27 02:23 02:23 08:52 08:52 0.27
1.24 12:45 10:22 08:21 08:27 1.51
0.85 20:14 07:29 08:48 08:34 2.36
1.24 30:36 10:22 08:22 08:30 3.60
0.85 37:53 07:17 08:34 08:31 4.45
0.27 40:09 02:16 08:24 08:30 4.72

10,000m on Concept2 Model C, 42:19, 9 OCT 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Public Image Limited, "Rise" (right ethos, wrong tempo - too slow)
Asobi Seksu, "I'm Happy But You Don't Like Me" (right tempo, wrong tone)

WX at 0800: 51.1 (10.6) DP 41.0 (5.0) BP 30.22 (1023) N 9 pcdy RH 68%

Odometer 2: N/A.

Z4-Z5.

Today ended up being a personal record at 10,000m. Not sure how, not sure why, but I was able to hold 2:05/500m for the first 2000m cut. After that, it was just a matter of not slowing down much. Much of the last 2000m was done at paces ranging from 1:58-2:04/500m. That was a nice change of pace.

It also underscores the basic disparity of speed. I was spinning at 6:49/mile pace. Encouraging, but depressing at the same time. I don't remember the last time I ran 6:49/mile for 10km, but I think it was 1998.

Splits
Distance: 10000
Time: 0:42:19
Per 500m: 02:07
Drag Factor 140

The source of my discontent

The last week here at the School of Advanced Military Heresy was spent doing some futures work. Futures work normally involves development of concepts and identification of the requisite capbilities to achieve those concepts.

What made it that much more suspect was the involvement of contractors, in this case, contractors attempting to demonstrate proof of some principle.

I invariably feel leery of concepts work when they show up half-baked because the basis of those concepts will often steer billions of dollars of future procurements. When it's someone attempting to sell a particular piece of hardware and the recurrent ad pitch is that "we need warfighters to validate this!" Causation and intellectual rigor are necessary components of concepts development as a result. More prosaically, weak shit will cost more lives in the future as every validated concept for futures work shapes how we will expend our spirit, blood, and treasure in the pursuit of national objectives.

There were two things that drove me nuts.

1. The scenarios to describe the future environment were written like a can of spilled fuck. I'm not saying that we'll never fight against a near-peer competitor and fight the Clash of the Titans in (insert name of desert). But it's fucking unimaginative to think that we'll be fighting someone who looks like the goddamn Soviet Army with its bevy of indirect fire gun and rocket artillery.
As a framework, the National Defense Strategy outlines four types of threats (called challenges in this case): traditional, irregular, disruptive, and catastrophic. No less a document than the 2006 Quadrennial Defense Review says the US military needs to get away from fighting traditional threats and concentrate on irregular, disruptive, and catastrophic.
So when guys raised on fighting the Soviets in the Cold War are pushing a certain genre of toys as a fundamental element of how we will conduct operations in the future, I get skittish when our enemy looks almost exactly like someone we vanquished through primarily nonkinetic means almost two decades ago. Too bad they are having a much harder problem with grasping that the basic nature of the threat is probably not going to be very traditional, and will require us to do the same kind of hard, but noncontiguous campaigning that has been a basic fact of life for us in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Philippines. It is what it is. It's not the goddamn Warsaw Pact.

2. The school I'm in is supposed to create officers capable of thinking at the high operational art. So, as I found myself doing staffwork to plan out an infantry battalion tactical attack, it's hard for me, as a strategist, to avoid the overpowering urge to say What A Fucking Waste Of Time (WAFWOT). If I was still interested in being tactical, I guess I would've stayed a shooter. I no longer have any aspirations or pretense to that level of war. If I have to drill someone with 5.56mm green tip at my workplace (and for a guy who hasn't had to fire a rifle for most of his career, I shot 37 out of 40 on advanced infantry optics at my last range) then I have seriously Boned The Pooch and I will presently have much bigger problems than strategy.

The long and skinny is that I don't think I could work for a contractor in good conscience after retirement. Maybe I won't think that way when I'm no longer on active duty, but the long and skinny is that every day I got done working with these contractors on their pet project, I felt like Lady Macbeth inasmuch as I felt the need to keep scrubbing because the blood just wouldn't come off my hands at the end of the day.

2.9mi, 25:54, 8 OCT 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

For Against, "sabres"

WX at 0700: 51.1 (10.6) DP 41.0 (5.0) BP 30.17 (1021) S 9 pcdy RH 68%

Odometer 2: 180.9mi

Z3.

First run in a while. I was being careful about where I stepped, but I'm going to have to be more judicious about training regardless.

I've felt worse - but I've felt better.

2.94 miles before turning back because I was starting to work too hard is fucking pathetic.

A possibly mitigating factor is that I was pulling 120lbs. worth of kids yesterday over the Weston (Missouri) Applefest. This event highlighted some basic disparities between myself and Household6:
- my radio is on NPR (when I listen to the radio, which is almost never), her radio is on Radio Disney (yes, Kansas City has a Radio Disney affiliate).
- My normal walking speed is geared towards rucking heavy loads and being in the city, two mostly disparate activities - except for their speed. Being trapped in a crowd of aimlessly milling-around slow-moving people drives me fucking bananas. Household6's walking pace, is well, lugubrious.

On the flip side, I did get in probably about 2 1/2 miles worth of running as I staged vehicles back and forth from where we'd originally parked to a more forward location. That running was almost all hills.

Any presumptions of the Midwest being flat are fake and must be dispelled immediately. Note the not-inconsiderable Missouri River valley, which is flat. Everything else, however, is not particularly flat.

I realized I now row faster (even when I max out drag factor) than I run. Much, much faster than I run.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.91 08:07 08:07 08:53 08:53 0.91
1.45 19:58 11:51 08:12 08:28 2.36
0.58 25:54 05:56 10:14 08:49 2.94

15,000m on Concept2 Model C, 66:50, 6 OCT 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

iThink was drowned out by the Jazzercise class going on less than 50m away from me. On the other hand, it did provide whatever the class was listening to as background music. Sometimes ok, sometimes regrettable.

WX at 1000: 60.1 (15.6), DP 45.0 (7.2) BP 30.39 (1029) SE 14 clear RH 57%

Odometer 1: N/A.

Z3-4.

Today would have been a pretty ideal day to run if my ankle wasn't hosed. After eating something that put me in the gastric hurt box, I had to go get it on the Concept. First time I've done 15km, a running event at which I used to be somewhat competitive, but I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to hold a 2:14 overall. The actual time was 69:50, but I had to stop about 1600m before the finish for an emergency latrine stop.

Otherwise, it was a good session. A 140 drag factor may work well, although I'll see if I can find one that works best for me for time trialing.

Splits
Distance: 15000
Time: 1:06:50
Per 500m: 02:14
Drag Factor 140