3.0mi on elliptical, 30:00, 31 MAY 10, Colonial Heights, Virginia

iThink: none

WX at 2200: 80.1 (26.7) DP 66.0 (18.9) BP 30 (1015) WSW 12 RH 62

Odometer 1: 418.0mi

Z2-Z3.
Average/max heart rate = no reading

I probably didn't need to work out, but I did, because I could, and because I had a Big Mac meal for lunch/dinner. I also walked a bit this morning at Arlington.

No Splits

The duties of memory

I had occasion to visit Arlington National Cemetery today. It was something, more or less, that I felt obligated to do. I visited four people I had known personally, and one I got into a hellacious amount of trouble for quoting in public. I hadn't realized there'd be officials present at Section 60, where I usually go, but I would've gone whether they were there or not.

It did require me to park my vehicle elsewhere and ride the Metro in, then walk from the Metro stop to Section 60. I didn't really notice it at all. My mind was elsewhere.

RIP: Tom Witt, Don Eacho, Aaron Weaver, Matt Lourey, Matt Worrell, Bill Engeman, Jon Grassbaugh, Jason Swiger, Gary Vasquez, Brian Mescall, Niall Lyons, and Dan Whitten.

So say we all.

20 minutes on the exercise cycle, 27 MAY 10, Colonial Heights, Virginia

iThink: nothing.

WX at 0600: 70.0 (21.1) DP 64.0 (17.8) BP 29.78 (1008) NNW 3 RH 81

Odometer 1: 415.0mi

Z2-3.
Average/max heart rate = no reading.

I can't ride an exercise bike without something to read. Television news is too pedestrian. I didn't want this to be a "do nothing but eat" day but that might happen.

No Splits.

5.25mi, 49:57, 26 MAY 10, Colonial Heights, Virginia

iThink:
Los Campesinos, "The Sea is a Good Place To Think of the Future"
Hilary Duff, "Wake Up"

WX at 0600: 59.0 (15.0) DP 55.9 (13.3) BP 30 (1015) NNE 3 RH 89

Odometer 2: 123.4mi

Z3.
Average/max heart rate = 148/165

Today was a day where I was still feeling Monday and Sunday's collective runs, but I needed to get back out there and get at it. If I didn't, I risked falling back into old bad habits of Doing Nothing But Eating, and my dad's insistence that we go to a nice restaurant last night meant that I went to an Italian place where I know I ate too much, especially for a rest day.

I expect four rest days this weekend, so it's probably in my best interest that I do something productive this week.

Still, today's pace did not feel particularly hard, and only near the end did I start running at what I consider a reasonably normal pace for the last mile and half, but not coincidentally, it was around the 45 minute point and I was fully warmed up. I could feel the shift, like I usually do into any substantial run. The weather also helped plenty.

That shift, by the way, is also the reason why I don't do CrossFit. This run was important for physically unloading. I have plenty of rage already and I don't think CrossFit would help much on that.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:57 09:57 09:57 09:57 1.00
1.00 19:30 09:33 09:33 09:45 2.00
1.00 29:18 09:48 09:48 09:46 3.00
1.00 39:01 09:43 09:43 09:45 4.00
1.00 47:53 08:52 08:52 09:35 5.00
0.25 49:57 02:04 08:16 09:31 5.25

5.25mi, 48:01, 24 MAY 2010, Richmond, Virginia

iThink:
Metallica, "Master of Puppets"
The Bats, "Courage"

WX at 1600: 79.0 (26.1) DP 64.0 (17.8) BP 30.19 (1022) Variable 7 RH 60

Odometer 2: 118.1mi

Z3 high.
Average/max heart rate = 165/176

For it only being 79F, it sure as hell didn't feel that way. Some of this I can attribute to dramatically increasing my mileage from nothing to about 4-5 miles a day. I can also attribute that to being under direct sunlight and running out in the open, which has traditionally kicked my butt, but far more so when I think about how out of shape I really am.

I think I can get away with that so long as I don't get too overenthusiastic about speed. I can live with that so long as I slug my way through the runs I do. This is why I am not too hung up on speed, because I need to get some weight loss in.

On the other hand, this was on a visit to St. Christopher's School, where I spent 12 years of my life. The campus has changed a lot, but I also realize, now that I'm an adult, the campus that seemed so big when I was kid (even when I was a teenager) is actually quite small. Only now, long after the fact, do I realize how tightly compacted the St. Christopher's and St. Catherine's (the sister all-girls' school 3 blocks away) campuses actually are. I also realize that all the kids there were not even twinkles in their parents' eyes when I was a student there.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:46 08:46 08:46 08:46 1.00
1.00 17:45 08:59 08:59 08:52 2.00
1.00 26:58 09:13 09:13 08:59 3.00
1.00 36:14 09:16 09:16 09:03 4.00
1.00 45:52 09:38 09:38 09:10 5.00
0.25 48:01 02:09 08:36 09:09 5.25

6.7mi, 66:25, 23 MAY 10, Richmond, Virginia

iThink:
The Bats, "Courage"
Sugar, "Gift"

WX at 1200: 77.0 (25.0) BP 64.0 (17.8) DP 30.1 (1019) N 7 RH 64

Odometer 1: 414.7mi

Z2/Z3 low.
Average/max heart rate = no reading.

My legs were tired, but I needed to get out there and get at it. This started out rough, as I somewhat expected, but about 45 minutes in, I felt fully warmed up. I was burning the lard I needed to burn. I need to find a scale I can trust, since I'm on one which says I've lost 8 pounds in the last week which I found exceedingly hard to believe.

Watching Army take on Cornell, Cornell is off to a fast start, but I wouldn't count Army out yet. Yet. But it's looking rough for the Black Knights, who I would desperately want to win, just on principle.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:53 09:53 09:53 09:53 1.00
1.00 19:49 09:56 09:56 09:54 2.00
1.00 29:10 09:21 09:21 09:43 3.00
1.00 38:53 09:43 09:43 09:43 4.00
1.00 49:27 10:34 10:34 09:53 5.00
1.00 59:14 09:47 09:47 09:52 6.00
0.72 66:25 07:11 09:59 09:53 6.72

3.1mi, 28:44, 22 MAY 10, Richmond, Virginia

iThink: Metallica, "Master of Puppets"

WX at 2300: 73.9 (23.3) DP 57.9 (14.4) BP 30.14 (1020) S 10 RH 50

Odometer 1: 408.1mi

Z3.
Average/max heart rate = no reading

My legs hurt, but I needed to do some somewhat inconsistent wogging. I thought West Point was playing Cornell today, but I was wrong. This has been the season of upsets. Watching Notre Dame hang on in a nailbiter against Maryland was the highlight of this afternoon.

Now to write a plan I've been meaning to write for a while. Time to put some of that School of Advanced Military Heresy kung fu to work.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:13 09:13 09:13 09:13 1.00
1.00 18:29 09:16 09:16 09:15 2.00
1.00 28:04 09:35 09:35 09:21 3.00
0.08 28:44 00:40 08:20 09:20 3.08

5.0mi, 52:14, 21 MAY 10, Richmond, Virginia

iThink: 10,000 Maniacs, "Jezebel"

WX at 2300: 68.0 (20.0) DP 48.9 (9.4) BP 30.12 (1019) ESE 6 RH 50

Odometer 1: 405.0mi

Z4 start, Z2 return, Z1 finish.
Average/max heart rate = no reading

I needed to get a run out, and I did. I didn't care how late it was. What I didn't do was make a pit stop before starting. There's a reason I walked most of the last mile and a half.

I have finally gotten around to the last episode of The Pacific and it is hard to watch. A year after leaving my job as a campaign planner it is really goddamn difficult to watch dramatizations of combat veterans who have a hard time readjusting to life back at home.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:49 08:49 08:49 08:49 1.00
1.00 17:50 09:01 09:01 08:55 2.00
1.00 26:52 09:02 09:02 08:57 3.00
1.00 36:29 09:37 09:37 09:07 4.00
1.00 52:11 15:42 15:42 10:26 5.00

3.0mi on dreadmill, ~25:00, 20 MAY 10, Colonial Heights, Virginia

iThink: Metallica, "Master of Puppets"

WX at 1900: 78 (26) DP 55 (13) BP 30.04 (1017) WNW 3 RH 44

Odometer 1: 400.0mi

Z4.
Average/max heart rate = no reading

I loathe running on dreadmills, but I had no real choice. There's no place around the hotel where I'm staying where I can run without risking Death by Misadventure (tm).

Fun. Especially in an enclosed room that's gotta be at least 80F degrees or more.

At least I was going faster than I expected. Or something like that.

Tomorrow I do some LSD in an attempt to burn lard. Maybe all weekend long, or so.

No splits.

30 min on exercise bike, 45 min on elliptical, 19 MAY 10, Colonial Heights, VA

iThink: nothing.

WX at 2100: 68 (20) BP 60 (16) DP 29.94 (1013) N 5 RH 77

Odometer 1: 397.0mi equivalence

Z4.
Average/max heart rate = underread, but sitting around 150/160.

I forced myself to self-mutilate myself in the interests of fitness, but I offset that by eating much more than usual.

Continuing to march.

No splits.

45 min on exercise bike, 18 MAY 10, Colonial Heights, Virginia

iThink: nothing.

WX at 2200: 59 (15) DP 55 (13) BP 29.91 (1012) Calm RH 87

Odometer 1: 399.0mi equivalence

Z3.
Average/max heart rate = 142/156

Ate dinner at my parents' house, 30 minute away. I ate a little more, then cranked out 45 minutes. It's probably not as productive as running, but it's better than nothing. Of course, the two Magic Hat beers I had tonight probably eliminated any caloric advantage I might've had.

No splits.

30 min on exercise bike, 30 min on elliptical, 17 MAY 10, Colonial Heights, Virginia

iThink: nothing.

WX at 1800: 55 (13) DP 55 (13) BP 30.03 (1016) ENE 9 light rain RH 100

Odometer 1: 396.0mi equivalence

Z3.
Average/max heart rate = no reading

Late shot, late splash, the elliptical is shaky, but I've been eating rabbit food for the last few days and I think I'll live.

I also hope I get thinner.

Not a chance I'll be running near this hotel. The opportunities for Death By Misadventure(tm), mostly from traffic, are astronomical.

No splits.

30min on elliptical, 17 MAY 10, Colonial Heights, Virginia

iThink: nothing, but that's because Saving Private Ryan was on TNT as I was cranking away.

WX at 2400: 64 (18) DP 60 (16) BP 30.12 (1019) E 5 RH 87

Odometer 1: 392.8mi equivalence

Z3.
Average/max heart rate = no reading

I am now on temporary duty and the rebuilding begins now. Perhaps it's appropriate that SPR was on TV as I was getting back on the the wagon.

It's late, and somewhat reminscent of when I was working out late in Afghanistan. I will need to be more diligent about going to sleep early so I can get the sleep I know I'll need to get back on the wagon of fitness, as opposed to lardness.

No Splits.

Record APFT, 283 points, 14 MAY 10, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink: Bruce Springsteen, "The River"

WX at 0600: 48.0 (8.9) DP 46.9 (8.3) BP 30.23 (1023) Calm RH 96

Odometer 2: 112.8mi

Z4 high.
Average/max heart rate = no reading

I have been the beneficiary, not of good genetics, but of low standards. I always think about a former boss who ripped into me for having low standards once, because, as it turns out, that particular day I did.

Today I went in with the hope that I'd get 60 in each event. I was frankly shocked that I could eke out my customary 100 points in the pushups and situps, but the margin of success was much, much lower. Normally I have plenty of time left, which was the case for the pushups, but not for situps. The run just plain sucked. I was gratified to know that I ran faster than 16:00, which is about what I was expecting, but I was amazed that what I ran was worth 83 points.

Ah well. Time to work off my sins. Now I find out just how much explosive weight loss I can pull off in the next 30 days.

Splits
Pushups: 73 in 0:50
Situps: 76 in 1:59
15:32 2 mile run:
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.25 01:42 01:42 06:48 06:48 0.25
0.25 03:36 01:54 07:36 07:12 0.50
0.25 05:33 01:57 07:48 07:24 0.75
0.25 07:30 01:57 07:48 07:30 1.00
0.25 09:31 02:01 08:04 07:37 1.25
0.25 11:33 02:02 08:08 07:42 1.50
0.25 13:35 02:02 08:08 07:46 1.75
0.25 15:32 01:57 07:48 07:46 2.00

Catharsis!

Done with grad school for the semester. It had about as much enjoyability as putting my hand in a running blender. Weapon of choice at some point this month is going to be Jeremiah Weed or Chartreuse, whichever I get my grubby hands on first.

Then, I found this, and laughed uncontrollably.

I am so glad I'm too old to go to Ranger School...I am definitely too old for that shit, but it sure is fun to watch.

It's not April 1, but I don't care

Ha. Ha. Ha.

So, so wrong

I will never think of Rickrolling the same way again. Ever.


But probably not as wrong as this.