4.19mi, 35:39, 27 MAR 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink: Above and Beyond, "Can't Sleep"

WX at 0900: 32.0 (0.0) DP 21.9 (-5.6) BP 30.13 (1020) NE 14 RH 65

Odometer 11A: 13.2mi

Z4.
Average/max heart rate = 168/182

Today wasn't going to be a hard run, but it became one because I had enough energy (and perhaps enough generalized ire) that I decided to go out there and hit it.

My general rule of thumb was not to average less than 9:00/mi, which is harder than it sounds, at least these days. When I look at some of the listings from 6-7 years ago, I realize I was a lot faster then, but I wasn't working on a doctorate then either. Maybe I'll practice better time management skills later.

I will carve out time on the weekends to watch lacrosse. Big kudos to my Johns Hopkins Blue Jays for upsetting Virginia - a game that I didn't expect them to win but have to give a hat tip after a tough third quarter and gritting it out for a win in the 4th quarter. We want more!

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:02 08:02 08:02 08:02 1.00
1.00 16:37 08:35 08:35 08:18 2.00
1.00 25:36 08:59 08:59 08:32 3.00
1.00 34:05 08:29 08:29 08:31 4.00
0.19 35:39 01:34 08:15 08:31 4.19

4.47mi, 38:27, 26 MAR 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink:
Above and Beyond feat. Oceanlab, "On A Good Day" (Daniel Kandi remix)
The Cure, "Disintegration"

WX at 0900: 36.0 (2.2) DP 28.0 (-2.2) BP 29.94 (1013) E 15 RH 72

Odometer 3: 182.5mi

Z4.
Average/max heart rate = 154/178

First run in about a week or so. It's too long, but I have been too tired during the week to run and still try to get graduate school homework done.

I have almost culminated, midway through the semester. I know this is happening because I have to put away almost a liter of coffee any given day at work to keep going, and there are no release valves anywhere else. Bad indicator, but the campaign (so to speak) is not over until early May. It will be a long, shitty spring.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:01 08:01 08:01 08:01 1.00
1.00 16:40 08:39 08:39 08:20 2.00
1.00 25:46 09:06 09:06 08:35 3.00
1.00 34:29 08:43 08:43 08:37 4.00
0.47 38:27 03:58 08:26 08:36 4.47

Some thoughts on my anniversary

He didn't think about the creche much, but it wasn't that he'd had a bad time there. It was a lot like the army. Not great but mostly okay; and anyway you better get used to it because that was life was going to be until you died.

- David Drake, Redliners

2.41mi + 2,000m on Concept2 Model D, time, 22 MAR 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink:
Journey, "Remember Me"
Hilary Duff, "Wake Up"

WX at 0600: 62.1 (16.7) DP 55.9 (13.3) BP 29.68 (1005) S 18 overcast RH 80

Odometer 3: 178.0mi equivalency

Z3 run, Z4-5 erg.
Average/max heart rate on run = 153/173
Max heart rate on erg = 180

I went to sleep earlier than most nights so I could get up and get something in.

I have lard to lose. I also saw an opportunity to get back on the Concept2 since I was back in a place that had several. Nothing long, just my 2,000 to get my physical therapy licks in, plus cable work.

I felt slow, though.

I have no mitigation for this morning's iThink.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.20 10:44 10:44 08:57 08:57 1.20
1.22 21:50 11:06 09:06 09:01 2.42

4.75mi, 44:11, 20 MAR 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink:
The Replacements, "Alex Chilton"
AC/DC, "Hell's Bells" (perfectly appropriate for a Sunday morning!)

WX at 0900: 57.0 (13.9) DP 53.1 (11.7) BP 29.95 (1014) S 21 RH 86

Odometer 3: 174.8

Z2-Z3.
Average/max heart rate = 147/171

I was rediscovering the joys of running slowly, and concentrating on keeping training heart rate down to a reasonable level, rather than going purely for time. This is probably prudent given how little training I've actually done and my notion of easy day has too recently been "do nothing but eat." Hard days turn into "kill self until end of workout."

I was also a little circumspect about going hard because my right ankle has been driving me bat shit crazy the last two days.

First 1.23 was prior to going to the gym and getting in some somewhat overdue cable work for physical therapy as well.

The AC/DC was triggered by hearing bells this morning. Church bells. Yay.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.23 10:43 10:43 08:43 08:43 1.23
1.00 19:57 09:14 09:14 08:57 2.23
1.00 29:49 09:52 09:52 09:14 3.23
1.00 39:25 09:36 09:36 09:19 4.23
0.52 44:11 04:46 09:10 09:18 4.75

3.88mi, 48:12, 15 MAR 11, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia

iThink:
Chicane, "Autumn Tactics" (End of Summer remix)
Above and Beyond feat. Oceanlab, "On A Good Day"

WX at 2000: 46.9 (8.3) DP 37.9 (3.3) BP 30.32 (1026) SE 13 RH 71

Odometer 11A: 9.0mi

Z3 high/Z4.
Average/max heart rate = 156/180

I won't get around to this tomorrow, so getting my licks in while I still can.

I deliberately didn't run this hard, but all the uphills were still pretty hard. I walked when I thought I was going to redline. I felt fine, though, otherwise.

Hell no, there won't be any splits on this listing either.

4.66mi, 54:54, 14 MAR 11, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia

iThink: Chicane, "Autumn Tactics" (End of Summer remix)

WX at 1900: 48.9 (9.4) DP 28.0 (-2.2) BP 30.36 (1028) Calm RH 44

Odometer 11A: 5.0mi

Z4.
Average/max heart rate = 159/179

I got new ASICS GT-2160 trail shoes, which certainly feel nice and I'm sure my knees won't hurt like hell like my previous shoes which were going on two years old. I was loath to replace them, but I also realize I don't run anywhere near as much as I used to, so maybe alternating shoes maybe isn't such a great idea until I start running more.

Still, I wanted to run trails, and there's a great trail network at Quantico, which completely ran me ragged. I was running by myself and realized two things:

1 - I miss trail running - few opportunities to do it and it is a reminder of when I was younger, faster, and leaner.
2 - I'm not so proud as to kill myself trying to get uphill in some places. When I feel like I'm redlining, it's time to walk. Maybe I'll feel froggier, but not today, not the first time exercising in literally an ENTIRE WEEK.

Discrepancy is guesstimate since I ran most of one of the trail segments with the timer off. I don't know how long it was, but I know I was out for more than an hour.

That said, I can feel my ankle throbbing, so it's time for the nightly constitutional, otherwise known as Celebrex.

Arthritis at the advanced age of 37, awesome. Better living through chemicals, hoorah, kill.

Hell no, I'm not recording splits from this one. Not with over a total of 3,000 feet in elevation change in this run.

4.0mi, 37:01, 7 MAR 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink:
The Bats, "Courage"
The Cure, "In Between Days"

WX at 0600: 35.1 (1.7) DP 30.0 (-1.1) BP 30.01 (1016) ESE 8 RH 81

Odometer 3: 170.0mi equivalency

Z3 high.
Average/max heart rate = 160/177

I guess I haven't worn these pair of shoes for a run since December, not counting the 50 minutes of elliptimiles last week.

My legs were beat hard after yesterday's run - to go from 0 to over 5 miles at a stretch is doable but I suspected I was going to feel it - and today was the feeling it part.

It wasn't going to be easy.

I also have no idea what made me think of that song by the Cure - not one I have beat to death (unlike "A Forest," "Primary," or "Disintegration"), and not on an album I consider one of my favorites. Strange.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:51 08:51 08:51 08:51 1.00
1.00 18:21 09:30 09:30 09:11 2.00
1.00 27:41 09:20 09:20 09:14 3.00
1.00 37:01 09:20 09:20 09:15 4.00

5.78mi, 50:30, 6 MAR 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink: Above and Beyond feat. Oceanlab, "On A Good Day" (Daniel Kandi remix)

WX at 0900: 28.0 (-2.2) DP 24.1 (-4.4) BP 30.26 (1024) ESE 9 RH 85

Odometer 2: 311.8mi

Z4.
Average/max heart rate = 166/179

Time to retire a pair of shoes. These are so squashed that I could feel the knee pain that was going to follow. I was still going to get in a long run, so I did.

That might have something to do with the nagging knee pain lately. Duh.

Slow, not fast, but I needed it.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:19 08:19 08:19 08:19 1.00
1.00 17:04 08:45 08:45 08:32 2.00
1.00 25:46 08:42 08:42 08:35 3.00
1.00 34:41 08:55 08:55 08:40 4.00
1.00 43:46 09:05 09:05 08:45 5.00
0.78 50:30 06:44 08:38 08:44 5.78

Woot

One of my unrepentant musical pleasures in my younger days was disappear fear, a folk band from Baltimore. Sonia Rutstein, with whom I had a brief correspondence whilst in college, mentioned Phil Ochs as one of her influences, certainly musically, and I'd warrant socially as well.

While most people don't associate Phil Ochs with a former armored cavalryman and paratrooper, I guess that's a side I don't indulge much.

So...I gotta go see the movie.

3.55mi, 31:45, 1 MAR 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink: Above and Beyond feat. Oceanlab, "On A Good Day" (Daniel Kandi remix)

WX at 0700: 33.1 (0.6) DP 24.1 (-4.4) BP 30.12 (1019) S 16 RH 69

Odometer 2: 306.0mi

Z4.
Average/max heart rate = 154/180

Back to my old bad habits of working out once every 4 or 5 days. This will not abide...

1.22mi in, cable work, and extended run back. The longer run helps, especially since I've been taking on extra lard lately that I need to burn off.

That means I need to do more exercise than I have lately, which has been almost none.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.22 10:55 10:55 08:57 08:57 1.22
1.00 19:43 08:48 08:48 08:53 2.22
1.00 28:54 09:11 09:11 08:59 3.22
0.33 31:45 02:51 08:38 08:57 3.55