4.14mi, 35:27, 31 JUL 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Juliana Hatfield and Tanya Donelly, "Josie and the Pussycats"
Michael Kamen, opening credits to From The Earth To The Moon

WX at 0700: 81.0 (27.2), DP 64.0 (17.8), BP 29.81 (1009), S 14 clear, RH 56%

Odometer 1: 363.5mi

Z3-4.

Today sure didn't feel like 81 degrees - probably attributable to the relative humidity. Today was a fast run mostly because I got up late. I didn't expect or plan to run as fast as I did until my clock started reading 6:29am. Still, today was a pretty constructive run if for no other reason than it was as close to fartlek as I have done in the last year.

The hills are still a chore, though.

The music choice was quixotic; I don't know why the cover stuck in my mind, but I needed something with more gravitas than that. I honestly can't think of any soundtrack leitmotif that has more gravitas than Michael Kamen's opening credits to From The Earth To The Moon.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST Long Tour
0.83 07:09 07:09 08:36 08:36 0.83 Biddle to Dirt Trail
0.73 13:17 06:08 08:23 08:30 1.56 Commissary Corner
1.00 21:42 08:25 08:28 08:29 2.56 Trolley Station
0.87 29:19 07:37 08:48 08:34 3.43 Biddle and Cody
0.72 35:27 06:08 08:35 08:34 4.14 Long Loop and Finish

9.0mi, 81:32, 30 JUL 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Tommy Keene, "Alta Loma"
Rush, "Bravado"
Rush, "The Analog Kid"

WX at 0800: 82.9 (28.3), DP 64.9 (18.3), BP 29.9 (1012), S 15 mostly clear, RH 54%
WX at 0700: 79.0 (26.1), DP 64.0 (17.8), BP 29.9 (1012), S 9 mostly clear, RH 60%

Odometer 2: 72.6mi

Z3-4.

Hills, but more critically, heat, was the killer today. Even starting at 6:50am, the heat in the open forced some walking.

Still, a lot better than what it would have been had I started now. The projected heat index for today is supposed to be 105. The heat index is already 96 and it's only 11am.

Today was a study in GPS inaccuracy, so I had to use USAPhotomaps to vet the distance for today. I knew it was fucked up when I was reading 3:55/mi at the first hack on my watch. Technology is not inherently evil, but you're a dumb muthafucka if you blindly trust in it.

Splits
SGMT AGGREGT SEGMENT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.32 0:03:20 0:03:20 10:27 10:27 0.32
3.19 0:32:20 0:29:00 09:06 09:14 3.50
3.82 1:06:01 0:33:41 08:49 09:01 7.32
0.28 1:09:18 0:03:17 11:53 09:07 7.60
1.37 1:21:32 0:12:14 08:57 09:05 8.97

3.3mi, 31:36, 29 JUL 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Philip Glass, end credits to The Fog of War
R.E.M., "Driver 8"

WX at 0800: 81.0 (27.2), DP 73.9 (23.3), BP 29.99 (1015), S 9 patches of fog/haze, RH 79%

Odometer 1: 359.4mi

Z2-3.

My quick start was uncharacteristic for a day as hot as today. I decided to go running to contact, so I went on some hills. The trail hills at Fort Leavenworth are even more unforgiving than the roads. There was one hill that was literally about a 50 degree slope. I don't do well with them, but I think they're a necessary evil. On the bright side, most of today's run, being on trails, was in the shade. The air temperature of 81 was bad enough in the shade, but would have been much worse in the open with no cover.

Tomorrow should be a long run, but I need to start much earlier if I'm to get the run in before it gets stupid-hot.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.83 07:07 07:07 08:36 08:36 0.83
1.04 17:49 10:42 10:20 09:34 1.86
0.54 23:37 05:48 10:49 09:51 2.40
0.90 31:36 07:59 08:55 09:36 3.29

2.8mi + 10,000m on Concept Model C, 44:30, 26 JUL 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Mary Lou Lord and Semisonic, "Sugar Sugar"

WX at 0700: 79.0 (26.1), DP 66.9 (19.4), BP 29.75 (1007), S 16 rain, RH 66%

Odometer 1: 356.1mi

Z3.

This was not intended to be particularly hard, but it was intended to be a relatively long workout, which any run combined with 10,000 on the Concept will be.

I was more concerned with efficiency of form rather than on raw speed. My only standard for this morning was that I wanted to spin 10km in less than 45 minutes, which I did.

I attribute the Archies song to my inability to think of much of anything else this morning.

Splits
1.4mi run: 12:21 Z2.
5.0km erg: 22:13 Z3.
5.0km erg: 22:17 Z3.
1.4mi run: 12:51 Z2.

3.47mi, 32:08, 25 JUL 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

The Moonbabies, "Take Me To the Ballroom"

WX at 0700: 75.9 (24.4), DP 57.0 (13.9), BP 29.89 (1012), S 15 mostly clear, RH 51%

Odometer 2: 63.6mi

Z2.

Today was going to be easy. Only once I was running for a few minutes did I realize how easy I needed to be going. This was a light recovery run, and the weather this morning (remarkably dry for a summer morning) helped a lot.

The Moonbabies are yet another Swedish pop band. I'm reminded of other bands from the Baltics, none of which really sound like them (The Wannadies, EPO-555, and Lise Westzynthius), but it also might be a part of inflection. These folks sound very Britpop, but it's been a while since I've tracked influences of bands on another as I've rarely had a chance to hear much new.

I have Dave Cusick's Post-Modern Rock Show to thank for this. Of all the places I found it, it was on our TiVo box as podcasted content. I like it!

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.92 08:33 08:33 09:15 09:15 0.92
1.82 25:37 17:04 09:24 09:21 2.74
0.73 32:08 06:31 08:56 09:16 3.47

9.06mi, 81:41, 23 JUL 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

The Lemonheads, "Tenderfoot"
Rush, "Bravado"
Cobalt 60, "Darwin Was Right"

WX at 0900: 73.0 (22.8), DP 62.1 (16.7), BP 30.08 (1018), W 7 clear, RH 69%
WX at 1000: 78.1 (25.6), DP 64.0 (17.8), BP 30.08 (1018), W 6 clear, RH 62%

Odometer 1: 353.3mi

Z3 high.

I spent far too long last night playing Wing Commander: Prophecy, a game for which I had bought a computer back in 1997. My reasoning was that if I could play WCP on the computer, then it was fast enough to run Microsoft Office 97, which it was. (that's also the explanation for the Cobalt 60 song, which occupied the majority of the run.)

I had reinstalled Win98 on one of my computers, and in doing so, rediscovered the singular joy of WCP (and later on, some other games which really required a joystick to play right, for example, Star Wars: Episode I: Racer.

This morning was not intended to be punishingly hard, as the weather was far more permissive than last week, but it wasn't particularly easy either.

I really need to start my long runs earlier in the day because of the unforgiving nature of the sun.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.35 03:06 03:06 08:56 08:56 0.35
3.25 31:51 28:45 08:51 08:52 3.60
3.80 65:12 33:21 08:47 08:49 7.39
0.31 69:04 03:52 12:33 08:58 7.70
1.36 81:41 12:37 09:18 09:01 9.06

2.8mi + 10,000m on Concept C, 44:02, 21 JUL 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Tommy Keene, "Drowning"
Hilary Duff, "Wake Up"

WX at 0500: 78, DP 71, BP 30.01 (1014.7), NE 10 Overcast
WX at 0700: 71, DP 62, BP 30.15 (1019.6), NW 24G30 Thunderstorm and Breezy

Odometer 2: 60.1mi

Z3-4.

This was a lard-burner day after Wednesday's PT test debacle. I've been feeling very tired lately, but I think that's really due to accumulated sleep loss.

The heat wave finally broke, to the tune of horizontal rain. Better horizontal rain than the killing heat index (over 110+F) in the last few days. I liked breezy as a descriptor to 24 gusting to 30 knots! Thank you, National Weather Service!

Splits
1.39mi: 12:33 (9:01/mi)
10000m on Concept C: 44:02
1.39mi: 13:10 (9:28/mi)

Record APFT, 284 points, 19 JUL 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Tommy Keene, "Eyes of Youth"

WX at 0700: 80.1 (26.7), DP 75.0 (23.9), BP 29.98 (1015), SE 7 clear, RH 85%

Odometer 2: 57.3mi

Z5.

Working on the Concept actually left me in workable shape for the first two events, which I maxed without major incident. Then there was the run.

Slowest PT test I've ever run in my entire Army life. 15 minutes for two miles is pathetic. To put it in perspective, I ran 7:48 average pace for the ten-miler last month. Unbelievable. I went out okay, but what killed me was the heat. Once I was heated up, things went downhill fast.

Today is the peak of the heat wave that's been killing the Midwest. Nothing like getting back in the car after leaving it parked in the open for about 8 hours and the air temperature reads 105F. And this thermometer is in the shade, outside the car. I don't even want to know what the temperature inside the car was.

To put it in perspective:
WX at 1600: 104.0 (40.0), DP 70.0 (21.1), BP 29.94 (1013), SSE 10 clear, RH 34%

But it's a dry heat!

Splits
mile 1 7:08
mile 2 14:59

2.6mi, 23:14, 17 JUL 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Mindy Hester, "Keep On Rockin' the Preschool"
Tommy Keene, "Eyes of Youth"

WX at 0700: 80.1 (26.7), DP 71.1 (21.7), BP 29.99 (1015), S 9 clear, RH 74%

Odometer 2: 55.3mi

Z3 low.

In spite of starting earlier in the day, and going on a shorter course over much less punishing hills, there's just no getting away from the fact that Fort Leavenworth is just not flat.

That, and since the weather readings are done from Kansas City International airport, some 12 miles away straight line distance away from the Missouri river plain, I'm tempted to think the actual dewpoint is much higher. Today's forecast calls for 100. I will be staying out of the sun today...

I always think it's unusual to get much in the way of feedback, as I don't advertise this site much, but after reading Mindy Hester's note about her song, it just stuck in my head. Again! If a song can do it, I usually equate that to staying power.

Of course, the most persistent song I can think of that does that is Daisy Chainsaw's "Love Your Money," which made the alternative music circuit in 1991-1992. Literally everyone I have played that song for has said they wanted to visit Grievous Bodily Harm in some way afterwards due to their inability to get it out of their head.

Ha!

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.91 07:55 07:55 08:40 08:40 0.91
1.45 20:46 12:51 08:53 08:48 2.36
0.27 23:14 02:28 09:08 08:50 2.63

5,000 meters on Concept Model C, 21:10

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

First time in a little while. Instead of a longer 10k, I decided to spin for a 2k sprint, followed by a 3k finisher. Aggregate time was 21:10, although my split hack was at 8:10. This is nothing to write home about, but it is markedly faster than my usual 10k pace of 2:15/500m. I was hoping to hold at about 2:00/500m, but I don't think I have the raw power to sustain over the endurance period - which might offer some better ideas for what I want to do after I get done with an upcoming Army Physical Fitness Test.

8:10 won't qualify me in any way, shape, or form for the Charles River All Stars Has-Beens (or C.R.A.S.H.-B. for short) regatta (I would compete in the 30-39 heavy category) but I'm not that ambitious, either. For me to qualify light, I'd have to drop under 165lbs. Short of going to Ranger or SERE school (not interested in either), that won't be happening anytime soon.

I was thinking as I finished that 21:12 might have been more appropriate as I was listening to some Rush on the way to the gym, but apparently not. No big deal, though.

This will be the first physical fitness test I taper for without doing any specific push-up or sit-up work, so it'll be somewhat of an acid test to see whether the Concept was a credible substitute.

6.0mi, 54:03, 15 JUL 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Nicki French, "Total Eclipse of the Heart." (no shit.)
"Jester" theme from the game Terminal Velocity
Rush, "The Analog Kid"

WX at 0900: 84.0 (28.9), DP 72.0 (22.2), BP 30.15 (1020), Variable 3 clear, RH 67%

Odometer 1: 344.3mi

Z4.

First run in three days, primarily due to homework. Having to get to class by 0800 is no fun when I'm in class until about 1700.

Today was fucking hot. THe weather is singularly unforgiving where there is little shade and the sun is hostile. Compound that with hills, and today validated why I call this run the Teardrop of Suck. Hill climbing was no problem in the first two miles. After that, I ended up walking a few times. Not fun.

For 67% humidity, I can only imagine just how hot it actually was. The big killer today was ambient temperature under the sun versus in the shade. I need to start running earlier in the day.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.34 02:59 02:59 08:51 08:51 0.34
0.87 11:11 08:12 09:27 09:17 1.21
0.68 16:27 05:16 07:43 08:43 1.89
0.67 22:11 05:44 08:37 08:41 2.55
2.24 44:24 22:13 09:54 09:15 4.80
0.86 51:35 07:11 08:19 09:07 5.66
0.34 54:03 02:28 07:11 09:00 6.00

6x800 intervals, 12 JUL 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Rush, "Bravado"
Cub, "Go Fish"
mewithoutYou, "January 1979"
Rush, "Cold Fire"

WX at 0600: 72.0 (22.2), DP 68.0 (20.0), BP 29.94 (1013), Calm, RH 87%

Odometer 2: 52.7mi

Z4 high.

Today was my first SWIP workout in, oh, about 19 years. 6x800, 400 jog in between. I remember now why 800s hurt so much. However, this was a good change-up and highlights where I need to build max vO2 capacity - and perhaps, a way to get it.

It is nice, though, to have a tartan track less than a half mile away from home.

Splits
3:48 opener jog to get to the track
1 - 3:31 (2:44 rest)
2 - 3:28 (2:56 rest)
3 - 3:30 (2:57 rest)
4 - 3:38 (2:52 rest)
5 - 3:34 (3:07 rest)
6 - 3:30 (4:26 finish jog)

10,000m on Concept Model C, 43:52

Metallica, "Orion"

Faster than before. I was spinning about 2:10 per 500m, but there were segments that I was spinning as fast as 2:05 on the average. I finished burning at about 1:48/500m.

"Orion" isn't really a good song for erging, but it sure encouraged the right mood for cranking away on the Concept. I associate it mostly with wanting to go lift, or go beat the crap out of someone, but "Orion" communicates a lot of simmering rage. Or so I'd like to think.

6.1mi, 53:49, 7 JUL 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Mindy Hester, "Keep On Rocking the Preschool"
Neil Young, "Keep On Rocking the Free World"

WX at 0700: 67, DP 52, BP 30.30 (1025.0), SE 10 mostly cloudy, RH 59%

Odometer 1: 338.3mi

Z3, Z4 climbs.

Nothing too ambitious after yesterday, but the run was quite nice with the lower heat and humidity. I need to start much earlier in the day, though.

I made a conscious effort to force the Mindy Hester song out of my head. I found her site by accident as I was reading up on some stuff from the computer game Wing Commander: Prophecy, where she had a supporting cast role.

I keep forgetting just how angry a song the Neil Young song actually is.

This was mostly uphill and some downhill, a run I will probably call the Teardrop of Suck, or some other catchy name based on its geometry on the ground.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
2.63 24:40 24:40 09:23 09:23 2.63
3.29 52:29 27:49 08:27 08:52 5.92
0.17 53:49 01:20 07:59 08:50 6.09

8x400 intervals, 6 JUL 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Henry Rollins, "Drive-By Shooting"
Hilary Duff, "Beat of My Heart"

WX at 0700: 64.0 (17.8), DP 55.9 (13.3), BP 30.27 (1025), NE 7 clear, RH 75%

Odometer 2: 47.7mi

Z4-5.

After lap 4, I shifted to 200 rests in between and I think that is a fundamentally better workout.

Next interval work will be my last before the PT test. I will probably end up doing what was called the SWIP (Strength Workout Intensity Program) workout, which is supposed to build max vO2. It's an old workout my high school cross-country coach developed. Should be like this, only double the distance, so 800 repeats with 400 jog in between. 8 iterations, I believe.

The splits here are not encouraging. If the best I'm good for is a 97, I'm just more tired - or maybe I'm getting into shape and the toughening process is still ongoing. Patience is the watchword.

In the meantime, I am continuing to unpack my shit. Good god do I have a lot of shit in a small house.

Splits
1 - 108 (3:05)
2 - 97 (3:02)
3 - 106 (2:52)
4 - 101 (1:34)
5 - 101 (1:33)
6 - 103 (1:32)
7 - 104 (1:34)
8 - 101 (2:50)

3.58mi, 33:02, 4 JUL 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Sarge, "Clearer"

WX at 0800: 73 (23), DP 69 (21), BP 30.11 (1019), NNE 7 mist, RH 88%

Odometer 1: 332.2mi

Z2-3.

This morning's light rain made for a humid run. I couldn't help but be reminded that ten years ago were had some unremarkable movie called Independence Day foisted on us. I didn't realize Mary McDonnell (of the new Battlestar Galactica) was on it!

3.5 miles of wogging was the goal after yesterday's hard run. Actually, after about 30 minutes, things started to loosen up, so that's a good sign. I'm starting to adapt to the hills...slowly.

Always nice to know I was running generally even pace today. I think that was about marathon pace, more or less.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:05 09:05 09:03 09:03 1.00
1.00 18:43 09:38 09:39 09:21 2.00
1.00 27:46 09:03 09:01 09:14 3.01
0.58 33:02 05:16 09:03 09:13 3.59

9.29mi, 86:44, 3 JUL 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Saxon Shore, "Amber, Ember, Glow"
Silverstein, "Defend You"

WX at 0800: 79.0 (26.1), DP 63.0 (17.2), BP 30.06 (1017), SSW 13 mostly cloudy, RH 58%

Odometer 2: 43.7mi

Z3-4.

I think direct sunlight is what's killing me on these runs, that and waking up much later than I normally should to go on a long run like the one I did today. Once I was in the shade, things were much easier, as well as the fact that I was burning fat. I don't know what the relative temperature is in the open when the sun is hitting me directly, but in the shade is not so bad.

The other thing that's making me work that much harder is hills. Still,there seems to be some improvement. At least.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:43 09:43 09:42 09:42 1.00
1.00 18:20 08:37 08:35 09:08 2.01
1.00 27:02 08:42 08:45 09:00 3.00
1.00 35:36 08:34 08:34 08:54 4.00
1.00 44:42 09:06 09:04 08:56 5.01
0.99 54:02 09:20 09:25 09:01 6.00
1.00 63:18 09:16 09:19 09:03 6.99
1.00 75:03 11:45 11:43 09:23 8.00
1.00 83:59 08:56 08:59 09:21 8.99
0.29 86:44 02:45 09:33 09:21 9.28

3.6mi, 31:35, 1 JUL 06, Fort Leavenworth KS

Rush, "Bravado"

WX at 0900: 80, DP 59 (I don't believe that for an instant), BP 30.07 (1016.9), S 13 Partly Cloudy, RH 49% (Don't believe that one either)

Odometer 1: 328.6mi

Z3.

This was about all I was good for on Saturday. I was just out of gas and just didn't feel like going further. I was also waking up late so I had to contend with the heat. The heat...

I'll start earlier Monday.

Unpacking continues. There's the vain hope I might be done by the time class starts on 5 July.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.01 08:05 08:05 08:02 08:02 1.01
1.00 17:26 09:21 09:22 08:41 2.01
1.00 26:17 08:51 08:54 08:45 3.00
0.59 31:35 05:18 09:04 08:48 3.59