iThink: "Have You Heard of the 173rd Airborne Brigade" (OEF 07-09 version)
WX at 1200: 55 (13) DP 53 (12) BP 29.91 (1012) NNW 3 rain; mist RH 93
Odometer 1: 152.0mi equivalency
Z3.
Average/max heart rate = no reading.
It was raining outside this morning and I needed the sleep, so I slept in. I didn't have classes today, so I went to the gym and cranked away, the first time all week. I'd initially set up for 15,000 but called it quits after 10. It's been a long, long time since I've tried to row 15km. I was just too tired to stay in for another 23 minutes. I got on the elliptical and ran out the other 5km I had left.
As I was walking to the gym, I passed someone wearing a maroon beret, which is a rare sight on Fort Leavenworth. Turns out this guy had been assigned to the 173d Airborne Brigade, who had a rough tour in Afghanistan two years ago. Today's iThink, for being recorded in theater (if the pre-fab buildings, aircraft sounds in the background and the Chigo air conditioners are any indicators, I'm guessing it's FOB Fenty, which I visited once), is a haunting song. I have my own reasons; although I was never in the 173d, they had to fight parts of the campaign plan I primarily wrote.
I was reminded of something I'd heard from LTG(Ret) Hal Moore, who had commanded the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry at Ia Drang in 1965: "When your men die, and you don’t, you feel guilty. You’re the leader."
As a former member of the 7th Cavalry, those words seem fittingly apropos.
Splits
Distance: 10000
Time: 00:43:53
Avg/500m: 02:12
Drag Factor : 105
Per Mile: 00:07:04
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