7.77mi, 78:29, 13 AUG 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 183 of the campaign.

iThink:
The Bats, "Straight Image"
Hilary Duff, "Wake Up"

WX at 2230: 77 (25) DP 59 (15) BP 29.80 (1009) E 8 RH 53

Odometer 2: 214.4mi

Z3 start, Z4 finish.
Average heart rate = 162

This is perimeter run 32.

Today started slow and finished unexpectedly fast. I was tired, and very nearly chickened out, but I decided to stay with it and ran the usual loop.

Two factors at hand - one was the elevated humidity (at least more so than usual for here) and the other was the relative lack of wind compared to most nights. I think that had a lot to do with it.

That, and I really do need to get more disciplined about running daily - the problem is one of time and opportunity. I don't feel very compelled to work out in the day because it's hot...and at the same time, I stay late at work, and I'm too old to burn the candle at both ends at the level of effort that I normally hold in the office.

The other reason I ran today was that I got a somewhat slipshod haircut today and I had to do something to get the loose hairs off. Might as well work out if I'm going to take a shower regardless.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:02 09:02 09:02 09:02 1.00
1.00 18:05 09:03 09:03 09:03 2.00
1.00 27:01 08:56 08:56 09:00 3.00
1.00 35:59 08:58 08:58 09:00 4.00
1.00 44:38 08:39 08:39 08:56 5.00
1.00 53:22 08:44 08:44 08:54 6.00
1.00 02:06 08:44 08:44 08:52 7.00
0.77 08:29 06:23 08:17 08:49 7.77

7.8mi, 66:08, 11 AUG 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 182 of the campaign.

iThink:
Aly & AJ, "Shine"
Bear McCreary, "Storming New Caprica"
Aly & AJ, "Chemicals React"

WX at 2330: 78 (26) DP 23 (-5) BP 29.77 (1008) N 20 RH 12

Odometer 3: 162.4mi

Z3-4.
Average heart rate = 162

This makes up for my day of inveterate wogging. I knew I needed to go for a run - and by the time I was out of the workplace it was almost 11:30pm. That still didn't stop me from getting out there and hitting the road, especially since I've been larding up over the last few weeks. It's time to start burning fat again - the hard part is just being disciplined enough to get back out and hit it.

Today marked the day I decided to switch out weapons with one of my coworkers. He wanted a pistol - and although I was assigned a pistol, I really felt a lot more comfortable with a rifle as a personal security blanket...so we decided to switch weapons. I also was able to get the rifle configured for my shooting style - finally - after carrying it around while he was out of the office. It feels, honestly, a lot better.

I would imagine, that my walking around with a long gun gives some people reason for pause. No matter...

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:35 08:35 08:35 08:35 1.00
1.00 17:22 08:47 08:47 08:41 2.00
1.00 25:46 08:24 08:24 08:35 3.00
1.00 34:15 08:29 08:29 08:34 4.00
1.00 42:29 08:14 08:14 08:30 5.00
1.00 50:57 08:28 08:28 08:30 6.00
1.00 59:35 08:38 08:38 08:31 7.00
0.77 66:08 06:33 08:30 08:31 7.77

7.8mi, 75:11, 9 AUG 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 179 of the campaign.

iThink:
R.E.M., "Driver 8"
Aly & AJ, "Chemicals React"
Aly & AJ, "Shine"
Dmitri Shostakovitch, Piano Concerto No. 2, Allegro, Opus 102
Hilary Duff, "Wake Up"

WX at 0030: 84 (29) DP 26 (-3) BP 29.77 (1008) N 23G36 light blowing widespread dust RH 12

Odometer 2: 206.6mi

Z2.
Resting heart rate before start = 61
Average heart rate = 154

This is perimeter run 30. Hard to believe I'm six months into my combat tour with another ten or so to go...

In the meantime, 23mph gusting to 36mph. Yeah!

Today was a day of nothing but wogging. It was my slowest run around the perimeter. I didn't care, though!

I spent most of the afternoon launching bullets at paper targets since I said I'd zero a rifle for one of my coworkers...upon which I decided that he and I should probably switch weapons anyway, so I did. I guess that's okay - I feel about 100% sure of my zero when I'm firing up iron sights or optics. And right it is...

In the meantime, I sweated most of the afternoon (although the breeze this afternoon helped).

The highlight of today's range was inadvertently catching hot brass from one of my coworkers, who was firing adjacent to me, as well as discovering the particular suck that firing in frag vest and helmet entails when you're used to firing without body armor on. Kneeling...which is particularly unpleasant if you don't have a lot of flexibility in the lower legs.

To add insult to injury, on my second-to-last evolution (I would fire over 150 rounds today in the space of 2.5 hours) my target started flapping in the wind. I was so irritated that I stayed in position, continued to engage, and in my irritation got mostly head shots on the zero target. The fact that they were on a moving target only added to the inadvertent catharsis at getting mostly head shots on a 300m-size target...

I gotta admit, there's something cathartically therapeutic about shooting stuff.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:26 09:26 09:26 09:26 1.00
1.00 19:14 09:48 09:48 09:37 2.00
1.00 28:35 09:21 09:21 09:32 3.00
1.00 38:13 09:38 09:38 09:33 4.00
1.00 47:46 09:33 09:33 09:33 5.00
1.00 57:41 09:55 09:55 09:37 6.00
1.00 67:32 09:51 09:51 09:39 7.00
0.79 75:11 07:39 09:41 09:39 7.79

~3.5mi, about an hour, 7 AUG 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 177 of the campaign.

iThink: None

WX at 2230: 84 (29) DP 28 (-2) BP 29.71 (1006) N 17 RH 13

Odometer 3: 154.7mi

Z3-Z4 segments.
Average heart rate before start = 153

After the last hash debacle, I decided to hare the next one. This one was a lot better received. Ironically, we only had about 8 people show up, and while I was worried about getting caught, I had scouted a pretty well-thought out trail and my cohare was prepared as we had talked through how we were going to lay the trail.

The end result was a fairly enjoyable trail, although there were segments that I really had to hotfoot because we had long straightaways, which is dangerous for hares.

There's something to be said about prior preparation and planning for trail - and although getting everything together was painful - it all paid off in the end...

Splits
None really.

7.7mi, 65:29, 6 AUG 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 176 of the campaign.

iThink:
The Cure, "Disintegration"
The Bats, "Straight Image"

WX at 0630: 69 (21) DP 60 (16) BP 29.88 (1012) S 3 haze RH 73

Odometer 2: 198.8mi

Z4.
Average heart rate before start = 163

This is perimeter run 29.

Today was hard, but I wasn't going all that terribly fast. At least I didn't think so. Then I was lashed up with someone going about the same speed as me and I ended up running pretty hard the last 3.5mi. I was in the hurt box - but this will probably pay dividends later on.

The average heart rate at the end is an indicator of the level of suck. On the other hand, if I don't work any harder, I don't get any better. That's the way it is.

I was tempted to sleep in though. The temperature was downright pleasant...for being the middle of the summer. I'm sure it'll be crazy hot soon enough.

On a slightly different note, I realized that today is the 63rd anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima. I'm not sure why I remember August 6 and 9 for their events - but I do. I don't think about nuclear weapons much as a planner - when I do, I'm usually ill at ease for a while afterwards.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST AHR
1.00 08:26 08:26 08:26 08:26 1.00 150
1.00 17:06 08:40 08:40 08:33 2.00 155
1.00 25:33 08:27 08:27 08:31 3.00 156
1.00 34:07 08:34 08:34 08:32 4.00 164
1.00 42:24 08:17 08:17 08:29 5.00 166
1.00 50:47 08:23 08:23 08:28 6.00 172
1.00 59:18 08:31 08:31 08:28 7.00 173
0.78 65:29 06:11 07:56 08:25 7.78 174

7.8mi, 70:09, 3 AUG 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 174 of the campaign.

iThink:
Tommy Keene, "Away From It All"
Haddaway, "What Is Love"

WX at 2330: 86 (30) DP 33 (1) BP 29.85 (1011) N 20 blowing widespread dust RH 15

Odometer 3: 151.2mi

Z2 start, Z3 finish.
Average heart rate = 161

This is perimeter run 28.

I was absolutely hell bent on getting a run in tonight. It had been some four days since my last run, which is borderline unacceptable. I just haven't been able to pursue running with the discipline that I need.

I decided to start easy since it was still pretty warm after today's relatively hot day. Not Kuwait or Qatar kind of hot, but it was unpleasantly hot today during the day. I didn't have any problem waiting until night where things would cool off some. If I was really industrious, I'd wait until tomorrow morning and go hard, but I wouldn't wake up that early.

No dog, alas.

I just finished reading Kim Stanley Robinson's The Years of Rice and Salt and indulge on some of these long runs the thought of being tied in a jati - and if I had to espouse a religion, I'd argue Buddhism is starting to emerge beyond the others...but a thought-provoking read, one of the most so in the last few years.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:59 08:59 08:59 08:59 1.00
1.00 18:11 09:12 09:12 09:05 2.00
1.00 27:30 09:19 09:19 09:10 3.00
1.00 36:34 09:04 09:04 09:08 4.00
1.00 45:44 09:10 09:10 09:09 5.00
1.00 54:59 09:15 09:15 09:10 6.00
1.00 63:45 08:46 08:46 09:06 7.00
0.76 70:09 06:24 08:25 09:02 7.76

7.7mi, 72:48, 31 JUL 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 170 of the campaign.

iThink:
Scott Cossu, "The Triumph"
R.E.M., "Driver 8"
They Might Be Giants, "Older" (as in Rollercoaster Massacre)
Rob Zombie, "Feel So Numb" (since you can see the first three seasons of Battlestar Galactica in 5 minutes)

WX at 0730: 80 (27) DP 64 (18) BP 29.83 (1010) Variable 2 haze RH 57

Odometer 2: 191.0mi

Z2 start, Z3 finish.
Average heart rate = 160

This is perimeter run 27.

I gotta admit, it's kind of nice going out running in the middle of the summer and it's only 80 degrees in Afghanistn.

Today was a day of little sleep - my circadian rhythms are still jacked, so I'm waking up at 3:00am sharp...wide awake. This is not helpful.

On the other hand, it does provide some incentive to get out and run in the mornings rather than at night.

Today was a day of wogging after the last two runs. I could feel it in my knees after about 5.5 miles. I think they're tired, but getting tougher. At least that's what I'm trying to say to myself as self justification for running nothing but long slow distance.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:18 09:18 09:18 09:18 1.00
1.00 18:27 09:09 09:09 09:14 2.00
1.00 27:39 09:12 09:12 09:13 3.00
1.00 36:40 09:01 09:01 09:10 4.00
1.00 45:49 09:09 09:09 09:10 5.00
1.00 55:05 09:16 09:16 09:11 6.00
1.00 64:09 09:04 09:04 09:10 7.00
0.74 72:48 08:39 11:41 09:24 7.74

7.8mi, 68:20, 28 JUL 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 168 of the campaign.

iThink: Hilary Duff, "Wake Up"

WX at 0530: 68 (20) DP 48 (9) BP 29.85 (1011) Variable 2 RH 48

Odometer 3: 143.4mi

Z3-4.
Average HR 163.

This is perimeter run 26.

Today was suck. I thought I was going easy, but I woke up at 4:30am and couldn't get back to sleep, so I decided to grit out a run. Oh, what a grind that was. I started running progressively positive splits, (or so I thought) but it got harder and harder. My legs were tired - but running this same run within 30 hours probably had something to do with it also.

Still, the weather was pleasant, which is more than I can say about most other places around here, like Kuwait, Qatar, Iraq...

I saw my erstwhile running partner dog walking down the main drag here at Bagram. As much as we're not supposed to mess with the local fauna, I hope he's doing okay. I suppose.

I also had to reinstall Windows XP on my computer today. Grr. My BlueTooth stack was malfunctioning and that's the only way I can get my computer to go online without a Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection. Suck.

I'm taking tomorrow off.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:41 08:41 08:41 08:41 1.00
1.00 17:29 08:48 08:48 08:45 2.00
1.00 26:17 08:48 08:48 08:46 3.00
1.00 35:17 09:00 09:00 08:49 4.00
1.00 44:01 08:44 08:44 08:48 5.00
1.00 52:49 08:48 08:48 08:48 6.00
1.00 61:51 09:02 09:02 08:50 7.00
0.78 68:20 06:29 08:19 08:47 7.78

7.78mi, 65:30, 26 JUL 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 166 of the campaign.

iThink:
Dos Gringos, "Jeremiah Weed"
Dos Gringos, "Sammy Small"

WX at 2330: 64 (18) DP 57 (14) BP 29.85 (1011) E 6 RH 78

Odometer 2: 183.3mi

Z3 high.

This is perimeter run 25.

First perimeter run since getting back. The weather was remarkably cooperative - given the fact that it rained for the first time in a few months and as a result, it was much more humid than I normally expect.

I started off pretty quick in the first mile, and then shifted back to my old speed, unfortunately. Going from sea level back to 4900 feet MSL is a big change.

I have no idea why I had the lyrics to Jeremiah Weed stuck in my head...in a place where I can't have any...but the ones that really come to mind are this excerpt:

Now everyone is curious and they all want to know
Does it make you smarter will it make your penis grow
It won't bring ya women and it won't bring ya luck
So why do we drink it? ‘Cause it tastes like fuck!

Fox 1, when you've got nothing left
Fox 2, it's that heater in your chest
Fox 3, the only friend you'll ever need
That cocksucker motherfucker Jeremiah Weed

The most unusual part of this run was my unintended running companion. As I was passing by the cement factory on the base, about 2 miles from my start point, I heard some barking and then heard a dog approaching fast from the rear. Normally I get pretty jittery about local wildlife, and this was no exception. This dog must have been looking for some companionship, because he followed me the entire way through back to the start.

I have to admit I was thinking to myself "what a great time not to be packing heat." As a result, I continued to run regardless of whether this dog was with me or not. (If it was going to attack me, I needed to be ready, but there was no way I was outrunning this dog.) It did make the end of my run a bit faster, but I was so spent by the end that I reverted to my old speed-- slow.

This dog was actually friendly - I thought back to the last time I was running with my old dog Thor. But it's generally a bad habit to play with the local wildlife.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 07:45 07:45 07:45 07:45 1.00
1.00 16:10 08:25 08:25 08:05 2.00
1.00 24:29 08:19 08:19 08:10 3.00
1.00 32:58 08:29 08:29 08:14 4.00
1.00 41:24 08:26 08:26 08:17 5.00
1.00 50:11 08:47 08:47 08:22 6.00
1.00 58:37 08:26 08:26 08:22 7.00
0.78 65:30 06:53 08:49 08:25 7.78

6.5mi, 1:48:26, 24 JUL 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 164 of the campaign.

iThink: None.

WX at 2330: 78 (26) DP 30 (-1) BP 29.77 (1008) N 18 RH 17

Odometer 1: 262.5mi

Z3.

This hash was craptacularly bad. This was hallmarked by two red flags, one a new hare who was deathly paranoid of getting caught, and two, an experienced hasher who had very strong opinions about what trail should look like. The end result was trail laid through very broken terrain that wasn't within line of sight of itself and consequently, I ran straggler control almost the entire hash.

It's rare that it takes almost two hours to get the entire pack together, but this was so badly laid that I was just disappointed. Not even beside myself, but just disappointed.

I'm laying the next one as lead hare.

Uh-huh

I'm not sure what it is lately, but sitting at an Air Force base the last few days has generated two things...

An attempt to nearly fucking kill myself by drinking a third of a bottle of Jeremiah Weed,

And bizarre aviation shit like this.

What military aircraft are you? B-52 Stratofortress You're a B-52. You are old and wise, and you absolutely love destruction. You believe in the principle of "peace through deterrence" and aren`t afraid to throw your weight around.

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

I'm not so sure about the "old and wise" bullshit, though. I do love destruction, though.

That's why I'm trying to kill off the Jeremiah Weed bottle before I return to the combat zone...because there's nothing quite like waking up and realizing I was still trashed.

7.3mi, 60:23, 17 JUL 08, Scott AFB IL

Day 156 of the campaign.

iThink:
The Bats, "Courage"
The Rolling Stones, "Gimme Shelter"
Inspiral Carpets, "Gimme Shelter"

WX at 0600: 66.9 (19.4) DP 65.8 (18.8) BP 30.15 (1020) Calm mist; shallow fog RH 96

Odometer 3: 135.6mi

Z3 high.

Today was a bit more painful, but I've been dilatory in staying steady and actually running day to day. This is one of the few instances in the last few months where I've actually been diligent on doing so.

Today was nowhere near as fast as yesterday - nor should it have been. I noticed that even small uphills make a major difference to how I feel. I need to start hitting the weights again.

I also need to be better about not jackrabbiting my starts. This was particularly apparent as I started my first few hundred meters going about 7:30 pace. This is neither prudent nor useful.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:06 08:06 08:06 08:06 1.00
1.00 16:24 08:18 08:18 08:12 2.00
1.00 24:53 08:29 08:29 08:18 3.00
1.00 33:28 08:35 08:35 08:22 4.00
1.00 41:35 08:07 08:07 08:19 5.00
1.00 49:59 08:24 08:24 08:20 6.00
1.00 58:14 08:15 08:15 08:19 7.00
0.28 60:23 02:09 07:41 08:18 7.28

4.1mi, 32:04, 16 JUL 08, Scott AFB IL

Day 155 of the campaign.

iThink: Wire, "Outdoor Miner" (admittedly a strange choice.)

WX at 0600: 68.5 (20.3) 67.1 (19.5) 30.16 (1021) Calm RH 95

Odometer 3: 128.3mi

Z4.

Nothing gets you going faster than the realization that you started too late!

I cranked probably my fastest run in a while. Now, it's a mite humid from what I was used to previously, but the temperature was probably a little better.

I was pretty happy to find that I could hold steady at the pace that I did today. I'm sure all that will tank at altitude.

What I'm really curious is to see what I weigh right now as I think I might have lost some weight on leave...lard weight, maybe, because I was walking everywhere. There's something to be said for that...and why you see a lot more fat Americans than fat Europeans.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 07:58 07:58 07:58 07:58 1.00
1.00 15:50 07:52 07:52 07:55 2.00
1.00 23:51 08:01 08:01 07:57 3.00
1.00 31:35 07:44 07:44 07:54 4.00
0.07 32:04 00:29 06:54 07:53 4.07

Should I be disturbed that I'm two hot chicks

And I even share a name with one of them...

Which Battlestar Galactica Cylon Are You?

More on Battlestar Galactica. Created by BuddyTV

Which Battlestar Galactica Character Are You?

Which Battlestar Galactica Character Are You?
Created by BuddyTV

This bothers me, and I'm not sure why

SPC Joseph Dwyer, a medic from the 3d Squadron, 7th Cavalry photographed in 2003, died of substance abuse on 28 June. This article tells some of the background behind the story and the photo.

I think of a line from David Drake's Redliners, the one book that I will always pack when going to a combat zone:

"Do you believe that the Unity owes its soldiers nothing but burial or a pension, Miss Chun?" I said. My voice didn't rise, but it had less give than the face of an anvil. "Do you think it is to the long-term benefit of the Unity that our citizens regard discharged soldiers as trash that litters our streets and occasionally explodes lethally? Do you?"

I have a hard time relating to civilians, and I certainly did at some times in this leave (which is about to wrap up). I was sitting at a wedding last night in Sligo, Ireland and there were two things I couldn't shake.

One of them was of what we expect our troops to do in places like Nuristan province, Afghanistan...and the unbelievable cognitive dissonance I feel at being at a wedding when people who execute the plans I write are in places like that. That grates on my conscience, sometimes more than at others.

The other was that I was sitting in a place which sits near Northern Ireland, an area which fought an insurgency for forty years. Does every democracy have to fight a civil war? I don't know - and while I certainly don't support the Irish Republican Army, I do have to wonder if the Sinn Fein sign I saw up in a traffic circle here in town is necessarily a bad thing.

That said, the unease I feel about Joseph Dwyer's passing is that we take our soldiers for granted. We take the conflict they fight in as something that no one really wants to pay attention to, and that bothers the hell out of me.

Then what do you do when those soldiers come back as damaged goods?

The mills of the gods, they grind slowly...

4.1mi, 35:01, 11 JUL 08, Sligo, Ireland

Day 150 of the campaign.

iThink:
Philip Aaberg, "Marias River Breakdown" (from the 1986 Windham Hill Sampler, no shit)
The Bats, "Courage"

WX at 0900: 51 (11) DP 44 (7) BP 29.77 (1008) NNW 15 RH 76

Odometer 3: 124.2mi

Z3.

Today wasn't very long, but it was promising. I was running mostly to get lactic acid out of my legs, but noticed steady positive splits after the first uphill. I was gratified to find out that I was holding just below 8:00mpm on the way back, mostly on level ground, and was accelerating at the end - even at what I'd normally call high Z3 effort.

The big variable is the weather. I was cold this morning - first time in a while I've worn more than shorts and a shirt for a run! I'm headed back to the US for a week or two after this - I'll totally incinerate when I get back there after these temperatures. 51 degrees in the summer. Huh!

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:28 08:28 08:28 08:28 1.00
1.00 17:37 09:09 09:09 08:48 2.00
0.10 18:34 00:57 09:48 08:51 2.10
1.00 26:43 08:09 08:09 08:38 3.10
1.00 34:41 07:58 07:58 08:28 4.10
0.05 35:01 00:20 06:31 08:26 4.15

The price of freedom

remains eternal vigilance...

I made a big point of getting a poster of Norman Rockwell's Four Freedoms for my children. I saw this and while I don't see myself getting a set of these for the kids, if you're an American and you don't feel some tinge of conscience, something is wrong.

This picture of Fred Phelps to the left illustrates a lot of what bothers me about America from time to time. If it doesn't bother you, then you need to do some soul-searching about your national identity.

Also, for some background...

9.25mi, 80:10, 8 JUL 08, IVO Knocknarea Mountain, Ireland

Day 147 of the campaign.

iThink:
Aly & AJ, "Chemicals React"
Let's Active, "Ornamental"
The Cure, "Primary" (Red Mix)
Bear McCreary, "All Along the Watchtower"

WX at 1300: 57 (14) DP 50 (10) BP 29.74 (1007) WSW 16 RH 76

Odometer 3: (with constructive credit from walking all over Paris and London) ~120.0mi

Z3.

First run since going to Paris and London, and I felt surprisingly okay - although a bit of it is attributable to the weather and not running for a while.

Surprisingly, for going up the killer hills I went up, I felt pretty fit going up - less the killer uphill returning from the turn-around.

Hills are killing me - but I have fairly decent return from altitude training.

The last few days in London were fine - the hotel we were at had no Disney Channel - thank fuck - because returning to Ireland, I realize how much I fucking hate That's So Raven and Cory In The House, which never cease to insult the shit out of the viewing intelligence - whatever is left.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:05 08:05 08:05 08:05 1.00
1.00 16:37 08:32 08:32 08:19 2.00
1.00 25:50 09:13 09:13 08:37 3.00
1.00 34:50 09:00 09:00 08:43 4.00
0.61 40:01 05:11 08:30 08:41 4.61
1.00 50:01 10:00 10:00 08:55 5.61
1.00 58:29 08:28 08:28 08:51 6.61
1.00 66:35 08:06 08:06 08:45 7.61
1.00 74:56 08:21 08:21 08:42 8.61
0.64 80:10 05:14 08:11 08:40 9.25

Words to live by

Probably not coming to an elementary school near you anytime soon:

Oh my name is Sammy Small, fuck em' all
Oh my name is Sammy Small, fuck em' all
Oh my name is Sammy Small and I've only got one ball
But It's better than none at all, so fuck em' all

9.74mi, 85:56, 29 JUN 08, Sligo, Ireland

Day 138 of the campaign.

iThink:
Catherine Wheel, "Broken Nose"
Bear McCreary, "All Along the Watchtower"
mewithoutYou, "January 1979"

WX at 0800: 51 (11) 48 (9) 29.85 (1011) WSW 14 RH 87

Odometer 3: 94.0mi approximate.

Z3.

I needed to get out and hit the roads for the first time while on leave. It's been a few days - and I don't get nearly as bent out of shape when it's 115F (45C) outside There were segments where it was obviously easier to work (partly because of temperature, partly because of elevation, since I'm at sea level). It was the hills that required some more concerted work.

I am on leave with the OPFOR Commander, the Princess, and the Sledgehammer. I should be thrilled, but it's not necessarily thrilling. Going on deployment doesn't fix things by itself that need to be fixed with more deliberate effort. Sometimes it just gets put on hold, sometimes it gets worse. It is what it is.

All I know is that I have 386 days until I get paroled for good.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 07:59 07:59 07:59 07:59 1.00
1.00 16:49 08:50 08:50 08:24 2.00
1.00 25:37 08:48 08:48 08:32 3.00
1.00 34:31 08:54 08:54 08:38 4.00
1.00 43:53 09:22 09:22 08:47 5.00
1.00 52:44 08:51 08:51 08:47 6.00
1.00 01:35 08:51 08:51 08:48 7.00
1.00 10:19 08:44 08:44 08:47 8.00
1.00 19:05 08:46 08:46 08:47 9.00
0.74 25:56 06:51 09:15 08:49 9.74

9.1mi, 79:13, 23 JUN 08, As Sayliyah, Qatar

Day 132 of the campaign.

iThink:
Killing Zone, "All Along the Watchtower"
The Reputation, "Let It Rest"
Bear McCreary, "Storming New Caprica"

WX at 0600: no reading
WX at 0700: no reading

Odometer 3: 81.1mi

Z3.

I started much earlier, about 5:30am, but it was still too late. The first of my three laps was bad enough - the second was easier, and by the time I was hitting my third, it was just unpleasant. The negative split at the end was because of the desire to just get it over with. The acceleration at mile 3 didn't feel as sharp as it actually was, but I was probably just warmed up.

Heat matters out here. Walking from the PX here to the building I was working in was crazy hot.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:41 08:41 08:41 08:41 1.00
1.00 17:39 08:58 08:58 08:50 2.00
1.00 25:55 08:16 08:16 08:38 3.00
1.00 34:25 08:30 08:30 08:36 4.00
1.00 42:56 08:31 08:31 08:35 5.00
1.00 51:45 08:49 08:49 08:37 6.00
1.00 60:31 08:46 08:46 08:39 7.00
1.00 69:29 08:58 08:58 08:41 8.00
1.00 78:17 08:48 08:49 08:42 9.00
0.12 79:13 00:56 07:47 08:41 9.12

3.0mi, 24:50, 21 JUN 08, As Sayliyah, Qatar

Day 130 of the campaign.

iThink: Kristin Hersh, "Strange Angels"

WX at 0700:

Odometer 3: 72.0mi

Z4.

I waited too long to start. I was waiting for El Gato (one of the last of the few left after The Intrepid Coworker's unit rotated out) and he doesn't like to run outside.

It gets hot outside, and markedly so after 6:00am. I was trying to hold faster than 8:00/mi, but I didn't factor in a late start, so probably not.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
3.00 24:50 24:50 08:17 08:17 3.00

7.8mi, 67:47, 15 JUN 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

iThink:
Bear McCreary, "Gaeta's Lament"
Bear McCreary, "All Along the Watchtower"
The Cure, "A Forest"


WX at 2230: 82 (28) DP 26 (-3) BP 29.68 (1005) N 15G32 light blowing widespread dust RH 13

Odometer 3: 68.0mi

Z3.
Average heart rate = 163

This is perimeter run 24.

I am officially under a year left.

It was really 15mph gusting to 32. Seriously.

I felt like I need to do these long runs to occasionally clear my mind. Lately, my mind sticks on one or two things at work, and bizarrely enough, about ex-girlfriends from the distant past.

Tangentially, I also remember that today's Father's Day. It sure doesn't feel like it at all. At all.

The thought that I can't shake at work, especially after starting to watch Season 4 of Battlestar Galactica, is that every sustainable democracy has had to fight a civil war. As we are trying to build a sustainable democracy, where one didn't really exist before, I wonder about the validity of that statement from time to time. I also wonder if we're really doing the right thing from time to time.

For what it's worth, "Gaeta's Lament" is, as you might guess, from this season of Battlestar Galactica.

Alone she sleeps in the shirt of man
With my three wishes clutched in her hand
The first that she be spared the pain
That comes from a dark and laughing rain
When she finds love may it always stay true
This I beg for the second wish I made too
But wish no more
My life you can take
To have her please just one day wake


Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:34 08:34 08:34 08:34 1.00
1.00 17:31 08:57 08:57 08:45 2.00
1.00 26:12 08:41 08:41 08:44 3.00
1.00 35:01 08:49 08:49 08:45 4.00
1.00 43:33 08:32 08:32 08:43 5.00
1.00 52:15 08:42 08:42 08:42 6.00
1.00 61:10 08:55 08:55 08:44 7.00
0.75 67:47 06:37 08:49 08:45 7.75

3.4mi, time indeterminate, 12 JUN 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 122 of the campaign.

iThink: none

WX at 2330: 82 (28) DP 12 (-11) BP 29.83 (1010) NNW 14 RH 7

Odometer 1: 256.0mi

Z3.

Tonight is a great example of failure to coordinate activities in a hash being almost catastrophic. We had almost no beer left at the end, the hares didn't use much flour, the trail was poorly marked, and the hares were inexperienced, the vehicle left without coordination, and we lost a member of the pack. Yet, people had a good time.

It did underscore the importance of having people sweep the trail. We absolutely must have people police the trail so that you don't lose any more. Other than that, it was more practice, and something different from the beaten path.

7.8mi, 77:29, 10 JUN 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 120 of the campaign.

iThink: Morrissey, "You're The One For Me, Fatty"

WX at 0630: 75 (24) DP 48 (9) BP 29.94 (1014) NNW 3 haze RH 38

Odometer 2: 175.6mi

Z1.
Average heart rate = 142

This is perimeter run 23.

I decided to take one of our troops out for a run of the perimeter. This was partly a wakeup call for him, as he had just failed his physical fitness test. The goal was to get him to run this at 9:00/mi pace. He was unable to hold much in the way of that pace beyond two miles.

There were large chunks of this run that had to be walked. The guy I was running with isn't used to running distance, and he was in the hurt box, bad. I had to remind him that we were hardly moving and part of the challenge of running almost eight miles was that it was a gut check for his basic ambition to lead troops. It's real hard to justify sending a junior soldier down to the line to work with troops if he can't physically lead them. He has the potential. But he has to show the desire...and stop smoking, and eat better, and stop feeling sorry for himself.

This got me the easiest run in a long, long while. It's bad news when someone's killing himself to hold 10 minute pace.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:02 09:02 09:02 09:02 1.00
1.00 18:10 09:08 09:08 09:05 2.00
1.00 27:35 09:25 09:25 09:12 3.00
1.00 36:49 09:14 09:14 09:12 4.00
1.00 47:38 10:49 10:49 09:32 5.00
1.00 58:46 11:08 11:08 09:48 6.00
1.00 69:34 10:48 10:48 09:56 7.00
0.75 77:29 07:55 10:33 10:00 7.75

7.8mi, 65:54, 9 JUN 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Still Day 118 of the campaign!

iThink:
Aly & AJ, "Chemicals React"
Hilary Duff, "Wake Up"
(No, I don't know why these stuck tonight.)

WX at 2330: 78 (26) DP 24 (-4) BP 29.91 (1013) NE 12 RH 13

Odometer 3: 60.2mi

Z3-4.
Average heart rate = 163

The headwind wasn't nearly as bad - but it still warranted my wearing clear eyeshields when I run, which is about the norm for when I do.

I felt the need to get in a long run after only running two this morning. Admittedly, it was a physical fitness test, but two miles is only two miles. Two miles is not enough.

I figure running about ten today should be enough.

Fortunately, I held fairly steady pace - the only distinct difference was that my average heart rate continued to increase, as I worked progressively harder. I may do this again Wednesday night, but at a substantially reduced pace.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:31 08:31 08:31 08:31 1.00
1.00 17:06 08:35 08:35 08:33 2.00
1.00 25:34 08:28 08:28 08:31 3.00
1.00 34:14 08:40 08:40 08:33 4.00
1.00 42:43 08:29 08:29 08:33 5.00
1.00 51:03 08:20 08:20 08:30 6.00
1.00 59:36 08:33 08:33 08:31 7.00
0.75 05:54 06:18 08:24 08:30 7.75

Record APFT, 281 points, 9 JUN 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 118 of the campaign.

iThink:
Aly & AJ, "Chemicals React"

WX at 0630: 75 (24) DP 51 (11) BP 29.91 (1013) Variable 2 haze RH 43

Odometer 2: 166.8mi

Z4.

The PT test is over. Now I can start getting back at it. The goal before I leave is to run the perimeter. Twice. At once. It's achievable. It might suck, but it's achievable.

Not the slowest PT test ever, but not exactly the fastest by any stretch.

You know it's going to be bad when the first word out of your mouth is "fuck!" I'd been meaning to wake up at 5:30am, but maybe not. I woke up at 6:02, leading to my first word of the day.

There's an old superstition I was told where if you say "bunny" when you wake up at the beginning of every month, it'll bring you good luck. I don't believe in superstitions, but it doesn't stop me from remebering to say "bunny" at the beginning of each month, most of the time. I guess it's good today wasn't the first of the month!

The temperature is deceptive. If it had been overcast, it would have been fine. By the time things got started, the sun had been up for over an hour and it was starting to heat up. Not to the point where it was really going to affect how I did, but it was warm. There is a very noticeable temperature difference between being out in the open (under the sun) and in the shade. It was actually pleasant in the shade. It'll be over 90F later today, though. It was almost 95F yesterday. However, because the relative humidity is so low, I don't really notice it. I think it may be more arid here than it was in Iraq. I know that sounds ironic, but I was a few miles away from the Tigris River and I was technically in the Tigris River Valley on my last combat tour. All I gotta say is it's a dry heat!

My goal is 290, which I didn't meet. I didn't run as slowly as I did at SAMS, but today was nothing to write home about. My personal standard today is at least 280. I met it, but not by much. I was disappointed, but not crushed. I realize that as I get older, I just don't get that bent out of shape about getting 300 on the PT test...not that I've done that since 1999, by the way.

The run starting promisingly, but after the first 400m I realized it was just going to be intensely painful. I don't do speedwork, and I run usually much further than just two miles. When you're running 8 miles, it's hard to get settled into any good run without a 2-3 mile warmup. I could make the excuse that I'm sitting at almost 5,000 feet MSL, but I'm not that convinced of that excuse, and after having been here four months, it's an excuse. Excuses don't hold water...but at least it's not my slowest.

On the bright side, I finally made weight for the first time in a minor eternity. It's the first time I haven't had to have been checked for body fat percentage in years. Literally.

Splits

Pushups: 82 in 1:40 or so
Situps: 80 in 2:00 (ran out of time, first in a while)

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
2.00 15:15 15:15 07:37 07:37 2.00

6.0mi, 53:38, 4 JUN 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 113 of the campaign.

iThink:
Morrissey, "Seasick, Yet Still Docked" (I'm not sure why this keeps coming back up)
Frank Mills, "Music Box Dancer" (I'm not sure about this one either.)

WX at 2330: 77 (25) DP 19 (-7) BP 29.94 (1014) NNW 10G22 RH 19

Odometer 2: 164.8mi

Z2 start, z3 finish.
Average heart rate = 158

Still feeling my attempt to set a PR from a few days ago, so I decided on six miles of light wogging. That's fine so long as you're not running into a 22 knot gust headwind!

I was running relaxed, and while I finished faster (average HR for the last two miles was 161, then 168), the splits reflect the change in effort.

I didn't run very consistently, but I think a lot of that had to do with shifting winds of fairly brisk speed!

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:51 08:51 08:51 08:51 1.00
1.00 17:59 09:08 09:08 08:59 2.00
1.00 26:53 08:54 08:54 08:58 3.00
1.00 36:24 09:31 09:31 09:06 4.00
1.00 45:10 08:46 08:46 09:02 5.00
1.00 53:38 08:28 08:28 08:56 6.00

7.8mi, 63:38, 2 JUN 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 111 of the campaign.

iThink:
Trey Parker, "America, Fuck Yeah" (Theme Song to Team America: World Police)
Killing Zone, "All Along the Watchtower" (yes, the one from the video game Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter)
George Sanger, "Defend" from the video game Wing Commander (yes, the one from 1990)

WX at 1930: 78 (26) DP 33 (1) BP 29.91 (1013) N 17G29 RH 19

Odometer 3: 52.5mi

Z4 high.
Average heart rate = 177
Max heart rate = 190

This is perimeter run 21.

Today was going to be windy - I didn't realize to the point where I'd be running into a 29mph headwind. I was pleasantly surprised at the pace I was holding, but I thought for a little while I might be able to pull off a PR. I didn't do it, but the sustained speed today was encouraging. Of course, having a tailwind of the magnitude of what I had didn't hurt either.

Still, when the wind was relatively low, I was still holding about 8 minute pace at the midpoint, before I started to get dehyhdrated. I was concentrating on form, and it helped, but I could stand to be a little more disciplined in that department.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:09 08:09 08:09 08:09 1.00
1.00 16:27 08:18 08:18 08:13 2.00
1.00 24:28 08:01 08:01 08:09 3.00
1.00 32:35 08:07 08:07 08:09 4.00
1.00 40:26 07:51 07:51 08:05 5.00
1.00 48:34 08:08 08:08 08:06 6.00
1.00 57:13 08:39 08:39 08:10 7.00
0.78 63:38 06:25 08:14 08:11 7.78

7.8mi, 67:57, 31 MAY 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 109 of the campaign.

iThink: Morrissey, "Seasick, Yet Still Docked"

WX at 2130: 77 (25) DP 26 (-3) BP 29.94 (1014) N 20 RH 15

Odometer 2: 158.8mi

Z3 mid.
Average heart rate = 160

This is perimeter run 20.

I wasn't planning on anything ambitious, but I did mean to run the perimeter of the base today. Today was a pretty relaxed run with one of my coworkers, but the 20 mph wind was a hindrance at times - and at other times a hell of an aid. It was no accident that I was holding 8:30 pace for a few miles with a 20mph tailwind.

The heart monitor was another check of proof to see whether I was making headway or not. I was able to do a much better job of gauging relative effort based on heartrate and that was a valuable tool.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:09 09:09 09:09 09:09 1.00
1.00 18:16 09:07 09:07 09:08 2.00
1.00 27:02 08:46 08:46 09:01 3.00
1.00 35:43 08:41 08:41 08:56 4.00
1.00 44:12 08:29 08:29 08:50 5.00
1.00 52:46 08:34 08:34 08:48 6.00
1.00 61:24 08:38 08:38 08:46 7.00
0.78 67:57 06:33 08:24 08:44 7.78

3.0mi, 24:40, 29 MAY 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 107 of the campaign.

iThink: The JudyBats, "Always"

WX at 0830: 71 (22) DP 33 (1) BP 29.94 (1014) SSE 5 RH 24

Odometer 3: 44.7mi

Z3 high.

Short run, little time, but I probably needed it. I slept in more than I thought I would, so I was planning on running more, but I don't really have the time.

So, short run is better than no run. Much of the positive split on mile 2 versus the massive negative split on mile 3 was due to a before-and-after pit stop I had to take along the way.

And so it goes...

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:22 08:22 08:22 08:22 1.00
1.00 16:54 08:32 08:32 08:27 2.00
1.00 24:40 07:46 07:46 08:13 3.00

7.8mi, 62:32, 26 MAY 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 104 of the campaign.

iThink:
"The All-American Soldier"
Anberlin, "Cold War Transmissions"
Dan Latarski and Kim Nagel, title music to the 1990 computer game Stellar 7

WX at 1830: 60 (16) DP 48 (9) BP 30.03 (1017) NNW 15 light rain showers RH 63

Odometer 3: 41.6mi

Z4.
Average heart rate before start = 163

Today's the first run I decided to strap on the heart rate monitor, and it was pretty good. I don't trust the reading I got from it - there is no way I was running in zone 5 for almost 28 minutes, so I guess it's worth recalibrating so long as I find a max heart rate test somewhere out there.

This is the coolest day in a while - and I was running in driving rain, which I always like. I ran an unintentional PR today - not thinking that I was going to do one, but I did. There are reasons why I like running in the rain, but it's always therapeutic when I do.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:07 08:07 08:07 08:07 1.00
1.00 16:26 08:19 08:19 08:13 2.00
1.00 24:24 07:58 07:58 08:08 3.00
1.00 32:37 08:13 08:13 08:09 4.00
1.00 40:31 07:54 07:54 08:06 5.00
1.00 48:37 08:06 08:06 08:06 6.00
1.00 56:45 08:08 08:08 08:06 7.00
0.78 02:28 05:43 07:20 08:02 7.78

Even from Afghanistan, we want more

Awesome. Truly, truly, awesome.

Johns Hopkins pulls off quite possibly the biggest upset in NCAA lacrosse history by beating Duke 10-9.

After the most disastrous losing streak in Hopkins lacrosse history, the Blue Jays are advancing to the final game against Syracuse who upset Virginia in two overtimes after not even making the tournament last year.

And the best part...is that I got to watch it live on satellite TV, even though I'm sitting in Afghanistan.

We want more!

4.0mi, 33:57, 24 MAY 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 102 of the campaign.

iThink: "Cart Surfer" from Club Penguin (A Disney MMORPG. Really.)

WX at 0730: 68 (20) DP 55 (13) BP 29.94 (1014) SSE 2 RH 64

Odometer 2: 151.0mi

Z3 high-Z4.

Quick run to get done before something I gotta attend at 8:00am!

A little jerky start - but I think it will pay dividends. I was starting to stretch it out at the finish - although I was starting to tighten up around the midpoint...and after a brief pit stop, it was a lot better.

My hamstrings are still pretty tight. It might also help if I actually stretched, too.

Still, if I can keep this up, I can finally get back to something approximating a regular running habit. This day on-day off running schedule is probably not doing me any favors.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
2.00 17:12 17:12 08:36 08:36 2.00
0.79 24:16 07:04 08:57 08:42 2.79
1.22 33:57 09:41 07:56 08:28 4.01

7.8mi, 69:40, 23 May 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 101 of the campaign.

iThink:
Kutless, "Somewhere In the Sky"
Chris Stamey, "16 Shades of Green"

WX at 0130: 68 (20) DP 53 (12) BP 29.88 (1012) Variable 2 RH 59

Odometer 3: 33.8mi

Z2-3.

Today was very deliberate wogging. I did not try to go fast, I deliberately started slow, like marathon pace.

Not surprisingly, I ran smoother, and ran continuously negative splits, and actually had a relatively fast, for the most part effortless finish.

Now I have the munchies. Yes, the time on the weather is correct, I really was running at 1:30am here.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.17 10:58 10:58 09:22 09:22 1.17
1.83 28:02 17:04 09:20 09:21 3.00
1.46 41:06 13:04 08:57 09:13 4.46
2.09 59:35 18:29 08:51 09:06 6.55
0.76 66:05 06:30 08:33 09:02 7.31
0.45 69:40 03:35 07:58 08:59 7.76

6.0mi, 51;24, 21 MAY 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 99 of the campaign.

iThink: Kutless, "Somewhere in the Sky"

WX at 0730: 73 (23) DP 23 (-5) BP 29.88 (1012) NW 5 RH 15

Odometer 2: 147.0mi

Z3-4.

Crunched against a deadline = fast run. Or, more likely, as fast as I can go, which is not all that fast lately.

My hamstrings are sore and rather tired, so I'm tapering from here on out...since I have a physical fitness test in a few days.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.18 09:55 09:55 08:24 08:24 1.18
1.82 25:31 15:36 08:34 08:30 3.00
1.82 41:19 15:48 08:41 08:34 4.82
1.17 51:24 10:05 08:37 08:35 5.99

4.0mi, 34:19, 20 MAY 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 98 of the campaign.

iThink:
Sonny Rhodes, "Ballad of Serenity" (yes, the Firefly theme song)
Bear McCreary, "Storming New Caprica"

WX at 0830: 69 (21) DP 26 (-3) BP 29.97 (1015) WNW 6 RH 19

Odometer 3: 26.0mi

Z4.

Slow start, quicker finish, all negative splits, a good sign overall. I am going off CrossFit if I'm killing myself just to hold an 8:30 pace at the start, though. My legs are still dead tired.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.01 08:53 08:53 08:48 08:48 1.01
1.00 17:19 08:26 08:26 08:37 2.01
2.02 34:19 17:00 08:25 08:31 4.03

7.8mi, 68:55, 18 MAY 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 96 of the campaign.

iThink:
The Bats, "Courage"
Kim-Lian, "Kids In America"

WX at 0830: 80 (27) DP 25 (-3) BP 29.91 (1013) 16G25 RH 13

Odometer 2: 141.0mi

Z3.

Yep, you read that right, 16 mph gusting to 25 mph. This is something different - running straight headlong into a 25 mph headwind. That is suck, although probably not as much suck as killing yourself just to run a 9 minute mile.

I suspect I'm going to taper off CrossFit for a few days as my legs are totally dead. Dead, dead, dead.

On the other hand, it was useful to have the Forerunner 305 to give me an idea of just how slow I'd gotten.

Still, this was worth the run.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
7.76 68:55 08:55 08:53 08:53 7.76

2.0mi hash, 39:52, 15 MAY 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 93 of the campaign.

iThink: none.

WX at 2230: 71 (22) DP 28 (-2) BP 30.03 (1017) N 20 RH 20

Odometer 1: 252.0mi

Z2.

The wogging I did this morning was easy money, and for a good reason, actually.

Today marks the first time I decided to try using technology on trail for real - and it was actually fairly rewarding. I received a Garmin Forerunner 305 in the mail, and I must admit the thing works like a champ compared to my old Timex Speed+Distance Ironman watch.

This is the first time I've been able to divine distance quickly, just for curiosity's sake.

On hashing - this was a good trail. It did a great job of keeping the pack together, and more importantly, it didn't sacrifice the trail for punishment. This is the shortest trail I've run in a long while, but it did most of what it was intended to do - and frankly, that's the best thing about a hash. It's certainly not about the competitive aspects that aren't supposed to exist!

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
2.04 39:52 39:52 19:33 19:33 2.04

4.1mi, 38:00, 15 MAY 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 93 of the campaign.

iThink:
Juliana Hatfield, "When You Loved Me"
James Horner, "Genesis Countdown"


WX at 0830: 75 (24) DP 33 (1) BP 30.00 (1016) SSE 3 RH 22

Odometer 3: 22.0mi

Z2-3.

After last night's grind, I decided four miles of easy wogging was in order, so I did. Today's run was to do one thing - burn lard, and do nothing else.

It also provided some time for reflection, which I don't usually get at the workplace because the pace is a mite nutty lately.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
2.05 19:11 19:11 09:21 09:21 2.05
2.05 38:00 18:49 09:11 09:16 4.10

4.0mi on elliptical, 30:05, 14 MAY 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 92 of the campaign.

iThink: Tommy Keene, "Alta Loma"

WX at 2330: 71 (22) DP 30 (-1) BP 29.97 (1015) W 6 RH 22

Odometer 2: 133.1mi

Z4 by heart rate.
Average heart rate ~ 160.

I decided to weenie out and not run tonight at night...so I decided on doing four relatively fast elliptimiles. I was pleasantly surprised at the speed - although I know it's not necessarily correlative with run speed. I started going at about 7mph, and once I was warmed up, I realized that going 9.5-10mph was not as hard on the elliptical as I thought...so I cranked on.

4.1mi, 34:52, 13 MAY 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 91 of the campaign.

iThink: Tommy Keene, "Alta Loma"

WX at 0930: 77 (25) DP 32 (0) BP 30.03 (1017) NNW 5 RH 19

Odometer 2: 129.1mi

Z3 high.

Today was pleasantly nice for a run - so I decided to go for a run...after sleeping through three alarms.

Still, I needed a break from doing CrossFit, especially after 120 pull-ups (of varying levels of poor quality) and 120 dips (of equally shoddy extension).

One of my gripes about CrossFit is the relative lack of aerobic work - and I don't have the latitude to do two PT sessions a day most of the time.

So I ran today - because I have to. The fact that I thought I was moving out and only going 8:30 pace is pretty sad.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
2.05 17:27 17:27 08:31 08:31 2.05
2.05 34:52 17:25 08:30 08:30 4.10

7.8mi, 69:01, 11 MAY 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 89 of the campaign.

iThink:
background music to the game Puppy Luv (my kids have this game)
Anberlin, "Cold War Transmissions"
The Bats, "Courage"
Michael Kamen, Band of Brothers Suite 2
Armor for Sleep, "Frost and Front Steps"

WX at 1830: 78 (26) DP 14 (-10) BP 29.91 (1013) NNE 15G32 RH 8

Odometer 3: 16.9mi

Z3.

The slowing trend continues - although I knew I had accumulated enough sleep to sleep through three separate alarms last night - which is, in my opinion, a dangerous level of tiredness.

Today's CrossFit also involved a fair number of squats, so it's no accident my legs were tired.

I still needed to burn lard, so I ran. The Asics GT-2130 trail shoes did not feel as smooth as I'd once thought. Some of it might be socks, but some of it may be that it's the second time I've worn these shoes and the conditions, based on prevailing winds, were borderline hostile. It is very little accident I was running progressive positive splits as I spent a good chunk of the last three miles running into the wind. When it's 15mph gusting to 32, it's a little more than I normally like.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:59 08:59 08:59 08:59 1.00
2.00 26:30 17:31 08:46 08:50 3.00
2.73 50:40 24:10 08:51 08:51 5.73
2.05 69:01 18:21 08:57 08:52 7.78

7.8mi, 68:53, 9 MAY 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 88 of the campaign.

iThink: Kutless, "Somewhere in the Sky"

WX at 2359: 55 (13) DP 32 (0) BP 29.97 (1015) WNW 7 RH 40

Odometer 2: 125.0mi

Z3.

I was unable to get much beyond steady state. My legs are too tired from lack of sleep, combined with heavy lifting, with inconsistent running.

The few times I get to run, it's slow and painful, although I think my really irregular sleep hours have something to do with it. I need to run, but eating dinner at 8:30pm means that I have to wait a few hours before it settles - and there is no time otherwise in the day to do it. The alternative is that I wake up early - and I can only burn the candle at both ends before things start to go very, very wrong.

When there are people in combat who will have to execute the orders I write, I owe it to them to do the best work I can. Period.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:01 09:01 09:01 09:01 1.00
2.00 26:31 17:30 08:45 08:50 3.00
4.78 08:53 42:22 08:52 08:51 7.78

1.0+7.8mi, 66:05, 7 MAY 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 85 of the campaign.

iThink:
The All-American Rejects, "11:11pm"
The Bats, "Courage"

WX at 2230: 64 (18) 33 (1) 30.00 (1016) SSW 6 RH 31

Odometer 3: 9.0mi

Z5, then Z3.

Today's CrossFit was supposed to be 4x880yd. I got through two with the most colossal side stitch I've ever had. That might follow for doing speedwork only a mere 45 minutes after dinner, but I don't like skipping meals and I need to work out. I got through two at a pathetically slow 4:00 and 4:30, and then gave up and ran almost 8.

I almost woofed and I have bad hiccups. I gotta eat earlier.

For all the pain involved in CrossFit, I am getting stronger. I ran faster off less effort because my legs and other musculature was stronger. Can't argue with that.

On the bright side, I really like my new Asics GT-2130 Trail shoes!

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
3.00 25:35 25:35 08:32 08:32 3.00
4.78 66:05 40:30 08:28 08:30 7.78

6.0mi, 52:45, 4 May 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 82 of the campaign.

iThink:
Tears for Fear, "Snatches of Pain" (curiously appropriate)
Journey, "Only the Young"
Stan Getz, Joao Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim, "The Girl from Ipanema"

WX at 0830: 69 (21) DP 39 (4) BP 29.97 (1015) NNW 5 RH 32

Odometer 2: 117.1mi

Z3/4.

All the CrossFit I've been doing has one side effect - my legs are completely dead. I was killing myself just to hold this pace today because I have no power in my quadriceps or calves.

Yesterday involved similar amounts of heavy lifting, mostly involve barbell jerks and presses. My legs, however, were also involved, but I think most of it is because of the 300 squats I did two days ago.

This is transitory, I suspect, but it didn't make for a very enjoyable run in some ways.

The other thing I don't like about waking up early and running right away is that it takes me a little while to hydrate, and there are few things less enjoyable than running with a completely dry mouth.

I know it's going to be a rough one when the only mantra in the last two miles of this run is "The Girl from Ipanema," which roughly equates to my "get through it" background tune.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
3.00 26:11 26:11 08:44 08:44 3.00
3.00 52:45 26:34 08:51 08:48 6.00

heavy lifting + ~1mi, time indeterminate, 2 MAY 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 80 of the campaign.

iThink: Armor for Sleep, "Frost and Front Steps"

WX at 2030: 71 (22) DP 26 (-3) BP 29.85 (1011) S 6 RH 18

Odometer 2: 110.1mi

Z4.

How can only one indeterminate mile be a zone 4 workout?

Try 100 pullups, 200 pushups, and 300 squats first. I am frankly surprised that I didn't woof. Thus goes another CrossFit workout - although it seems to work and I'll hopefully reap the benefits in a few weeks. Or something like that.

In the meantime, it's time to get more than 3 hours of sleep. I have noticed that the jet fighters near my hooch don't wake me up in the middle of the night when I'm already asleep. Whee.

Distance indeterminate, time indeterminate, 1 MAY 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 79 of the campaign.

iThink: "The All-American Soldier" (Yes. I have no idea why.)

WX at 2130: 71 (22) DP 19 (-7) BP 29.97 (1015) N 17 RH 14

Odometer 1: 250.0mi eqivalent

Z3.

Nothing like haring a hash run that turns into a rout - I had to go to ground to avoid getting bagged. I did successfully recover and finish the run. It was messy, but most importantly, people had fun, so that was by far the most important part.

I was haring with El Gato and the unnamed coworker tonight. Good times! It was good fun, seriously.

Lesson learned: route selection, route selection, route selection. Actually, once I was warmed up, running was easier than I thought!

I don't think I've ever been in a place where the relative humidity was so low. Egad.

In the meantime, I call home and listen to my house getting hit by coin-sized pieces of hail. Nice.

4.1mi, 36:41, 1 MAY 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 79 of the campaign.

iThink: Kutless, "Somewhere in the Sky"

WX at 0800: 66 (19) DP 33 (1) BP 30.06 (1018) WNW 6 haze RH 29

Odometer 2: 109.0mi

Z3.

Today is one of those singularly bizarre days that I woke up after only about four hours of sleep and for whatever reason or another felt completely rested - to the point where I felt froggy to go for what is now a fairly rare morning run.

It doesn't change that there's a big difference between running at night and running during the day - and I like running at night because there's less traffic, less dust, and perhaps more significantly, I'm not running under the sun.

The alternate explanation is that CrossFit is actually working for me, sort of.

This will be one of two runs today - another rarity, which I probably need to start doing again. I suspect I'll be haring tonight since it's been two weeks since the last hash here and I think they need an experienced hare.

This has to be at least marginally safer than the last run I did, though...

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
2.05 18:20 18:20 08:57 08:57 2.05
2.05 36:41 18:21 08:57 08:57 4.10

Jesus Titty Fucking Christ

Day 77 of the campaign.

iThink: None.

WX at 2300: 68 (20) DP 32 (0) BP 30.00 (1016) Variable 2 RH 26

Odometer 2: 104.9mi

Z2-3.

This is my first run since the abortive attempt a few days ago.

Work has been absolutely fucking insane lately.

Another one of my coworkers has been trying to get me to do Crossfit with him. It's not to the extent of do it until you barf, but it's working parts that I didn't - and as a rule, I'll try almost anything once.

The same coworker (and I haven't come up with a catchy name for him yet) is a hare for this Thursday's hash. We were scouting trail as an alternative workout and we decided to climb over a wall. The place looked mostly cleared, but I wasn't sure. After seeing nothing that even looked like tire tracks or a foot path, we ran across a field, and saw some plastic red marking tape...with the word "DANGER" on it. I'm thinking "did I just do what I think I did?"

...and uttered the words that adorn the title of this blog entry.

No Splits.

~5.0mi, 54:01, 27 APR 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 75 of the campaign.

iThink:
Game Theory, "Drive"
Veruca Salt, "Awesome"

WX at 0830: 64 (18) DP 23 (-5) BP 30.06 (1018) WNW 14 RH 20

Odometer 2: 101.4mi

Z2-3.

I felt like total and complete crap this morning...which might partly be due to it being my first run back since returning from Qatar.

4,890 feet is officially no joke. I am not kidding if I think I was running slower than 10:00/mile.

Of course, the other contributing factor was a 22km/h headwind for most of the run, but I've been so used to running in the afternoon and evening that I wasn't very hydrated. The skinny is that I need to spend about an hour prior to the run actually getting water in. Starting off with a dry mouth is not a good sign.

I've also been lifting certain things I haven't in the past, so that's another contributing factor. Still, between winds, general lack of conditioning, and the fact that I've managed to gain something like six pounds in the last two weeks, not good indicators...

No splits warranted for a run this slow!

9.3mi, 82:59, 23 APR 08, As Sayliyah, Qatar

Day 72 of the campaign.

iThink:
Blue Oyster Cult, "Don't Fear The Reaper"
All-American Rejects, "Move Along"

WX at 2000: 78 (26) DP 62 (17) BP 29.91 (1013) N 3 RH 57

Odometer 2: 96.4mi

Z3.

I am not kidding. I ran this at Z3 pretty much the entire way through. I had been meaning to run a 3-lapper around the compound here, and I did - without significant effort.

I am really, really glad that I was able to run negative splits, especially at the end. This is the longest run I've done since getting into theater, and it was damned therapeutic.

The one sobering thing about today's run is that it's been three years since Thor, quite possibly one of the most faithful companions I've ever had, died of old age. I still miss him. It was no accident today that I was imagining him running alongside, like he used to do when he was still with us.

I'm not a religious person, but there's a thought in the back of my mind that someday, in some better place, I'll be reunited today with Thor and all the people long gone that I had loved.

I don't observe the Day of the Dead, the Mexican holiday, but there are plenty of times that I've thought, just one more moment with some of the family that I'd lost long ago. Some of that includes my grandmother, Thor, and one of my uncles, who died of stomach cancer a few weeks ago.

I also need to call my sister, since today's her birthday.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
3.10 28:50 28:50 09:18 09:18 3.10
3.10 56:27 27:37 08:55 09:06 6.20
3.10 82:59 26:32 08:34 08:55 9.30

6,000m on Concept2 Model D, 25:44, 21 APR 08, As Sayliyah, Qatar

iThink: nothing. I was too busy paying attention to form and watching the start of the Women's elite leg of the Boston Marathon today.

WX at 1600: 84 (29) DP 59 (15) BP 29.80 (1009) NNE 14 widespread dust RH 34

Odometer 2: 87.0mi equivalent.

Z3, Z4 finish.

I wasn't expecting to crank as fast as I did today, but it was cool inside (and 84F outside). Then I got some lifting in afterwards. I notice usually that when I spin on a Concept, and I don't look at the screen, I tend to row faster, and better. I was also concentrating on smoothness today, which seemed to get me an extra second or two per 500m. Every second counts, and I suspect this is actually my PR for 6,000m, which given that I'm effectively at sea level (making both the machine and myself more efficient after training at altitude the last month), shouldn't surprise me.

Still, I'm going to try to squeeze in a long slow three-lapper so I can say I've run 9.3 before I leave...which is the plan, but maybe not necessarily in execution.

Splits
Distance: 6000
Time: 0:25:44
Per 500m: 02:09
Drag Factor : 204
Per Mile: 0:06:54

6.2mi, 49:53, 20 APR 08, As Sayliyah, Qatar

Day 69 of the campaign.

iThink: The Cure, "A Forest"

WX at 2000: 82 (28) DP 51 (11) BP 29.77 (1008) SE 6 widespread dust RH 34

Odometer 2: 84.6mi

Z4.

This doesn't factor in a slow easy run I did two days ago which I forgot to log. My legs are still tired, if today was any indicator, but I didn't realize it was over 80 degrees until I checked the weather.

I was somewhat dismayed that I wasn't running as fast as I thought I was...until I realized I'd cut a respectable negative split when I did my second lap.

Then...I was witness to some particularly bad small-mindedness tonight. I was at the bar here at As Sayliyah tonight with a Navy Reserve commander who kept asserting that "you don't know shit." I tend to be a pretty tolerant guy most of the time, but I don't suffer fools too well. I may have been a little curt in my response of "okay, sir, whatever," but if someone feels compelled to pull rank off duty because he feels insecure and someone junior to him by rank decided to publicly challenge his incorrect statements, it's an indicator that he really does feel like he has something to compensate for. Myself...I don't feel like I have to compensate for anything; I am who I am. I find it laughably sad, but I don't work for him, I don't need his approval for my own edification, and as I pointed out to some other folks who were witness to it...he effectively doesn't exist to me.

Some people might be a little surprised that I can write people off at the drop of a hat, but frankly, I don't need anything from him personally or professionally, so for all intents and purposes, he's dead to me. Some people think that's unkind, but it's not an overstatement to say that I honestly wouldn't care if he suffered death by misadventure - not that it's very likely in Qatar, of all places.

To quote the Intrepid Coworker, "it is what it is."

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
3.10 25:08 25:08 08:06 08:06 3.10
3.10 49:53 24:45 07:59 08:03 6.20

6.2mi, 51:36, 17 APR 08, As Sayliyah, Qatar

Day 64 of the campaign.

iThink: Aly & AJ, "Chemicals React"

WX at 0600: 75 (24) DP 68 (20) BP 29.80 (1009) SE 5 RH 79

Odometer 2: 76.3mi

Z3.

I did two days of PT consecutively for the first time in a while. It was rougher than I thought, partly because it was more humid than I thought.

I was told afterwards I didn't look very happy.

I got a haircut after I realized how much I was sweating this morning.

Still, working but not killing myself for average paces so far is a good sign, mostly.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
3.11 25:17 25:17 08:08 08:08 3.11
3.11 51:36 26:19 08:28 08:18 6.22

10,000m on Concept2 Model D, 43:50, 15 APR 08, As Sayliyah, Qatar

Day 63 of the campaign.

iThink:
Bear McCreary, "Violence and Variations"

WX at 1700: 82 (28) DP 60 (16) BP 29.83 (1010) NNE 10 RH 47

Odometer 2: 70.0mi equivalent.

Z3 high.

Today marks my return to Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar, for work-related reasons. It sure is weird being back here after a month. It's even weirder since the room in which I'm billeted is all of one room removed from where I stayed with The Intrepid Coworker (now back at home) a month ago. Wacky.

I can definitely feel being back down at sea level - but the real proof of the pudding is going to be when I go running. Today marked the first time spinning on the Concept2 (and the gym here has not only a Model C, but also a Model D, so naturally I went to the Model D) in a while. I noticed the drag factors go up dramatically as the air gets thicker, which is consistent with the way a Concept2 is supposed to work. I still had to work my ass off to get what I considered an acceptable time.

I sure wouldn't mind buying a Concept Model C or something like it - but it may have to wait until after I get back home from this long deployment.

Splits
Distance: 10000
Time: 0:43:50
Per 500m: 02:11
Drag Factor : 200
Per Mile: 0:07:03

7.8mi, 66:54, 14 APR 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 62 of the campaign.

iThink: "Johnny Hopkins" (yes, that song at the end of every winning Hopkins lacrosse game.)

WX at 0930: 50 (10) 46 (8) 30.00 (1016) Variable 3 light rain showers

Odometer 2: 67.5mi

Z3.

Not so bad, not so great. My legs and hip flexors were really feeling doing nothing but long runs - which implies that these longer runs are actually toughening me up, or so I'd like to believe.

I did loosen up near the end, and finished relatively smooth.

All that was punctuated by "dammit!" when I realized I didn't have my room key. Fortunately, I'd locked it in my room...rather than leaving it somewhere on the road to be found by someone else. Oops.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
4.72 40:41 40:41 08:37 08:37 4.72
3.08 66:54 26:13 08:31 08:35 7.80

7.8mi, 67:53, 12 APR 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 60 of the campaign.

iThink:
Bettie Serveert, "Smack"
R.E.M., "Driver 8"
R.E.M., "West of the Fields"
Bear McCreary, "Violence and Variations"

WX at 1900: 60 (16) DP 26 (-3) BP 29.97 (1015) N 14 RH 26

Odometer 1: 244.0mi

Z3.

Today was a day to unload, and think, somewhat. It was not a day for killing myself to get a personal record, and today's time reflects that relative effort. It also reflects the soreness I still feel in my legs after going full bore on Thursday.

I did feel relatively relaxed, so I was running at under anaerobic threshold. It should be interesting to see what I can pull out when I'm back at sea level. I'll find that out shortly.

I'm surprised I had as much in the iThink as I had today, though.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
7.80 67:53 07:53 08:42 08:42 7.80

7.8mi, 62:59, 10 APR 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 58 of the campaign.

iThink:
John Williams, "Battle In the Snow" (from The Empire Strikes Back)
John Williams, "The Mission" (yes, the NBC Nightly News theme)
The Bats, "Straight Image"

WX at 1630: 48 (9) DP 46 (8) BP 30.06 (1018) NNW 13 rain RH 93

Odometer 1: 236.0mi

Z3-Z4.

My shoes are starting to fall apart. I realized this when I looked down at my shoes and my outer forefoot showed through both shoes. The upper on the left side was literally starting to come apart from the midsole, with the upper on the right side heavily stretched out.

I'm guessing that by not brushing dirt (of which there's a lot at Bagram) out of the shoes, it started cutting the shoes from the fibers inside...so I guess I have some work cut out for me...and the next pair of shoes I buy need to be trail shoes.

I didn't quite expect to run a PR today, but I did, and I was gratified. Of course, it could be that I haven't done anything but eat since the 7th.

Today also marked transfer of authority from the 82d Imperial Airborne Division to the 101st Imperial Airborne Division today...the sad thing is that the senseless butt-sniffing about which division is supposedly better is still going on by some of those in the joint task force staff who have inferiority complexes or really small peckers.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 07:54 07:54 07:54 07:54 1.00
2.06 24:02 16:08 07:50 07:51 3.06
2.68 46:56 22:54 08:33 08:11 5.74
2.04 62:59 16:03 07:52 08:06 7.78

4.1mi, 33:23, 7 APR 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 55 of the campaign.

iThink: Aly & AJ, "Speak For Myself"

WX at 0830: 50 (10) DP 42 (6) BP 30.09 (1019) NW 5 RH 74

Odometer 1: 228.2mi

Z3 high.

The Intrepid Coworker goes home today; he has richly earned his parole from the combat zone. I did meet up with him to go for a run and throw the rock around.

There is something bizarrely therapeutic about throwing a lacrosse ball around as people watch in amazement, but maybe that's my barely-hidden iconoclast coming out.

Today was not excessively fast, but it was a strong finish, and the weather was about as good as it's been for the last few weeks. Perhaps a fitting finish.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
2.05 16:44 16:44 08:10 08:10 2.05
2.05 33:23 16:39 08:07 08:09 4.10

6.1mi, 52:26, 5 APR 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 53 of the campaign.

iThink:
R.E.M., "Driver 8"
The Reputation, "Let It Rest"
The Reputation, "Some Senseless Day"

WX at 0830: 46 (8) DP 39 (4) BP 29.91 (1013) NNW 3 RH 75

Odometer 2: 59.7mi

Z3 low.

Today was a day of forced activity as the pace of work has gotten to the point where I have increasingly less time or opportunity to actually do any physical activity during the day.

I may shift to lifting during the workday so that I don't feel like putting my fist through random people during the day.

Of course, the fact that I carry a bullet launcher and a magazine or two of 9mm ball ammunition on a daily basis right now should not be a cause for alarm. Actually, with my general degree of schadenfreude these days, if I ever had to use my weapon in anger then it would take me very, very little mental (or physical, for that matter) energy to transition to aiming for one of the three lethal zones and putting a round (or two or three, just to be sure) into who I was trying to kill.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
3.06 26:12 26:12 08:34 08:34 3.06
3.06 52:26 26:14 08:34 08:34 6.12

~4.0mi, time indeterminate, 3 APR 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 52 of the campaign.

iThink: Chris Stamey, "Shades of Green"

WX at 2330: 51 (11) DP 42 (6) BP 29.94 (1014) ENE 9 RH 71

Odometer 1: 224.1mi

Z3.

I was very nearly the FRB on tonight's hash...I just found markings and I barely caught the hares trying to bring up stuff. I knew how close I was to the hares when I started seeing markings that I knew I hadn't passed not 3 minutes prior. I also noticed with some satisfaction that I have some endurance that I didn't think I had - albeit not much speed. Looks like my long runs are starting to pay off!

Fun. But I'm tired.

No Splits.

6.0mi, 52:54, 1 APR 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

Day 50 of the campaign.

iThink: "Johnny Hopkins" (alas, not heard much these days at Homewood Field...)

WX at 2330: 59 (15) DP 30 (-1) BP 29.97 (1015) ENE 10 RH 33

Odometer 2: 53.7mi

Z3.

The last few days have been singularly unpleasant at work if partly because of unexpectedly high workload. I was so intemperate that I was seriously about to go choke someone out today.

One of our soldiers was promoted today - and I ws very gratified to tell him that. That said, I had a discussion with him about how things were happening that should not happen, like officers having to do basic administrative tasks that were in the purview of others to do.

I did tell El Gato this morning that I was going for a run, come hell or high water. No way around it. I didn't care how late it was, but I was going for a damn run. We went for an easy run starting at about 10:45 at night...which by itself is not a big deal considering that we had been doing bare-knuckle planning most of the day.

It's hard, often thankless, and sometimes stultifying work, but there is a certain pleasure in doing planning that gets acknowledgement from senior leadership for its correctness. It's what the professor of military theory at the School of Advanced Military Heresy described as the difference between knowledge and mastery. I have no doubt that I work with some of the right people to achieve some of that mastery - rather than the clumsy knowledge of a mere courtier.

I don't make any pretense about what my eventual future is in the Green Polyester Industry; my conscious decision to leave the command track was the right decision for me. It does validate the prediction I made at the age of 22...that my greatest contributions to the Nation's defense would not be made as a commander.

Damn, that run was therapeutic. I was really getting crotchety today.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
3.00 27:26 27:26 09:09 09:09 3.00
3.00 52:54 25:28 08:29 08:49 6.00