3.9mi, 38:12, 8 AUG 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink: Archers of Loaf, "Backwash"

WX at 0700: 73 (23) DP 66 (19) BP 29.86 (1011) NW 10 RH 78 light rain

Odometer 11A: 285.7mi

Z2/Z3. Average/max heart rate = 146/166

Slow, but deliberately slow after yesterday's 7-mile run. I didn't want to overachieve, so I didn't. This felt about right for a recovery run, if only because I was pretty sure of what would happen if I ran hard two days in a row.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:50 09:50 09:50 09:50 1.00
1.00 19:12 09:22 09:22 09:36 2.00
1.00 29:20 10:08 10:08 09:47 3.00
0.90 38:12 08:52 09:51 09:48 3.90

7.0mi, 65:55, 7 AUG 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink:
Body Count, "Killing Floor"
Body Count, "Cop Killer"

WX at 1700: 80.1 (26.7) DP 68.0 (20.0) BP 29.81 (1009) SSE 6 RH 67
WX at 1600: 75.9 (24.4) DP 69.1 (20.6) BP 29.76 (1007) E 18 RH 80

Odometer 11A: 281.8mi

Z4. Average/max heart rate = 156/178

Late start, hoping to catch a break after this afternoon's brief thunderstorm, but the sun came back out and it got hot in a great big hurry.

I hate running in the sun.

After reading about religious faiths, Body Count was the only iThink choice. No other alternative.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:02 09:02 09:02 09:02 1.00
1.00 18:23 09:21 09:21 09:11 2.00
1.00 28:00 09:37 09:37 09:20 3.00
1.00 37:36 09:36 09:36 09:24 4.00
1.00 46:57 09:21 09:21 09:23 5.00
1.00 56:35 09:38 09:38 09:26 6.00
1.00 05:55 09:20 09:20 09:25 7.00

3.27mi, 33:34, 6 AUG 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink:
Circle Jerks, "Wasted"
Kitchens of Distinction, "Smiling"

WX at 0900: 79.0 (26.1) DP 75.0 (23.9) BP 29.88 (1011) Calm RH 87

Odometer 11A: 274.8mi

Z2. Average/max heart rate = 144/163

Easy run, but I was pretty beat. It was somewhat humid, but thankfully overcast. Today was deliberately slow and involved wogging after yesterday's hard run.

This exercise of discretion should pay off. I hope.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:39 09:39 09:39 09:39 1.00
1.00 20:36 10:57 10:57 10:18 2.00
1.00 30:48 10:12 10:12 10:16 3.00
0.27 33:34 02:46 10:15 10:16 3.27

6.01mi, 53:46, 5 AUG 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink: The Mayflies USA, "The Apple"

WX at 0700: 75.9 (24.4) DP 72.0 (22.2) BP 29.88 (1011) NNE 5 RH 87

Odometer 11A: 271.5mi

Z4. Average/max heart rate = 159/178

Hard run, faster than usual, first since Tuesday. I don't want to go back to old habits (as was the case last year and earlier this year) because I have crap time management skills, but I was in the "run or else" mode this morning because I didn't think I could afford yet another day of Do Nothing But Eat.

Today was dark. And overcast. And therefore awesome. There might even be thunderstorms today. Bring it on.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:55 08:55 08:55 08:55 1.00
1.00 17:25 08:30 08:30 08:43 2.00
1.00 26:18 08:53 08:53 08:46 3.00
1.00 35:37 09:19 09:19 08:54 4.00
1.00 44:32 08:55 08:55 08:54 5.00
1.01 53:46 09:14 09:09 08:57 6.01

Come to the Dark Side. We have cookies.

Oh. Hell. Yeah.

Leadership. Dig it.

I am not a Floridian, nor am I a Republican, and I am absolutely not an Xtian, but I sure hope Senator Rubio puts his money where his mouth is. There is hope for the future.

I have been there...

About five years ago I had occasion to run my first and only ultramarathon, at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Iraq. It was not by design, but by the general incompetence of the person who was putting together the race itself.

By the time I had hit the 20-mile mark, knowing the distances were about 55 shades of fucked up beyond all recognition, I was pretty much right along the sentiment described in the picture, which appears in The Oatmeal about the comic author's ultramarathon experience.

This is a different kind of art, probably not so public. I would totally buy a t-shirt that said this, were it not for the fact that it would be unwearable at home (my kids) and outside (standards of professional conduct). That's a shame, because it's so fucking dead on.

Why public art is important

As The Secret Life of Swimmers can show, public art edifies you in ways you don't expect.

Yes, I am glad I grew up around the visual and performing arts.

Oh, dude.

I find Imperial Death Star chicks curiously compelling.

That would also be the reaction known as "oh."

Miss Death Star. Oh.

3.33mi, 30:03, 2 AUG 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink: Above and Beyond feat. Oceanlab, "On A Good Day"

WX at 0700: 80.1 (26.7) DP 69.1 (20.6) BP 29.84 (1010) S 10 RH 69

Odometer 11A: 265.5mi

Z3 first mile, Z4 everything else. Average/max heart rate = 154/174

I almost slept in. I was gratified to get out there since I was expecting it to really suck monkey balls, but the relative humidity was low enough where it was actually not that bad. Surprising. Also surprising was my sustained effort past mile 1 since I wasn't intending on making this a harder run, but I knew I had to go short since I had to get a few things done beforehand.

It's been rare lately for me to run all negative splits.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:23 09:23 09:23 09:23 1.00
1.00 18:29 09:06 09:06 09:15 2.00
1.00 27:17 08:48 08:48 09:06 3.00
0.33 30:03 02:46 08:23 09:01 3.33

5.1mi, 48:17, 1 AUG 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

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

WX at 0600: 75.0 (23.9) DP 73.0 (22.8) BP 30.02 (1016) SSE 6 RH 93

Odometer 11A: 262.2mi

Z3. Average/max heart rate = 151/169

I felt remarkably blah today for having skipped yesterday (and it was a missed opportunity). At least I started early enough where I beat the sunrise. The humidity, on the other hand, was markedly higher this morning, so I'm sure that was a factor.

I don't have dead legs, yet (which is a promising sign) but I didn't feel particularly hale either this morning.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:27 09:27 09:27 09:27 1.00
1.00 18:45 09:18 09:18 09:22 2.00
1.00 28:28 09:43 09:43 09:29 3.00
1.00 38:12 09:44 09:44 09:33 4.00
1.00 47:23 09:11 09:11 09:29 5.00
0.10 48:17 00:54 09:00 09:28 5.10

6.0mi, 54:44, 30 JUL 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink: Mason Daring, "Spider (Main Theme)"

WX at 1100: 75.9 (24.4) DP 71.1 (21.7) BP 30.08 (1018) E 13 RH 85

Odometer 11A: 257.1mi

Z3 high. Average/max heart rate = 155/173

Got in a run, finally, after a day of rest yesterday. I slept almost 9 hours today, which is an indicator. I probably would've slept longer had there not been noise in the house. I am that tired.

Today was much easier - but today was much cooler than days past. Breezy and mid-70s made for a survivable run, even in the sunlight.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:16 09:16 09:16 09:16 1.00
1.00 18:09 08:53 08:53 09:04 2.00
1.00 26:57 08:48 08:48 08:59 3.00
1.00 36:14 09:17 09:17 09:03 4.00
1.00 45:23 09:09 09:09 09:05 5.00
1.00 54:44 09:21 09:21 09:07 6.00

6.02mi, 58:22, 28 JUL 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink:
Above and Beyond feat. Oceanlab, "On A Good Day"
James Horner, "A Call to Arms"

WX at 0600: 79.0 (26.1) DP 64.9 (18.3) BP 29.88 (1011) Variable 7 RH 62 HIDX 81 (27)

Odometer 11A: 251.1mi

Z3. Average/max heart rate = 151/169

I slept in yesterday. Sleeping through five snoozes is an indicator, so I didn't do anything yesterday. Except eat a fucking pound of barbecue, so today was a mandatory run day. Period.

Slow, but I had no expectations for speed when the heat index is already 81F. Yesterday was the hottest day this summer. I was drinking water like it was going out of style after sitting at the pool, in the shade, with the kids in the pool.

My taking two days off between Monday and today is also an indicator.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:37 09:37 09:37 09:37 1.00
1.00 19:11 09:34 09:34 09:35 2.00
1.00 28:59 09:48 09:48 09:40 3.00
1.00 39:08 10:09 10:09 09:47 4.00
1.00 48:32 09:24 09:24 09:42 5.00
1.02 58:22 09:50 09:38 09:42 6.02

4.6mi, 42:18, 25 JUL 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink: Suddenly, Tammy!, "Freez-n-Friz"

WX at 0700: 73.0 (22.8) DP 68.0 (20.0) BP 30.02 (1016) SW 3 RH 84

Odometer 11A: 245.1mi

Z3 high/Z4. Average/max heart rate = 154/173

Almost slept in, but the weather was a lot nicer than the last few days, and it was worth it even though my first two miles felt like total trash.

Biggest challenge was not redlining heart rate, although there's one uphill where I totally blew that goal. Average heart rate was more representative of what I wanted out of today, although the end was a little harder than I should have gone.

Fortunately, today was a relatively disciplined run. I guess that's a good thing since I'm still trying to build base. It's also to make up for my eating in my ravenous fury Saturday night since I went 8 hours after eating and I meant it when I was fucking hungry and put away what had to be over 1500 calories in less than 30 minutes. The guys I was with didn't get the whole "I'm fucking hungry" part, and I don't like to starve if I don't have to.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:11 09:11 09:11 09:11 1.00
1.00 18:30 09:19 09:19 09:15 2.00
1.00 27:38 09:08 09:08 09:13 3.00
1.00 36:49 09:11 09:11 09:12 4.00
0.60 42:18 05:29 09:08 09:12 4.60

6.4mi on elliptical, 70:00, 23 JUL 11, St. Louis, Missouri

iThink: none. Watching the Tour de France while on the elliptical.

WX at 1100: 93.9 (34.4) 73.9 (23.3) 29.98 (1015) SSW 10 RH 53 Heat Index 104 (40)

Odometer 3: way the hell more than 226.4mi

Z3. Average/max heart rate = about 153/161.

Slow, but not intended to be fast. I was shooting for target HR and was at about the right speed. I figure I burned up mabe 930 calories or so. That is what allowed me to walk a few blocks down the street to White Castle and eat 8 slyders, fries, and an assload of Diet Coke. Yay.

I brought an old pair of shoes. That explains odometer 3.

Of course, all this was done indoors. There is no way in hell I was exercising outdoors in a heat index of 104F. The walk to White Castle and back was a sweat festival in itself.

4.58mi, 42:35, 21 JUL 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink: Archers of Loaf, "Backwash"

WX at 0700: 79.0 (26.1) DP 69.1 (20.6) BP 29.86 (1011) S 9 RH 71

Odometer 11A: 240.7mi

Z3. Average/max heart rate = 151/169

Today was almost a sleep-in day since I was up until almost 2:00am doing homework. This is happening mostly because I'm not killing it off early in the day when I need to do so.

It was still better than doing nothing since yesterday was a rest day. I went faster than expected, partly because of focusing on people in front of me and maintaining relative position. I really do benefit from group running, but I'm notoriously antisocial in the mornings.

My pace will remain controlled so I don't go back to mainlining caffeine to stay awake during the day like I did a few weeks ago.

The Archers of Loaf songs I seem to like are all from their early body of work. I had "Backwash" on infinite repeat last night as I was doing homework.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:03 09:03 09:03 09:03 1.00
1.00 18:09 09:06 09:06 09:04 2.00
1.00 27:26 09:17 09:17 09:09 3.00
1.00 36:58 09:32 09:32 09:15 4.00
0.58 42:35 05:37 09:41 09:18 4.58

Schadenfreude, baby.

Yup.

6.14mi, 55:13, 19 JUL 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink:
Foo Fighters, "Weenie Beenie"
The Bats, "Courage"
Foo Fighters, "Good Grief"

WX at 0700: 77.0 (25.0) DP 70.0 (21.1) BP 30.01 (1016) SSW 8 RH 79

Odometer 11A: 236.1mi

Z4. Average/max heart rate = 155/172

The average heart rate is deceptive - my legs were working at much higher intensity than the heart rate would indicate.

After yesterday's abortion of a run, today needed to be a hard one, but the problem is not so much in endurance as much as it is in raw power. When I'm gassed at 165bpm that's crap, if for no reason than I've been able to hold up to 170 for extended periods.

The dead legs are back and I'm not sure how to fix them, aside from wogging, since the implication is that I'm overtrained, again. Shit.

Perhaps "Weenie Beenie" is a useful song for the kind of catharsis I feel from time to time.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:25 08:25 08:25 08:25 1.00
1.00 17:14 08:49 08:49 08:37 2.00
1.00 26:12 08:58 08:58 08:44 3.00
1.00 35:31 09:19 09:19 08:53 4.00
1.00 44:38 09:07 09:07 08:56 5.00
1.00 53:55 09:17 09:17 08:59 6.00
0.14 55:13 01:18 09:17 09:00 6.14

Mozilla drinks its own bathwater, hard

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

2.72mi, 26:23, 18 JUL 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink: The Bats, "Courage"

WX at 0600: 73.9 (23.3) DP 70.0 (21.1) BP 30.08 (1018) S 7 RH 87

Odometer 11A: 229.9mi

Z3. Average/max heart rate = 140/162

Today was one of the most horrifically bad runs I've done in a while. I woke up completely beat, so this morning was an exercise in brute will. I had slept less than 6 hours, so that had something to do with it, but also jumping my circadian rhythm a few hours back really made this run suck big hairy monkey balls.

At least I didn't sleep in, which I was sorely tempted to do.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 10:04 10:04 10:04 10:04 1.00
1.00 19:29 09:25 09:25 09:45 2.00
0.72 26:23 06:54 09:35 09:42 2.72

4.95mi, 46:44, 16 JUL 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink:
Archers of Loaf, "Web In Front"
Dos Gringos, "Going In For Guns"
Sarge, "Clearer"

WX at 2100: 87.1 (30.6) DP 75.9 (24.4) BP 29.97 (1014) ESE 9 RH 70

Odometer 11A: 227.2mi

Z4. Average/max heart rate = 162/175

Late start, but late dinner and a few other priorities of work around the house. I was reliving memories of my college days when I was listening to Archers of Loaf earlier today, among which "Web in Front" was one. It was on a sampler disk that Alias Records had published called Hot! Cinnamon Churros, only because I was a pretty devoted fan of The Loud Family at the time.

Today was crezzy hot. It was not fast, but it was certainly tough going, largely because of the heat, even though the sun had dropped. Last time I ran at night I was in Afghanistan, hence the Dos Gringos song, which was one of my favorite running mantras while I was there.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:52 08:52 08:52 08:52 1.00
1.00 18:01 09:09 09:09 09:00 2.00
1.00 27:22 09:21 09:21 09:07 3.00
1.00 37:29 10:07 10:07 09:22 4.00
0.95 46:44 09:15 09:44 09:26 4.95

6.68mi, 68:59, 14 JUL 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink: Tommy Keene, "Running For Your Life"

WX at 0800: 75.9 (24.4) DP 73.0 (22.8) BP 29.92 (1013) ESE 10 RH 91

Odometer 11A: 225.2mi

Z3. Average/max heart rate = 146/165

Today was a deliberately easy run to expend lard, and it worked. I still feel vaguely self-conscious about waddling my ass at an average 10:19/mi pace.

Weather was pleasant because it was overcast. I'm sure it would have gone worse had the sun been directly out.

Tomorrow is a rest day, Saturday will be a fast one.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:46 09:46 09:46 09:46 1.00
1.00 19:50 10:04 10:04 09:55 2.00
1.00 30:00 10:10 10:10 10:00 3.00
1.00 40:26 10:26 10:26 10:06 4.00
1.00 50:51 10:25 10:25 10:10 5.00
1.00 61:29 10:38 10:38 10:15 6.00
0.68 68:59 07:30 11:02 10:20 6.68

The hazards of half-baked security assistance programs

Otherwise known as don't give a kid (or an ape) a gun unless you inculcate the appropriate weapons safety training first.

Also known as a "criminal case of dumbass."

6.0mi, 54:15, 13 JUL 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink:
Tommy Keene, "A Secret Life of Stories"
The Connells, "Fun and Games"
Mason Daring, "Spider"
Body Count, "Bowels of the Devil"

WX at 0800: 73.0 (22.8) DP 70.0 (21.1) BP 30 (1015) ENE 9 RH 90

Odometer 11A: 218.5mi

Z4. Average/max heart rate = 156/175

Today started out inconsistent but I felt better after yesterday's recovery run. It was still slower than I would've liked, but it was acceptable, mostly.

Tomorrow will be long slow distance, with emphasis on trying to be disciplined about going slow.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:59 08:59 08:59 08:59 1.00
1.00 17:42 08:43 08:43 08:51 2.00
1.00 26:43 09:01 09:01 08:54 3.00
1.00 36:03 09:20 09:20 09:01 4.00
1.00 45:01 08:58 08:58 09:00 5.00
1.00 54:15 09:14 09:14 09:02 6.00

Roller Coaster Massacre

I have to admit I laughed uncontrollably after watching this the first time back in 2007. So I'm glad I found it in 360p on YouTube, from the author's site.

4.6mi, 46:45, 12 JUL 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink:
Jerry Goldsmith, "Main Title" from Star Trek: First Contact
Mason Daring, "Spider"

WX at 0800: 82.9 (28.3) DP 72.0 (22.2) BP 29.93 (1013) SSE 5 RH 69

Odometer 11A: 212.5mi

Z3. Average/max heart rate = 147/167

After a health assessment, I got some hard confirmation that I've been running at way above training heart rate.

It's hard to not feel like a complete shitbag if I'm running as slowly as I did today.

Today was a very deliberate effort to keep my heart rate below 155, and later below 160. I was mostly successful until the end when I was running in open sun and it was getting unpleasantly hot.

The iThink was a pleasant surprise also, from my favorite TV mini-series, ever. From the Earth to the Moon may not be completely accurate history (accurate history being something for which many Americans have no patience), but it is amazing storytelling.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 10:19 10:19 10:19 10:19 1.00
1.00 20:06 09:47 09:47 10:03 2.00
1.00 29:57 09:51 09:51 09:59 3.00
1.00 40:15 10:18 10:18 10:04 4.00
0.60 46:45 06:30 10:50 10:10 4.60

More schadenfreude than even me

Awesome. Someone who hates shitty web design, with a passion.

4.95mi, 45:55, 10 JUL 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

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

WX at 0800: 82.0 (27.8) DP 72.0 (22.2) BP 29.79 (1008) S 13 RH 72

Odometer 11A: 207.9mi

Z4. Average/max heart rate = 153/178

I needed to get out there before it got too hot, but it was already warm when I started this morning. I didn't go very fast and felt like I was working a lot harder to run slowly - but I needed to get one in for the 3 hamburgers I ate last night.

Today will be crezzy hot. I intend to spend it mostly indoors.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST 1.00 09:27 09:27 09:27 09:27 1.00 1.00 18:36 09:09 09:09 09:18 2.00 1.00 27:49 09:13 09:13 09:16 3.00 1.00 37:15 09:26 09:26 09:19 4.00 0.95 45:55 08:40 09:07 09:17 4.95

4.7mi, 40:40, 9 JUL 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink: Joe Stump, "Speed Metal Messiah"

WX at 1100: 82.0 (27.8) 70.0 (21.1) 29.88 (1011) S 13 RH 66

Odometer 11A: 202.9mi

Z4. Average/max heart rate = no reading

Late start, but necessary today. I was thinking just about running to the gym and running elliptimiles, but realized there was enough shade on the course I was running to survive running in direct sunlight, which I loathe.

Still, I gritted it out. I needed to get out there since I didn't do anything yesterday. I still dislike running in hot weather, and this is not that hot.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
4.67 40:40 40:40 08:42 08:42 4.67

Extreme danger from heat, exhaustion, and climax.

Awesome.

5.96mi, 56:02, 7 JUL 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink: R.E.M., "Driver 8"

WX at 0600: 73 (23) DP 71 (22) BP 29.96 (1014) SSW 10 heavy rain with thunder; mist RH 93

Odometer 11A: 198.2mi

Z3 high. Average/max heart rate = 158/170

I slept maybe 5 hours before this run, but hearing hard rain and thunder, I needed to get out there and get at it. Couldn't pass up the chance.

Today was a slow run, although not by design. For whatever reason, I could not get going today. I do not know why other than lack of sleep.

There was nobody else out there running today. Weenies.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:01 09:01 09:01 09:01 1.00
1.00 18:13 09:12 09:12 09:07 2.00
1.00 27:47 09:34 09:34 09:16 3.00
1.00 37:42 09:55 09:55 09:26 4.00
1.00 47:00 09:18 09:18 09:24 5.00
0.96 56:02 09:02 09:25 09:24 5.96

Awesome

Song of the Day: Body Count, "Body Count"

Validation for why I always ignored country music. I laughed my ass off. Yes, I have schadenfreude. No, I'm completely unrepentant.

4.13mi, 38:15, 4 JUL 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink: The Bats, "Courage"

WX at 0900: 72.0 (22.2) DP 69.1 (20.6) BP 29.99 (1015) ESE 7 RH 90

Odometer 11A: 192.2mi

Z3 low. Average/max heart rate = 149/171

Recovery run. 10 pullups (on top of 18 yesterday) after going to track and wogging a few miles after yesterday's Festival o' Schadenfreude. Woot.

It was bright and sunny. I guess that's good for a national holiday, but I don't like running in it.

Maybe, looking at previous recovery runs, that I ran this one too hard. Shit.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:08 09:08 09:08 09:08 1.00
1.00 18:21 09:13 09:13 09:11 2.00
1.00 27:32 09:11 09:11 09:11 3.00
1.00 36:59 09:27 09:27 09:15 4.00
0.13 38:15 01:16 09:45 09:16 4.13

Front leaning rest position, move

In cadence, exercise.

Ho yay, so say we all

6.06mi, 54:17, 3 JUL 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink: Body Count, "Killing Floor"

WX at 0800: 75.0 (23.9) DP 69.1 (20.6) BP 30.03 (1016) ENE 7 RH 81

Odometer 11A: 188.1mi

Z4. Average/max heart rate = 160/187

I stayed up late last night working on the dissertation and woke up later than I'd like. What saved my bacon was it being overcast today so I wasn't having to deal with the withering sunlight that would undoubtedly follow.

I remain slow. On the other hand, I sweat a lot in the summer. There's a reason why I prefer running in the cold. I can always compensate for the cold - not the heat.

I had a Body Count song stuck in my head that's less than two minutes long during my entire fucking run. Part of it was having to deal with a cable repairman yesterday who could not tell the difference between the unencrypted QAM channels being sent over the cable versus what was being output from the cable box. He also didn't address the reason he was supposed to come out, but I don't use that cable box much as Household6 is the primary user of that TV and I'm still clocking my usual 5 hours of TV a month (which is about to increase dramatically with the Tour de France starting yesterday).

It's no secret that I have increasingly less tolerance for dealing with people lately. It's not to the point where I just make a blanket pronouncement that I just fucking hate people in general, but my fucktard tolerance is at an all-time low and I still stand by my assertion that some people are alive only because it's illegal to kill them. I'm sure there's good reason somewhere, but I haven't figured it out yet. Maybe it's better that today's iThink wasn't "I Just Want Some Skank" by the Circle Jerks, another mainstay of my childhood (Group Sex was their first album and remains a hardcore classic).

Perhaps it's good that I'm not carrying my 8-pound security blanket; in my intemperate rage, I got 4 head shots and a chest shot of a grouping of 5 on a 300m human-size target the last time I went to the rifle range and the target started flapping in the wind...

That, and "Killing Floor" is a pretty straightforward song of catharsis, and I so love my catharsis lately.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:46 08:46 08:46 08:46 1.00
1.00 17:35 08:49 08:49 08:47 2.00
1.00 26:31 08:56 08:56 08:50 3.00
1.00 35:39 09:08 09:08 08:55 4.00
1.00 44:39 09:00 09:00 08:56 5.00
1.00 53:49 09:10 09:10 08:58 6.00
0.06 54:17 00:28 07:47 08:57 6.06

5.0mi, 46:49, 1 JUL 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink:
Body Count, "Killing Floor"
Body Count, "Bowels of the Devil"
Suicidal Tendencies, "War Inside My Head"

WX at 0700: 77.0 (25.0) DP 64.9 (18.3) BP 29.93 (1013) SSW 13 RH 66

Odometer 11A: 182.0mi

Z3 high.
Average/max heart rate = 150/174

Today was the worst I've felt on a run in a long, long time. I was absolutely tired, but I need to run. I could be overtrained, but between trying to advance on the dissertation and doing other sundry shit, I will try to run as much as I can.

I had absolutely no energy today whatsoever. Today was not at risk of running in the redline because I didn't have the energy to do much other than run completely aerobically.

I guess that's okay for weight loss, but that doesn't really do shit for me otherwise. The heat could also be a problem. If it's in the high 70s by 7am, today's weather pretty much promises to completely lick my ass raw.

On the other hand, any day I can revisit the music of my childhood is not necessarily a bad thing since it gives me the excuse to say I'm still cyco after all these years.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:16 09:16 09:16 09:16 1.00
1.00 18:27 09:11 09:11 09:13 2.00
1.00 27:59 09:32 09:32 09:20 3.00
1.00 37:39 09:40 09:40 09:25 4.00
1.00 46:48 09:09 09:09 09:22 5.00

Hmmm.

In the United States, warfare is undertaken incident to an act of Congress or an order of the president acting in his role as commander in chief of the armed forces, according to the U.S. Constitution. Law enforcement can also take place at the national level, with the Federal Bureau of Investigation providing the means, and it can be effected at other, lesser levels right down to the community level by local police departments. Waging war, however, lies within the sole province of the president. The objective war is victory over an opponent by securing strategic goals; the objective of law enforcement, on the other hand, is justice through apprehending and punishing violators and giving safe haven, solace, closure, and comfort to victims.

In law enforcement, a crime is committed and the enforcers say: "Who did this? We must find them and apprehend them." In warfare, an act of war is committed, and the warriors say: "We must kill or capture those responsible." So, when a national leader of a country whose homeland is attacked on a massive scale with weapons of mass destruction interprets this as an act of war, he says: "We must attack the perpetrators of this act, and either kill or capture them." "Dead or alive" is the appropriate sentiment in response to an act of war. If, on the other hand, a violation of the laws of the land is at issue, one says instead: "We must bring the perpetrators of this act to justice."

...In law enforcement, responsible officials seek to use the minimum force possible in resolving the crime; in warfare, one seeks to the use the maximum force permissible so that the conflict can be won as quickly as possible with the least amount of destruction and carnage.

- Roger Barnett, Navy Strategic Culture

3.03mi, 30:24, 29 JUN 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink: various running cadences, all sundry, none memorable

WX at 0600: 66.9 (19.4) DP 61.0 (16.1) BP 30.04 (1017) SE 9 RH 81

Odometer 11A: 177.0mi

Z2.
Average/max heart rate = 140/161

Today was going to be a rest day, or a recovery day. Given that it's hard not to go too hard on a recovery day, I tried real hard not to go much above 150 today, which was mostly successful.

I'm also the possessor of a haircut I have not had since I was a junior captain. I may regret this, but hair grows back, and it should be closer to normal in about two weeks, when I get the sides and back shaved off again. Whee.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:55 09:55 09:55 09:55 1.00
1.00 19:47 09:52 09:52 09:54 2.00
1.03 30:24 10:37 10:18 10:02 3.03

There's schadenfreude, and then there's schadenfreude.

Is it so evil that I find this funny as hell?

4.93mi, 43:01, 28 JUN 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink: The Bats, "Courage"

WX at 0700: 63.0 (17.2) DP 57.9 (14.4) BP 30.09 (1018) N 5 RH 83

Odometer 11A: 174.0mi

Z3 high.
Average/max heart rate = 154/170

I'm not sure what made today's run as significantly better than yesterday's, but I'm sure the temperature was a factor. Not as cool as I like, but a definite improvement over the last few weeks. Relative humidity was a lot lower too.

That said, it's also possible that I was around enough people that I was drawing enough negative energy from either pulling in other runners or keeping myself from getting drawn in.

I get an electromyograph test today. I can only hope it's better than the last one I had, which involved having the doctor tapping in needles with the current still going. Doing the frog's leg thing with my arm is one thing, but I don't much care for guys tapping needles in while it's going on. That said, he said I took the test a lot better than most people...

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:35 08:35 08:35 08:35 1.00
1.00 17:03 08:28 08:28 08:31 2.00
1.00 26:05 09:02 09:02 08:42 3.00
1.00 34:57 08:52 08:52 08:44 4.00
0.93 43:01 08:04 08:40 08:44 4.93

So wrong, but so right

And I wonder why American TV spots suck monkey balls, unlike this one.

5.08mi, 45:41, 27 JUN 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink:
Dos Gringos, "Going In For Guns"
Kitchens of Distinction, "Smiling"

WX at 0700: 64.9 (18.3) DP 62.1 (16.7) BP 29.87 (1011) SE 13 RH 90

Odometer 11A: 169.1mi

Z3 HR, but Z4 comparative effort.
Average/max heart rate = 152/168

Today was a day I sorely felt like sleeping in, but I got out when I was greeted this morning by thunder and lightning. That's a safe bet I'm going out for a run if it's still raining and I feel even remotely up to it.

My legs were completely dead on much of this run. What really is jarring is my comparatively low heart rate for feeling like such crap. Of course, this might be a factor of waking up and going for a run less than 20 minutes later.

I'm not sure why I didn't think of the obvious New Model Army running mantra today, but for being such a great song, it doesn't fit well with my running tempo. There is no small irony going from Dos Gringos to Kitchens of Distinction this morning, although a little Blur (to the tune of "Song 2") and Soul Asylum ("Somebody to Shove") intruded briefly this morning as well.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:02 09:02 09:02 09:02 1.00
1.00 17:50 08:48 08:48 08:55 2.00
1.00 26:48 08:58 08:58 08:56 3.00
1.00 36:06 09:18 09:18 09:01 4.00
1.00 45:00 08:54 08:54 09:00 5.00
0.08 45:41 00:41 08:32 09:00 5.08

Frak

Under certain circumstances, urgent circumstances, desperate circumstances, profanity provides a relief denied even to prayer.

- Mark Twain

That said, profanity is perhaps preferable than continuing to nurse the kind of white-hot rage that makes me think about killing people in cold blood with my bare hands.

The last time I was this fucking pissed off I was realizing that I was raising both of my hands in the reflexive fire position for my former 8-pound M4 security blanket a few days after I came home from Afghanistan. I was thinking very deliberately about putting a controlled pair through the center of the driver's side door of cars speeding through my old neighborhood while yelling "SLOW THE FUCK DOWN."

The sad irony is that my bloodthirsty ire is the result of some generally inconsequential things, but I suspect I can't bellow "JESUS TITTY-FUCKING CHRISTALMOTHERFUCKING ALMIGHTY" at the top of my lungs in my house with my kids present.

Nothing I can't fix with the appropriate medication, although Johnnie Walker Red is pretty shitty and I realize I'm WINCHESTER on Glenfiddich 12. Easy fix later on.

So say we all

OMFG I laughed my ass off seeing this.

6.08mi, 55:03, 25 JUN 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink:
The Bats, "Courage"
The Calling, "Wherever You May Go"

WX at 1000: 64 (18) DP 64 (18) BP 29.85 (1010) E 12 light rain RH 100

Odometer 11A: 164.0mi

Z3.
Average/max heart rate = 154/172

Slow run, late morning. I was up very late last night and got a late start, but it was overcast and cool, so I got in a run. Maybe a rest day tomorrow, if not a short run as it gets warmer this week.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:50 08:50 08:50 08:50 1.00
1.00 17:34 08:44 08:44 08:47 2.00
1.00 26:48 09:14 09:14 08:56 3.00
1.00 35:56 09:08 09:08 08:59 4.00
1.00 45:06 09:10 09:10 09:01 5.00
1.00 54:18 09:12 09:12 09:03 6.00
0.08 55:03 00:45 09:23 09:03 6.08

4.6mi, 41:49, 23 JUN 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink:
Gin Blossoms, "Until I Fall Away"
The Calling, "Wherever You Will Go"

WX at 0700: 62.1 (16.7) DP 55.0 (12.8) BP 29.89 (1012) W 7 RH 77

Odometer 11A: 157.9mi

Z3.
Average/max heart rate = 146/186

Slow run, but intended as such. I probably went harder than I should have and the uphill portions were particularly unpleasant.

Maybe tomorrow will be a recovery run also. Today's weather was too good to pass up.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:07 09:07 09:07 09:07 1.00
1.00 18:10 09:03 09:03 09:05 2.00
1.00 27:11 09:01 09:01 09:04 3.00
1.00 36:20 09:09 09:09 09:05 4.00
0.60 41:49 05:29 09:08 09:05 4.60

5.95mi, 52:53, 22 JUN 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink: Dos Gringos, "The O.N.E. Song"

WX at 0600: 62.1 (16.7) DP 53.1 (11.7) BP 29.75 (1007) W 12 RH 72

Odometer 11A: 153.6mi

Z3 mid-high, Z4 finish.
Average/max heart rate = 154/176

Good god was I tired this morning. I totally did not want to get up, but I knew that the weather was going to be worth it, so I got out there and was rewarded by a pleasant break from the last two weeks of heat.

It was breezy, but there is rain forecasted for later this week, and the river is just short of flood stage here it at Fortress Leavenworth. As a result, the airfield has been closed as the Missouri River continues to rise. It'll probably go over the levee at the airfield later this week. Whee!

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:12 09:12 09:12 09:12 1.00
1.00 17:57 08:45 08:45 08:58 2.00
1.00 27:03 09:06 09:06 09:01 3.00
1.00 36:13 09:10 09:10 09:03 4.00
1.00 44:51 08:38 08:38 08:58 5.00
0.95 52:53 08:02 08:27 08:53 5.95

3.8mi, 34:23, 21 JUN 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink: MGMT, "Kids"

WX at 0700: 66.0 (18.9) DP 60.1 (15.6) BP 29.51 (999) SSW 20 RH 81

Odometer 11A: 147.6mi

Z3.
Average/max heart rate = 148/164

Legs were as dead as they have ever felt. My hamstrings are particularly bad this week.

I still needed to get out there, so I did. I was planning on running more, but I left too late. Part of it was the internal debate over how bad my legs felt versus my need to go do something.

Breezy and pleasant, although lately that portends a rain storm.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:56 08:56 08:56 08:56 1.00
1.00 17:40 08:44 08:44 08:50 2.00
1.00 27:18 09:38 09:38 09:06 3.00
0.80 34:23 07:05 08:51 09:03 3.80

3.79mi, 34:14, 19 JUN 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink:
Sugar, "Changes"
The Dream Academy, "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want"
Chris "Vertex Guy" Kline, "Contra Jungle Jam"

WX at 0800: 69.1 (20.6) DP 66.9 (19.4) BP 29.74 (1007) WNW 5 RH 93

Odometer 11A: 143.8mi

Z4.
Average/max heart rate = 152/168

Not long, but my legs were tired from yesterday. I felt better than I thought, but I needed to start earlier. I didn't want to wake up earlier, though.

Also, I'm not sure where the unwarranted attack of the 1980s happened, although the observant reader will note that the Dream Academy's version of the song is the one from the film Ferris Bueller's Day Off. I like The Smiths, but I love covers of their songs. Especially hardcore covers, although that's not the Dream Academy.

Oh well. At least I got a run in.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:51 08:51 08:51 08:51 1.00
1.00 17:31 08:40 08:40 08:45 2.00
1.00 27:01 09:30 09:30 09:00 3.00
0.79 34:14 07:13 09:08 09:02 3.79

The Coolest Thing Ever

Nothing quite says cutting social commentary as much as owning the living dogshit out of a bunch of popular songs. Woot.

5.0mi, 43:59, 18 JUN 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink:
Russell Watson, "Faith of the Heart"
Dos Gringos, "Going In For Guns"

WX at 0900: 69.1 (20.6) DP 63.0 (17.2) BP 29.76 (1007) Calm RH 80

Odometer 11A: 140.1mi

Z4.
Average/max heart rate = 157/176

Faster than I expected, but I dislike running in open sunlight. I slept in this morning otherwise.

After watching the Star Trek: Enterprise episode "Twilight, " I was thinking about alternate histories, since the notion of contingency (as it relates to causality) is a big one for me as a military historian. Could it be that what happens in that episode really leads to as catastrophic consequences as occur during that episode? Those are fundamental discussions of contingency and agency that all historians must address at some point. I also like counterfactuals for the same reason.

That episode also brings up some more pointed thoughts about love, and what it means. Or not.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:57 08:57 08:57 08:57 1.00
1.00 17:31 08:34 08:34 08:45 2.00
1.00 26:25 08:54 08:54 08:48 3.00
1.00 35:13 08:48 08:48 08:48 4.00
1.00 43:59 08:46 08:46 08:48 5.00

3.0mi, 28:43, 16 JUN 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink: Blue Oyster Cult, "Don't Fear the Reaper"

WX at 0700: 68.0 (20.0) DP 55.9 (13.3) BP 29.8 (1009) SSE 10 RH 65

Odometer 11A: 135.1mi

Z2.
Average/max heart rate = 146/169

More wogging. I almost slept in. Then I realized I needed to run.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:36 09:36 09:36 09:36 1.00
1.00 19:13 09:37 09:37 09:36 2.00
1.00 28:43 09:30 09:30 09:34 3.00

Revisionist memory of my childhood

Awesome.

The Coolest Thing Ever

Make your own Atari Cartridge image!

By the way, as a future harbinger of my eventual basic branch in the Army, I totally pwned people playing Tank-Pong in Combat when I was a kid.

3.0mi, 28:16, 15 JUN 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink: various sundry running cadences.

WX at 0600: 66.0 (18.9) DP 59.0 (15.0) BP 29.81 (1009) WNW 8 RH 78

Odometer 11A: 132.1mi

Z2.
Average/max heart rate = 145/159

First true recovery run I've done in a while. I needed to do it. This offered the chance to revisit some running cadences I hadn't thought of in a while in the wake of yesterday's formation run. Woot.

It's preferable to sleeping in, so it's not junk mileage.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:07 09:07 09:07 09:07 1.00
1.00 18:53 09:46 09:46 09:26 2.00
1.00 28:16 09:23 09:23 09:25 3.00

5.53mi, 49:30, 14 JUN 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink: none.

WX at 0700: 68.0 (20.0) DP 64.9 (18.3) BP 29.8 (1009) E 14 RH 90

Odometer 11A: 129.1mi

Z4 ingress, Z2 run, Z4 high egress.
Average/max heart rate = 157/187

I did an installation-wide formation run. For a formation run that was composed to military, civilians, family members, and pets, this group ran a full minute faster per mile than the last formation run I did. I attribute that to numbers.

I thought the group was going to run a loose box at own cadence today, but I was wrong. Someone started the cadence, and ran it out. I even got out there, and realized that literally every cadence I could remember was unsuitable for this audience.

Of the ones I remember, I absolutely could not sing about the monkey who jumps up from the coconut grove, or that "napalm sticks to kids," or that "crunch, crunch, crunch is the sound of the grunts in the sprocket going round and round." I definitely could not sing about how "if you ain't cav, you ain't shit." Literally every cadence I could summon was obscene, or specifically derided a group (as a general staff officer, it's bad form to sing cadences about running over airborne rangers with a tank).

Additionally, other cadences I learned were Cold War cadences, so I wasn't going to sing about dying on the Eastern Front, getting buried with a "Russian Grunt," with a "six-disk changer at my head, so turn up the volume and rock the dead." Maybe not.

There is a special place in hell for those who can only sing running cadences that start with a "C-130 rolling down the strip." My usual response was "first pass" and counting upwards for subsequent iterations of the cadence.

Sum total of my cadences were extended 4-count and various combinations of left and right. There's an old expression that people in the Army never learn to count to five. Listen to a formation run, you know that's totally true. At least I still have rhythm. Thank you, music theory and classical violin training!

I realized afterwards that I have not been in a tactical unit doing this shit in nine years. It's been longer than I thought.

I mentally indulged all those cadences on the run back since I had to teach less than an hour afterwards. I have schadenfreude. That is not an epiphany.

My knees hurt. I am not 21 anymore. That's not a big epiphany either.

Ingress to start was amazingly fast. I am not sure how or why I was able to hold such a speed going in (although it's overall downhill coming into the start) and overall uphill coming back, but the egress was surprisingly fast, although my legs were burning by the end. I also took two days off, so that might be a factor too.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.12 08:44 08:44 07:48 07:48 1.12
3.14 39:01 30:17 09:39 09:10 4.26
1.27 49:30 10:29 08:15 08:57 5.53

5.0mi, 44:33, 11 JUN 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink:
Gin Blossoms, "Follow You Down"
"Jester" from the PC video game Terminal Velocity

WX at 0900: 66.0 (18.9) DP 57.9 (14.4) BP 30.04 (1017) NNE 13 RH 75

Odometer 11A: 123.5mi

Z4 uphill, Z3 downhill.
Average/max heart rate = no reading. Forgot to charge my Garmin ForeRunner 305 yesterday.

For a day I didn't think I was going to run faster than I did, I ran faster because there was a race on and I was "pulled" along by running in proximity to other runners.

Once I was away from those runners, I ran at a more deliberate pace, which was my intent.

Late start, but I was tired last night, and slept in.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
5.00 44:33 44:33 08:55 08:55 5.00

4.91mi, 44:24, 10 JUN 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink:
Material Issue, cover of The Hollies, "Bus Stop"
Tommy Keene, cover of The Hollies, "Carrie Anne"
"Rendezvous with Destiny"
"The All-American Soldier"

WX at 0700: 68.0 (20.0) DP 64.0 (17.8) BP 29.9 (1012) Calm RH 87

Odometer 11A: 118.5mi

Z3 high/Z4.
Average/max heart rate = 153/173

I slept in yesterday, and it felt pretty good. Today's run felt okay at first but felt much better by around the 4-mile mark.

As usual, I felt SIGNIFICANTLY better at about the 4-mile mark. Between that, and the generally flatter terrain (miles 3 and 4 were mostly uphill) I suspect that had something to do with it also.

I had forgotten about Material Issue, which was one of my favorite power-pop guilty pleasures during my college years. I was sorry to hear that lead singer Jim Ellison had committed suicide in 1996. The market for power-pop, alas, has decreased a lot since the early 90s.

I was pondering the politics of what combat service identification badge to wear today, briefly, which sparked the two divisional songs at the end.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:55 08:55 08:55 08:55 1.00
1.00 17:47 08:52 08:52 08:54 2.00
1.00 27:04 09:17 09:17 09:01 3.00
1.00 36:20 09:16 09:16 09:05 4.00
0.91 44:24 08:04 08:52 09:03 4.91

3.75mi, 36:07, 8 JUN 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink: R.E.M., "Driver 8"

WX at 0600: 78.1 (25.6) DP 64.0 (17.8) BP 29.79 (1008) S 17 RH 62

Odometer 11A: 113.6mi

Z2.
Average/max heart rate = 147/165

Today was a deliberately light run after the last three days. My legs were real beat, so I knew I wasn't getting much out of this other than maybe some junk miles and lard burn.

Meh.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:41 09:41 09:41 09:41 1.00
1.00 19:04 09:23 09:23 09:32 2.00
1.00 29:08 10:04 10:04 09:43 3.00
0.75 36:07 06:59 09:19 09:38 3.75

You have the right to be a jackass...

I guess asshats don't like that whole common courtesy thing. AMF.

2.4mi + 4,000m on Concept2 Model D, 17:35, 7 JUN 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink:
Death Cab for Cutie, "A Movie Script Ending"
Linkin Park, "A Place For My Head"
Death Cab for Cutie, "Doors Unlocked and Open"

WX at 0600: 73.0 (22.8) DP 66.0 (18.9) BP 29.85 (1010) S 12 RH 78

Odometer 11A: 109.8mi

Z3.
Average/max heart rate = no reading

After a nice chat with an orthopedic specialist I decided to do something other than just running. So, it was the first time on the Concept in a long, long while.

When the stereo at the gym in which the Concept sits is playing Linkin Park, it's going to stick. Oh well. Could be worse.

The run back after 4km of erg really sucked monkey balls. It always does. At least my knees don't hurt. Yet.

Today was quite pleasant this morning, surprising for a day that's supposed to be craptacularly hot. Summer's here, and she is pissed.

Today: Sunny, with a high near 96. Heat index values as high as 100. Breezy, with a south wind 9 to 12 mph increasing to between 18 and 21 mph. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph.

This is the weather I associate with 20-foot tall sheets of flame going through the plains when grass catches on fire. I saw it at Fort Riley years ago. Nothing like seeing armored vehicles hauling ass to escape a giant sheet of grass fire.

The road to recovery (whatever it is) continues.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.21 11:04 11:04 09:09 09:09 1.21
1.21 22:01 10:57 09:03 09:06 2.42

Distance: 4000
Time: 00:17:35
Avg/500m: 02:12
Drag Factor: 112
Per Mile: 00:07:04

6.9mi, 64:19, 6 JUN 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink:
The Cure, "Disintegration"
Above and Beyond feat. Oceanlab, "On A Good Day"

WX at 0600: 73.9 (23.3) DP 66.0 (18.9) BP 29.94 (1013) SSW 13 RH 76

Odometer 11A: 106.2mi

Z3.
Average/max heart rate = 152/172

Today was likely a day of lard burning, but my legs remain dead even after two days of rest. My lack of speed remains problematic, but I think that's also a function of the extra weight I've been carrying around for the last year.

It is still frustrating to run on dead legs. Uphills are the worst part. There is nothing fun about that.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:14 09:14 09:14 09:14 1.00
1.00 18:35 09:21 09:21 09:17 2.00
1.00 27:50 09:15 09:15 09:17 3.00
1.00 37:23 09:33 09:33 09:21 4.00
1.00 47:04 09:41 09:41 09:25 5.00
1.00 56:12 09:08 09:08 09:22 6.00
0.90 04:19 08:07 09:01 09:19 6.90

6.62mi, 63:52, 3 JUN 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink:
Dos Gringos, "Death Cab for Cutie, "Doors Unlocked and Open"

WX at 0700: 77.0 (25.0) DP 68.0 (20.0) BP 29.91 (1012) S 15 RH 73

Odometer 11A: 99.3mi

Z3.
Average/max heart rate = 155/184

My legs were absolutely destroyed today. They started out tired and it sort of went downhill from there. I wanted to do two things, however:

1. Get a run along the airfield berfore it floods (the Missouri River is slated to exceed flood stage Real Soon Now)
2. See if I could get glycogen regenesis going (which I believe happened).

There was a noticeable improvement in how I felt starting at around the 55-minute mark and it wasn't just because I was running on level ground. That improvement stayed in place even on the gentle uphill going back.

I walked some. I didn't want to redline myself (although with a max HR of 184, I did at some point today).

I deliberately didn't pay attention to how crappy my splits were today. That wasn't the point.

I'm taking tomorrow off. Sad thing is that even after all this work, I still ran only about 20 miles this week. Sad, sad, sad.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:23 09:23 09:23 09:23 1.00
1.00 18:31 09:08 09:08 09:15 2.00
1.00 28:15 09:44 09:44 09:25 3.00
1.00 38:02 09:47 09:47 09:30 4.00
1.00 47:43 09:41 09:41 09:33 5.00
1.00 58:08 10:25 10:25 09:41 6.00
0.62 03:52 05:44 09:15 09:39 6.62

3.09mi, 29:19, 2 JUN 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink:
30 Seconds to Mars, "Closer to the Edge"
Unsensored, opening credit music to "Life With Derek" (Yes. No! Yes.)

WX at 0700: 66.9 (19.4) DP 66.9 (19.4) BP 30.06 (1017) SW 5 RH 100

Odometer 11A: 92.7mi

Z2.
Average/max heart rate = 148/170

I felt like crap but needed to get in a run after eating my ass off yesterday.

I have no idea why I had either of the two songs stuck in my head. As an aside, and I never realized this the day after quoting My So-Called Life (a show I religiously watched some 16 years ago) but the lead singer of the band whose song gets beaten to death every weekend in NCAA lacrosse season is Jared Leto.

Yes. The guy with the giant pink mohawk is Jordan fucking Catalano. I was dumbfounded when I read it.

I gotta admit, Claire Danes is pretty hot. No giant epiphany here.

Today was a recovery run of wogging, nothing more. I wasn't up for anything but that. It'll be hot the next few days. Yay.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:22 09:22 09:22 09:22 1.00
1.00 19:06 09:44 09:44 09:33 2.00
1.00 28:26 09:20 09:20 09:29 3.00
0.09 29:19 00:53 09:49 09:29 3.09

5.83mi, 51:00, 1 JUN 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink: The Legion of Doom, "Dangerous Business Since 1979"

WX at 0700: 63.0 (17.2) DP 50.0 (10.0) BP 30.26 (1024) ESE 5 RH 62

Odometer 11A: 89.6mi

Z4.
Average/max heart rate = 157/178

Not sure why I felt better, although I didn't do anything but eat yesterday. I need to get out of the day on/day off routine.

I'm also not sure why I had a screamo song stuck in the back of my head, but I have to be in a certain mood to have that song in the foreground.

"Hatred can become like food. It gives you this energy. You can, like, live off it."

Angela Chase from My So-Called Life

A slightly more pithy take on it is Johnny Lydon singing 'Anger is an energy." Yes, that Johnny Rotten. From Public Image Limited.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:54 08:54 08:54 08:54 1.00
1.00 17:29 08:35 08:35 08:45 2.00
1.00 26:36 09:07 09:07 08:52 3.00
1.00 35:31 08:55 08:55 08:53 4.00
1.00 44:05 08:34 08:34 08:49 5.00
0.83 51:00 06:55 08:20 08:45 5.83

Best. Gift. Ever.

My students were paying attention this past year! Only they would grab onto one of the expressions I said while teaching joint operational art and turn it into the best damn gift ever.

My teaching partner said this class was "challenging" in many ways, and that was an apt moniker. I was glad when my students would take things head on and challenge me - it meant they had taken ownership of the coursework. As a teacher I could not ask for more.

Roll Call

Gone, but not forgotten:

2LT Tom Witt - Fort Hood, Texas, April 1995
CW2 Aaron Weaver - near Fallujah, al-Anbar governorate, Iraq, January 2004
SFC Don Eacho - Ramadi, al-Anbar governorate, Iraq, March 2005
CW4 Matt Lourey - Buhriz, Diyala governorate, Iraq, May 2005
MAJ Matt Worrell - Yusufiyah, Baghdad governorate, Iraq, May 2006
CW4 Bill Engeman - Baghdad, Baghdad governorate, Iraq, May 2006
SGT Jason Swiger - Baqubah, Diyala governorate, Iraq, March 2007
CPT Jon Grassbaugh - Zaganiyah, Diyala governorate, Iraq, April 2007
SGT Eric Holke - Tallil, Dhi Qar governorate, Iraq, July 2007
SFC Gary Vasquez - Yakchal, Helmand province, Afghanistan, September 2008
MAJ Brian Mescall - Qalat, Zabul province, Afghanistan, January 2009
CW4 Niall Lyons - Darreh-ye Bum, Baghdis province, Afghanistan, October 2009
CPT Dan Whitten - near Forward Operating Base Sweeney, Zabul province, Afghanistan, February 2010
LTC Rob Baldwin - Ayatalah, Zabul province, Afghanistan, September 2010

And while I've posted this one before, it warrants repetition:

If you are able, save for them a place inside of you
and save one backward glance when you are leaving
for the places they can no longer go.

Be not ashamed to say you loved them,
though you may or may not have always.
Take what they have taught you with their dying and keep it with your own.

And in that time when men decide and feel safe to call the war insane,
take one moment to embrace those gentle heroes you left behind.

MAJ Michael Davis O'Donnell, "Remember Them"
1 January 1970, Dak To, Vietnam

A different kind of memorial

I'll post my thoughts on Memorial Day under separate correspondence, but I was, as is my custom, watching the final of the NCAA Division I lacrosse championship, this year between Maryland and Virginia.

I found myself, a diehard Johns Hopkins lacrosse fan, in the unusual spot of cheering for the Maryland Terrapins. The Terps' road was particularly difficult for one player, Ryan Young, whose mother died of pancreatic cancer this past season. While she had been memorialized by the purple shirts the coaching and support staff wore, as well as the MY (for Maria Young) stickers on their helmets, this particular tribute (left) was the most poignant for me. Ryan's twin brother and older brother before him both played for Duke, so they had skin in the game as well.

I was disappointed that Maryland didn't prevail - but one could also argue that Virginia had a bumpy ride to the championship as well. Between relieving two of their starting midfielders for violating team rules, as well as losing other key players along the way, there were few, if any, who predicted that Virginia would go all the way to the national championship. I find it particularly notable that Bray Malphrus, one of the captains of the Virginia team, specifically emphasized that Virginia lacrosse (especially after the incidents surrounding the death of Yeardley Love last year) needed to change its public image. Not too often you see that realization in public among players of a sport normally stereotyped as a sport of sons of privilege.

Congratulations to Virginia and Maryland for their achievements this year.

5.33mi, 48:57, 30 MAY 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink: The Lemonheads, "Steve's Boy"

WX at 0900: 75.9 (24.4) DP 64.0 (17.8) BP 29.81 (1009) S 23 RH 66

Odometer 11A: 84.8mi

Z3 high.
Average/max heart rate = 156/177

Today was a slow run, partly because my legs are still tired, partly because I slept far too late last night. But today's Memorial Day, and I needed to run. I knew I'd start alongside the cemetery, where flags have been placed in front of the gravestones.

I'm preparing an old Win98 box for sale or recycle. I've had the computer 12 years now and it's time to let it go. I'd hung onto it for a while because I wanted something on which I could play Star Wars Episode I: Racer and Wing Commander: Secret Ops. I have an old laptop (a Dell Inspiron 5100) that is running XP and Racer finally works on it after some patching. Time to ditch the old box - not the least of which is that of the video recording capability that was on it I never really used it that much.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:56 08:56 08:56 08:56 1.00
1.00 18:15 09:19 09:19 09:07 2.00
1.00 27:32 09:17 09:17 09:11 3.00
1.00 36:46 09:14 09:14 09:11 4.00
1.00 45:51 09:05 09:05 09:10 5.00
0.33 48:57 03:06 09:24 09:11 5.33

The price of freedom...

...is not just eternal vigilance. (Hat tip to Doctrine Man.)

LTG(Ret) Hal Moore gives the other corollary of this one: "When your men die, and you don’t, you feel guilty. You’re the leader." Or, in my case, the campaign planner.

So say we all.

7.0mi, 63:26, 27 MAY 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink: Death Cab for Cutie, "Doors Unlocked and Open"

WX at 1000: 60.1 (15.6) DP 50.0 (10.0) BP 29.9 (1012) SE 15 RH 69

Odometer 11A: 79.4mi

Z3 high.
Average/max heart rate = 157/175

Endurance is fine, legs are very, very dead. Today was a rare day off, so I decided to go for a rare long run.

I may sleep in tomorrow. Or go for a really short one.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:38 08:38 08:38 08:38 1.00
1.00 17:24 08:46 08:46 08:42 2.00
1.00 26:34 09:10 09:10 08:51 3.00
1.00 35:31 08:57 08:57 08:53 4.00
1.00 44:32 09:01 09:01 08:54 5.00
1.00 54:06 09:34 09:34 09:01 6.00
1.00 63:26 09:20 09:20 09:04 7.00

More Dakka

One island, two villages, 50,000 handmade rockets.

Ed: corrected for wrong embed code.

(a.k.a. Macross Missile Massacre FTW.)

5.0mi, 44:20, 26 MAY 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink:
Tommy Keene, "Call On Me"
The Lemonheads, "Steve's Boy"

WX at 0700: 52.0 (11.1) DP 45.0 (7.2) BP 29.89 (1012) N 10 RH 76

Odometer 11A: 72.4mi

Z3.
Average/max heart rate = 162/174

Today went faster, but it was cool after the last two days worth of torrential downpours and it was as good a day for running as I'll get in a while.

Taking the first mile over generally flatter terrain led to a faster run overall, I think. This was a reverse of yesterday's run, so the splits are different. I felt better about today's run for reasons unknown.

I've been binging out on Tommy Keene, one of my longtime musical pleasures, after discovering this post from someone who has been listening to TK a lot longer than I have.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:43 08:43 08:43 08:43 1.00
1.00 17:18 08:35 08:35 08:39 2.00
1.00 26:27 09:09 09:09 08:49 3.00
1.00 35:25 08:58 08:58 08:51 4.00
1.00 44:17 08:52 08:52 08:51 5.00

5.0mi, 46:28, 25 MAY 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink: "Johnny Hopkins On To Victory" (why I was thinking of the fight song for my alma mater, I'm not sure why.)

WX at 0600: 61.0 (16.1) DP 61.0 (16.1) BP 29.48 (998) E 13 RH 100

Odometer 11A: 67.4mi

Z3 low.
Average/max heart rate = 151/175

The festival of Dead Legs continues. I am absolutely toast in the mornings, and today was no exception. As is the pattern, my legs seem to get more tired until about mile 3.

I felt better at the end, but horrible up front.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:08 09:08 09:08 09:08 1.00
1.00 18:36 09:28 09:28 09:18 2.00
1.00 28:03 09:27 09:27 09:21 3.00
1.00 37:50 09:47 09:47 09:28 4.00
1.00 46:28 08:38 08:38 09:18 5.00

5.34mi, 48:48, 23 MAY 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink: Drowning Pool, "Let the Bodies Hit The Floor"

WX at 0600: 62.1 (16.7) DP 60.1 (15.6) BP 29.7 (1005) S 10 RH 93

Odometer 11A: 62.4mi

Z3.
Average/max heart rate = 153/172

I went to sleep too late last night. When I'm getting 5 hours of sleep before running, I'm going to be a little less inclined to want to wake up to get a run in.

That doesn't change the fact that I need to get my fat ass out there anyway.

Slow today, but not ridiculously so. Time to see if I can build my mileage base back up, so I'll start unambitiously. No long runs yet.

On the bright side, I was running progressively negative splits after mile 2, especially after a short detour for a pit stop. Whee.

I know the Wiggles and Drowning Pool don't usually go together, but I was thinking about the Big Red Car. To Drowning Pool. Oh yay.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:02 09:02 09:02 09:02 1.00
1.00 18:42 09:40 09:40 09:21 2.00
1.00 27:50 09:08 09:08 09:17 3.00
1.00 37:05 09:15 09:15 09:16 4.00
1.00 45:47 08:42 08:42 09:09 5.00
0.34 48:48 03:01 08:52 09:08 5.34

4.58mi, 45:11, 20 MAY 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink:
The Cars, "Stranger Eyes"
The Cure, "Primary" (in Orange)

WX at 0600: 62.1 (16.7) DP 57.9 (14.4) BP 29.81 (1009) SE 12 RH 86

Odometer 11A: 56.8mi

Z2.
Average/max heart rate = 150/169

I almost slept in today. Today was the most energy-less run I think I have ever done. Just a whole lot of suck.

The first iThink is a consequence of coming across some article about stuff on the film Top Gun, which I saw as an 8th grader, 25 years ago. Woo hoo, old age. At least now I know the name of the song that was stuck in the back of my mind after seeing the trailer.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:48 09:48 09:48 09:48 1.00
1.00 19:43 09:55 09:55 09:51 2.00
1.00 29:45 10:02 10:02 09:55 3.00
1.00 39:32 09:47 09:47 09:53 4.00
0.58 45:11 05:39 09:44 09:52 4.58

4.7mi, 43:32, 18 MAY 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink:
Belle and Sebastian, "Like Dylan at the Movies"
The Lemonheads, "Steve's Boy"

WX at 0600: 50.0 (10.0) DP 39.9 (4.4) BP 29.85 (1010) ESE 7 RH 68

Odometer 3: 222.0mi

Z2-Z3 low.
Average/max heart rate = 145/165

I am done for the semester. Woot. I am also done with trying to ramp up for a physical fitness test and I am starting to get some decent interval back in my life. Hrm.

Or some reasonable facsimile thereof.

All wogging today. I suspect my shoes, in spite of their low mileage, are pretty much toast. I felt some extra pain in the knees I don't get with my newer shoes.

Like many Belle and Sebastian songs, upbeat BritPop melody, dark foreboding lyrics. "Steve's Boy" is perhaps more apropos.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:12 09:12 09:12 09:12 1.00
1.00 18:24 09:12 09:12 09:12 2.00
1.00 27:52 09:28 09:28 09:17 3.00
1.00 37:21 09:29 09:29 09:20 4.00
0.70 43:32 06:11 08:50 09:16 4.70

Some interior and exterior remodeling

I decided to bite the bullet and actually do a template upgrade after what I think has been almost 6 years of running on the old template. I realized I couldn't see all of my invective over the years by category, so it was time to fix that.

I saved my old template just in case I decide to revert. I may let go of my descending paratroopers watermark since I just don't know CSS very well and it's been a while since I've had to reverse engineer someone else's code.

Record APFT, 284 points, 16 MAY 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink: Husker Du, "New Day Rising"

WX at 0700: 43.0 (6.1) DP 39.9 (4.4) BP 30.08 (1018) NNW 3 RH 88

Odometer 11A: 52.2mi

Z4.
Average/max heart rate = no reading.

I ran into the PT test, as is my custom, and got my 200 points on the first two events, as I usually do. I knew this run was going to suck but was surprisingly not my slowest.

I totally weighed in over cutoff, though. I had it coming.

The clear sky and sunrise made this morning's iThink utterly inevitable.

Splits
Pushups: 77
Situps: 76
Two-Mile Run: 15:27

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 07:33 07:33 07:33 07:33 1.00
1.00 15:27 07:54 07:54 07:44 2.00

The Coolest Thing Ever

As someone who teaches joint command and control relationships and has taught a history of the Unified Command Plan, I think this is funny as hell.

There's no denying it

Women who read Machiavelli make me hot.


And now I have a new Web comic guilty pleasure.

4.41mi, 39:31, 13 MAY 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink:
Dos Gringos, "Going in for Guns"
The Lemonheads, "Steve's Boy"

WX at 0700: 57.9 (14.4) DP 55.9 (13.3) BP 29.76 (1007) WNW 8 RH 93

Odometer 11A: 49.5mi

Z4.
Average/max heart rate = 160/178

Time to see if my knees hurt all day like they do when I'm in my other shoes. If they do, time to retire the other shoes, regardless of how much mileage is on them.

The Lemonheads song is deceptive; Evan Dando may be on vocals, but other members of the band include Bill Stevenson on drums and Karl Alvarez on bass. Yes, the ones from the Descendents. Also J. Mascis on guitar. Yes, that J. Mascis.

"Steve's Boy" has been on single song repeat at my cubicle over the last day or so. It has some of the most brutally bitter lyrics I've heard in a long time, so it's consistent with my emotional debridement over the last few years. It also sounds like a Descendents song that happens to have J. Mascis on lead and Evan Dando on vocals, and I've been a pretty faithful Descendents fan since 1988.

Today's run sucked bad until mile 2.5. Easy run tomorrow, then taper for PT test on Monday.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:28 08:28 08:28 08:28 1.00
1.00 17:28 09:00 09:00 08:44 2.00
1.00 26:29 09:01 09:01 08:50 3.00
1.00 35:54 09:25 09:25 08:58 4.00
0.41 39:31 03:37 08:49 08:58 4.41

3.75mi, 33:35, 11 MAY 11, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

iThink: The Killers, "When You Were Young"

WX at 0700: 72.0 (22.2) DP 66.9 (19.4) BP 29.79 (1008) SE 7 haze rh 84

Odometer 11A: 45.1mi

Z4.
Average/max heart rate = 160/174

Today was warm, and ergo, was going to suck. It did, but I didn't feel so bad as I did on Monday. My legs are tired. Time to rest a bit before taking my physical fitness test on Friday, I think, while the opportunity still permits. It's supposed to be in the 50s on Friday, so I might as well get it over with now rather than later.

The road to recovery keeps getting deferred, but maybe this summer.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:43 08:43 08:43 08:43 1.00
1.00 17:41 08:58 08:58 08:50 2.00
1.00 26:59 09:18 09:18 09:00 3.00
0.75 33:35 06:36 08:48 08:57 3.75