4.00mi, 34:54, 5 JUN 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Cheap Trick, "Mighty Wings"

WX at 05:58 Calm 10.00 Fair CLR 52 51 96% NA NA 30.16 1021.6

Odometer 12C: 303.1mi

Z4. Average/max heart rate = 153/171

It would've been a lost opportunity if I didn't run today. I very seriously thought about sleeping in, but on a day that I knew was going to be good running weather, I had to go. So I did. I felt better, although I'm not sure if it's entirely due to the easier days I've taken on Monday and Tuesday. Tomorrow needs to be a longer run, although I'm rather enjoying the sustained momentum of actually running every day.

I also had occasion last night to go to the Elder's choir recital. There is something about kids performing (and I've noticed this not only for musical performance but also for theater) that tugs at my heartstrings, if only because it's a reminder of when I was younger, and not as jaded or bitter about the world. I was instantly reminded of something I read long, long ago, that had described many of the outcomes of the things that had shaped me in my younger years:

In a quarter hour, he cried away his youth. No matter what else happened, it was gone. If he quit he would have scarred his innocence with the knowledge that he couldn't take it. He knew he would never quit. So he cried instead for his youth. He cried because, with one decision, and after a day that he despised above all others in his life, he had committed himself to at least nine years of orders and abstinence and repression and confinement, worst of all confinement, the inability to decide any large aspect of his life.

And after nine years, if any portion of his happy wildness were to survive, it would be old.

James Webb, A Sense of Honor 

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:34 08:34 08:34 08:34 1.00
1.00 17:43 09:09 09:09 08:51 2.00
1.00 26:39 08:56 08:56 08:53 3.00
1.00 34:54 08:15 08:15 08:43 4.00

4.47mi, 42:13, 4 JUN 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
The Grapes of Wrath, "O Lucky Man"

WX at 05:58 NW 3 10.00 Fair CLR 61 51 69% NA NA 30.04 1017.5

Odometer 12C: 299.1mi

Z3. Average/max heart rate = 149/167

Start on tired legs shifted to a better run by the end. This morning's weather was pleasant. Less than great start, but I knew it was going to be that way. The finish was better.

If I look back to what I was running 10 years ago, I was running a lot more.  I also didn't have to depart for work until about 8:45am, unlike my current job where I have to be out the door not much after 7:00am.  Given that I've been going to sleep about the same time regardless, the mileage suffers as a result.  I guess I was spoiled, working in combat arms units where PT was considered part of the duty day, rather than just a lesser included activity. It's not a particularly good excuse, but it does explain a few things.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:35 09:35 09:35 09:35 1.00
1.00 19:39 10:04 10:04 09:49 2.00
1.00 29:02 09:23 09:23 09:41 3.00
1.00 37:57 08:55 08:55 09:29 4.00
0.47 42:13 04:16 09:05 09:27 4.47

3.65mi, 36:07, 3 JUN 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
The Bats, "Courage"

WX at 05:58 Vrbl 7 4.00 Rain Fog/Mist SCT005 BKN010 OVC041 70 68 94% NA NA 29.88 1012.1 0.19

Odometer 12B: 409.1mi

Z3. Average/max heart rate = 146/162

Easy recovery run, or some reasonable facsimile thereof. I could hear rain coming down, but I didn't expect the torrential downpour as soon as I stepped outside. The weather report stated "light rain" that wasn't light when I started. I adore running in the rain, but it's been a while. Today was a slow, but productive run as I didn't want to be too ambitious after yesterday's long hot run.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:32 09:32 09:32 09:32 1.00
1.00 19:56 10:24 10:24 09:58 2.00
1.00 29:57 10:01 10:01 09:59 3.00
0.65 36:07 06:10 09:29 09:54 3.65

11.72mi, 1:56:55, 2 JUN 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Touché Amoré, "Unsatisfied"
The Replacements, "Answering Machine"

WX at 08:58 S 12 10.00 Fair CLR 79 67 67% NA 81 29.90 1012.8
WX at 07:58 S 7 10.00 Fair CLR 77 67 77 75 71% NA 79 29.91 1013.1

Odometer 12C: 294.6mi

Z4. Average/max heart rate = 154/170

Slow start on dead legs on a day that was noticeably hotter than before meant that today was going to be a slow day. That's fine, because I wanted to see if I could grind it out in one run, and for the most part (less one pit stop) I did. The last two miles were ugly, but I knew they were going to be. After the last few days, I needed to get this run in.

The scenery was better this morning. It's warmer, so people showed up earlier for the same reasons I did - it's going to be hot today.

Splits

SGMT AGGRGTE SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 0:09:53 09:53 09:53 09:53 1.00
1.00 0:19:54 10:01 10:01 09:57 2.00
1.00 0:29:53 09:59 09:59 09:58 3.00
1.00 0:40:02 10:09 10:09 10:00 4.00
1.00 0:50:12 10:10 10:10 10:02 5.00
1.00 0:59:54 09:42 09:42 09:59 6.00
1.00 1:09:25 09:31 09:31 09:55 7.00
1.00 1:19:51 10:26 10:26 09:59 8.00
1.00 1:29:17 09:26 09:26 09:55 9.00
1.00 1:39:40 10:23 10:23 09:58 10.00
1.00 1:49:36 09:56 09:56 09:58 11.00
0.72 1:56:55 07:19 10:10 09:59 11.72

5.06mi, 45:55, 30 MAY 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Bob Mould, "MM 17"

WX at 05:58 E 1 10.00 Fair CLR 64 63 94% NA NA 30.17 1021.9

Odometer 12B: 405.5mi

Z4. Average/max heart rate = 153/170

Slow start on tired legs that I didn't expect. As a result, I don't think I really felt warmed up until mile 4, a late runup by any standard.

Early day at work. Back to the salt mines.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:48 08:48 08:48 08:48 1.00
1.00 17:52 09:04 09:04 08:56 2.00
1.00 27:33 09:41 09:41 09:11 3.00
1.00 36:39 09:06 09:06 09:10 4.00
1.06 45:55 09:16 08:45 09:04 5.06

4.47mi, 43:25, 29 May 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
The Go-Go's, "Unforgiven"
mewithoutYou, "January 1979"

WX at 05:58 S 3 10.00 Fair CLR 69 64 85% NA NA 30.11 1019.9

Odometer 12C: 282.9mi

Z2-Z3 low. Average/max heart rate = 149/167

Easy recovery run. Period. Nothing hard in the prospects of going hard tomorrow morning, although I have to go in early, so I have to wake up earlier. That'll be tough, but keeping up the momentum is worth it.

"January 1979" is a pretty angry-sounding song, but I have a lot of rage in my heart lately.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:28 09:28 09:28 09:28 1.00
1.00 19:46 10:18 10:18 09:53 2.00
1.00 29:30 09:44 09:44 09:50 3.00
1.00 38:59 09:29 09:29 09:45 4.00
0.47 43:25 04:26 09:26 09:43 4.47

5.10mi, 43:36, 28 MAY 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
The Go-Go's, "Unforgiven"

WX at 05:58 Calm 10.00 Partly Cloudy FEW080 SCT180 54 52 92% NA NA 30.16 1021.6

Odometer 12B: 400.4mi

Z4. Average/max heart rate = 157/174

Today felt fast, maybe because I hadn't run in a few days. I also walked most of yesterday, between going to Arlington National Cemetery and then taking the kids to the International Spy Museum.

I always have to take such museums with a big fat salt lick because they have to package something that is intriguing on the surface but incredibly mundane most of the time into something people will want to see. The kids enjoyed it, but it's hard for me not to wave the BS flag from time to time when I go to places like that. Oh well.

At least today's run was effort relatively well spent.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:31 08:31 08:31 08:31 1.00
1.00 17:14 08:43 08:43 08:37 2.00
1.00 26:16 09:02 09:02 08:45 3.00
1.00 34:29 08:13 08:13 08:37 4.00
1.10 43:36 09:07 08:17 08:33 5.10

11.44mi, 1:39:31, 25 MAY 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
U2, "I Will Follow"
The Sisters of Mercy, "Temple of Love" (1992)

WX at 08:58 NW 16 G 23 10.00 Fair CLR 52 37 56% NA NA 30.21 1023.3

Odometer 12B: 395.3mi

Z4. Average/max heart rate = 161/177

It would've been criminal not to run on a day like this. It doesn't get much better than this. I needed to start early since I'm flying solo with the kids, so I decided to get get at it early.

I'm sure that has a lot to do with the faster time today, as well as the amount of non-running I've done lately. I wouldn't call it rest since I hadn't gotten the sleep I probably really need.

Splits

SGMT AGGRGTE SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 0:08:26 08:26 08:26 08:26 1.00
1.00 0:17:32 09:06 09:06 08:46 2.00
1.00 0:26:07 08:35 08:35 08:42 3.00
1.00 0:34:59 08:52 08:52 08:45 4.00
1.00 0:43:43 08:44 08:44 08:45 5.00
1.00 0:52:08 08:25 08:25 08:41 6.00
1.00 1:00:47 08:39 08:39 08:41 7.00
1.00 1:09:22 08:35 08:35 08:40 8.00
1.00 1:17:50 08:28 08:28 08:39 9.00
1.00 1:27:11 09:21 09:21 08:43 10.00
1.00 1:35:52 08:41 08:41 08:43 11.00
0.44 1:39:31 03:39 08:18 08:42 11.44

4.08mi, 36:40, 23 MAY 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
U2, "I Will Follow"

WX at 05:58 SE 1 10.00 Mostly Cloudy BKN020 BKN100 70 68 95% NA NA 29.90 1012.8

Odometer 12B: 383.9mi

Z3 high. Average/max heart rate = 154/176

I am playing single parent as the OPFOR Cdr is out of town, so this morning almost turned into a Do Nothing But Eat Day. I realized I hadn't run more than twice in the last week so I jammed in a short run of about 4. Not great but better than nothing. Because I've done so little running, my legs didn't feel that bad, but that's because I've been getting more rest than I need. I'm not getting enough sleep, but that's self-inflicted.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:37 08:37 08:37 08:37 1.00
1.00 17:58 09:21 09:21 08:59 2.00
1.00 27:13 09:15 09:15 09:04 3.00
1.08 36:40 09:27 08:45 08:59 4.08

5.06mi, 45:26, 21 MAY 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
The Grapes of Wrath, "O Lucky Man"

WX at 05:58 S 3 10.00 Overcast OVC007 69 67 92% NA NA 30.00 1016.2

Odometer 12B: 379.8mi

Z3 high-Z4. Average/max heart rate = 155/174

Today's iThink is most definitely incongruous as it was humid. While not hot, today was not going to be a good run, especially after five days of Doing Nothing But Eating and Drinking.

I enjoyed my trip back to Kansas for my doctoral hooding, but there was a sense of loneliness and dislocation that I only associate with going to places where I used to live and realize that it is not home anymore. It was also a function of seeing old friends again and thinking about possibilities that I elected not to pursue or could not for various reasons.

Nonetheless, I needed this run, badly. So I got at it, no matter how tired I felt. Tomorrow promises tired legs, which I guess I just need to accept.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:40 08:40 08:40 08:40 1.00
1.00 17:57 09:17 09:17 08:58 2.00
1.00 26:41 08:44 08:44 08:54 3.00
1.00 35:39 08:58 08:58 08:55 4.00
1.06 45:26 09:47 09:14 08:59 5.06

5.04mi, 45:05, 15 MAY 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Chris Stamey, "From the Word Go"

WX at 05:58 Calm 10.00 Partly Cloudy SCT120 50 48 93% NA NA 29.96 1014.9

Odometer 12B: 374.7mi

Z3 high. Average/max heart rate = 153/166

Dead legs continue. I'm also dealing with a nagging case of plantar fascitis in my right foot. But I need to run. I guess I should make some choices about what I need to do, for a variety of things. It probably won't go away by itself, unfortunately.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:47 08:47 08:47 08:47 1.00
1.00 17:51 09:04 09:04 08:56 2.00
1.00 27:22 09:31 09:31 09:07 3.00
1.00 35:57 08:35 08:35 08:59 4.00
1.04 45:05 09:08 08:47 08:57 5.04

5.09mi, 46:17, 14 MAY 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Chris Stamey, "The Company of Light"
Chris Stamey, "Something Came Over Me"

WX at 05:58 Calm 10.00 Fair CLR 35 33 95% NA NA 30.21 1023.4

Odometer 12B: 369.7mi

Z3. Average/max heart rate = 152/169

Dead legs, dead legs, dead legs. This run was characterized by lack of energy. I had the endurance but no strength going uphill. Fuck it.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:06 09:06 09:06 09:06 1.00
1.00 18:18 09:12 09:12 09:09 2.00
1.00 27:52 09:34 09:34 09:17 3.00
1.00 36:34 08:42 08:42 09:09 4.00
1.09 46:17 09:43 08:55 09:06 5.09

4.04mi, 37:34, 13 MAY 13, Springfield, Virginia

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

WX at 05:58 N 2 10.00 Fair CLR 37 36 96% NA NA 30.09 1019.3

Odometer 12C: 278.4mi

Z3 high. Average/max heart rate = 149/162

Late night = late start = abridged run.

Also, dead legs. Grr.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:10 09:10 09:10 09:10 1.00
1.00 18:48 09:38 09:38 09:24 2.00
1.00 28:16 09:28 09:28 09:25 3.00
1.04 37:34 09:18 08:57 09:18 4.04

9.02mi, 84:11, 11 MAY 12, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
The Psychedelic Furs, "Love My Way"
MaX, "Aim"
M83, "Midnight City"

WX at 11:58 S 3 10.00 Mostly Cloudy FEW080 BKN110 71 66 83% NA NA 29.80 1009.4

Odometer 12C: 274.3mi

Z4. Average/max heart rate = 160/176

First day of the real retraining season. Not hot, but humid, and the usual effects of it sucking energy away from me became apparent plenty quick enough. I was determined to get in a 9-miler, at least, although I didn't think I was going to have time for the usual weekend 11.5. My legs were also too beat to really do a long run like 11.5, I think.

I should be really concerned about Mother's Day weekend, but right now, I really have to admit I kind of don't really care right now.  Any more than I care about any of the other artificial "holidays" that are generated to keep greeting card companies in business. In general, I don't want to observe any of it anymore because it's bullshit.  There are lots of things I think about as I'm on the run, but there are some topics that are recurrent.

There is more scenery on Sundays. That is all.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:44 08:44 08:44 08:44 1.00
1.00 17:52 09:08 09:08 08:56 2.00
1.00 26:35 08:43 08:43 08:52 3.00
1.00 35:57 09:22 09:22 08:59 4.00
1.00 44:55 08:58 08:58 08:59 5.00
1.00 54:04 09:09 09:09 09:01 6.00
1.00 64:02 09:58 09:58 09:09 7.00
1.00 74:07 10:05 10:05 09:16 8.00
1.02 84:11 10:04 09:52 09:20 9.02

5.75mi, 50:06, 9 MAY 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
The Innocence Mission, "Mercy"
The Psychedelic Furs, "Love My Way"

WX at 05:58 Calm 4.00 Fog/Mist CLR 53 51 95% NA NA 30.01 1016.5

Odometer 12B: 364.6mi

Z4. Average/max heart rate = 155/175

My knees have hurt most of this week. I'm not sure if it's solely that I'm running on old shoes that I'm determined to get 400 miles out of, or if there's something else at work that's causing the nagging generalized pain.

Today felt pretty good, actually, with sizeable stretches of running under 8:30/mi, which I didn't expect.

This week has been very weird. I have also not really figure out what I want to do for Mother's Day. I guess I should do something. I guess.

The iThink is from dusting off something I'd bought on tape over two decades ago when I was a sophomore at Hopkins.  I don't go in much for Xtian bands, and the Innocence Mission is definitely a Catholic-influenced band, but musically, I liked their first two albums. Meh.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:10 09:10 09:10 09:10 1.00
1.00 18:06 08:56 08:56 09:03 2.00
1.00 26:47 08:41 08:41 08:56 3.00
1.00 34:57 08:10 08:10 08:44 4.00
1.00 43:28 08:31 08:31 08:42 5.00
0.75 50:06 06:38 08:51 08:43 5.75

4.50mi, 39:41, 7 MAY 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
The Northern Pikes, "Wait For Me"

WX at 05:58 Vrbl 1 10.00 Overcast OVC006 59 57 94% NA NA 30.00 1016.2

Odometer 12B: 358.8mi

Z3 high. Average/max heart rate = 152/171

Didn't feel great, but didn't feel bad either. My legs were doing a little better going uphill. I guess I'll see what happens tomorrow.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:45 08:45 08:45 08:45 1.00
1.00 17:53 09:08 09:08 08:56 2.00
1.00 26:44 08:51 08:51 08:55 3.00
1.00 35:21 08:37 08:37 08:50 4.00
0.50 39:41 04:20 08:40 08:49 4.50

5.05mi, 44:03, 6 MAY 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Rush, "Vapor Trails"
Rush, "Limelight"
The Connells, "Fun & Games"

WX at 05:55 Vrbl 3 10.00 Overcast OVC014 52 45 78% NA NA 30.15 1021.1

Odometer 12B: 354.3mi

Z4. Average/max heart rate = 151/168

Slow start, even in spite of no weekend running. My legs are very tired for some reason. Meh. This morning was a good example of an earwig that won't let ago (Rush's "Limelight").

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:40 08:40 08:40 08:40 1.00
1.00 17:33 08:53 08:53 08:47 2.00
1.00 26:43 09:10 09:10 08:54 3.00
1.00 34:57 08:14 08:14 08:44 4.00
1.05 44:03 09:06 08:40 08:43 5.05

die a little every day

I was at the Elder's performance of the musical Annie Jr., an abridged version of the Broadway musical.  I was taken back to my childhood, when I had seen Annie, an outgrowth of my school having done it as part of a musical when I was in the Lower School.

Hearing the lead actress singing "Maybe" put tears in my eyes, for two reasons - one was because of what the song stands for - the hope that life is better somewhere else, and more bitterly, the memory of a point in my life when a couple of things inside me had not yet died.

4.06mi, 37:29, 2 MAY 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin, "Maybe"

WX at 05:55 Calm 10.00 Fair CLR 42 41 97% NA NA 30.41 1030.1

Odometer 12B: 349.3mi

Z3 low. Average/max heart rate = 142/163

Late start but easy run. I was trimming off mileage to try to get close to 4 miles, and was generally successful. In an attempt to address my dead legs, I went easy. I felt okay, but the proof will be in tomorrow's run.

I have no idea why a song from the musical Annie stuck in my head this morning.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:28 09:28 09:28 09:28 1.00
1.00 19:00 09:32 09:32 09:30 2.00
1.00 28:16 09:16 09:16 09:25 3.00
1.06 37:29 09:13 08:42 09:14 4.06

4.30mi, 36:37, 1 MAY 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
The Grapes of Wrath, "O Lucky Man"
that dog., "annie" (early mix)

WX at 05:55 Calm 10.00 Fair CLR 47 43 85% NA NA 30.32 1026.9

Odometer 12B: 345.2mi

Z4. Average/max heart rate = 151/169

Late start mandated a harder run. I didn't think I was going to be able to cut it closer to 4, but closer than I normally go - albeit not by much.

I was revisiting a song from my teenage years, and then one from my twenties. Not sure why these memories of my past are cropping up, but I will live with them for now.

Legs still feel generally dead going uphill...hrm.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:22 08:22 08:22 08:22 1.00
1.00 17:10 08:48 08:48 08:35 2.00
1.00 25:58 08:48 08:48 08:39 3.00
1.00 34:28 08:30 08:30 08:37 4.00
0.30 36:37 02:09 07:10 08:31 4.30

5.03mi, 50:41, 30 APR 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
The Northern Pikes, "Wait For Me"
Love Spit Love, "Am I Wrong"

WX at 05:55 Calm 3.00 Light Drizzle Fog/Mist SCT004 OVC009 56 55 96% NA NA 30.12 1020.2 0.01

Odometer 12B: 340.9mi

Z2-Z3. Average/max heart rate = 141/155

Finally a proper rest day. It required me to reconsider what I thought was reasonable pace and speed. Today was substantially slower, but for good reason, even after yesterday being a day of no running. I didn't want to go hard after Sunday's long run.

Last Friday I'd gone to the Pamplin Battlefield Park near Petersburg, Virginia. Predictably, one of the books in the gift store was Stephen Crane's The Red Badge of Courage, and as I turned to the back, I saw the quotation "So it came to pass that as he trudged from the place of blood and wrath his soul changed." I remember that mostly from the Space: Above and Beyond episode "Toy Soldiers," but also think about it in terms of my own disillusionment over the last few years.

That's what made this morning's iThink that much more pointed for me. The first one is from a disk I bought sometime in 1996, I think, when I was living in Texas and had a lot of freedom to do whatever I wanted, at the expense of not really having anyone else in my life. The second one, though, was from 1995, when I was dating another Army officer at the time, and the film we went to go see was Angus, whose opening credits featured the song. I remember that partly because I didn't know anything about the film, and found it much more thought-provoking than I had originally thought. The other was because I was 23 at the time, and still hopeful about a great many things. My simmering rage had not taken hold, as it did after I came back to the United States in 2009.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:59 09:59 09:59 09:59 1.00
1.00 20:29 10:30 10:30 10:15 2.00
1.00 30:03 09:34 09:34 10:01 3.00
1.00 40:01 09:58 09:58 10:00 4.00
1.03 50:41 10:40 10:21 10:05 5.03

11.43mi, 1:45:17, 28 APR 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
MxPx, "I Will Follow"
Theme from Clifford the Big Red Dog

WX at 10:55 SE 12 10.00 A Few Clouds FEW120 66 41 40% NA NA 30.28 1025.4
WX at 09:55 Vrbl 6 10.00 Partly Cloudy SCT130 61 40 46% NA NA 30.28 1025.6

Odometer 12B: 335.9mi

Z3 high-Z4. Average/max heart rate = 153/170

Finally, the chance to do the long run that I'd been meaning to do. What I didn't count on was another runner drafting off me about midway through the run. He said he wanted to pace off me, and I said it was fine - which was a win-win for both. I think he got a harder run than he otherwise would've gotten, and I got to experiment with pace and stride in ways that I thought were pretty productive.

However, I'm sure I'll be paying for it later on.

The theme from Clifford the Big Red Dog was from a brief memory of my earlier married life. Emphasis on earlier. That is all.

Splits

SGMT AGGRGTE SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 0:09:27 09:27 09:27 09:27 1.00
1.00 0:19:14 09:47 09:47 09:37 2.00
1.00 0:28:36 09:22 09:22 09:32 3.00
1.00 0:38:06 09:30 09:30 09:31 4.00
1.00 0:47:09 09:03 09:03 09:26 5.00
1.00 0:55:31 08:22 08:22 09:15 6.00
1.00 1:04:03 08:32 08:32 09:09 7.00
1.00 1:12:28 08:25 08:25 09:03 8.00
1.00 1:21:24 08:56 08:56 09:03 9.00
1.00 1:31:34 10:10 10:10 09:09 10.00
1.00 1:41:21 09:47 09:47 09:13 11.00
0.43 1:45:17 03:56 09:09 09:13 11.43

4.64mi, 43:30, 27 APR 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Iron Maiden, "Aces High"
Carly Rae Jepsen, "Call Me Maybe"

WX at 09:55 SE 3 10.00 Fair CLR 63 39 42% NA NA 30.42 1030.3

Odometer 12B: 324.4mi

Z3 low. Average/max heart rate = 145/164

Slow recovery run as I spent a large chunk of yesterday walking with the Elder's elementary school class at the Pamplin Civil War Battlefield Park near Petersburg, VA.

Yeah, suck on the musical cognitive dissonance.  I don't care.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:37 09:37 09:37 09:37 1.00
1.00 19:27 09:50 09:50 09:43 2.00
1.00 28:51 09:24 09:24 09:37 3.00
1.00 37:48 08:57 08:57 09:27 4.00
0.64 43:30 05:42 08:54 09:22 4.64

4.47mi, 38:49, 25 APR 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
The Connells, "Fun & Games"
Team America Theme Song

WX at 05:55 NW 17 10.00 Fair CLR 48 31 51% 42 NA 30.22 1023.5

Odometer 12B: 319.8mi

Z4. Average/max heart rate = no reading

Late start, backed up against having to go in early = hard run. However, my Garmin ForeRunner was run down (forgot to charge it), so no GPS track today.

Desperation = run faster!!!

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
4.47 38:49 38:49 08:41 08:41 4.47

4.47mi, 40:50, 23 APR 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Bob Mould, "The Descent"

WX at 05:55 Calm 10.00 Overcast OVC016 48 41 78% NA NA 30.32 1026.9

Odometer 12B: 315.3mi

Z3. Average/max heart rate = 148/163

Recovery run as I didn't feel up to much today. But I needed to get in a run. More later when I get a chance. It has been a bad month, for a variety of reasons.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:02 09:02 09:02 09:02 1.00
1.00 18:30 09:28 09:28 09:15 2.00
1.00 27:45 09:15 09:15 09:15 3.00
1.00 36:43 08:58 08:58 09:11 4.00
0.47 40:50 04:07 08:46 09:08 4.47

10.02, 89:27, 21 APR 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Juno Reactor, "Navras"
Iron Maiden, "Aces High"

WX at 09:55 Vrbl 5 10.00 Fair CLR 48 21 35% 46 NA 30.60 1036.4

Odometer 12C: 265.2mi

Z4. Average/max heart rate = 156/172

A small hitch in the right knee, but I needed this run. Painful start, then shift to a much better middle of the run. But today felt rough. Tomorrow sounds like it'll be a rest day.

I attribute the Juno Reactor solely to having watched a snippet of the Animatrix this morning.   Ah, Internet nonproductivity.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:41 08:41 08:41 08:41 1.00
1.00 18:03 09:22 09:22 09:01 2.00
1.00 27:01 08:58 08:58 09:00 3.00
1.00 36:11 09:10 09:10 09:03 4.00
1.00 45:11 09:00 09:00 09:02 5.00
1.00 53:58 08:47 08:47 09:00 6.00
1.00 62:39 08:41 08:41 08:57 7.00
1.00 71:41 09:02 09:02 08:58 8.00
1.00 80:22 08:41 08:41 08:56 9.00
1.02 89:27 09:05 08:54 08:56 10.02

4.76mi, 41:09, 20 APR 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Game Theory, "Real Nighttime"

WX at 08:55 NW 12 10.00 Fair CLR 47 26 43% 42 NA 30.06 1018.3

Odometer 12B: 310.8mi

Z4. Average/max heart rate = 162/175

The weather today was so glorious that it would've been criminal not to go out for a run, and today's run was a pleasant reward for yesterday once I was fully warmed up. My ability to climb hills remains poor, however.  Tomorrow I will go for a long run, early, hopefully around the entirety of Burke Lake.  Should be rewarding, if only for the amount of lard I burn.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:42 08:42 08:42 08:42 1.00
1.00 17:35 08:53 08:53 08:47 2.00
1.00 26:23 08:48 08:48 08:48 3.00
1.00 34:52 08:29 08:29 08:43 4.00
0.76 41:09 06:17 08:16 08:39 4.76

4.61mi, 40:26, 19 APR 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Game Theory, "Bad Year at U.C.L.A."

WX at 05:55 SE 7 10.00 Overcast BKN022 BKN029 OVC047 65 60 84% NA NA 29.91 1013.1

Odometer 12B: 306.1mi

Z3 high. Average/max heart rate = 153/171

First run since PT test. I ran slowly (or at least felt that way), haven't gotten enough sleep this week, and in general feel like crap.

I also wasn't able to get away from work (in spite of my best efforts) early enough to have dinner with the family for the Younger's birthday last night, so I am pretty much in the running for the Great Santini Shitty Parent of the Year Award right now. I'm also pretty sure I'm not one of the OPFOR Cdr's favorite people right now, but that's not really new.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:48 08:48 08:48 08:48 1.00
1.00 17:47 08:59 08:59 08:54 2.00
1.00 26:17 08:30 08:30 08:46 3.00
1.00 35:03 08:46 08:46 08:46 4.00
0.61 40:26 05:23 08:50 08:46 4.61

Record APFT, 286 points, 16 APR 13, Fort Myer, Virginia

iThink: none. I hurt too bad.

WX at 06:52 SE 3 10.00 Mostly Cloudy BKN065 57 50 78% NA NA 30.29 1025.8

Odometer 12B: 301.5mi equivalence

Z4. Average/max heart rate = no reading

I'm not in the same shape as I was when I was at Norfolk. The last two weeks of sitting at Fort Knox had a material effect on why. Nonetheless, I still got my customary 200 points on the pushups and situps, and then ran a rather lackluster 15:09 on the two-mile run.

What was unusual about today's test was the situps, at which point I was so close to the two-minute time limit by the time I had hit the 76 situps I needed to finish that I continued to fire out situps and did 85. I don't think that was actually a factor in my run time - there were uphill portions of the course, that were offset by equal downhill portions of the course.

The test itself was professionally administered, a credit to the folks at US Army Headquarters Company who were running it.  I was even weighed and taped for body fat before the test started.

Splits
75 pushups in about 1:05
85 situps in 2:00

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
2.00 15:09 15:09 07:34 07:34 2.00

4.63mi, 45:40, 14 APR 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
"Johnny Hopkins On To Victory"

WX at 15:55 S 12 10.00 Fair CLR 74 41 31% NA NA 29.87 1011.3

Odometer 12B: 299.1mi

Z3 low. Average/max heart rate = 151/164

Legs are tired, but I need this run. This was taken at recovery pace, for the most part.  Last run before Tuesday.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:36 09:36 09:36 09:36 1.00
1.00 19:56 10:20 10:20 09:58 2.00
1.00 29:24 09:28 09:28 09:48 3.00
1.00 39:21 09:57 09:57 09:50 4.00
0.63 45:40 06:19 10:02 09:52 4.63

6.06mi, 52:03, 13 APR 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Rush, "BU2B"

WX at 08:55 Vrbl 3 10.00 Fair CLR 56 38 50% NA NA 29.94 1014.1

Odometer 12C: 255.2mi

Z4. Average/max heart rate = 160/177

I am 41 today. I am not entirely satisfied with my life. My run today was an expression of catharsis to some extent of my dissatisfaction. Of course, there was a column of really slow-moving cyclists, so I was trying to keep up with them for a while.  I did, until they started rolling downhill.  But I was definitely going to try.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:38 08:38 08:38 08:38 1.00
1.00 17:50 09:12 09:12 08:55 2.00
1.00 26:24 08:34 08:34 08:48 3.00
1.00 34:59 08:35 08:35 08:45 4.00
1.00 43:13 08:14 08:14 08:39 5.00
1.06 52:03 08:50 08:20 08:35 6.06

Long Distance

I was reading this, and went back to a point in my life where I was afraid to call home.  I was glad I never had to go to a relatively communal room to call home - instead, I worked in a place that had better connectivity than almost any other.  But I only called when everyone else was gone.

Years ago I tried keeping a relationship alive over great distance. I remember how things that had seemed certain became vague, unrecognizable. The vacuum of silence, how easily it was filled by my imagination and never with good things. But when I hung up that phone, slick with the grease of many other hands, many ears, my fighting was finished.

“Are you serious? Why don’t you fucking listen to me? I can’t believe this shit.”

Mostly, the soldiers hold their voices low, though sometimes they shout in rage and helplessness.  Some nights I hear lives disintegrating. The heartbreak is very near. If it is bad and loud, if a soldier is screaming at his wife, others in the room will lift their heads for a moment, then fall back into their emails.

4.05mi, 39:26, 10 APR 13, Radcliff, Kentucky

iThink:
Background music from the Inside Lacrosse recap of the Hopkins-Virginia regular season 2012 lacrosse game. I have truly no idea why this stuck. Maybe the hope that Hopkins will beat Maryland this weekend and keep playoff hopes alive.

WX at 05:55 Calm 10.00 Fair CLR 61 56 83% NA NA 29.95 1013.7

Odometer 12C: 249.1mi

Z3 high. Average/max heart rate = 146/164

The HRM rate was deceptive. Today was a painfully slow run with little speed or energy. I'd chalk this up to the 5 hours of sleep I got last night. I am beat. Also, maybe because of the delayed action of the pushups and situps from yesterday.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 10:29 10:29 10:29 10:29 1.00
1.00 19:58 09:29 09:29 09:59 2.00
1.00 29:46 09:48 09:48 09:55 3.00
1.05 39:26 09:40 09:12 09:44 4.05

4.05mi, 37:16, 9 APR 13, Radcliff, Kentucky

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

WX at 08:55 S 9 10.00 Mostly Cloudy FEW060 BKN150 65 55 70% NA NA 30.05 1017.3

Odometer 12C: 245.1mi

Z4. Average/max heart rate = 155/170

Morning workout was 40/40/40 pushups, 40/30/20/10 incline situps. That might partly explain this morning's labored effort just to get in what I thought was a slow pace. It could also be the remnants of last night's dreadmill session.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:34 09:34 09:34 09:34 1.00
1.00 18:11 08:37 08:37 09:05 2.00
1.00 27:40 09:29 09:29 09:13 3.00
1.05 37:16 09:36 09:09 09:12 4.05

One more piece of introspection

For some reason I thought I'd reposted this more recently, but I guess I hadn't.  Surprisingly, since it's still a part of me in ways I wish wasn't the case.

Sometimes we have to leave people behind so that we can go on. So that we can continue to fight. Sometimes we have to do things that we never thought we were capable of, if only to show the enemy our will.

When you can be this for as long as you have to be, then you're a razor.

This war is forcing us all to become razors.  Because if we don't, we don't survive. And then we don't have the luxury of becoming simply human again.

It was something that was very much on my mind in fall 2007, when I had to be the necessary evil to get certain things done.  What I wasn't prepared for was the human cost of sending men and women out to go do the things I had told them to do.  My head is screwed on tight, mostly.  But I realized I never really gave up being a razor, as much as I needed to let it go, four years after coming back.

Reading Neil Peart's Ghost Rider was therapeutic in some ways, because Peart's road to healing really began with learning to forgive himself for his perceived failings.  I'm not sure I'm ready to do that yet.

I think the double effect of stacking a birthday at about the same time of the year as when I came back from my last combat deployment was the reason.  As a result, I don't usually associate my birthday with things I really want to remember.  I came back in a group, but I came back mostly alone.  I try not to think about that too much, because there were a lot of things going on then, but I also think what was shattered over the space of two years might not really be reparable.

4.0mi on dreadmill, 35:11, 8 APR 13, Radcliff, Kentucky

iThink:
Porter Robinson, "Language" (Koncept Remix)

WX at 21:55 Calm 10.00 Mostly Cloudy BKN120 64 51 63% NA NA 29.97 1014.7

Odometer 12C: 241.0mi

Z3 easy. Average/max heart rate = 151/165

Easy run since I slept in this morning and will do something more substantive tomorrow. I also needed to get something in tonight so I wasn't getting up every two hours to go take a whiz. Priorities, priorities. Might as well get something for the suck.  Today was deliberately easy and I really don't like running on back country roads at night since the chance of my getting waxed by a speeding car increases exponentially if I do.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
4.00 35:11 35:11 08:48 08:48 4.00

We're on the side of the demons.

This expresses much of what I have become of the last few years.  It is not pretty, nor is it something I ever want my children to internalize, but it is undeniable.



“Which side are we on? We’re on the side of the demons, chief. We’re evil men in the gardens of paradise, sent by the forces of death to spread devastation and destruction wherever we go. I’m surprised you didn’t know that.”

4.05mi, 35:25, 7 APR 13, Radcliff, Kentucky

iThink:
Hans Zimmer, "Honor"
Ludwig van Beethoven, Symphony No. 3 "Eroica," Scherzo-Vivace

WX at 16:55 SW 16 10.00 Mostly Cloudy SCT048 BKN070 73 51 46% NA NA 29.96 1014.2

Odometer 12C: 237.0mi

Z4. Average/max heart rate = 158/173

The taper begins today. I got back from Nashville this afternoon and decided to get at a run. Not the usual long run, but one more geared towards running at max VO2 pace so I can get more used to sucking it up come next Tuesday.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:06 09:06 09:06 09:06 1.00
1.00 17:34 08:28 08:28 08:47 2.00
1.00 26:40 09:06 09:06 08:53 3.00
1.05 35:25 08:45 08:20 08:45 4.05

4.02mi, time indeterminate, 6 APR 13, Nashville, Tennessee

iThink: None.

WX at 17:53 S 13 10.00 Mostly Cloudy BKN180 BKN250 71 37 29% NA NA 30.00 1015.6

Odometer 12C: 233.0mi equivalency

Z3-Z4. Average/max heart rate = no reading.

Decided to go to Nashville and visit the Music City H3 for the first time in about 5 years. I enjoy hashing, generally for the social aspects, but I also recognize that I've gotten older and less willing to indulge some of the sophomoric parts of hashing culture. But I don't think I'm going for a long run this weekend for the week prior to tapering for an upcoming PT test.

No splits.

The most versatile word in the English language...

I think it was Paul Fussell who wrote about the most versatile word in the English language, in his book Wartime, which was a follow-on to The Great War and Modern Memory.

Fussell was a pretty cranky guy, so I think he would appreciate this scene.  I know I sure do after watching Hopkins lacrosse drop their last two games.

Every iteration of the magic word is...different.  Somewhere out there, there's a linguistics student who needs to deconstruct this scene!

That said, even I have to issue a language alert for this clip...

2,000m on Concept2 Model D + 4.0mi, 8:28.4/38:29, 4 APR 13, Fort Knox, Kentucky

iThink:
The Connells, "Fun & Games"

WX at 18:55 SE 6 10.00 Overcast FEW036 OVC120 52 25 36% NA NA 30.01 1016.7

Odometer 12C: 228.5mi

Z4 erg. Average/max heart rate = 154/171
Z3 low run. Average/max heart rate = 147/152

This morning was pushups and situps: 40/30/30/20/20 and 40/30/30/30. The last was significantly separated, hence 30 rather than 20.

I have to be more vigilant about eating back what I burn off. The temptation is there, especially after staring at a computer screen all damn day.

The gym I went to today has three Concept2s, but the one equipped with the PM4 computer was messed up. Thus, no interactive HRM, so I had to use my Forerunner. I started thinking this was going to easy in the first 500m, and then realized just how ambitious my pace actually was after not erging in a long, long time. The last 500m was pure suck.

I followed with some easy wogging to see what parts of Fort Knox had become ghost towns after the departure of the Armor Center and School.  The most significant ghost town is the old Disney Barracks area, or what was more popularly called "Disneyland" when it was occupied by the 1st Armor Training Brigade. I started and stopped the run at the gym next to where I had been some 20 years ago as a cadet, attached to Company B, 1st Battalion, 70th Armor Combined Arms Task Force. Man, do I feel old. I took a PT test in the summer of 1993, and ran a 11:59 two-mile run. Can't do that anymore, and I'm not 21 anymore either.

Splits
Distance: 2000
Time: 08:28.0
Avg/500m: 02:07.0
Drag Factor: 106
Per Mile: 00:06:49

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:45 09:45 09:45 09:45 1.00
1.00 19:32 09:47 09:47 09:46 2.00
1.00 28:59 09:27 09:27 09:40 3.00
1.00 38:26 09:27 09:27 09:36 4.00

2.0mi on dreadmill/7.0mi, 16:04/60:51, 3 APR 13, Radcliff, Kentucky

AM iThink:
Nyan Cat music. No kidding.

PM iThink:
Above and Beyond pres. Oceanlab, "On A Good Day"
Jenn Grant, "Oh My Heart"

WX at 05:55 Calm 10.00 Fair CLR 28 17 62% NA NA 30.26 1025.3
WX at 18:55 NE 12 10.00 Fair CLR 49 15 26% 44 NA 30.26 1025.3

Odometer 12C: 226.0mi

AM run Z4. No HRM reading for AM.
PM run Z4. Average/max heart rate = 157/174

This morning I knew I wasn't going for very long, but my usual lugubrious tempo in the morning gave me little time to do much other than go hard on the dreadmill, after I'd done my 40/30/20/10 for pushups and situps.

Still, it was good to get that out of the way up front since I knew I needed a more substantive run tonight, which I got. However, running along the perimeter of Fort Knox meant that the roads that looked mostly passable from satellite imagery were anything but, so I remained on civilian roads. As I remember well, there's no shortage of hills around Fort Knox. Still, the weather was just about perfect for a hard run, and this evening run delivered the goods in spades.

AM Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
2.00 16:04 16:04 08:02 08:02 2.00

PM Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:50 08:50 08:50 08:50 1.00
1.00 17:17 08:27 08:27 08:39 2.00
1.00 26:16 08:59 08:59 08:45 3.00
1.00 34:57 08:41 08:41 08:44 4.00
1.00 43:55 08:58 08:58 08:47 5.00
1.00 52:35 08:40 08:40 08:46 6.00
1.00 60:51 08:16 08:16 08:42 7.00

4.0mi on dreadmill, 33:01, 2 APR 13, Radcliff, Kentucky

iThink:
Morrissey, "Tomorrow"

WX at 05:55 NW 3 10.00 Fair CLR 28 17 63% NA NA 30.21 1023.6

Odometer 12C: 216.9mi

Z4. Average/max heart rate = 160/174

After driving along the lines of 10 hours yesterday from Springfield to Radcliff, I was determined to get in something this morning. Pushups and situps to follow tonight.

Unfortunately, I'm still feeling the after-effects of the grilled onion double cheeseburger I got at McD's last night. Methinks my coworkers may not appreciate getting cropdusted all day...

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
4.00 33:01 33:01 08:15 08:15 4.00

7.31mi, 62:44, 31 MAR 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
R.E.M., "Driver 8"
Sisters of Mercy, "Temple of Love '92"

WX at 08:55 Calm 10.00 Partly Cloudy FEW075 SCT140 43 37 80% NA NA 30.02 1016.8

Odometer 12C: 212.9mi

Z4. Average/max heart rate = 158/173

Today went faster because I was in a rush.  I needed to get done quickly because I was getting my parents for Easter brunch.  Standard story, harder uphills, faster downhills.  I guess if I was serious about getting faster that I should do more squats so I have more power, but I don't feel that industrious.

Splits

SGMT AGGRGTE SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 0:08:34 08:34 08:34 08:34 1.00
1.00 0:17:39 09:05 09:05 08:49 2.00
1.00 0:26:36 08:57 08:57 08:52 3.00
1.00 0:35:11 08:35 08:35 08:48 4.00
1.00 0:43:38 08:27 08:27 08:44 5.00
1.00 0:51:54 08:16 08:16 08:39 6.00
1.00 1:00:22 08:28 08:28 08:37 7.00
0.31 1:02:44 02:22 07:38 08:35 7.31

5.04mi, 42:21, 30 MAR 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
The Bats, "Courage
Paul Hardcastle, "19"

WX at 09:00 3 N10.00 Overcast OVC080 43 6 26 -3 50% 42 5 30.19 1022.4

Odometer 12C: 205.6mi

Z4. Average/max heart rate = 158/193

Today was faster, partly because of waking up later, but also because of being better rested, I suspect.

I had to console the Elder briefly last night when Kansas lost in basketball to Michigan. I couldn't care less about basketball and my loyalties are solely because of my previous stint at Kansas as a graduate student.

Hopkins plays North Carolina today in lacrosse, which is much more important to me than a basketball game, but that's just me.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:29 08:29 08:29 08:29 1.00
1.00 17:06 08:37 08:37 08:33 2.00
1.00 25:01 07:55 07:55 08:20 3.00
1.00 33:22 08:21 08:21 08:20 4.00
1.04 42:21 08:59 08:38 08:24 5.04

4.5mi, 42:00, 29 MAR 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Sisters of Mercy, "The Temple of Love"

WX at 05:55 W 3 10.00 Overcast OVC060 39 30 71% NA NA 30.25 1024.6

Odometer 12B: 294.5mi

Z3. Average/max heart rate = 147/167

Was good for about 4 miles, and then had to walk. Still tired, but that's partly because I haven't left work any earlier than 7:00pm this week. Work has been nucking futs lately. But I still have to run.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:55 08:55 08:55 08:55 1.00
1.00 18:14 09:19 09:19 09:07 2.00
1.00 27:32 09:18 09:18 09:11 3.00
1.00 36:54 09:22 09:22 09:13 4.00
0.50 42:00 05:06 10:12 09:20 4.50

4.46mi, 40:03, 27 MAR 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Rush, "Faithless"

WX at 05:55 W 12 10.00 Fair CLR 39 27 63% 32 NA 30.03 1017.1

Odometer 12C: 200.6mi

Z3 high. Average/max heart rate = 153/170

Later start = modified shorter run from yesterday. The soreness from pushup and situps is starting to build. Just have to work through it.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:59 08:59 08:59 08:59 1.00
1.00 18:17 09:18 09:18 09:09 2.00
1.00 27:18 09:01 09:01 09:06 3.00
1.00 35:58 08:40 08:40 09:00 4.00
0.46 40:03 04:05 08:53 08:59 4.46

5.05mi, 44:20, 26 MAR 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Rush, "Faithless"

WX at 05:55 Calm 8.00 Fair CLR 32 31 95% NA NA 29.79 1008.9

Odometer 12C: 196.1mi

Z3. Average/max heart rate = 153/169

First run in a few days. Today felt pretty good, although it might be because I didn't go for my customary Sunday long run. I was also testing a new route that's a little more hilly, although hill work in itself is never a bad thing.

However, I'm starting to do pushups and situps again, so I have to get past my usual soreness as I get back into doing them so I can get my customary 200 points on the first two events of the PT test.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:45 08:45 08:45 08:45 1.00
1.00 17:42 08:57 08:57 08:51 2.00
1.00 26:35 08:53 08:53 08:52 3.00
1.00 35:18 08:43 08:43 08:49 4.00
1.05 44:20 09:02 08:36 08:47 5.05

5.05mi, 45:28, 22 MAR 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Porter Robinson, "Language" (Koncept Remix)
Sugar, "Tilted"

WX at 05:55 Calm 10.00 Fair CLR 22 15 72% NA NA 29.93 1013.9

Odometer 12C: 191.1mi

Z3. Average/max heart rate = 147/164

I stopped the GPS at a street crossing and didn't check to see if I'd turned it back on - which I had not. So today's timings are all estimate.

My legs felt better today, and I at least felt more fluid, compared to the last few days, although yesterday was deliberately a rest day in the hopes my legs might not feel so dead.

I'm about to come up onto a milestone, but I don't feel much lately.  Yesterday it was ire.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
5.05 45:28 45:28 09:00 09:00 5.05

Contingency and the campaign planner

All of the media coverage on the beginning of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM a decade ago has brought up some of the recollections of those who fought in the war.  I noted last year that "survivor's guilt is a bitch goddess," but I felt it differently as a campaign planner than I did when I was closer to the front.  All this coverage reminded me of something I read about another war with Iraq, one much beforehand, and about the sorts of things that weighed on me for reasons I could not explain to my satisfaction, to anyone.

I freely acknowledge that I have no control over the sort of things that historians call contingency, or others might call chance.  And yet, it continues to grate on me.  It will probably continue to do so, long after the end of my wartime service.

---

On 30 October, after the repairs were completed, the Iwo Jima finally got under way. She barely got a mile into the channel before she suffered a major steam leak in her engine room. The superheated steam killed six crew members immediately. Four additional men in critical condition from burns and steam inhalation were taken to the hospital ship Comfort, anchored outside the harbor. Unfortunately, the four men died soon thereafter. The Iwo Jima, which had anchored in the channel, was towed back to the Mina Sulman pier.

(VADM Henry H.) Mauz appointed (RADM J. B.) LaPlante (the Iwo Jima was part of his Amphibious Task Force) to conduct a preliminary inquiry regarding the circumstances surrounding the accident. LaPlante, then overseeing the start of the Sea Soldier II amphibious exercise from his flagship Nassau in the Gulf of Oman, immediately flew to the Blue Ridge. Ironically, less than one hour before the Iwo Jima had gotten under way LaPlante had sent a message to all his commanding officers urging them to pay great attention to safety: “Our most sacred responsibility is the lives and safety of the people entrusted to our care.”  The next morning, LaPlante sat across from the author at breakfast in the Flag Mess on the Blue Ridge. He commented that when he was younger he had found it hard enough to deal with men dying who were about his age, but now, having young men die who were about his son's age was almost more than he could bear. 

The subsequent court of inquiry concluded that a non-English-speaking repair person had used brass nuts (with a black coating to make them indistinguishable from the required steel nuts) to install a valve in the high-pressure steam system involved. When subjected to high temperatures, brass softens and loses its strength. Under the enormous heat and pressure of steam at 640 pounds per square inch, the valve had failed, releasing 865-degree steam into the compartment.

Marvin Pokrant, Desert Shield at Sea: What the Navy Really Did

3.0mi, 27:43, 20 MAR 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
The Suicide Denial, "Don't Let Me Die Here"

WX at 05:55 Calm 10.00 Fair CLR 30 15 54% NA NA 29.99 1015.9

Odometer 12C: 186.1mi

Z3 low. Average/max heart rate = 142/160

Short run because I was pressed for time. Gotta get to work early today.

Could also be a function of needing a light activity day that might give the legs a chance to rest up, sort of.  They're still tired.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:21 09:21 09:21 09:21 1.00
1.00 18:27 09:06 09:06 09:13 2.00
1.00 27:43 09:16 09:16 09:14 3.00

5.05mi, 46:08, 19 MAR 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
The Breeders, "Divine Hammer"

WX at 05:52 Calm 10.00 Overcast OVC010 39 35 86% NA NA 29.78 1008.3

Odometer 12C: 183.1mi

Z3 high. Average/max heart rate = 150/167

I might've felt like I was going hard, but the HRM says otherwise. Legs are still tired.

I need to make a concerted effort to go to sleep early tonight to offset the 4 hours I got last night. I had momentum on something I've been trying to finish and I killed it off last night.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:24 09:24 09:24 09:24 1.00
1.00 18:53 09:29 09:29 09:26 2.00
1.00 27:32 08:39 08:39 09:11 3.00
1.00 36:35 09:03 09:03 09:09 4.00
1.05 46:08 09:33 09:06 09:08 5.05

10.06mi, 91:00, 17 MAR 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Katy Perry, "Part of Me"

WX at 10:55 NW 5 10.00 Overcast SCT029 OVC046 41 30 64% 38 NA 30.17 1021.9

Odometer 12B: 290.0mi

Z3 high. Average/max heart rate = 153/169

Long run, but not as long as others since I had some other things I gotta today. The legs are very, very tired but were warmed up by the end. Still, I need to burn the lard.

I have no idea where today's iThink came from.  Surprisingly for a long run, there were no others.

Splits

SGMT AGGRGTE SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 0:09:08 09:08 09:08 09:08 1.00
1.00 0:18:33 09:25 09:25 09:16 2.00
1.00 0:27:32 08:59 08:59 09:11 3.00
1.00 0:36:50 09:18 09:18 09:13 4.00
1.00 0:46:00 09:10 09:10 09:12 5.00
1.00 0:54:58 08:58 08:58 09:10 6.00
1.00 1:03:26 08:28 08:28 09:04 7.00
1.00 1:12:39 09:13 09:13 09:05 8.00
1.00 1:21:35 08:56 08:56 09:04 9.00
1.06 1:31:00 09:25 08:53 09:03 10.06

5.03mi, 45:39, 15 MAR 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
The Who, "Eminence Front"
Lars Frederiksen and the Bastards, "Fight"

WX at 05:55 Calm 10.00 Fair CLR 25 21 83% NA NA 30.10 1019.6

Odometer 12B: 278.9mi

Z3. Average/max heart rate = 146/161

Legs still tired, need to run, daylight savings time really bites my ass. Beware the Ides of March.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:12 09:12 09:12 09:12 1.00
1.00 18:34 09:22 09:22 09:17 2.00
1.00 27:12 08:38 08:38 09:04 3.00
1.00 36:06 08:54 08:54 09:01 4.00
1.03 45:39 09:33 09:16 09:05 5.03

4.47mi, 41:45, 13 MAR 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Iron Maiden, "Wasted Years"

WX at 05:55 Calm 10.00 Fair CLR 32 28 84% NA NA 29.97 1015.1

Odometer 12C: 178.0mi

Z3. Average/max heart rate = 147/173

Legs are still tired going uphill. I forced myself to go to bed at 10pm last night, in the hopes I might catch up on some lost sleep. It was easier to get up this morning but I have no illusions that I've been caught up on cumulative sleep loss.

For a variety of reasons, I wanted to run harder today, but wasn't able to do so. Maybe tomorrow.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:05 09:05 09:05 09:05 1.00
1.00 19:07 10:02 10:02 09:33 2.00
1.00 27:55 08:48 08:48 09:18 3.00
1.00 37:21 09:26 09:26 09:20 4.00
0.47 41:45 04:24 09:22 09:20 4.47

4.5mi, 41:14, 12 MAR 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Linkin Park, "Faint"
Bob Mould, "MM 17"

WX at 05:55 SE 9 10.00 Light Rain SCT023 SCT034 BKN043 BKN075 55 52 88% NA NA 29.83 1010.3 0.01

Odometer 12C: 173.5mi

Z3. Average/max heart rate = 151/168

I am tired. So are my legs. My circadian rhythms have still not caught up. Damn you, daylight savings time.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:57 08:57 08:57 08:57 1.00
1.00 18:31 09:34 09:34 09:15 2.00
1.00 27:47 09:16 09:16 09:16 3.00
1.00 36:47 09:00 09:00 09:12 4.00
0.50 41:14 04:27 08:54 09:10 4.50

8.67mi, 77:33, 10 MAR 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Iron Maiden, "The Trooper"
Bear McCreary, "All Along the Watchtower"
Jenn Grant, "Oh My Heart"

WX at 12:55 Vrbl 7 10.00 Fair CLR 58 29 33% NA NA 30.32 1027.1

Odometer 12B: 273.9mi

Z4. Average/max heart rate = 156/172

Today's run started ugly, with some decidedly dead legs. It was better by about 40 minutes in, but I had to weigh how tired I might've felt compared to how much I needed to get this run in.  So I went, and the first mile was okay, but quickly got worse.  By the end, I was just grinding the uphills trying to get back at under the 9:00/mi cutoff, which I just made.

On the bright side, the flat portion were averaging about 8:15-8:30/mi so I guess that's somewhat encouraging on a run of this length.

Splits

SGMT AGGRGTE SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 0:08:31 08:31 08:31 08:31 1.00
1.00 0:17:38 09:07 09:07 08:49 2.00
1.00 0:26:30 08:52 08:52 08:50 3.00
1.00 0:35:34 09:04 09:04 08:54 4.00
1.00 0:44:44 09:10 09:10 08:57 5.00
1.00 0:53:45 09:01 09:01 08:58 6.00
1.00 1:03:06 09:21 09:21 09:01 7.00
1.00 1:11:39 08:33 08:33 08:57 8.00
0.67 1:17:33 05:54 08:48 08:57 8.67

5.02mi, 42:25, 9 MAR 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
"Johnny Hopkins On To Victory"
Iron Maiden, "Aces High"

WX at 10:55 Vrbl 5 10.00 Fair CLR 50 23 34% 48 NA 30.34 1027.7

Odometer 12C: 169.0mi

Z4. Average/max heart rate = 162/174

The weather was just about perfect! Went out for what I didn't think was going to be too long, and cranked out just about 5 miles, about what I needed to do after this week.

My legs are still tired, though. This should be interesting come tomorrow's long run. I definitely need to do a long run tomorrow. Because.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:16 08:16 08:16 08:16 1.00
1.00 16:50 08:34 08:34 08:25 2.00
1.00 25:42 08:52 08:52 08:34 3.00
1.00 33:52 08:10 08:10 08:28 4.00
1.02 42:25 08:33 08:23 08:27 5.02

4.12mi, 36:35, 8 MAR 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Rush, "Cold Fire"

WX at 05:55 NW 14 G 24 10.00 Fair CLR 37 25 61% 28 NA 30.16 1021.6

Odometer 12B: 265.2mi

Z3. Average/max heart rate = 149/169

Tired from going to sleep too late, woke up late, almost wimped out, but really glad I got at least a short run in. I need it. Badly.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:54 08:54 08:54 08:54 1.00
1.00 18:10 09:16 09:16 09:05 2.00
1.00 27:13 09:03 09:03 09:04 3.00
1.00 35:43 08:30 08:30 08:56 4.00
0.12 36:35 00:52 07:13 08:53 4.12

4.62mi, 43:42, 7 MAR 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Rush, "Middletown Dreams"

WX at 05:55 NW 3 10.00 Fair CLR 33 29 83% NA NA 30.07 1018.5

Odometer 12C:164.0mi

Z4. Average/max heart rate = 151/166

While the distance and speed wouldn't indicate, today was a significantly harder day than the numbers would indicate. The reason was all the residual ice from yesterday still on the sidewalk. It made what should've been a relatively easy day into something much harder, especially at the speeds at which I was going - slow. The ice amplified greatly the general lack of energy I felt going uphill.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:02 09:02 09:02 09:02 1.00
1.00 19:16 10:14 10:14 09:38 2.00
1.00 28:28 09:12 09:12 09:29 3.00
1.00 37:55 09:27 09:27 09:29 4.00
0.62 43:42 05:47 09:20 09:28 4.62

7.0mi, 62:46, 5 MAR 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Rush, "Ghost Rider"

WX at 05:55 Calm 10.00 Fair CLR 27 19 70% NA NA 30.08 1018.9

Odometer 12C: 166.4mi

Z3 high-Z4. Average/max heart rate = 155/172

It's going to snow later this week, so I figured I'd get in a long run today and hopefully get in some recovery mileage tomorrow. I slept in yesterday because I can't get to sleep early enough to not be tired when I wake up. That's going to require me to exercise a bit more discipline at night.

Today was an undistinguished run, in no small part because my legs were tired. I guess I'll see tomorrow how they feel.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:04 09:04 09:04 09:04 1.00
1.00 18:34 09:30 09:30 09:17 2.00
1.00 27:12 08:38 08:38 09:04 3.00
1.00 36:06 08:54 08:54 09:01 4.00
1.00 45:20 09:14 09:14 09:04 5.00
1.00 53:56 08:36 08:36 08:59 6.00
1.00 62:46 08:50 08:50 08:58 7.00

8.65mi, 75:59, 3 MAR 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
"Star Wars Rock - Interjections"
Dos Gringos, "Going In For Guns"
The Connells, "Fun & Games"

WX at 10:55 W 15 10.00 Overcast OVC050 38 16 42% 29 NA 29.87 1011.8

Odometer 12B: 261.1mi

Z4. Average/max heart rate = 163/178

I spent the last three days at Fort Hood, Texas. That was a festival of bad nutrition, both during the plane rides there and actually in Texas. I figured it was going to happen so I needed to get in a run.

However, I didn't want to go for a run so colossal (like the 11.4-miler I did last Sunday) that it destroyed me for the rest of the week. The road to recovery this week will be to get in a run EVERY day until next weekend. Only then will I be able to start chipping into the monster caloric intake of the last few days.

I lowballed in a bad way the amount of snivel gear I should've worn.  I went out fast to start warming up because it was cold and windy.  Oops.

Also, I was trying to recover from the absolutely poor flights I had from DFW. The one going out of DFW to Killeen was delayed over an hour since the first officer decided to not show and the airline was desperately trying to find another. The second was because the airplane that was intended to come in...broke...which required another crew...which required having to find another flight attendant for the different type of aircraft...which required multiple seat changes...which meant that for a plane ride that was supposed to finish at 8:57, I landed sometime about 11:25.

To add insult to injury, the Metro station was closed, so I had to take a shuttle bus from Washington Reagan to Braddock Road. Then I waited another 30 minutes or so for the Blue line train to take me back to Franconia-Springfield.

Fuck.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:26 08:26 08:26 08:26 1.00
1.00 17:21 08:55 08:55 08:41 2.00
1.00 25:41 08:20 08:20 08:34 3.00
1.00 34:29 08:48 08:48 08:37 4.00
1.00 43:22 08:53 08:53 08:40 5.00
1.00 52:33 09:11 09:11 08:45 6.00
1.00 61:51 09:18 09:18 08:50 7.00
1.00 70:30 08:39 08:39 08:49 8.00
0.65 75:59 05:29 08:26 08:47 8.65

5.12mi, 45:11, 27 FEB 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Rush, "Middletown Dreams"

WX at 05:55 NW 9 10.00 Overcast OVC006 41 40 94% 35 NA 29.56 1001.1

Odometer 12C: 159.4mi

Z3 high. Average/max heart rate = 152/170

A slightly new route, just to see if I could find one that tipped me just over 5 miles. I think this one'll work, and I guess that extra 80 or so calories that I burn will start making up for the two Quarter Pounders I nom'ed down yesterday in a fit of snark and crank.

Going uphill was not fun, which makes me wonder how long recovery takes after a long beater of a run.

This is probably a good idea since I'm going back to battle sequestration demons at work. The political climate has become so poisoned that the US legislative branch is about as effective as the Senate of the Old Republic. I'm not sure if there's a Palpatine in the works. I only hope he/she won't be a populist toad.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:45 08:45 08:45 08:45 1.00
1.00 17:55 09:10 09:10 08:58 2.00
1.00 26:19 08:24 08:24 08:46 3.00
1.00 35:02 08:43 08:43 08:45 4.00
1.00 44:11 09:09 09:09 08:50 5.00
0.12 45:11 01:00 08:20 08:49 5.12

11.38mi, 1:45:27, 24 FEB 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Rush, "BU2B"
Rush, "Ghost Rider"

WX at 10:55 NW 15 G 22 10.00 Fair CLR 50 31 49% 45 NA 29.91 1012.9

Odometer 12B: 252.4mi

Z3. Average/max heart rate = 155/170

Today was another day of forced effort. I didn't feel that great, and I'm not usually in the habit of going on long runs without feeling like I was up for it, but I thought I'd get better through the run. I did, but I tightly controlled my effort going out and treated it as a run to start glycogen regenesis, which for me seems to happen after the 90 minute mark. It also meant I didn't go particularly hard and didn't pay much attention to pace.

The iThink was surprising, but curiously appropriate for a day when many people are sitting in church.

Splits

SGMT AGGRGTE SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 0:09:17 09:17 09:17 09:17 1.00
1.00 0:18:46 09:29 09:29 09:23 2.00
1.00 0:28:08 09:22 09:22 09:23 3.00
1.00 0:37:30 09:22 09:22 09:22 4.00
1.00 0:46:36 09:06 09:06 09:19 5.00
1.00 0:55:42 09:06 09:06 09:17 6.00
1.00 1:04:59 09:17 09:17 09:17 7.00
1.00 1:14:02 09:03 09:03 09:15 8.00
1.00 1:22:59 08:57 08:57 09:13 9.00
1.00 1:32:56 09:57 09:57 09:18 10.00
1.00 1:42:06 09:10 09:10 09:17 11.00
0.38 1:45:27 03:21 08:49 09:16 11.38

4.61mi, 41:59, 22 FEB 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Rush, "The Analog Kid"

WX at 05:55 Calm 10.00 A Few Clouds FEW150 31 17 56% NA NA 30.36 1028.5

Odometer 12B: 241.0mi

Z3. Average/max heart rate = 150/170

I was surprised to get out there after only 4 and a half hours of sleep, but I still need to run. At least the iThink was a good one this morning.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:13 09:13 09:13 09:13 1.00
1.00 18:47 09:34 09:34 09:24 2.00
1.00 27:28 08:41 08:41 09:09 3.00
1.00 36:35 09:07 09:07 09:09 4.00
0.61 41:59 05:24 08:51 09:06 4.61

4.61mi, 40:59, 21 FEB 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Rush, "Presto"

WX at 06:36 WNW 4G16 10.00 Partly Cloudy BKN250 25 10 55% 18 NA 30.16 1021.1

Odometer 12C: 154.3mi

Z3 high. Average/max heart rate = 152/174

Almost slept in. Almost. Still middling uphills but today was better, somewhat. Still, meh.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:06 09:06 09:06 09:06 1.00
1.00 18:23 09:17 09:17 09:11 2.00
1.00 26:47 08:24 08:24 08:56 3.00
1.00 35:37 08:50 08:50 08:54 4.00
0.61 40:59 05:22 08:48 08:53 4.61

4.63mi, 43:09, 19 FEB 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
The Go-Go's, "My Heart Will Go On" (yes, a cover of the Celine Dion song)
Rush, "BU2B"

WX at 05:55 Vrbl 6 10.00 A Few Clouds FEW130 39 23 52% 35 NA 30.05 1017.7

Odometer 12B: 235.4mi

Z3. Average/max heart rate = 152/174

Today sucked as a run, mostly due to tired legs. Probably still feeling the run from Sunday morning. While I enjoyed my weekend off, it's time to go back to work...

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:16 09:16 09:16 09:16 1.00
1.00 19:06 09:50 09:50 09:33 2.00
1.00 27:55 08:49 08:49 09:18 3.00
1.00 37:15 09:20 09:20 09:19 4.00
0.63 43:09 05:54 09:22 09:19 4.63

4.4mi, 41:10, 18 FEB 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Iron Maiden, "Aces High"
Iron Maiden, "Wasted Years"

WX at 10:52 Vrbl 3 10.00 Partly Cloudy FEW120 SCT200 32 5 32% NA NA 30.40 1029.3

Odometer 12C: 149.7mi

Z3 low. Average/max heart rate = 149/163

Today was going to be a recovery run, and it was, based on heart rate alone. Tomorrow will tell whether it was recovery enough. Cold, but warm enough to warrant shorts, even though the air temperature was 32F. The sun was out.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:19 09:19 09:19 09:19 1.00
1.00 18:42 09:23 09:23 09:21 2.00
1.00 28:14 09:32 09:32 09:25 3.00
1.00 37:31 09:17 09:17 09:23 4.00
0.40 41:10 03:39 09:08 09:21 4.40

My dark heart

From two related, but very different TV shows, these are a very, very accurate window to my heart.

"If people believe they'll go to heaven no matter what, they'll lose control over themselves.  Because nothing anyone does on the Twelve Worlds will matter to them.  The real world will turn into a game. Like New Cap City, people will kill, rape, destroy.  They'll be forgiven, and blessed, and go to heaven anyway."

"Which side are we on? We're on the side of the demons, Chief. We are evil men in the gardens of paradise, sent by the forces of death to spread devastation and destruction wherever we go. I'm surprised you didn't know that."

11.77mi, 1:46:10, 17 FEB 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Rush, "Middletown Dreams"
Rush, "Animate"

WX at 10:52 NW 24 G 33 10.00 Mostly Cloudy and Breezy BKN050 BKN075 32 8 36% 19 NA 29.98 1015.1

Odometer 12B: 230.8mi

Z3. Average/max heart rate = 158/176

First long run in a long while. What I hadn't counted on was the wind. The air temperature was low enough, but the wind was crazy.

I was still able to get through what I thought was a good run - I found that by the time I'd hit around 85-90 minutes, I'd been running long enough to start glycogen regenesis, something I haven't had occasion to do in a long while. The full warmup happened around the 35-minute mark, but the transition from running that fuel out around 75 minutes to the 10 minutes until glycogen regenesis really started to kick in was no fun (as evident by the mile 10 split).

I'm sure I'll pay for this run tomorrow.

Splits

SGMT AGGREGT SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 0:09:03 09:03 09:03 09:03 1.00
1.00 0:18:10 09:07 09:07 09:05 2.00
1.00 0:27:14 09:04 09:04 09:05 3.00
1.00 0:36:24 09:10 09:10 09:06 4.00
1.00 0:45:15 08:51 08:51 09:03 5.00
1.00 0:54:06 08:51 08:51 09:01 6.00
1.00 1:03:01 08:55 08:55 09:00 7.00
1.00 1:12:22 09:21 09:21 09:03 8.00
1.00 1:21:07 08:45 08:45 09:01 9.00
1.00 1:30:41 09:34 09:34 09:04 10.00
1.00 1:39:31 08:50 08:50 09:03 11.00
0.77 1:46:10 06:39 08:38 09:01 11.77

4.61mi, 41:52, 15 FEB 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Porter Robinson, "Language" (Koncept Remix)
Rush, "BU2B"

WX at 05:52 SW 3 10.00 A Few Clouds FEW250 36 32 86% NA NA 30.02 1016.6

Odometer 12C: 145.3mi

Z3. Average/max heart rate = 151/167

Dead legs and being tired = easier run than usual. As to be expected, noticed it on the uphills. This too shall pass.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:04 09:04 09:04 09:04 1.00
1.00 18:36 09:32 09:32 09:18 2.00
1.00 27:07 08:31 08:31 09:02 3.00
1.00 36:21 09:14 09:14 09:05 4.00
0.61 41:52 05:31 09:03 09:05 4.61

5.54mi, 49:24, 13 FEB 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
The Connells, "Fun and Games"

WX at 05:52 N 9 10.00 Mostly Cloudy FEW150 BKN250 35 26 70% 28 NA 29.91 1012.7

Odometer 12B: 229.0mi

Z3-4. Average/max heart rate = 151/169

Need to get another in before it snows tomorrow. I was hoping to go 6 but didn't get that far, but I didn't want to go too far.  The other thing that's not iThink-worthy was some piece of instrumental music I remember from the station idents for WYAH-TV when it was still channel 27 in Portsmouth, VA thirty years ago.  I think that clip was composed for NFL Films sometime in the 1970s, but I've never been able to find it.

Tomorrow might be a useful day of rest, but I don't really need a day of rest as much as I need to continue to put in base mileage.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:12 09:12 09:12 09:12 1.00
1.00 18:26 09:14 09:14 09:13 2.00
1.00 27:02 08:36 08:36 09:01 3.00
1.00 35:43 08:41 08:41 08:56 4.00
1.00 44:33 08:50 08:50 08:55 5.00
0.54 49:24 04:51 08:59 08:55 5.54

6.1mi, 53:18, 12 FEB 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
that dog., "being with you"
Katy Perry, "Part of Me"

WX at 04:52 NW 15 G 28 10.00 A Few Clouds FEW130 49 26 41% 43 NA 29.89 1012.0

Odometer 12C: 140.7mi

Z4. Average/max heart rate = 157/171

First run in what I think was five days. Not bothering to count. This was a good run, although the weather was mild, and I was reasonably well rested after five days of "do nothing but eat."

Not sure what sparked one of the musical footnotes of my 20s, or the rather shameless Katy Perry recruiting ad for the Marine Corps.

At least I got out and ran.  It's a start.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:38 08:38 08:38 08:38 1.00
1.00 17:34 08:56 08:56 08:47 2.00
1.00 25:49 08:15 08:15 08:36 3.00
1.00 34:34 08:45 08:45 08:39 4.00
1.00 43:22 08:48 08:48 08:40 5.00
1.00 52:29 09:07 09:07 08:45 6.00
0.10 53:18 00:49 08:10 08:44 6.10

4.62mi, 40:09, 7 FEB 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Rush, "BU2B"

WX at 05:52 Calm 10.00 Overcast OVC220 33 22 64% NA NA 30.42 1029.9

Odometer 12C: 134.6mi

Z3 mid. Average/max heart rate = 152/169

Yesterday was a "do nothing but eat" day because I was too tired to go out and run. I was absolutely squashed flat.

At least I got out here. Still feel like crap. Need to sleep more.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:49 08:49 08:49 08:49 1.00
1.00 17:54 09:05 09:05 08:57 2.00
1.00 26:04 08:10 08:10 08:41 3.00
1.00 34:46 08:42 08:42 08:41 4.00
0.62 40:09 05:23 08:41 08:41 4.62

4.4mi, 40:52, 5 FEB 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Rush, "Middletown Dreams"

WX at 05:52 NE 5 10.00 Overcast BKN065 OVC140 35 25 67% 31 NA 29.88 1011.7

Odometer 12C: 130.0mi

Z3. Average/max heart rate = 148/167

Man, I felt like crap today. Slow start, easy run. I felt better by the end, but I went out because I had to, not because I really wanted to. Again.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:20 09:20 09:20 09:20 1.00
1.00 19:08 09:48 09:48 09:34 2.00
1.00 27:59 08:51 08:51 09:20 3.00
1.00 37:16 09:17 09:17 09:19 4.00
0.40 40:52 03:36 09:00 09:17 4.40

6.0mi, 53:52, 2 FEB 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Bob Mould, "MM 17"
Ram Jam, "Black Betty" (although I was partly inspired by the internet meme of Betty Draper from Mad Men with "WHOAH FAT BETTY BAM A LAM" on it)
The Bats, "Flowers and Trees"
Rush, "Emotion Detector"

WX at 09:52 S 9 10.00 Mostly Cloudy BKN150 BKN250 26 7 44% 17 NA 30.36 1028.0

Odometer 12C: 125.6mi

Z4. Average/max heart rate = 159/175

I wasn't sure how much to expect from this run, as my legs were tired, but by the end, I was running pretty well. I was pleasantly surprised, but it wasn't until the last mile. I went out, as usual, not because I wanted to, but because I felt I had to.

The Rush song is partly after having started reading Neil Peart's Ghost Rider as my non-duty reading. It is a damn sight less depressing than Ken Kesey's Sometimes A Great Notion, surprisingly, although no less reflective. One of the reviews of Kesey's book compared it to Greek tragedy, and I can understand the comparison.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:33 08:33 08:33 08:33 1.00
1.00 17:41 09:08 09:08 08:50 2.00
1.00 27:16 09:35 09:35 09:05 3.00
1.00 36:40 09:24 09:24 09:10 4.00
1.00 45:20 08:40 08:40 09:04 5.00
1.00 53:52 08:32 08:32 08:59 6.00

4.61mi, 40:42, 1 FEB 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
The Lemonheads,"Steve's Boy"
Robyn Hitchcock, "Madonna of the Wasps"

WX at 05:55 Vrbl 5 6.00 Light Snow OVC020 32 27 81% 27 NA 29.84 1010.8

Odometer 12C: 119.6mi

Z3 high-Z4. Average/max heart rate = 154/171

Yesterday was a day off, but still involved a mile or two of walking, so it wasn't a total wash. Today turned out to be a snowstorm that was starting to pick up, that wasn't immediately visible from the windows this morning. It started getting more interesting as I got further into the run.

Today's forecast says: Snow, mainly before 7am. High near 33. Windy, with a northwest wind 11 to 16 mph increasing to 21 to 26 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Awesome.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:51 08:51 08:51 08:51 1.00
1.00 18:00 09:09 09:09 09:00 2.00
1.00 26:29 08:29 08:29 08:50 3.00
1.00 35:23 08:54 08:54 08:51 4.00
0.61 40:42 05:19 08:43 08:50 4.61

4.82mi, 42:24, 30 JAN 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
That damn Bayern München song again.
MxPx, "I Will Follow"

WX at 05:55 SE 3 10.00 Fair CLR 47 46 96% NA NA 29.85 1011.1

Odometer 12C: 115.0mi

Z4. Average/max heart rate = 156/172

My legs were tired, although much of it might've been letdown from yesterday's day of Crazy, as well as running to the slug line, coming up dry, and going to the bus, which automatically added a little more.

I don't think my wrong turns this morning helped either.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:24 08:24 08:24 08:24 1.00
1.00 17:22 08:58 08:58 08:41 2.00
1.00 26:20 08:58 08:58 08:47 3.00
1.00 35:15 08:55 08:55 08:49 4.00
0.82 42:24 07:09 08:43 08:48 4.82

Work...

Today was a day of work so insanely hectic that I caught myself asking "when the fuck does this end?"

It is a bad indicator when I start making jokes about fortified wines at work, which is my counter to thinking about bourbon or single malt when I'm there.

I'm totally getting shitty tonight, just on principle.

Good organizations do routine things routinely.  It shouldn't feel like we're folding fucking space to get routine shit done.

Bulleit Bourbon, here I come. Fuck it all.

3.33mi, 29:27, 29 JAN 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink: some song for the Bayern Munich football club that I blame one of my friends for implanting in my head.

WX at 05:55 Calm 1.50 Fog/Mist FEW120 38 37 97% NA NA 30.09 1019.2

Odometer 12B: 223.4mi

Z4. Average/max heart rate = 158/174

Late start = short run. Thus, scouting the most direct route to get from Plan D (in case I miss my ride from work) to home. Seriously.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:44 08:44 08:44 08:44 1.00
1.00 17:35 08:51 08:51 08:47 2.00
1.00 26:38 09:03 09:03 08:53 3.00
0.33 29:27 02:49 08:32 08:51 3.33

4.35mi, 44:24, 28 JAN 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Bob Mould, "MM 17"

WX at 05:55 Vrbl 3 10.00 Light Rain BKN070 BKN080 33 27 79% NA NA 30.42 1030.4 0.01

Odometer 12C: 110.2mi

Z3 mid. Average/max heart rate = 151/165

A slow, gritty run, emphasized by the thin layer of ice on the roads this morning. What I didn't hear before sallying forth this morning was the freezing rain that characterized today's morning. I knew today was going to be slow, but I didn't think as slow as it actually was.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 09:51 09:51 09:51 09:51 1.00
1.00 20:31 10:40 10:40 10:15 2.00
1.00 30:07 09:36 09:36 10:02 3.00
1.00 40:58 10:51 10:51 10:15 4.00
0.35 44:24 03:26 09:49 10:12 4.35

9.13mi, 82:33, 27 JAN 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Bob Mould, "The Descent"

WX at 11:55 Calm 10.00 Fair CLR 36 16 44% NA NA 30.60 1036.3

Odometer 12B: 220.1mi

Z4. Average/max heart rate = 159/175

First long run in a while. I figured I'd go under 10 just to see how I felt. Waiting until it was daylight was a big help, actually. It was slow, but not as slow as I thought it would be, and in the last mile, discretion was probably the wiser choice as I could feel it in the calves.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:58 08:58 08:58 08:58 1.00
1.00 18:32 09:34 09:34 09:16 2.00
1.00 27:29 08:57 08:57 09:10 3.00
1.00 36:11 08:42 08:42 09:03 4.00
1.00 45:07 08:56 08:56 09:01 5.00
1.00 54:09 09:02 09:02 09:01 6.00
1.00 63:35 09:26 09:26 09:05 7.00
1.00 72:38 09:03 09:03 09:05 8.00
1.00 81:28 08:50 08:50 09:03 9.00
0.13 82:33 01:05 08:20 09:02 9.13

4.62mi, 41:40, 23 JAN 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Vicsanmusic, "Contra - Waterfall"

WX at 05:55 Calm 10.00 Fair CLR 11 4 71% NA NA 30.34 1027.8

Odometer 12C: 105.8mi

Z3-Z4. Average/max heart rate = 152/170

I felt better, although I was running, ill advisedly, in sweatpants. Not doing that again. Not as apparently cold as yesterday because of the wind, so today was a better-feeling run in some ways. While this was a minute slower, I'm not that concerned about time.

While it's a stretch to say I could get used to this, it's not like I haven't run in cold like this in the past either.

While the music from a cover of the background music to the waterfall part (beginning of part 2 of that game) of the old video game Contra is a little off the beaten path, it was the first thing that I could listen to get the random bullshit that was on the news about Beyonce Knowles and the lip-sync from the inauguration out of my skull. Unlike most of America, I can't see any reason why I should care at all about it. At all.

More pithily: inauguration, meh.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:59 08:59 08:59 08:59 1.00
1.00 18:40 09:41 09:41 09:20 2.00
1.00 27:11 08:31 08:31 09:04 3.00
1.00 36:10 08:59 08:59 09:02 4.00
0.62 41:40 05:30 08:52 09:01 4.62

4.65mi, 40:52, 22 JAN 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Iron Maiden, "Wasted Years"

WX at 05:55 NW 13 G 18 10.00 Fair CLR 21 -3 34% 8 NA 30.12 1020.4

Odometer 12C: 101.2mi

Z3. Average/max heart rate = 154/168

Turns out I managed to catch the flu last Thursday, bad enough where I did the previously unthinkable and after getting fully kitted up to go run, stopped after less than 200m and called it quits. That flu flat out beat my ass.

Today's run was a measure to see how well I could get back up to snuff, and while it was no shakes for speed, I felt okay.

Living in the Midwest for the last six years (less my stints at Bagram and Fort Campbell) has apparently toughened me up to the cold, because for it being 21F air temperature and -3F wind chill, I didn't go bananas on snivel gear. Surprising. It also reflects in the Elder asking "what's wrong with this place" when I told them it didn't normally get into the teens for temperature in the winter here.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:43 08:43 08:43 08:43 1.00
1.00 17:54 09:11 09:11 08:57 2.00
1.00 26:21 08:27 08:27 08:47 3.00
1.00 35:17 08:56 08:56 08:49 4.00
0.65 40:52 05:35 08:35 08:47 4.65

4.63mi, 41:25, 16 JAN 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Iron Maiden, "Aces High"

WX at 05:52 Calm 10.00 Light Rain BKN009 OVC041 37 33 86% NA NA 30.08 1018.6

Odometer 12C: 96.5mi

Z3. Average/max heart rate = 153/168

I was completely toast today. It might be be because of yesterday's comparative lack of sleep, or the lack of a true rest day from this past weekend. Or whatever.

At least it wasn't yesterday, which combined both pigging out with a Do Nothing But Eat day.  Oops...

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:49 08:49 08:49 08:49 1.00
1.00 18:11 09:22 09:22 09:05 2.00
1.00 26:43 08:32 08:32 08:54 3.00
1.00 35:46 09:03 09:03 08:56 4.00
0.63 41:25 05:39 08:58 08:57 4.63

4.63mi, 40:44, 14 JAN 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
The Replacements, "Answering Machine"

WX at 05:55 SE 3 10.00 Fair CLR 57 53 87% NA NA 29.99 1015.7

Odometer 12C: 91.8mi

Z3 high-Z4. Average/max heart rate = 153/170

My legs were pretty beat this morning after yesterday, when I took the kids into DC and wanted to go see the Inaugural Parade rehearsal. It was, unfortunately, a not very kid-friendly event, and they were not used to a lot of walking, especially when I took them to the National Museum of American History.

Today started ugly but seemed like the speed of any other day, strangely enough. This is by far the warmest January I've ever seen.

A little bit of Hüsker Dü's "Eight Miles High" slipped in at the end, but not enough to make the iThink playlist.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:34 08:34 08:34 08:34 1.00
1.00 17:50 09:16 09:16 08:55 2.00
1.00 26:20 08:30 08:30 08:47 3.00
1.00 35:16 08:56 08:56 08:49 4.00
0.63 40:44 05:28 08:41 08:48 4.63

4.63mi, 40:20, 10 JAN 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Rush, "Middletown Dreams"

WX at 05:55 Calm 9.00 Fair CLR 37 29 72% NA NA 30.50 1033.0

Odometer 12C: 87.2mi

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

Today was warm enough to warrant wearing shorts. Or so I thought, because I was looking at met data for KDCA - about 10 miles away. Turns out it's actually a little cooler the farther you get out from the District, fancy that. Instead of being 47F, it was actually 37F, but I strangely enough didn't really think it abnormally cold.

Warmest January I've ever seen. Not running snivel gear was a boon for speed.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:52 08:52 08:52 08:52 1.00
1.00 18:15 09:23 09:23 09:07 2.00
1.00 26:32 08:17 08:17 08:51 3.00
1.00 35:10 08:38 08:38 08:47 4.00
0.63 40:20 05:10 08:12 08:43 4.63

4.62mi, 40:25, 9 JAN 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
MxPx, "I Will Follow" MaX, "Aim"

WX at 05:52 Calm 9.00 Partly Cloudy SCT200 36 32 86% NA NA 30.36 1028.1

Odometer 12C: 82.6mi

Z3-Z4. Average/max heart rate = 152/169

I was tired and wanted to sleep in but, as usual, can't afford to sleep in. Today was pleasant, which still doesn't change my general malaise at not wanting to run.

Everyone else being sick in the house doesn't help at all.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:39 08:39 08:39 08:39 1.00
1.00 18:03 09:24 09:24 09:01 2.00
1.00 26:24 08:21 08:21 08:48 3.00
1.00 35:01 08:37 08:37 08:45 4.00
0.62 40:25 05:24 08:43 08:45 4.62

11.26mi, 1:44:39, 6 JAN 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Joe Stump, "Speed Metal Messiah"

WX at 11:55 Calm 10.00 Fair CLR 49 29 47% NA NA 30.11 1019.9

Odometer 12C: 77.9mi

Z3 high-Z4. Average/max heart rate = 158/174

I went out not thinking I was going over 11 and over mostly trails. I feel okay, mostly, but I'm pretty tired. Much of it stems from having pretty much hit the wall in the 10th mile. I was still going to shuffle back in.

Today is the day x-moose lights have to come down.  I'll probably spend a little bit of time unwarrantedly feeling sorry for myself, but I'm sure I can fix that with about 600mg of Vitamin M (a.k.a. Motrin).

The weather was a nice touch, though. Not sure what explains the iThink today, though. Today was anything but fast.

Splits

SGMT AGGREGT SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 0:08:29 08:29 08:29 08:29 1.00
1.00 0:17:58 09:29 09:29 08:59 2.00
1.00 0:27:14 09:16 09:16 09:05 3.00
1.00 0:36:17 09:03 09:03 09:04 4.00
1.00 0:44:56 08:39 08:39 08:59 5.00
1.00 0:54:09 09:13 09:13 09:01 6.00
1.00 1:03:29 09:20 09:20 09:04 7.00
1.00 1:12:37 09:08 09:08 09:05 8.00
1.00 1:22:42 10:05 10:05 09:11 9.00
1.00 1:32:39 09:57 09:57 09:16 10.00
1.00 1:42:06 09:27 09:27 09:17 11.00
0.26 1:44:39 02:33 09:48 09:18 11.26

4.63mi, 39:19, 3 JAN 13, Springfield, Virginia

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

WX at 05:52 NE 6 10.00 Overcast BKN055 OVC220 30 14 51% 24 NA 30.24 1023.9

Odometer 12B: 211.0mi

Z4. Average/max heart rate = 159/175

Today was cool, but I went a bit lighter on snivel gear than yesterday, relatively speaking. I was rewarded with a sizeably faster time today, and possibly my best for this particular course. 

I also might chalk some of it up to mysteriously waking up at 3:55am and not being able to go back to sleep for a few minutes, which almost never happens to me.

It's also possible that I'm gauging snivel gear weight based on what I had to do in Kansas, which seemed noticeably colder even at the same temperatures. Fortunately, I don't associate the single digit temperatures I remember from two winters ago with the DC area. At least there weren't any when was growing up.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:28 08:28 08:28 08:28 1.00
1.00 17:24 08:56 08:56 08:42 2.00
1.00 25:28 08:04 08:04 08:29 3.00
1.00 34:01 08:33 08:33 08:30 4.00
0.63 39:19 05:18 08:25 08:30 4.63

4.63mi, 41:17, 2 JAN 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
James Horner, "Battle in the Mutara Nebula"
James Horner, "Enterprise Attacks Reliant"

WX at 05:55 Vrbl 5 10.00 Overcast OVC037 37 23 58% 33 NA 30.05 1017.7

Odometer 12C: 66.7mi

Z3 high. Average/max heart rate = 154/175

A slow run after yesterday, but after not running for almost a week (or so) it's all rebuilding, especially after all the weight I gained over x-moose. That, and the head cold, which is still nagging.

Today's iThink was a successful attempt to purge the theme music from the old HBO TV show Dream On, which I was watching only because I'd seen the film Highlander on TV yesterday and saw that Roxanne Hart was a guest star on that show. But I don't much care for comedies, and my indifference to that show (produced by Marta Kauffman and David Crane) mirrors my indifference for other sitcoms.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:38 08:38 08:38 08:38 1.00
1.00 18:03 09:25 09:25 09:01 2.00
1.00 26:36 08:33 08:33 08:52 3.00
1.00 35:38 09:02 09:02 08:54 4.00
0.63 41:17 05:39 08:58 08:55 4.63

6.06mi, 52:53, 1 JAN 13, Springfield, Virginia

iThink:
Assortment of music from Raptor: Call of the Shadows

WX at 08:55 Calm 10.00 Fair CLR 36 31 81% NA NA 29.99 1015.9

Odometer 12C: 62.1mi

Z4. Average/max heart rate = no reading

Somehow my Garmin ForeRunner had gotten undocked from its charger and at some point had been powered on before I pulled it off. That occasionally happens, although I'm not sure why.

I still have a raging head cold, but stacking prescription medications has fixed that for now.

I have no idea why I was reminded of a computer game I used to play some 15 years ago.

Splits

SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
3.03 27:07 27:07 08:57 08:57 3.03
3.03 52:53 25:46 08:30 08:44 6.06