3.1mi, 23:21

Cruiserweight, "Operation Eyes Closed"

WX at 0700: 62 (17), DP 59 (15), BP 30.21 (1023.0), W 3 fog/mist, RH 90%

Odometer 3: 202.4mi

Z4.
Resting heart rate before start = 62 (112/68)

I guess I ought to be happy about the resting blood pressure. I was supine when taking that reading, though. Twice.

First run in a while, nothing fancy. Nothing ambitious, at least. So I ended up running, unintentionally, the fastest 5K I've done in a while. I guess I really haven't been slacking then.

Oh, and today's Talk Like A Pirate Day. Arrrrr, I have no idea why.

Splits
1.0: 7:18
2.0: 14:26 (7:07)
3.0: 22:20 (7:53)
3.1: 23:21 (1:01)

been busy and yet dilatory at the same time

The Basic Strategic Art Program finishes tomorrow.

I'm packing.

I haven't logged any runs because, mostly, I haven't done any.

I rowed 10,000m on Thursday, hard, on the Concept2 ergometer at the gym here at Carlisle Barracks. Estimated time, maybe about 44 minutes or so.

I hashed on Friday. That was maybe a 3-mile run with 5 beer stops. I shouldn't even bother to log that one.

I rowed 10,000m on Saturday, not so hard. Total time, 45:27. I started much easier and ended up pulling even faster average splits for the last 3/4 of the session. That, and it's something different, something I probably won't get to do back at Fort Bragg.

Harrumph.

11.5mi, 1:43:51

Suicidal Tendencies, "I Shot The Devil"
The Reputation, "Let It Rest"
mewithoutYou, "January 1979"

WX at 0500: 73.9 (23.3), DP 72.0 (22.2), BP 29.96 (1014), NE 3 fog, RH 97%
WX at 0700: 73.9 (23.3), DP 73.0 (22.8), BP 29.98 (1015), ENE 5 fog, RH 97%

Odometer 4: 74.5mi

Z3 mid-steady state.
Resting heart rate before start = no reading.

This was today's course.

Long slow run. I had counted on a live water fountain at the turnaround, which was St Christopher's School, where I went for 12 years. no joy. I was able to stop at the Retreat Hospital to get water, which saved my ass in a big way. Too bad it was at the 8.5 mile mark or so.

Did I do glycogen regenesis? Based on starting pace, maybe. Probably not at the end, though. I'll be feeling this run for a few days, but I needed to do it.

I have no earthly idea why the only thing I could think of this morning when I woke up was the lyrics "I shot Reagan," as the Suicidal Tendencies song starts.

Splits
I had been meaning to, but they were all off. 1:43:51 overall.

5.2mi approximate, 48:22

random Air Force propaganda music from aforementioned horrible 1997 film
James Horner, "Charging Fort Wagner" from Glory

WX at 0600: 55 (13), DP 54 (12), BP 30.04 (1017), calm fair, RH 100%

Odometer 4: 63mi

Z3 steady state.
Resting heart rate before start = no reading

Today marked a run day - never having been to Fredericksburg, VA before on business, I had to hastily map out a course, but I got LLMF (i.e., Lost Like A Motherfucker) about a half mile before I was actually supposed to turn off. So much for short-term memory.

In spite of it, I still made it out to the Fredericksburg National Battlefield and up to Lee's command post before I had to turn back, so that wasn't a complete loss. The part of Fredericksburg I ran isn't very runner-friendly. Nothing to make you feel more alive than playing chicken with an 18-wheeler...

Splits
None. 48:22 overall.

9.7mi, 85:15

Michael Kamen, Band of Brothers Suite 2

WX at 0700: 63 (17), DP 57 (14), BP 30.07 (1018.1), W 3 fair/haze, RH 81%

Odometer 3: 199.2mi

Z3 steady state.
Resting heart rate before start = 52 (119/77)

Long slow run, but not too slow. Probably too fast for what I needed to do, but I was under a time crunch this morning.

I also had to take a pit stop this morning and that was much needed. The difference between the last two splits is an indicator of how bad I needed it.

Splits
DLEG AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.50 05:07 05:07 10:14 08:07 0.63
0.96 08:04 08:04 08:24 08:24 0.96
0.61 13:31 05:27 08:56 08:37 1.57
1.57 27:28 13:57 08:53 08:45 3.14
1.83 43:57 16:29 09:00 08:51 4.97
1.44 56:52 12:55 08:58 08:52 6.41
1.29 67:54 11:02 08:33 08:49 7.70
0.53 72:51 04:57 09:20 08:51 8.23
0.97 81:10 08:19 08:34 08:49 9.20
0.50 85:15 04:05 08:10 08:47 9.70

6.2mi, 49:53

John Williams, assorted music from Star Wars Episode I: Racer

WX at 1800: 82 (28), DP 52 (11), BP 30.20 (1022.5), vrbl 3 fair, RH 35%

Odometer 4: 57.8mi

Z3 mid-high.
Resting heart rate before start = no reading.

First run in a few days. I was meaning to wake up early and get in a run, but I was doing homework late last night and didn't get done until about 3:00am. Like fucking hell I was going to wake up two hours later and go for a run. I slept in for a colossal four hours of sleep. Even when I try to work smart, I bone the pooch.

Today's run was unremarkable; it started slow, and finished quicker. Nothing special, but getting a little catharsis in for not doing fucking squat in the last few weeks.

Splits
First 3.1 in 25:41, second 3.1 in 24:12.

My Favorite Glass Tit suckage of All Time

30 minutes on the incline climber. The Concept2 ergometer at the gym here is so low on battery power that it's nonfunctional. Suck. I could just put on the heart monitor and just go off perceived effort and heart rate, but I guess that's an experiment for later this week.

The WX this morning was awesome. See if it holds tomorrow since I intend to sneak in a 10-miler tomorrow morning.

On the news front, a show I thought would never make it onto disk showed up at Best Buy today.

Clumsy pilot that culminated in some of the best writing I've ever seen in a science fiction show. A show that gets "the mood" right is rare, particularly on a topic that sparks the kind of nitnoiding that I normally do for most military-related shows.

But about a decade ago, Space: Above and Beyond was #1 on my weekly hit parade. Funny how I transitioned from watching My So-Called Life a year prior to watching S:AAB.

MSCL also left me with a big quandary, as I had to choose between three shows on the three major TV networks at the time (1994) all in the same time bracket: MSCL, Earth2, and Due South. I guess my predilection to redheads had something to do with it; aside from the excellence of the scripts on MSCL, I was a softy for Claire Danes. Yeah, yeah, yeah, she was 15 at the time. But that's not the point. (q.v., JWER on Hilary Duff)

But that's not the point right now. I mean, Space: Above and Beyond is on muthafuckin DVD! Never thought that'd happen.

Of course, Household6 is on the warpath again and has the ass, so maybe I shouldn't leave that prominently sitting around the house. To describe tonight's conversation as peremptory might be, well, a mild understatement...since, charitably speaking, she was fucking pissed.

10.1mi, 90:46

John Murphy, "Taxi (Ave Maria)" from 28 Days After soundtrack

WX at 0700 68 (20), DP 64 (18), BP 30.11 (1019), NNE 3, RH 87%
WX at 0800 69 (21), DP 62 (17), BP 30.13 (1020), Calm, RH 77%

Odometer 3: 189.5mi

Z3 low long run.
Resting heart rate before start = no reading.

I so didn't want to go out this morning. I'm glad I did. LSD and nothing but. Fine enough. The goal was to run about 9 minute pace, which I generally did, although it was more important that I start training my body to do glycogen regenesis.

I'm back at home this weekend. Whatever.

Splits
LSD AGREG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
2.5 23:10 23:10 09:16 09:16 2.5
1.5 36:33 13:23 08:55 09:08 4.0
2.1 55:37 19:04 09:05 09:07 6.1
1.5 69:12 13:35 09:03 09:06 7.6
2.5 90:46 21:34 08:38 08:59 10.1

6.8mi, 60:54 and 2.0mi, 16:02

Tommy Keene, "Drowning"

WX at 0500: 80.1 (26.7), DP 73.0 (22.8), BP 29.54 (1000), S 9 overcast, RH 79%
WX at 0700: 80.1 (26.7), DP 73.0 (22.8), BP 29.53 (999.8), S 15 overcast, RH 79%

Odometer 4: 51.6mi

Z3 low long run, Z3 2-miler
Resting heart rate before start = 48 (122/79)

I was going to run the physical fitness test with some members of the class, but I wanted to make sure I got in some distance this morning too.

This morning was abominably humid and sticky. If it was 79%, it sure didn't feel like it. The two miler was actually quite nice compared to what it was early this morning.

I'll probably feel it later, but it sure does feel all right now.

Splits
AHEC Agreg Segmt PerMi AvgPc Dist
0.50 04:20 04:20 08:40 08:40 0.50
0.96 12:57 08:37 08:59 08:52 1.46
0.54 17:39 04:42 08:42 08:49 2.00
1.29 29:34 11:55 09:14 08:59 3.29
1.06 39:06 09:32 09:00 08:59 4.35
0.42 42:50 03:44 08:53 08:59 4.77
0.44 46:50 04:00 09:05 08:59 5.21
0.53 51:43 04:53 09:13 09:01 5.74
0.56 56:37 04:54 08:45 08:59 6.30
0.50 60:54 04:17 08:34 08:57 6.80

2mir: 16:02

Latest Piece of Leisure Reading

Ralph Peters, The War In 2020

What a glum book. I remember seeing it on the Armor Center's reading list once, long ago. An interesting view of futures (particularly since I hold a specialty that generally lends itself doing futures work), and somewhat parochial in its views, but a pretty engaging read. It took me about two hours tonight when I probably should've been reading doctrine for homework instead.

It's amazing how knowledge of certain dynamics of national and military policy change how you view certain books. In that respect, my attendance at Carlisle Barracks this summer has been nothing short of transformational, even if it underscores my desire to get back with troops in a general staff with troops assignment as a division planner.

In spite of all this, all I really want to do is drink Absente instead. I picked up a bottle at Wells Discount Liquors in Baltimore this past weekend. Then again, I want to go for a long run tomorrow and maybe that's not such a brilliant idea. I guess we'll see.

4.78mi, 41:19

Michael Kamen, "Austria" from Band of Brothers
Random running cadence from Band of Brothers
We pull up on the risers and we fall down on the grass
We never land upon our feet, we always hit our ass
Good God, Christ Almighty, who the Hell are we?
Zim zam, God damn, airborne infantry!

WX at 0700: 71 (22), DP 69 (21), BP 30.00 (1015.8), calm fog/mist, RH 94%

Odometer 3: 179.3mi

Z3 low.
Resting heart rate before start = 58 (119/82)

And no, I'm not an infantryman...but I have been a paratrooper for a while, and a large chunk of what I did was almost indistinguishable from what people outside the airborne community thought infantrymen did anyway.

I was using DVD Decrypter this morning to generate some video clips and was culling from my Region 3 set of Band of Brothers. Thank god for Remote Selector that makes my DVD-ROM region free, Macrovision-free, turns off all lockouts, and doesn't cost a cent...and of course, I'll be stripping out all CSS, RCE, and Macrovision in my finished products. Ha.

Today was an exercise in very controlled pace. I wanted to run at barely aerobic effort just to see what pacing felt like at a certain pace. I was probably going a little faster than I probably should've for marathon pace, but I think I need to get my game plan in order Real Soon Now so I'm actually progressing along a plan.

Splits
Incomplete ones this morning:
halfish: 5:04
1: 13:42 (8:37)
2: 22;22 (8:40)
3: 30:49 (8:27)
didn't take any others: 41:19

10.0mi, 76:04

Phil Collins, "Son of Man" (no shit.)
Cruiserweight, "To Be Quite Honest"

WX at 0900: 69 (20), DP 63 (17), BP 30.03 (1016.8), calm mostly cloudy, RH 81%

Odometer 4: 42.8mi

Z4. Man, did that hurt.
Resting heart rate before start = no reading.

True to form, I decided to run the York Rail Trail 10-Miler. It was actually not a bad race, other than the fact that I had to beg for a ride back to the start. It was surprisingly fast, although as I found out later, it's a generally downhill course.

I was able to generally stop myself from running too fast at the start, and clocked the slowest (relative to other 10-milers I've run) first mile I've ever run. This is important, although as forunes turned out, I ran out of gas around 8 miles and started running markedly slower. Split 9 is not accurate; I had already passed through the water station to tank up when I did before I realized I should have hit the split. The other thing that probably hurt me was the fact that I ran mile 7 in 6:54. I can't believe I did that. That was probably dumb, but I was drafting some woman who was running about the same pace, albeit jockeying back and forth for relative position. This cost me bad in mile 8, now that I think of it. Oops.

The race started an hour earlier than I thought it would. I'm glad I got there when I did.

Still, to run a 76:04 10-miler was all right given the total lack of taper I put into it.

Splits:
AGGREGT SEGMENT AVGPACE DIST
0:07:25 0:07:25 0:07:25 01
0:14:51 0:07:26 0:07:25 02
0:22:30 0:07:39 0:07:30 03
0:29:51 0:07:21 0:07:28 04
0:37:27 0:07:36 0:07:29 05
0:45:09 0:07:42 0:07:31 06
0:52:03 0:06:54 0:07:26 07
0:59:58 0:07:55 0:07:30 08
1:08:39 0:08:41 0:07:38 09
1:16:04 0:07:25 0:07:36 10

6.8mi, 53:48

cruiserweight, "Permanent Things"
John Williams, "Duel of the Fates"

WX at 0700: 59 (15), DP 56 (13), BP 30.12 (1020.0), SW 5, RH 90%

Odometer 4: 32.8mi

Z3.
Resting heart rate before start = 49 (128/76)

I can't believe I'm seeing WX like this in August. I'm seriously thinking about running the York Rail Trail 10-Miler http://www.yorkroadraces.com/rail_trail.htm on Saturday as it offers an opportunity to do some good competitive running on a slightly different surface.

Nothing fancy, but a nice easy straightforward 7-miler today to kick off my new comfort of not having to do speedwork for another, oh, 5 months or so.

Actually, today felt amazingly relaxed for going at fairly basic Z3 pace, if perceived effort was any indicator. It sure doesn't feel like I was shaking as much of a leg as I was at the end. Awwright!

Splits:
SPLT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.50 04:09 04:09 08:18 08:18 0.50
0.96 11:54 07:45 08:04 08:09 1.46
0.54 16:06 04:12 07:47 08:03 2.00
1.29 26:34 10:28 08:07 08:04 3.29
1.06 35:04 08:30 08:01 08:04 4.35
0.42 38:16 03:12 07:37 08:01 4.77
0.44 41:51 03:35 08:09 08:02 5.21
0.53 46:00 04:09 07:50 08:01 5.74
0.56 50:11 04:11 07:28 07:58 6.30
0.50 53:48 03:37 07:14 07:55 6.80

Record APFT, 295 points

What I listened to on the way in:
mewithoutyou, "January 1979"

The eventual two-mile run mantra:
Martin Walker, theme music to Speedball 2

WX at 0700: 58 (14), DP 55 (13), BP 30.00 (1015.8), SW 7 fair, RH 90%
Conditions were excellent, although I would've liked it just a few degrees cooler.

Raw scores:
75 pushups. I need to work on these for the next time, I had to work pretty hard to get these 75.
80 situps. Not too hard.
13:45 run. After all the work, I ran some unbelievably inconsistent splits.

184 at the weigh-in...looks like I'll be weighing in tomorrow after I do a loooooooong run. Time to see if I can dodge getting taped for body fat percentage.

Time to get ready for marathon training in earnest. I figure after a 10-miler, I'll be ready to weigh in.

I'm jettisoning my racing shoes after this. They're done.

Splits:
1: 1:28
2: 1:31
3: 1:55
4: 1:43 (Mile 1: 6:38)
5: 1:56
6: 1:34
7: 1:50
8: 1:44 (Mile 2: 13:44)

5.5mi (8x400 intervals)

Letters to Cleo, "Pizza Cutter"
Corrosion of Conformity, "What(?)"

WX at 0700: 63 (17) DP 60 (16), BP 30.07 (1018.3), calm, RH 90%

Odometer 3: 173.5mi

Z4 high-Z5.
Resting heart rate before start = 52 (127/80)

The fastest yet. Weather was also about as good as I'm likely to see it this summer.

Next Tuesday, I intend to do the PT test. Based on today, I think I'm ready. Latency times in between splits are no better, but the splits are. I'm almost embarrassed to admit how much speedwork has helped me. I think I actually stand a credible shot at running under 14 minutes now. The goal is 13:18 for the two-mile. Since my slowest split was 99, this is encouraging.

Taper to follow after I do the Baltimore-Annapolis HHH Beer Mile on Friday, if jwer decides to join in.

Splits
1: 92/2:39
2: 93/2:41
3: 91/2:47
4: 89/2:47
5: 96/3:07
6: 99/2:52
7: 90/3:17
8: 89/2:37

2.5mi, time indeterminate

The Bats, "Courage"
The Bats, "Sighting The Sound"

WX at 0700: 72 (22), DP 68 (20), BP 30.10 (1019.3), E 6 fog, RH 87%

Odometer 4: 26.0mi

Z2.
Resting heart rate before start = no reading today.

Today was going to be speedwork, but I woke up late and realized I'd forgotten to do the homework for class this morning.

Instead, I decided to try to vet the course for the two-mile run I've plotted digitally. It looks close, but I'll have to grid it in with a GPS later. While I was hitting splits around 2:10 or so, I don't think I was really going 8:40 pace...or maybe I was. The GPS will be the determinant, either way.

The other thing I have to check is the slope of the hill around split 7. I have to be sure that it doesn't exceed 3% or I've got to start from scratch and map out a new course.

This will entail getting back to my cavalry scout roots and doing the manual computation for slope of a hill just I learned in the Scout Platoon Leader Course over ten years ago. Ha!

Splits
start: 1:28 (not 1/4mi)
1: 2:05
2: 2:12
3: 2:09
4: 2:17
5: 2:06
6: 2:07
7: 2:02
8: 2:21
residual: 3:17 (not 1/4mi)

5.0mi, 40:46

cheesy background music to some 1997 US Air Force propaganda film
John Murphy, "Taxi (Ave Maria)" from 28 Days After soundtrack

WX at 0700: 71 (22), DP 63 (17), BP 30.06 (1017.8), vrbl 5 clouds, RH 76%

Odometer 4: 22.5mi

Z3 high/Z4.
Resting heart rate before start = 51 (135/90)

Yesterday would've been a day off had I not decided to go to the gym and row 10,000m on the ergometer. It was somewhat painful (and I generally thrash my hands in the process) but strangely therapeutic. It also marks the first legitimate cross-training I've done since coming here, so I might do that more often to prevent from getting stale or something like that.

Today was surprisingly fast for feeling like ass all weekend long.

Too bad my knees are starting to hurt again. This is with new shoes. This is a bad sign. Maybe I'm just getting older. Stacking dipenhydramine with prednisone and starting today, with naproxen sodium has to be doing something. Probably nothing beneficial for my stomach. On the other hand, I was pretty judicious not to hit the bottle while taking the dipenhydramine...tho' it didn't stop me from killing it Friday night while I was still on the prednisone.

Splits
initial half or so: 4:53
1: 13:01/8:08
2: 21:12/8:10
3: 29:31/8:18
4: 37:12/7:41
final half or so: 3:33
aggregate: 40:46 (8:09)

5.0mi, time indeterminate

Neil Diamond, "America"

WX at 1100: 88 (31), DP 72 (22), BP 29.96 (1014.1), W 5 haze, RH 59%, heat index 95 (35)

Odometer 4: 17.5mi

Z1
Resting heart rate before start = 55 (127/90)

Started running, but ended up mostly walking due to the intense heat. I also drank myself into oblivion last night to the tune of 12 ounces of Delirium Nocturnum and .75 liter of Chimay Red, thanks to the Market Cross Pub. I feel like ass, in spite of rehydrating and oozing out the alcohol from the night prior.

My poison ivy's reflared, I think because of a pair of socks that I probably need to wash a few more times before I wear again. Suck.

Splits
Immaterial at this point!

5.0mi, time indeterminate

Johnny Rivers, "Secret Agent Man"

WX at 0700: 74 (23), DP 70 (21), BP 29.99 (1015.3), SW 6 haze, RH 88%

Odometer 4: 12.5mi

Z1-2
Resting heart rate before start = no reading

Last night marked a fairly pointed drunk festival marked principally by my two trips to the karaoke microphone. It's the first time I did, and the fact that I got up twice is testament to my obliteratedness. One of those songs, by the way, was "Secret Agent Man." The other was "Live and Let Die" by Wings.

I was running with one of my coworkers who was up in Arlington for work at the Pentagon. He's training for the Marine Corps Marathon in October, so he wanted to go for a run, and I definitely didn't need to go hard after yesterday, not the least because of my epiphany this morning of two things when I woke up:

1 - I still smelled like alcohol (which was to be expected based on how much I drank).
2 - I might have quite possibly still have been slightly drunk when I woke up.

I'm quite sober now, and undoubtedly the residual alcohol seeped out of my pores on the run, but I guess that's not the point. On the other hand, I did get a good recovery run. Definitely not too hard, and that's a good thing.

Tomorrow will mark a smoker if I can wake up early enough to make it happen.

Splits
No reason. If you're timing a Z1 run, you're not timing it for the right reason. Out and back time about 53 minutes.

7.5mi, 64:48

Michael Kamen, "Band of Brothers Suite No. 2"
Philip Glass, opening credits to Hamburger Hill

WX at 0600: 73.0 (22.8), BP 69.1 (20.6), DP 30.04 (1017), NNW 8 overcast, RH 87%

Odometer 4: 7.5mi

Z3 high.
Resting heart rate before start = no reading.

New shoes! I decided it was time to retire the Asics Gel-Cumulus shoes I'd been running the last, oh, about 10 months and go get some new ones. I scored the last Asics GT-2100s that were in the post exchange. From what I can tell, they're discontinuing carrying it, which is going to suck, because I can't beat the $70 they sell it for anywhere else. The shoe anywhere else ends up being over a $90 shoe.

To get to Fort Myer, though, I ended up hopping a taxi. No big deal. Since I didn't feel like paying $6.65 to get back, though, I ended up walking back to the Doubletree at Pentagon City, where my class is staying while we conduct the Interagency staff ride portion of the class (i.e., tour various places in town and ask pointed questions not for attribution)

The walk back to the hotel was along Courthouse Road, Columbia Pike, and Army Navy Drive. About 40 minutes, actually not a bad walk. I suspect that makes up for the amount of chow I ingested yesterday (a considerable amount).

Today's run was along the Mount Vernon Trail. The usual quotient of curvy people in technical running garb, some not so attractive, some blisteringly hot. I was averaging about 8:25/mi or so. That was a pleasant surprise. So was all the scenery...

Splits
enter trail 10:51
mile 19:10 (8:18)
mile 27:42 (8:32)
partial 33:40 (5:57)
partial 39:48 (6:08)
mile 48:11 (8:22)
mile 56:42 (8:30)
exit trail 64:48 (8:06) different route