6,000m on Concept2 Model C, 25:48, 23 JAN 08, Fort Leavenworth KS

iThink: Bear McCreary, "Storming New Caprica"

WX at 0700: 14.0 (-10.0) DP 6.1 (-14.4) BP 30.08 (1018) SSW 10 RH 70 WC 1 (-17)

Odometer 4: 371.0mi equivalent

Z3.

I started unusually fast for any spin session, but particularly the first one in a very long, long while. I was actually somewhat surprised that I hadn't hit the Concept when I was at Carlisle Barracks, but it wasn't a priority for me. My initial fast start (2:00/500m, actually) backed off after the first 1000m, and the rest was done at a more realistic 2:10/500m or so.

There were some portions I did as slow as 2:14/500m, but I was actually holding significant chunks at around 2:09, which I guess makes sense for the average pace.

Splits
Distance: 6000
Time: 0:25:48
Per 500m: 02:09
Drag Factor : 186
Per Mile: 0:06:55

6.0mi, 55:14, 21 JAN 08, Fort Leavenworth KS

iThink:
The Immortals, Techno Syndrome (Mortal Kombat)
R.E.M., "Driver 8"

WX at 0800: 28 (-2) DP 15 (-9) BP 30.2 (1022) S 20 RH 58 WC 14 (-10)

Odometer 2 legacy: 352.5mi

Z3.

I haven't thought about the Immortals song in a long, long time. I found a capella Mortal Kombat music by accident this morning and I had it stuck in my head. The thought of that is pretty creepy, actually.

The shoes I wore are the same ones I wore on the Psycho WyCo Run Toto Run , and they were useful as there were still large patches of ice on the road today. Running on pavement with 3/8" sheet metal screws in, though, is a strange proposition. I would have collected some blisters had I run for longer as the pressure points on the shoes aren't quite usual.

I wasn't trying to go all that fast, and I suspect the shoes (and the changes in traction) had something to do with the changed traction and corresponding changes in speed...but I hadn't really tried to do much since the end of Air Assault School.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.32 02:56 02:56 09:10 09:10 0.32
0.89 11:19 08:23 09:28 09:23 1.21
0.68 16:49 05:30 08:04 08:55 1.89
0.67 22:36 05:47 08:41 08:51 2.55
2.24 45:22 22:46 10:09 09:27 4.80
0.86 52:38 07:16 08:25 09:18 5.66
0.32 55:14 02:36 08:09 09:14 5.98

30min on elliptical, 17 JAN 08, Clarksville TN

iThink: nothing because I was watching Robin Meade on CNN Headline News this morning

WX at 0700: 35 (2) DP 33 (1) BP 30.00 (1015) S 5 mist RH 93 WC 30

Odometer 4: 368.0mi equivalent

Z3.

I didn't really want to do anything, but after sleeping in yesterday, I needed to do something...so I can eat 6 White Castles on the way into work this morning.

I'm a big fan of White Castle principally because I can eat them for breakfast and I'm not constrained to a breakfast menu. That, and I loved the movie Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle...which is why I await its sequel with baited breath.

Some lat pulldowns, bench presses, and standing pulldowns afterwards, not much, but some maintenance work.

4.0mi, 36:10, 15 JAN 08, Clarksville TN

iThink: Nirvana, "In Bloom"

WX at 0600: 21.0 (-6.1) DP 14.0 (-10.0) BP 30.21 (1023) NNW 7 RH 73 WC 12 (-11)

Odometer 4: 364.5mi

Z3.

I have my recent watching of Shoot 'Em Up to thank for today's attack of grunge. It's hard to ignore the amount of ordnance expended in that movie in such a refreshing gratuitous manner!

Today was cold. Real cold. But I couldn't take another day of Do Nothing But Eat.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.21 02:02 02:02 09:55 09:55 0.21
1.82 18:39 16:37 09:09 09:14 2.02
1.80 34:29 15:50 08:48 09:02 3.82
0.21 36:10 01:41 08:01 08:58 4.03

30min on elliptical, 13 JAN 08, Clarksville TN

iThink: Rob Zombie, "Feel So Numb"

WX at 1700: 33 (1) DP 24 (-4) BP 30.12 (1019) WNW 10 RH 69

Odometer 4: 360.0mi equivalent

Z1.

Today was a day of loose wogging, or would have been had it not been cold and somewhat glum. I decided instead to do some light spinning at low resistance on the cross-training setting of the elliptical machine.

I also did some heavy lifting instead, and noticed with some satisfaction that I was pulling more weight with shorter breaks...it could also be that I did almost no PT whatsoever last week, so that might have something to do with it also. Today became, for the legs and hip flexors, at least, a necessary recovery session. I noticed my legs were still bruised up from doing the Weaver on the Air Assault obstacle course six days ago.

However, my legs have largely recovered from the road march on Friday, which is a great sign; it means that I did the right thing by doing some light wogging and some light spinning today.

4.0mi, 40:35, 12 JAN 08, Clarksville TN

iThink:
Chuck Berry, "Johnny B. Goode"
Ludwig van Beethoven, Symphony No. 3, Scherzo-Vivace (as in the “LtCol T.C. McQueen Workout Video,” from the Space: Above and Beyond episode “The Angriest Angel”)
Bear McCreary, "Refugees Return"
Bear McCreary, "Storming New Caprica"

WX at 1100: 43.0 (6.1) DP 34.0 (1.1) BP 30.08 (1018) ESE 6 RH 70

Odometer 4: 356.5mi

Z1.

This was deliberate, the day after the 12-mile road march, and this was to prevent what will otherwise happen if I Do Nothing But Eat today.

I don't particularly feel bad about running 10:34/mi on the way out since I was fully warmed up and even ran a 9:35/mi pace running back. I could feel the acceleration, though, and it was a good thing. I'm still beat up, though.

The T.C. McQueen reference was apt, perhaps, given how I felt after road marching. But no matter.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
2.02 21:20 21:20 10:34 10:34 2.02
2.01 40:35 19:15 09:35 10:04 4.03

12mi at 43#, 2:47, 11 JAN 08, Fort Campbell KY

iThink:
Hilary Duff, "Come Clean"
Aly & AJ, "Chemicals React"
Rob Zombie, "Feel So Numb"
The All-American Rejects, "Move Along"
The All-American Rejects, "It Ends Tonight"
"The All-American Soldier"
"Garryowen"


WX at 0800: 41.0 (5.0) 34.0 (1.1) 29.87 (1011) W 9
WX at 0700: 41.0 (5.0) 35.1 (1.7) 29.85 (1010) W 9
WX at 0600: 42.1 (5.6) 36.0 (2.2) 29.84 (1010) W 10
WX at 0500: 43.0 (6.1) 36.0 (2.2) 29.81 (1009) W 9

Odometer B1: 40mi

Z3.

I am now, after all this time, a graduate of the Basic Air Assault Course.

I was the second of 8 finishers today on the last major event of the Air Assault Course, the 12-mile road march. Road march uniform was body armor stripped with strike plates, a canteen, and an assault pack containing about 10 pounds of stuff.

I wasn't working all that particularly hard - but was running the vast majority of the course. My hip flexors, as a result, are well and verily trashed. Thankfully, much of the course was on pavement, so the likelihood of blisters and hot spots was reduced. I did, inadvertently, step through a puddle on the way in. Wet boots normally mean hamburger feet at the end of a long march. I was very lucky. Never a good indicator when I have occasion to mutter "shit!" when I walk through a puddle on what is, even on a good day, a pretty painful experience. It reminded me in a lot of ways of the Psycho WyCo 20-mile run I did last February. My feet are intact with no hot spots or blisters, although I'm walking around like I got beat up pretty good.

In the last mile, being the contrarian guy I am, I had the division song of the 82d Airborne Division (rather than the 101st) stuck in my head, along with the regimental song of the 7th Cavalry, a decidedly un-air assault unit. I am a very disobedient air assault trooper.

The roadmarching I've done over the last month was good for me. It is unlikely that I would have passed the road march had I decided to do it solely based on training base alone. This is one of those events where specificity is important. You don't get ready for a English test by studying history, although there are some commonalities. In the same way, you don't get ready for road marching by running without a load. I was exceedingly glad that I had trained with the heavy loads I did while I was at Fort Leavenworth; when I found out my working load was going to be about 40 pounds, I was damned glad I trained with a 60 pound working load in training. That helped me out - although I strated cramping up pretty bad near the end.

All thing said, it took a long time to actually earn Air Assault wings, a long, long while after the first time I was supposed to attend - back in 1991. What a long, strange trip it's been.

Splits
SEGMT AGGRGTE SEGMENT PERMI AVGPC DISTC
12.00 2:47:30 2:47:30 13:57 13:57 12.00

1.9mi, 14:40, 7 JAN 08, Fort Campbell KY

iThink: The All-American Rejects, "Move Along" (once again)

WX at 0800: 61.2 (16.2) DP 55.8 (13.2) BP 30.17 (1021) S 8 RH 82

Odometer 1: 80.2mi

Z4.

I am finally, after some 17 years of trying, in the Air Assault Course.

I did the Fort Campbell Air Assault Obstacle Course, and the only obstacle I no-go'ed was the swing, stand, and jump, which I didn't really practice at all. The two that I thought were going to really beat my ass didn't - the Tough One is not a problem if you can climb a rope, and the Low Belly Over (better known as The Dirty Name in most other places) was a nonissue, amazingly.

Aside from the usual scratches and bumps from any obstacle course, I was okay for the run. I finished second in the group, although admittedly, I'm in a "Senior Leader Air Assault Course" where the harassment is largely absent, thankfully.

Splits:
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.95 07:15 07:15 07:38 07:38 0.95
0.95 14:40 07:25 07:48 07:43 1.90

9.5mi, time indeterminate, 5 JAN 08, Nashville TN

iThink: The All-American Rejects, "Move Along"

WX at 1300: 50, DP 34, BP 30.21 (1023.1), S16G24, RH 54

Odometer 4: 362.0mi

Z3.

This was a dead hare hash. True to form for the MCH3, our dead hare hashes suck ass for markings, and this was no exception. This ended up being almost 10 miles given all the bad distance we logged. I get a little ornery when I have dead hare hashes that suck because the hares can't logic trail their markings.

In spite of it, I was still the FRB. This did not quite bode well for what was to come the next workday...

40min on elliptical, 3 JAN 08, Clarksville TN

iThink: The All-American Rejects, "Move Along"

WX at 0700: 10.0 (-12.2) DP 5.0 (-15.0) BP 30.84 (1044) Calm RH 80

Odometer B2: 4mi estimate

Z4.

For not working on the elliptical, I seemed to be doing okay.

More encouraging was the fact that I hadn't actually lost any strength if this morning on the weights was an indicators. I was using the set I normally use in Clarksville, and actually went up in weight on almost every repetition.

All a good sign, I think. I hope.

I have this particular clip to thank for the attack of the All-American Rejects. It also was the song I beat to death as I drove from Kansas to Tennessee yesterday. Only about an 8 hour trip!

I will admit I don't see much like this coming from the fighter community. Why is it that the only really memorable clips I've seen come from Hawkeye squadrons?

Back to work today, whee...

6.0mi at 60#, 104:14, 31 DEC 07, Fort Leavenworth KS

iThink:
Throwing Muses, "Mania"
Throwing Muses, "Flood"

WX at 1000: 28 (-2) DP 24 (-4) BP 29.89 (1012) NW 8 light snow RH 86

Odometer B1: 28mi

Z2-3.

The weather conditions outside made it unsafe to walk at any legitimate speed, so I had to slow down.

I had two good wipeouts. The first happened walking downhill. The second happened, and I honestly think I would have cracked my head open had I not had my ruck or body armor on. I wasn't wearing a helmet, but I need to recheck my ruck to make sure I didn't break anything when I landed on it trying to kill myself.

It is surprising how little snivel gear I need to wear when I'm roadmarching with body armor on. I had a sweatshirt, pants, and gloves, and nothing else.

I was in a singularly shitty mood this morning when I started, so I knew I was going to finish the road march dead or alive. It was a matter of time when, but I frankly didn't fucking care how shitty the weather got. It's been a while since I roadmarched in snow flurries.

One of the gifts I received this x-moose was the box set for My So-Called Life. It, then makes sense to think of this quotation, that "Hatred can become like food. It gives you this energy. You can, like, live off it." Curiously appropriate, I think.

Splits
SGMT AGGRGTE SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.32 0:05:02 05:02 15:44 15:44 0.32
0.89 0:19:27 14:25 16:12 16:04 1.21
0.68 0:30:25 10:58 16:08 16:06 1.89
3.77 1:38:41 08:16 18:06 17:26 5.66
0.32 1:44:14 05:33 17:21 17:26 5.98

3.4+3.4mi, 28:58+30:13, 28 DEC 07, Carlisle PA

iThink:
"Jester" from the PC video game Terminal Velocity
Everlast, "All Along the Watchtower"

WX at 1100: 44.1 (6.7) DP 30.0 (-1.1) BP 30.32 (1026) SE 6 RH 57
WX at 0900: 37.0 (2.8) DP 30.9 (-0.6) BP 30.33 (1027) Calm haze RH 78

Odometer 4: 352.5mi

Z3.

The run itself was not particularly hard today. It was the heavy lifting at Thorpe Hall at Carlisle Barracks that really made today difficult. That was an exercise in suck.

This is what happens when I lay off the weights for a few weeks. All my improvement from the last few weeks evaporates like an illusion. Still, this is just to hold the line before going to Air Assault School in January.

On the other hand, if I'm not going particularly hard just to run 8:39/mi, then I guess I can live with that. For now, at least. I'm still working off the sins of the last few days, and our family trip to Hershey Park yesterday probably didn't help much...

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
3.42 28:58 28:58 08:28 08:28 3.42
3.42 59:11 30:13 08:50 08:39 6.84

3.4mi, 29:19, 27 DEC 07, Carlisle PA

iThink:
Hilary Duff, "Wake Up"
The Cure, "A Forest" (from Concert, 1984)

WX at 0900: 37.9 (3.3) DP 35.1 (1.7) BP 30.03 (1016) E 3 mist RH 89

Odometer 4: 344.5mi

Z3.

Nothing too hard after yesterday's run, but today wasn't exactly slow either for a relative recovery run.

I needed to do something as I got in some suds last night at the Market Cross Pub with my old professor from Carlisle Barracks from a few years ago. Mmmm, Stella Artois. Actually the other poison of choice was a Snakebite, which is a half Woodpecker Cider, half Harp, and is quite good.

I wore normal snivel gear as I wasn't trying to go particularly fast. Tomorrow I grind out a good one - or I may end up going to Carlisle Barracks to get in some gym work.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.13 09:55 09:55 08:47 08:47 1.13
1.30 20:56 11:01 08:28 08:37 2.43
0.79 27:35 06:39 08:25 08:34 3.22
0.22 29:19 01:44 07:53 08:31 3.44

7.0mi, 57:45, 26 DEC 07, Carlisle PA

Neil Young, "Keep On Rockin' In The Free World"
R.E.M., "Driver 8"

WX at 0900: 34.0 (1.1) DP 28.0 (-2.2) BP 30.23 (1023) Calm RH 78

Odometer 4: 342.0mi

Z4.

It sure is weird being back at Carlisle again. I'm visiting my brother-in-law and his family, along with my other brother-in-law and his two boys. Having nine kids in the house sure makes it exciting.

It most certainly did NOT feel like 34 degrees at all this morning. It could be because I have more hair than I usually do (2 weeks between haircuts does that) or it's because I'm working off the sins of the day prior. I went out initially with tights and a sweatshirt, and gloves, and after about 200m, returned to the start, jettisoned all snivel gear, and ran in shorts, long-sleeve shirt, and gloves. My legs were pink from the cold, but I didn't overheat.

I was pleasantly surprised to hold low 8-minute pace. I'm sure the environmental conditions had something to do with it, and the fact that I haven't done a damn thing aside from lug baggage and shovel snow in the last week.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.65 05:01 05:01 07:43 07:43 0.65
1.51 17:53 12:52 08:31 08:17 2.16
0.80 24:17 06:24 08:00 08:12 2.96
0.66 29:47 05:30 08:20 08:14 3.62
1.29 40:38 10:51 08:25 08:17 4.91
1.51 52:32 11:54 07:53 08:11 6.42
0.65 57:45 05:13 08:02 08:10 7.07

Oh hell yeah

"Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd, who served a dark and a hungry god..." I haven't felt this motivated to see a film on the big screen in a long time.

When I was in 8th grade, my music teacher had us watch a videotape of the Angela Lansbury version of Sweeney Todd. Looking back, I don't think that would have ever happened in a public school. I may malign some of the folks with whom I went to school...but I don't think I can argue with the education I got there.

The fact that Sweeney Todd is coming out for x-moose only sweetens the deal...since my favorite x-moose song is, of course, FEAR's "Fuck Christmas."

Oh hell yeah.

4.7mi, 37:50, 20 DEC 07, Fort Leavenworth KS

iThink: Rob Zombie, "Feel So Numb"

WX at 1200: 45.0 (7.2) DP 34.0 (1.1) BP 29.8 (1009) NNW 5 RH 65

Odometer 4: 335mi

Z4.

Fast start, level off, and probably no negative splits...but a hard run nonetheless. I was running at just inside oxygen debt, so I think this was a decent race-like pace. Probably not a good workout right after a roadmarch, but we'll see tomorrow.

I'm not sure why I felt like going so fast at the start, though.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.27 02:00 02:00 07:26 07:26 0.27
1.24 11:35 09:35 07:43 07:40 1.51
0.85 18:44 07:09 08:25 07:56 2.36
1.24 28:33 09:49 07:55 07:56 3.60
0.85 35:40 07:07 08:22 08:01 4.45
0.27 37:50 02:10 08:01 08:01 4.72

4.7mi at 60#, 72:54, 19 DEC 07, Fort Leavenworth KS

iThink:
Cub, "Pillow Queen"
Cub, "Green Eyes"
Rob Zombie, "Feel So Numb"

WX at 1100: 39.9 (4.4) DP 28.9 (-1.7) BP 30.1 (1019) S 9 RH 64

Odometer B1: 22mi

Z3.

I'm not breathing all that hard - but I know my legs are working pretty hard.

Unfortunately, I'm not able to hold the kind of pace I need to hold with all this on. This is not encouraging if I want to ruck 12 miles in less than 3 hours. The big question mark is whether I do so with body armor or not.

Having 35 pounds of body armor changes things. Actually, in some ways, it makes it easier than having just the ruck since body armor tends to distribute weight better.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.27 04:14 04:14 15:44 15:44 0.27
1.24 22:56 18:42 15:04 15:11 1.51
0.85 36:21 13:25 15:47 15:24 2.36
1.24 55:16 18:55 15:15 15:21 3.60
0.85 08:42 13:26 15:48 15:26 4.45
0.27 12:54 04:12 15:33 15:27 4.72

4.48mi at 60#, 72:36, 17 DEC 07, Fort Leavenworth, KS

iThink: a variety of x-moose songs and "Jester" from the old computer game Terminal Velocity

WX at 1000: 27.0 (-2.8) BP 19.9 (-6.7) DP 30.18 (1022) SSW 9 RH 74

Odometer B1: 17mi

Z3.

For it being below freezing, I had to take off my hat because I was sweating so much.

It also didn't help that there was all sorts of ice all over the ground from the ice storm last weekend and a few days prior.

I'm not sure how much credence to give these splits as I was going faster later on.

Weights were 35# for body armor, 25# for rucksack. The ruck sure didn't feel like only 25 lbs...it felt lighter.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.27 04:06 04:06 15:14 15:14 0.27
2.09 32:51 28:45 13:45 13:55 2.36
2.09 68:18 35:27 16:58 15:21 4.45
0.27 72:36 04:18 15:56 16:13 4.48

30min on elliptical, 13 DEC 07, Clarksville TN

Michael Manring, "Blue Orleans"

WX at 1100: 46.0 (7.8) DP 44.1 (6.7) BP 30.13 (1020) WNW 6 RH 92

Odometer 4: 330mi estimate

Z3.
Average heart rate = 141, Max HR = 180

I woke up late, and had to do something. I need to stop doing these "do nothing but eat" days because they're not helping me!

30 minutes is about all I could spare. Nothing too hard, but nothing particularly easy either.

5.1mi, 46:27, 11 DEC 07, Clarksville TN

Kristin Hersh, "Peggy Lee"
"Girl From Ipanema" (various covers)
Everlast, "All Along the Watchtower" (yes, the one from Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter, which I don't play)

WX at 0700: 52.0 (11.1) DP 51.1 (10.6) BP 30.21 (1023) SE 3 mist RH 96

Odometer 1: 78.3mi

Z3.

Today was not quite a day of wogging - but pretty close. I think the initial pace reflected that, although the continuous negative splits (less the first leg) was an indicator that as I loosened up, I'm in better shape than I'd originally thought.

That I was running sub-8 by the end at the same relative effort was actually a good sign.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
0.21 01:52 01:52 09:06 09:06 0.21
1.35 14:39 12:47 09:30 09:27 1.55
1.01 24:11 09:32 09:26 09:27 2.56
1.01 33:14 09:03 08:58 09:19 3.57
1.35 44:47 11:33 08:33 09:06 4.92
0.21 46:27 01:40 07:56 09:03 5.13