7.8mi, 66:50, 28 FEB 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

iThink: Kutless, "Somewhere In The Sky"

WX at 1900: 57 (14) DP 23 (-5) BP 30.15 (1021) WSW 6 haze RH 23

Odometer 1: 158.7mi

Z3 high.

For not running in two days, this wasn't so bad. My knees hurt, which is a possible indicator that my shoes are more dead than their mileage would imply.

My GPS was off distance, which underscores that perhaps I made the wrong choice in watches. In reality, I don't use the GPS that much, so maybe I don't really need it.

After two days in Kabul, maybe I felt more froggy than I thought since I got back almost 1000 feet of altitude from there.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
7.78 66:50 66:50 08:35 08:35 7.78

7.8mi, 66:54, 26 FEB 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

iThink: None, actually...

WX at 1730: 50 (10) DP 14 (-10) BP 30.15 (1021) SW 5 RH 23

Odometer 1: 150.9mi

Z3 high.

I didn't think I was going to run the entire airfield, but as it turns out, I was running with two others and one felt good enough to get all froggy - and in turn, run as far as he could take it. No worries.

I was sucking at first, but after about 30 minutes (the usual), I had fully warmed up and I was actually doing okay.

Actually, running wasn't so bad as it at least is getting me used to the environment here - and is helping burn off some of the lard that I inevitably pick up while being sedentary.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.00 08:26 08:26 08:26 08:26 1.00
2.00 25:25 16:59 08:29 08:28 3.00
1.00 34:07 08:42 08:42 08:32 4.00
1.00 42:51 08:44 08:44 08:34 5.00
2.78 66:54 24:03 08:39 08:36 7.78

5.15mi, 43:13, 24 FEB 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

iThink: For Against, "Fate"

WX at 1900: 39 (4) DP 14 (-10) BP 30.09 (1019) W 5 RH 35

Odometer 1: 143.1mi

Z3.

I was pleasantly surprised at being able to hang at about 8:30/mi pace after only two weeks in theater. Aside from the dust, today was a great running day. Seriously. Aside from slam-dunking a briefing this morning, all in all, not a half bad day...for being in a combat zone.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
1.01 08:25 08:25 08:21 08:21 1.01
1.00 16:41 08:16 08:15 08:18 2.01
0.51 21:00 04:19 08:24 08:19 2.52
0.48 25:29 04:29 09:18 08:29 3.01
1.00 34:28 08:59 09:00 08:37 4.00
1.00 42:16 07:48 07:48 08:27 5.00
0.15 43:13 00:57 06:33 08:24 5.15

30min on ellipical, 23 FEB 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

iThink: Kutless, "Somewhere in the Sky"

WX at 0800: 33 (1) DP 17 (-8) BP 30.15 (1021) NNW 8 haze RH 50

Odometer 1: 138mi equivalent

Z3.

I decided to stay indoors, not for any particularly reason, but I just didn't feel that industrious.

I did do some lifting, so there's some bicep curls, shoulder presses, and isolat rows that ended up there.

Some of this is an attempt to address my basic frustrations at learning a new environment, so all that remains to be seen over the next few months...or something.

~4.5mi, time indeterminate, 21 FEB 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

iThink: None.

WX at 2200: 33 (1) DP 32 (0) BP 30.09 (1019) Calm light rain; mist RH 93

Odometer 1: 135.0mi

Z3.

I hashed for the first time in a combat zone and was actually well entertained.

I do admit it's kind of weird when there's no real beer, and the hash is a little restrained compared to what I normally do, but it's something to do, and that's better than nothing at all.

I still think seeing people in shorts is weird, especially given the conditions. It was wet, so my clothes got righteously muddy.

I'll see if I can find a photo of the event since I have yet to get a photo of myself now that I'm actually in Afghanistan.

~3.5mi, 29:52, 20 FEB 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

iThink: "Girl from Ipanema"

WX at 0800: 30 (-1) DP 23 (-5) BP 30.18 (1022) NW 5 RH 75

Odometer 1: 130.5mi

Z3.

Even on a relatively easy run, I still felt pretty bad. There were two contributing factors - one, lack of sleep, and two, altitude. Also somewhat disturbing is the fact that it can be 30 degrees out and I'm still wearing shorts. Awwright!

I'm not sure how far I went, but I'll venture to guess about 3.5 miles or so.

No splits.

7.8mi, 67:59, 18 FEB 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

iThink: Kutless, "Somewhere In The Sky"

WX at 1730: 48 (9) DP 10 (-12) BP 30.18 (1022) W 6 RH 21

Odometer 1: 126.7mi

Z4 high.

One of my coworkers decided on going all the way around our installation. Against my better judgment I decided to go with him and experienced tunnel vision, working well above lactate threshold, and just in general a hard workout because of the relative difficulty in running at altitude with no acclimatization.

I'm glad I did this run, but I don't deny that it was a slow, painful experience. The people I ran with gave me a surprisingly disciplined session because I was expending so much energy trying to keep up with them.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
7.80 67:59 67:59 08:43 08:43 7.80

4.1mi, 34:49, 17 FEB 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

iThink: Aly & AJ, "Something More"

WX at 1700: 50 (10) DP 15 (-9) BP 30.15 (1021) SSW 9 dust RH 24

Odometer 1: 119.1mi

Z4 high.

Four miles. I don't think I've worked so hard to run this pace on level ground. Of course, yesterday's suckathon might have had something to do with it.

It could also be dust and altitude, too. It's been a while since I've felt burn like what I felt in my chest. Needless to say this would have been a zone 3 run - except I was probably well beyond lactate threshold judging how hard I was breathing. I don't normally work that hard except when doing intervals.

This is the price of the road to recovery...

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
2.04 17:12 17:12 08:26 08:26 2.04
2.04 34:49 17:37 08:38 08:32 4.08

7.4mi, 72:22, 16 FEB 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

iThink:
Hybrid and BT, "Running Down the Way Up"
Silverstein, "Defend You"

WX at 0800: 32 DP 28 BP 30.24 NW 3kts dust mist

Odometer 1: 115.0mi aggregate

Z3.

First real run since arrival, and it hurt. Altitude was probably a factor, but so was general lack of being in shape. I wouldn't say I was wogging, but I sure wasn't going very hard.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
7.40 72:22 72:22 09:47 09:47 7.40

30 min on elliptical + lifting, 15 FEB 08, Bagram, Afghanistan

iThink:
Apollo 440 remix of Blue Oyster Cult, "Don't Fear the Reaper"
BT and Hybrid, "Running Down the Way Up"

WX at 1800: 6 DP -6 Overcast

Temperature: 6 DP -6 BP 1023.4 11@240 RH 45 WC 3

Z3.

First time I've gone out and done PT since arriving in Afghanistan. The jet lag has been fun, as it always is, but I realized I was starting to get a gut. So, it was time to start whittling away at the gut, especially since I haven't done much but eat in the last three weeks.

Thirty minutes on the elliptical followed by some lifting (7x7x7 bicep curls and tricep pulldowns and shoulder presses today. Nothing particularly ambitious.

It's been snow slushy lately so I haven't gone out to run...don't feel that froggy in this weather.

40min on elliptical, 5 FEB 08, Clarksville TN

iThink: Game Theory, "Last Day That We're Young"

WX at 0800: 66.9 (19.4) 61.0 (16.1) 29.93 (1013) S 10 RH 81

Odometer 3: 388mi equivalent.

Z3.
Average heart rate = 141

I didn't feel like running, so I decided to spin instead, in the event I needed to go to the little boy's room. I didn't, but got in 40 minutes of relatively worthwhile work in.

I suspect this is still some recovery from this past weekend, though.

The unexpected Game Theory song was a reasoned attempt to ignore VH1 on the TV in the exercise room. It's the first time I've thought about "Last Day That We're Young" in a long while...but then again, I'm not young any more. I did think about that song at my graduations from high school and college, as I thought it was very appropriate to the occasion...but I have, after all, become old.

4.9mi, time indeterminate, 3 FEB 08, Nashville TN

iThink: nothing in particular

WX at 1200: 53 DP 46 BP 30.08 (1018.6) SW 12G22

Odometer 1: 105.4mi

Z3.

It's been a while since I've done two hashes on consecutive days, but it was the case. I was very nearly the FRB, surprisingly after all the suck I ate up the day prior laying my trail. This trail was over quite possibly one of the sportiest places I've ever been in Nashville. To say this place looked rough was really, really a major understatement.

This'll be my last one until I get to Afghanistan, though. It was a good one.

I also blew my annual quota of football since I actually watched most of the Super Bowl, which I didn't really intend to do, but did for want of anything better to do.

14.7mi, time indeterminate, 2 FEB 08, Clarksville TN

iThink: nothing in particular

WX at 1200: 51 DP 33 BP 30.12 (1020.3) SW 12G20

Odometer 1: 100.5mi

Z3.

This is what I get for noncontiguously laying a dead hare trail. What I should have done is at least run parts of the trail, although I ended up autolaying some of the trail that was on pavement. I then walked the actual true trail, which was about 5.6mi.

This came a day after a bad bout with food poisoning, so I guess if I can slug out almost 15 miles, I'm not as out of shape as I thought.

The trail was relatively speaking a success. I like to punish Front Running Bastards, so I built in a Checkback 21 in my trail, as is my custom...ha, ha, ha.

5.6mi, 60:24, 1 FEB 08, Clarksville TN

iThink:
Corrosion of Conformity, "What(?)"
The All-American Rejects, "Move Along"
Jane Siberry "The Walking (And Constantly)"

WX at 0800: 33.1 (0.6) DP 27.0 (-2.8) BP 29.94 (1013) WSW 18 light freezing rain; mist RH 77 WC 21 (-6)

Odometer 1: 85.8mi

Z2-3.

Scouting trail and coincidentally my first run in a week and a half, perhaps...

I'm ont sure where I got the Jane Siberry kick...although I did listen to a lot of her music when I was dating Household6 before we got married. There is a very specific context to "The Walking (And Constantly)" that is peculiar to our courtship, although I don't think she knows it.

Splits
SGMT AGGRG SEGMT PERMI AVGPC DIST
5.60 60:24 00:24 10:47 10:47 5.60

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