Weekly Weight (9/22)

259.4
Tired. But still getting to the gym.  I passed my certification exam (ISC2 CAP), was sick one day and had to travel this weekend for the Army again (and the coming weekend... I am tired).

• Day 0
• 260.9
• Month 0 (May)
• 257.8 - 263.1
• Month 1 (June)
• 262.5 - 261.8
• Month 2 (July)
• 259.4-261.7
• Month 3 (August)
• 257-264.
• Month 4 - Week 2
• 261.2
• Month 4 - Week 3 (now)
• 259.4

Weekly Weight (9/15)

261.2
Whoops. Took a little break from blogging (that pesky real life thing). I had a bunch of Army stuff going on, a vacation to Orlando (me and the kiddos on the plane... that was an experience) and was also prepping to take a Certification exam (ISC2 CAP).

• Day 0
• 260.9
• Month 0 (May)
• 257.8 - 263.1
• Month 1 (June)
• 262.5 - 261.8
• Month 2 (July)
• 259.4-261.7
• Month 3 (August)
• 257-264. Gotta love those big swings...
• Month 4 - Week 2 (now)
• 261.2

Now that most of that is past me and I start to prep for one of my favorite races (the Army Ten Miler) we shall see if I can make some new progress) as well as my annual APFT (Army Physical Fitness Test).

Rock and Roll Half Marathon

After a long break from 1/2 Marathons (I had been sticking with my 10 Milers) my siblings caused me to sign up for one. Interestingly I have sort of run this one before (during the short period it was the National Half Marathon). Overall I was quite pleased, finishing with a pace almost 1:30 per mile faster than my Army Ten Miler times in October 2015. Runmeter report of the race.

 Fat Fingered Shoe Shot. It amused me to find it on my phone.

 Pre-Race. There was some mockery since we too the photo in the porta-potty's direction, but unless you look really hard the geometry makes it hard to tell.

Requisite post race shot with medals. 

Overall the race was pretty solid. I even partook of some of the adult beverages offered along the course (beer, prosecco and a margarita shot). It was pretty and not too cold.

Continuing my trend of weird side effects from this particular race, I had several blisters on, of all places, both my hands after this race. Maybe it was some weird reaction to sweat and holding onto the race gummies for 2-3 miles in my hands? Though I will say that even though I am 7 years older from the last time, I look better in these pics than I did in 2009....

My one complaint? The spiffy new shirt I got for the race tore when I wore it later that day after a much deserved shower.

I am already signed up for the next one (they had a great deal right after the race to sign up for 50 dollars).

Thankful

One year ago I was lonely (ironically surrounded by people, but still lonely) at a FOB thousands of miles (and hours offset) from family. Yesterday I got to spend most of the day with them, going first for a run (5K here in Arlington):

And then a little later the Holiday meal. I have my wife and my family surrounding me, and thanks to the separation from last year, makin this the best Thanksgiving yet.

Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Miler

Anytime when you find yourself already providing excuses you know you are not going to set a PR....
While I had been building up the mileage in the past 6 weeks, I was still woefully under the recommended mileage (my longest run, 9 days prior, was 5.75 miles). And the past week was a total rest week as my back killed my training runs in the middle of the week from Monday on (as a side note, getting older sucks). 

But I finished in a respectable time (104 minutes, right around 10:24 pace) aided by the fact that the weather was fantastic and from that I always do better in a crowd. I was under 10 minute miles for the first 6 miles, but then switched to a run .4, walk .1 (worse in the last mile  (basically .2run, .1walk)as my knee was giving me issues).

The finishers medal is pretty cool and the technical t-shirt I upgraded to is really neat.

Now for some more training to get me ready for the GW Parkway 10 Miler, where I plan to do a bit better.

Army Ten Miler Shadow Run in Afghanistan

Above is the field of runners at FOB Lagman, Afghanistan who decide to join our fellows back in the Arlington & DC who ran the Army Ten Miler on Sunday, Oct 9. We of course started 8.5 hours earlier than our peers. One cool thing to note in the second picture is that the First Sergeant of our unit is carrying the guidon of the HHC. He actually ran the entire 10 miles with it, finishing just a little bit behind me.


The ATM here was probably one of the toughest races that I have run. The altitude was still a factor because even though I have been here for 2 months there are still moments for all of us that we find ourselves catching our breathe. We are a little over 1 mile above sea level here. And running past the burn pit plus all the dust doesn't help (there was a lot of dust in the air today). The terrain was the biggest factor, there were tons of hill on our run, most of the path was on unleveled ground (think 15-20% grade) and those parts that weren't gravel (and by gravel I mean the fist sized ones, not the nice marble sized ones. I call them ankle breakers) were either packed dirt or moondust (really fine sand that drifts). I finished in just a bit over 2 hours, definitely not one of my better runs (but good for the conditions).

It was definitely a nice bit of solidarity and a little reminder of home (and I will appreciate the fact that most races will seem like cake after this.

Love the Run You're With 5K 2011

Okay, so first off, the race shirt just makes you sad. If you don't have a heart maybe you will find it amusing but overall I feel for the poor monkey in the picture. A monkey, pitched over in sadness, dreaming of his happy times with his GF, clutching a "Dear John" letter in one hand and glass of scotch in the other? Awe....

I totally was happy with my performance in this race. A chip time of 28:53 (9:14 pace) and a dead even gun time of 30 made for a lovely morning run along a route I have never tried. Starting out with someone managing to rip my iPhone from its pouch in the flurry of the initial start (causing me terrify people by heading backwards in the crowd to retrieve it) and a steep initial hill slowed me down a bit. I had thought I was going to walk a bit, but the only time that happened was at the water point.

Then I grabbed a drink (coconut water, bleh...) and headed back out the course to team up with Hannah. She surprised me by being far closer than I (or she) expected. All due to the return on her nemesis, a very big girl that she ofter encountered back in the pack and makes all due effort to avoid losing to. We finished her part right next to each other.

Interestingly, we owe the picture below to another blogger (or at least her BF), Liebchen of Learning to Fly. Small world... I though the girl and her BF looked familiar.....

Walking in a Race

This is aimed at the people who plan to walk more than 2/3 of a race. Running and walking is perfectly reasonable system (I walk up some of the steeper inclines at all the water stops of most races). And this really isn't aimed at the reasonable walkers who start back in their time appropriate area. This really is for the... hmmmm... special... yeah, that's the PG word I would use.... walkers who decide that the best place to start is waaay up in front.

So, you like to walk. Good. I and most of the other people who run respect you for that. You have chosen to walk a distance longer than most Americans walk in a week and that is awesome. You could be the biggest person around but there will be no mean words or glances at you because you are trying to better yourself. Everyone has to start somewhere and it is awesome you are trying. This event has been something that you have probably planned to attend and *gasp* maybe even trained for quite some time. Really, that is awesome!

I know that some races are better than others in figuring out where to start. A lot of the bigger ones use corrals, where you look at the numbers and start in the area based on your start time. And even for the ones that don't? Do you need to start in front? No. Because if you do? All you have to do is turn around and look at all those people behind you. Those people that will have dodge around you during the first mile or so. I know that it is exciting to be up in front and see the empty road ahead and actually see the people who start the race. Its an exciting thing.

But.... I want you to take a look around you. Look at the runners who are way up in front there. They look pretty fit, don't they? And even those people behind you... They look might fit as well. Heck, as far back as you can see? They probably are all able to run far faster and longer than you can right now.

Remember how I said that I respected you? Felt pretty good, right? Want to know how you destroyed that respect in an instant? Yeah.... You guessed it. You started in the wrong place. I and a whole bunch of other runners now have to dodge your clueless ass during the first mile as things. Are we thinking nice things about you as you mosey along, often 2 or 3 abreast, forcing us to dodge and weave as we start that initial shake out? Nope. All that respect you earned by trying to better yourself is killed by the fact that you are not respecting the rules of our tribe. Because a good runner (and walkers, since there are a bunch of your people way in the back of the pack) looks around, gets in the right corral (if they are there) or just gauges the crowd and picks a fairly reasonable starting place (after a decade of running I can pick really well... I often end with the same crowd that picked at the start) based on his/her ability and the people around them.

This problem really does shake out after the first mile or so, but it really is annoying and leaves me in a less than happy mood. My brothers and I often estimate that we run at least .1-.2 miles extra at the start dodging your ass. And, yes, I probably am in fact growling/muttering at you as I run around you. And most definitely I am picking on you as there are more than a fair share of runners who deliberately choose to start at the wrong place, but.... they have to dodge you as well, which further complicates my brothers and my runs.

So please stop and engage that all too often turned off feature (at least in modern day society), show some courtesy to the people around you. Start in the right place and you will make a lot of runners out there a lot happier.

Chicago Urbanathalon

"Don't cross the streams. Why? It would be bad." - Ghostbusters

Too bad the people that run this race didn't pay attention to this directive, as, for the first time ever at a running event, I had across the flow of runners coming back from another part of the race. This is a bad idea. Along the lines of never, ever do this.... This may be the worst managed race I have ever been to, with awful pre-race communications and very few volunteers on the actual course.

Overall however it was a lot of fun. I was dirty, sweaty, bruised and bloody by the end of the race, but it was very fulfilling to cross that finish line (even if I needed a boost on the final wall). My final time was 2:15. If it was just a 10 miler (total distance was 9.75 miles) I would be quite sad with that time, but given the obstacles I find it tolerable.

And the obstacles were fun and challenging (mostly)!

• Obstacle 1: The concrete beam - not even a challenge. The Big tire - oomph. First try had me "wiley e. coyote"-ing down the side. After stepping back and figuring out I slammed myself up and then crawled over (losing one of my pins holding my number on). The little tires - not even an issue.
  
• Obstacle 2 - jersey barriers to go over, police barriers to crawl under. This was an apparently endless set of 3 of each. It was quite an endurance exercise, since you had already run 4+ miles at that point. I cut my finger at this point.
• Obstacle 3 - Crawl over cars - aborted because it was unsafe per race officials. Marine High Hurdles - whoah... There we 6 of these. I think everyone knew I was going over them (based on my war cries). A very ouchy process of hurling yourself at the target and hauling yourself over. Very proud I did these right.
• Obstacle 4 - Some sort of high/bear crawl under net - too easy for a guy who has done military low crawls for 1-200 meters. Monkey bars - Short and quick. Only holdup was some chick who froze on the last bar in front of me.

And then my left hamstring locked on me and I lurched .5 mile, stopped to pee and then moved onward.

• Obstacle 5 - Lots of stairs. Lots!!! Another holdup due to poor traffic control and obsticle management. lots of standing around in crowds moving very slowly.
• Obstacle 6 - The final obstacle. Car - Half stomped over one. Then tried to be all police show-y and slide across the next, failed and got stuck, so more clomping. Bus - Climb over net then back down. *Yawn* to anyone who has been in the military (and by that I mean Army and Marine). Wall - I did fail on the first attempt and was not too proud to accept a hand from a neighbor to get over.

I wore my Vibram Five Fingers for the race. There were about 20 people also wearing them (apparently our secret club acknowledgement is to say "nice shoes" to someone else wearing them. I learned this by the repeated call of that from the people who passed me). My feet are somewhat beat up even on Monday but in more of a just overstretched/tight perspective.

This was the first race that I have ever personally traveled for (since DC has so many great races nearby). Not sure I will do this again in the near future, but it was a lot of fun and a great way to hang with the family (3 of my 4 brothers ran it (see above pic) and the respective wives and GF's (including my GF H) came in addition to our parents.). We ate our way across the city (pizza and other assorted foods) in celebration.

Bad Blogger...

yeah, whatever. So I am a bad blogger. It's not like I haven't done some cool stuff in the past 3 weeks. I went to Vegas, drove to the Grand Canyon, ran a Half Marathon (Wilson Bridge Half Marathon) and done my usual Army stuff. And of top of that I have to write academic stuff for my courses at NDIC. I have some cool stuff in the next couple of weeks (most notably a very cool trip to Chicago with 3 of my 4 brothers to compete in the Men's Health Urbanathalon) that should get me stirred up. I am probably going to do something on the half marathon, that was an interesting and good race.

I blame Twitter and Facebook. Those sites make it so easy to post little vignettes that it seems to disturb writing in a larger terms.

Independence Day 5000

So while a few of my siblings were off on a bar crawl, me and H (aka Cupcake Girl) signed up for and ran the "first annual" (funny that they kept wanting to use annual.... in my world that requires that they have done it at least once). It was a great course, a little hilly (though there was a payoff in the end when we got to race down to the end to finish strong). I finished in a touch over 10 minute miles (tolerable given my lack of training in the past 3 weeks thanks to Uncle Sam). H also gave a respectable 14 or so minute mile.

We capped off the evening (the race started at 1930) with some Vietnamese Bahn Mi sandwiches (and some bubble tea for me) at the Eden Center.

Pacers Running Festival Half Marathon

What a wonderful day for a run! I was concerned based on the weather recently (last weekend was awful) but Mother Nature really put out all the stops and gave us a wonderful Mothers Day.
Overall this was a pretty great race, relatively flat, attractive view and of course my GF, H, was there to cheer me on. My only issues were that this course is not the most accessible supporters and that they really could have used another couple of porta-potties.

Final time? 2:24. Basically 11:00/mi. And that included a 2-3 minute visit to one of those scarce porta-potties on the second loop.

Not my personal best, for 2 factors. One was that I made a critical fail and went one scone too far in my pre-race breakfast/snack. Normally I do some toast and tea, but today was tea and scones (3 large ones). And I paid for that indulgence for 3/4 of the race, where I did not make my best time since I had to stop more frequently to prevent myself from vomiting. Additionally this race I was about the heaviest I have been in for quite a while and I could feel that as well.

Now off to celebrate Mothers Day with my Mom!

Potomac Valley Track Club's Easter Classic 5K/10K

Such a pretty day for a run. Really, other than the parking situation? Probably one of the nicest days, pretty course and nice views. Completed the 10K in just a little over 1 hour. I was very proud of my GF for coming out and doing the 5k. First 5K, eventually a 10 Miler.

Four Courts Four Miler

Wow, did this race not look good when I woke up this morning.... It was POURING and didn't let up until around 3-4 minutes before the race start. But the secret that people who don't know? That as long as you dress right (little things like hats make life tolerable) and plan for temperature, you will be fine and not even notice it as you are running.

Considering I haven't trained half as much as I should (see previous post for how busy I have been) I wasn't too disappointed with my time (just a little under 10 minute miles).

And the course..... Ah, this is a slightly evil course... It is an out-and-back course, going down Wilson and onto Rt 110. Downhill for most of the first 2 miles, and then the hard part. Wilson between Rosslyn and Courthouse is a pretty steep grade. So that last mile was quite a haul and pretty much killed my time. The post race activities were pretty good (though I missed out on getting a special pint glass) and the free beer post race? Really tasted good. As you can see I convinced my GF H aka Cupcake Girl to "run" (jog) with me and she managed to accomplish her goal of not coming in last and finishing in under an hour. When I finished I circled back to join her and provide encouragement.

Marine Corp Marathon

So, in compliance with Operation RFR, I rany the MCM yesterday. Great experience. I was on a 10:30 pace until Mile 18.5 (where everything seem to cramp up.... thigh, calf, and groin... and weirdest of all? Both my biceps and my one of my pecs.... they also cramped up at the end as well. I am so glad that I didn't face plant when it happened). Everything past that was power walking (I tried running a bit, but more than a 1/4 mile and everything cramped up).

The only issue that I noted in the entire race? At the beginning the race started on both side of the road... The left entry chute into the Start gate was twice as large as the one on the right... Kind of frustrating (and completely ruins the whole concept of starting people in flights when you have runners twice as slow crossing the start).

My parents met me at the beginning and the end, and Cupcake Girl met me there as well as the 10 and the 16 mile points.

Final Time? 5:17. Almost exactly a 12 minute pace. I think I will let that stand as my best (and only) marathon time!

Texas

So for the past 9 weeks thanks to Uncle Sam I have been a tenant of "The Great Place" aka Ft Hood TX. I will forgo talking about the actual training (not for OPSEC since that really doesn't apply in this case... just because I am trying to get over the fact that the 10 weeks of training could have been condensed into 4, maybe 5, weeks and there is so much wasted time in this stuff that it makes me sad... when I find myself fondly wishing to be back at work? I am bored).

Not exactly where I wanted to be (since I get to miss 4 of the 8 weeks in DC where the weather is pleasant by my standards) but I am a true believer taking lemons and making something approximating lemonaide, so I took it upon myself to explore the heck out TX (I spent 5 months in Houston in 2000, but never got over to this side except for one trip to Austin). I went out drinking on 6th Street in Austin, made my arteries cry out for mercy when I went to the TX State Fair, explored Austin and San Antonio pretty extensively with Cupcake Girl and my parents, and even went in and went to a University of Texas game (vs Colorado).

I think I will borrow from some other bloggers and present some of the good things and some of the bad things in a list:
Good

• Friendly people - really.... My favorite story is that after walking around for 2 hours in 90 degree heat we were looking among the tailgaters at UT for a beer to buy. My Dad said that he was a tourist, was hot, tired and just wanted to buy a beer. The man just reached around, grabbed into his cooler and gave my Dad a beer.
  
• Great BBQ - really, some of the best!
  
• Best Tex-Mex ever
• Short work day (average day started at 0800, broke for lunch from 1130 to 1300 and then was done by 1530). I think going back to working 8-9 hour days is going to kill me
• Lots of space for long runs (training for MCM and the Army Ten Miler)

Bad

• Surprisingly bad trails. Sidewalks ending, poorly maintained... Kind of surprising on an Army base.
  
• Interesting (new) things to run into the trails. I had to hop off one when a M2 Bradley APC came roaring up past me. Also a whole new assortment of wildlife, snakes and cattle. And because of the cattle? They have these things called cattle guards that are meant to coincide with streams etc that were meant to keep the cattle constrained. Large bars about 9in separation.
• Driving... everywhere.... Distances that I would never drive had to be driven because walking was just unsafe.
• The motel I spent this time in. Completely sealed (poor ventilation that can lead to mold if not run continiously), crappy shower and right next to the cannon at the 3 Corps HQ.
• Living on base. The above mentioned cannons that go off every weekday at 0600 and 1700.... Very hard to sleep through.
  
• And yes, being so far from home

But in just another 2-3 days I can leave. 1500 miles of driving and I will be home!!!

MCM Historic Half

What a difference training can make. Final result time of 2:14:04, a 10:15 pace for 13.1 miles (including the grueling 10-11 mile stretch where it seemed to be constantly uphill). That represents a good 11 minute decrease from the National Half Marathon. And of course it didn't also come with the near shock levels of reaction that I had to the last race (I was in seriously bad shape at the end of the National HM... like sick for 2 days bad).

And what a difference competant management can make. Adequate water, poweraide, and even sports beans at one point. None of this running out of cups crap like at the National Marathon. Strong presense of volunteers, no shortage of medical personnel, and a well organized ending. It was downright refreshing.

Though I could have done with a little less rain. I was a serious drowned rat by the end of the run, with a period intense rain just as I got to the downtown proper area. I literally wrung my pants out a couple of times during the race and my feet were soaked halfway through. I know that on some level I had more confidence on this court because I used to live in (and run around) Fredericksburg so most of the course was known to me. The course itself was nice, relatively flat, plenty of interesting things to look at and (given the hour and weather on a Sunday) a good crowd of supporters.

A very pretty course and I highly encourage people to do it, it was a great race and course.

National Capital (Half) Marathon.

What a nice morning for a run! I completed the race (13.1 miles!! This is actually the longest run that I have ever completed in a race. As part of Operation Run Fatboy Run this is the first of series that I am running (next weekend is MCM Run to Register 10K, so that I get my spot in the MCM next fall) in just a shade over 2:20(so basically around a 11 minute mile).

The good:

• Pretty course. I can't think of the last time I have been through some of these neighborhoods and it was a really great way to see DC
• Overall a fairly level course
• Good crowds. I liked the one neighborhood where people had beer available to the runners (I did not partake. I had been contemplating having beer at the end, but my body disagreed).

The bad:

• Wow, DC roads are in bad shape. There really is no point where you are not looking at the ground making sure that you have good footing
• Running out of cups. Really people.... this is race management 101. Having people take water/poweraide from gallon jugs was just plain awkward.
  
• Not training enough. I was destroyed after the run. Like by the time I made it to the Metro with CupcakeGirl? I was warming my hand in her hands. For those of you that know me, that is unheard of. By the time I made it back to Courthouse? Teeth chattering, slight nausea.... I am only feeling human now, some 5 hours after the race.

yes, I am a fashion disaster when I run....

Busy, Busy....

Lots of wearing of the uniform this past week.... I am pretty much done with it for another couple of weeks (assuming I don't get tasked to attend another Army conference next week). We are getting a lot of new equipment in the next 12 months (yes... I am slightly suspicious of this...).

Last Monday to Friday I was out in Austin (I am in shock.... The Army sent me to a place where I wanted to go... I better not get used to this). I love Austin. It is plainly an awesome town.
The running/walking paths around the lake (I was in the Radisson downtown, right next to the infamous bat bridge) are just top notch. On the 3 days that I ran I got in 16+ miles of running (which is important given that I have a 1/2 marathon in only another month or so). Everyone there seemed to be out running/walking/biking... There even were water coolers set out for everyone to use in the parks.

I also availed myself of the fun on 6th Street (very cool, on Thursday they even block off the street to traffic and you can walk down it). And of course BBQ (The County Line provided another fantastic meal).

Then I got back on Friday at 1300 (in Richmond), drove back to DC, spent some time with the GF and then was heading down to my unit (3 hour drive) at 4 AM the next day. We didn't wrap up until 8PM Saturday night, then off to dinner together (officer and senior enlisted bonding time). I didn't get to bed until 1030.. I was so dead. It's funny that as an Officer I never got to spend any time out in the fantastic weather, instead having to see the occasional FB post on it.

I was so wiped after everything that Monday was a serious Mental Health/Physical health (I was seriously wiped and the travel left me with a tickle in my throat). Hope y'all had a good day.

I still have to wait another 4 days til Vegas?

Darn. Though I will enjoy the coming days since my GF will be back tomorrow from her work obligation.

I am so pysched. Not only that, I get to avoid the commotion that surrounds this coming event (where the crown and sceptre are bestowed and the throne is sat upon... they had to get them specially made for this event).

On the running note? I am now registered for the National Marathon (the half version), the Marine Corp Race to Qualify (to lock me in for the MCM) and the Fredericksburg Historic Half. Nothing like races to motivate you to get out there.