Weekend up or Why I prefer Waffle House to IHOP

Last week I was able to actually swim and run more than I have in a while. Wednesday, Running Buddy and I were able to get in a moderate 5 miles in the morning. It was rather on the humid side, but thankfully it did not rain during our run. I do think this was the first weekend morning run that I have been able to complete in just shorts and t-shirt.

Thursday morning was back in the pool. I swam about 2200 yards in about 50 minutes. I am still a little slow, but it is coming back. This workout was a combination of medium distance at a moderate pace and finishing up with a longer slower set.

Friday was a non-run day due to having 3 days of playing Army with my Reserve Unit. It was a pretty decent weekend. The range went smoother than I expected and we qualified about 2/3 of the shooters. And for the Reserves that is pretty damn good. We just don't have the opportunity to shoot as much as we like due to travel to and from ranges and ammo constraints. But then I love to shoot and I would be happy to 30K rounds a year just for myself. It rained some on Saturday, but it was not enough to make the time shooting uncomfortable. Below are a couple of photos from Saturday.

Sunday was a trying day for everyone. The Bride came to the Unit to get an ID card made, but the machine ending up being broken after she drove up in the rain and then had to wait on the ID guy. So much for me being proactive. :) After I returned home she wanted Ice Cream for dinner (she is almost to turn the big 4-0) so who am I to critize. We drove to Baskin and Robins, but I commented on wanting a waffle. We sat down at the IHOP next to BR and I had the worst waffle of my life. I guess that is what I get for having a waffle at IHOP. Then off to BR for icecream. The coffee ice cream the we wanted had freezer fungus on it--so that was a no go. Then off to another icecream shop in the neighborhood and it was closed!!! The Bride was not happy.

However, I reminded her that in 72 hours (from the ice cream and waffle fiasco) we would be landing in Maui!!! Less than 48 hours from now we will be departing from Washington. Other than the long flight (first class baby) I am ready to get there.

I don't know how blogging will go while we are there. However, I do plan on trying some of the mobile blogging.

Well time to get to work.

Catching up

This morning was the first day in a while I have been able to get out and run. I just do not have the time (make the time) when things are so busy to get in a work out. I really should be better about working out in the evenings when I get home from work. However, I am a morning person and if I do not get my workout completed prior to 7am during the week, it probably is not going to be completed. However, my running buddy and I did about 4 miles this morning. It was in the low 50s and I broke a good sweat. Great way to start off hump day.

I had my army commitment this past weekend and even though the weather was good, I did not get in a workout. When you are the commander, everyone wants a minute of time for something. Saturday night the bride and I attended one of her friend’s 40th birthday party. You have to love a wine tasting birthday. Too bad I could not drink more than two glasses (I was driving and I had to get up very early on Sunday).

Tomorrow is back in the pool.

Weekend Update--How I become Aquaman

This weekend was my monthly "Army Weekend". Since I have become the commander of the company there is no truth to the one weekend a month, two weeks a year. Its more like one weekend a month and 2 hours a day. There is just a lot to get done which takes a lot of extra time. This weekend was busy and it was a productive weekend all the way around.

Saturday we took the company to the Fort Meade Pool for "drown proofing" or basic water survival. This includes swimming 50 meters with all of your uniform equipment on (boots get heavy); jumping into the water with your rifle, ammo vest and helmet, and then getting them off so you can more easily get to safety; swimming 25 meters while keeping your rifle out of the water; learning how to make floation devices out of your pants; and finally I included getting out of the 45 lbs of body armor that we wear. We only took volunteers for the final challenge since not everyone is a strong swimmer.

I am not the strongest swimmer when it comes to triathlons. I can maybe average a 30-32 min 1500 swim during a race However, this weekend I was out swimming everyone. I did the events and acted as a safety swimming all over the pool. I doubt I did more than 1000 meters for the entire 90 minutes we were in the water. It is nice to have the compliments that I looked like Aquaman in the pool. What a change of perspective makes.

The rest of the weekend was a bunch of administrative chores and classes the Army requires for all of us to be "trained". However, my Dawgs did squeek by over Kentucky and the LSU/Alabama was a nail biter. All in all it was a great weekend and btw I think fall has offically made it to the DC area.

Solar Powered Man

Do you ever wonder powers us? I am not just talking glycogen and fat. I am talking about what makes feel good when we get out of bed in the morning, motivated to meet the new day, and contribute to the betterment of man (or at least our wallet). I can’t speak for each one of you, but I have learned over the years that I am solar powered. I need sunlight to make me happy. It took me many years to figure this out and it still catches me by surprise.

The last couple of weeks I have been feeling rather blah. Its not that I am sick, but I just have not very motivated to do much of anything. I haven’t wanted to go to work, I haven’t wanted to workout (even though I feel so much better when I do), and all I have wanted to do is sleep. I mean sleep like 9-10 hours. I may go to bed early, but I usually get up between 0430 and 0450.

I had Army Reserve Duty this weekend and I fell like crap on Saturday (I went to be about 2030 on Friday night) and I was not looking forward to getting up early for the change of command. I went to bed early AND gained an hour of sleep on Saturday. I woke up before my alarm, had some breakfast, showered and hit the road. I could see the sun starting to peak over the horizon and it just made me feel so much better. I felt so much better all day on Sunday. This morning I woke up prior to my alarm and I just felt energized—even though I did not have a day off this weekend.

I usually suffer from this melancholy in the spring when we are just waiting for the warmth and longer days. I guess this year it just hit me earlier. Well, it appears to be over and it is time to get moving again. I guess I really am solar powered.

From 9-11 to Triathlon

Today is the 6th Anniversary of 9-11 and I have been wondering where the time has gone? I was living and working in Nashville on that fateful day. It is amazing how that one day has totally changed my life. I did not know anyone personally killed in NY or at the Pentagon, but the events put in motion by this single day have changed my life.

I served on active duty in the army from 1993 to 1999. When I left active duty, I was not sure I wanted to play any more. However, after living the life of a civilian, getting divorced and working 9-5—I was bored. So pre 9-11 I joined the 489th Civil Affairs Battalion in Knoxville, TN. Prior to 9-11, Civil Affairs was the reserve component you wanted to be in if you wanted some cool travel and interesting jobs. After 9-11 it just meant you stayed busy. So back to how this changed my life—it ultimately led me to Washington DC.

On 9/11/01 I knew that our lives were changed forever. I was completely shocked at the reactions of some of the people I worked with. They were acting like this was just a fire or some other calamity in another city. I was really shocked at how much people did not understand what had happened. For example, a lady that worked for me was concerned about me learning to fly (I was working on my private pilots license at this time) so when I walked in the office she started lecturing me on the dangers of flying. I asked what she was talking (I had been listening to a book on tape) and she informed me a plane at hit the World Trade Center. I immediately asked her if it was known whether it was a small private aircraft or a commercial jet. She told me that it was a big jet. I immediately looked at her and told her it was an act of terror and probably Osama Bin Laden. She looked at me like I was insane and walked away muttering about right wing nuts. A few minutes later after the second plane hit, she ran in and asked me how I could know something like that. (Hey—once you do some intelligence stuff you really never stop looking). I sat in my office and listened to the radio and was just numb. I wasn’t scared and I wasn’t mad—yet, just numb. Some time after the 2nd Tower fell; someone hooked up a small black and white television in another part of the office and finally walked over to see the devastation. While a group of us were watching the coverage the president of the company came in and told us to get back to work. His comment was something to the effect of, “None of knew anyone there and there was nothing we could do about it anyway.” I saw red and my boss actually grabbed my arm and led me from the room. He knew how angry that made me. To make a long story short—the next week I was asked politely to find more work. I suspect it had to do with the fact that I would probably be called back to active duty and they would have to hold my job.

So mid November I started working with another company as a consultant. Talk about a road warrior. Take off Sunday afternoon and come back on Friday night. It made for some long weeks, but the pay was good. Right after Christmas of 2001, we were notified that our battalion would be mobilized and sent to Afghanistan. I spent the vast majority of 2002 in Afghanistan (I could write a book about that). I was in Frankfurt, Germany on the first anniversary trying to get back to Afghanistan after two weeks of leave.

After returning from Afghanistan I took a 6 month tour of duty at the Pentagon. I was not ready to return to my civilian life and I really had no ties back in Nashville. I only had my house and a really good neighbor to take care of things. During this period of time I met Donna who I ultimately married.

At the end of the 6 months, I knew I was headed back overseas. This time for a year in Iraq. On the second anniversary of 9-11, I was in back in Nashville wondering what I was going to do until the end of November when we were to be mobilized.

I really don’t remember if we did anything special for the third anniversary of 9-11 during our time in Iraq. I am sure there was something, but we were either out of the wire working, or enjoying some time off. When you are in a combat zone the big issues such as 9-11 are not important. You are focused on just your little part of the world.

When I returned to the States, I moved to the DC area (I had sold my house while I was in Iraq), moved in with Donna, and started looking for something to do. I sat on my ass for 3 months after I got back and just ate. I needed to lose some weight and get back in some shape. That necessity lead me to the DC Tri Club. Which I am very happy to say has been very good to me.

On this anniversary of 9-11 I have to say that I have found home, found a wife, and made some great friends. I have had the opportunity to do things that most people only read about and I am very satisfied with the way things have personally turned out for me. There are events that change our lives. Some of those changes occur quickly and some take time to develop and even longer to understand. It is up to use to make the most of the opportunities and challenges given to use in a positive manner. I am just glad that my glass is half full!!