An evening run

I was told before I came here that if I had a goal or two, that my time would pass faster. So I made the goal of cutting my 1.5 mile run time down for my AF Fitness Test. I'm a crappy runner. I can run all day long, but I can't run fast. I don't know if it has to do with my flat feet or what... I run all the time, so you'd think I could do it faster with no problem, but nope... So last night after work I decided to go for a run. Where? well... I could have run around the base, but they have this safety rule here about wearing headphones anyplace near where a car drives... so I decided to go to the dirt track. Normally I have such issue with running around in circles, because it gets boring looking at the same stuff. Well, not such a problem here, because the things I would look at 6 times around the track are the same things I would look at if I ran 1 lap around the entire base... nothing. There is dirt and rocks and more dirt. The dirt is more like talcum powder though... and it is on everything. I can even taste it in my mouth. ick. It's all over me. Anyway... my iPod and I went out last night for our run. I plugged in a little techno music and managed gaged myself for around 2 minute laps for a 1.5 mile run in 12 min, which is my ultimate goal. I didn't want to push, just take a slow one for my first time here... not knowing the track or running in the dust. I managed a 13:23 time, so that means I have 1:23 to shave off in the next 4 months. I think if I work at it, I can do it... Although with the Air Force fitness test point system... running it in 13:23 is just fine for me. So long as I'm under 13:36, it doesn't matter a hill of beans.

Yesterday I also went to the BX for the first time. I guess I assumed they wouldn't sell Febreeze there because everybody's room absolutely reeks. But they did. I emptied a bottle on my dorm room's carpet, curtain and A/C filter... and what do you know, the room doesn't stink. Who'da thought.

It is amazing how negative some of the people are here. I thought there was bureacracy at the Pentagon, but nothing like there is here and it has caused a synacism among the lower ranking folks in my office that although completely warrented (I've witnessed some of their frustration first hand) -- is really to the point of overboard. Its just too bad that peoples' eccentricities can get in the way of communicating effectively... I'm not going to get in the mix of all that because I'm new and the folks I'll be working with will be completely different personalities within just a couple of weeks.

John, the guy I'm replacing, is out of here tomorrow. Tonight we are going to the "bra" to hang out and have a few beers with his friends... yippee... meeting more people and making friends who will be gone in a couple of weeks. I really hate that I'm here so much earlier than everybody else.

Well, I'm going to go downstairs and scrounge for a calendar... I want to start marking off my days.

cheers,
d