Chapter 3: An Episode of The Simpsons
From Sweat Soaked Sand to Water Crossings through a State Park.
Like a Simpson’s episode, the beginning of my week had zero correlation to the ending of my week. Week 3 started in the sweat soaked sand of Fort Bragg’s Area-J with the echoing sound of Heavy Machine Gun fire and Mortar fire. It felt good to know that for a small portion of my life I was a part of the All American Division. It felt even better that well into my 40’s, I can still run because so many of my Veteran friends cannot.
There were ups and downs, good runs and bad all while the heat and humidity was unrelenting. But what else could a runner expect in The South in the summer. As much as I hate running in this heat, it’s not lost on me that there will be extreme changes in the next 90 days. By November 5th, all the leaves will be gone on the tree’s, the pool will be closed down and I will be done with my next Marathon.
This posting of The Long Run will give you a glimpse into my life in the 82nd Airborne Division and the importance of sticking to the known trail. You’ve got to have resiliency and not let some obstacles get in your way. There is always a way to move forward and keep going. Surround yourself with others with that no-quit mindset. Turn it into an adventure and keep going.
You’ll also get a clear example of what crazy looks like when driven by discipline. Did I hit all my pace goals this week? No. Did I hit all my mileage goals and stay injury free? YES. And that’s the goal isn’t it? To stay healthy and enjoy The Long Run of life.
Monday: 7.29.2024 (Day 15 of 118): Area-J - No route for the weak.
Can someone please share the secret with me on how I can get paid to run, and thus shed myself of this obligation to my J-O-B? Since visibility on an open space for a grey-haired millennial becoming a “running influencer” is overshadowed by my inability to “run fast” or “Look like a runner”, I’ll stick to what I’m better at and that’s my J-O-B.
The week started with my adulting obligations placing me back on Fort Bragg, NC, now called “Fort Liberty”. However, I have enough NCOER’s, Awards and Orders with Fort Bragg on them, it will remain forever in my head as FBNC. (Fort Bragg, NC).
While many things have changed in the 25 years since I first arrived there, one thing has not. Area-J still exits. This training area (J), is next to the cantonment area and has been the site of young men being forged into warriors. Where being tough became essential and the weak were cast aside as a “fall out”.
As a Platoon Sergeant back in the day, I had a new Sergeant (E5) show up to my platoon on a Monday morning. This young man PCS’d from some no-good, lazy ass unit that didn’t do hard PT, so when we took off on an 8-mile run, it was no surprise that he didn’t finish with the rest of the Platoon. As we stood in formation after the run, the First Sergeant (1SG) Stood in front of the formation holding straight out in front of him one-singular dog tag. Generally this formality was reserved for identifying the dead on a battlefield. Leave one Dog-Tag on the body, take the other for accountability.
“Who the fuck does SGT STEPHANY belong to?” he asked.
Everyone kind of glanced around in silence. Nobody spoke up.
“Who the fuck owns SGT STEPHANY, LAST 4- XXXX?”
Again, silence.
I glance behind me and one of my best Sergeants is trying to tell me that he thinks that’s our “FNG” and last he saw him was sweating on the trail. I turn my face back towards the 1SG and he’s starting right at me. Yup, that was my guy.
I respond back.
“Yes, that’s my Troop! Why do you have his Dog Tag? Where is he?”
My 1SG Responds that he found him laying on the ground whimpering in his own puke, covered in sand and so he grabbed 1-dog tag for accountability and kept on.
It was clear. In this GWOT Era, there was no pity for the weak. No empathy for lazy bastards that showed up unfit. No Slack. Either you showed up ready, or you were dead weight. We were battle hardened troops from multiple rotations to Iraq and Afghanistan, we didn’t have much patience for those that Volunteered for the Airborne and then arrived ill prepared.
So as I ran through Area-J on Monday, those thoughts came back to me. I ran those sandy roads, that I still have memorized. The sand is still the same, the tree’s appear to have been frozen in time as they appeared no bigger than they did 25yrs ago.
It felt good to put my feet back in that red clay and sand. Not much changed really.
But that wasn’t true. Much has changed. I’m 45lbs heavier, grey haired and a civilian. My pace has slowed form a 6’45” to a 10’45” and I no longer have the requirement to create warfighters. That task has been passed on and now I just run for fun.
4.01 Miles | Avg Pace: 10’17” | Avg HR: 131 | Best Mile: 9’55” | Feeling: Nostalgic
Tuesday: 7.30.2024 (Day 16 of 118): DNF on the Track + 3 more.
Track Tuesday is a thing and on this day I had 7-miles of intervals to get done! I felt great driving to the track and was motivated to get in the workout! However after a few laps, the wheels fell off, nature kicked me in the gut and I found myself as a DNF on this workout while driving home as fast as legally possible.
I did however get 4-miles in and a picture with the group, so I’ll chalk that up as a win. I also didn’t lose my socks at the track and receive a lifetime ban from the school district from the track. So that’s a win too. However, it didn’t feel good to DNF this workout and I’d carry that guilt with me for the rest of the day.
4.02 Miles | Avg Pace: 9’56” | Avg HR: 123 | Best Mile: 9’38” | Feeling: Defeated
I only had 1-stage left for the Tour de Clayton and it was a 1-mile time trial around my local park. So I picked my head up off the floor and made my way to the park at sunset get the tour done with. The plan was a 1-mile warmup, 1-mile at effort and then another 1-mile cool down. This would leave me with 7-miles total on the day and if I couldn’t hit my pace goals on the track, at least I could hit my distance goals on the day.
Coincidentally I ran into my friend Amy at the park, also getting in her last stage of the TDC, it was her second stage of the evening and she still out-paced me by a good bit. That’s one thing the tour did, it brought runners out to different locations throughout the town and often runners would run into each other.
I knocked out my 3 miles with the fastest one at 8’30”.
3.03 Miles | Avg Pace: N/A | Avg HR: 135| Best Mile: 8’30” | Feeling: Committed
Wednesday: 7.31.2024 (Day 17 of 118): 5 miles instead of 5K. Hot and Slow.
With the Marathon build ramping up, my usual Wednesday 5K is turning into a 5K+ and this evening I had to get in 5-miles at an easy pace. I knocked out the first 1.5 with Dave and Jackson before Dave called it and headed back. It was around that moment that I linked up with Wes and the three of us kept on trucking for our 5-miles.
Having lived in North Carolina for over two-decades I’ve learned that the last two weeks of July and the first two weeks of August are the absolute worst with heat and humidity. Historical experiences are proving my future predictions to be true. The last day of July was absolutely brutal.
It was around mile 3.5 that Jackson started indicating that his back was getting sore. This caught us off guard a little as Jackson is half our age at 22yrs old and has become a regular runner at the club.
“I had back surgery 10yrs ago and I have a metal rod in my back. The worst thing about it was having to re-learn how to walk!”
I was a little thrown off by his first statement, but then telling us he had to re-learn how to walk, and now he’s out here on a 5-miler with us was incredible. It’s amazing the stories and experiences people have.
When it was all done and said, it was an easy 5.0 miles in unrelenting heat and humidity but the persistent progress forward was essential.
5.01 Miles | Avg Pace: 11’06” | Avg HR: 135 | Best Mile: 11’05” | Feeling: Unstoppable
Thursday: 8.1.2024 (Day 18 of 118): Strength Training Commences.
The start of a new month is always a good starting point for something new or in my case to re-ignite a passion I have. In August I’ve started lifting weights again to build strength in preparation of the The Long Run in November. I’ve heard many times from exceptional runners that strength training is the component element that puts you over the top.
Strong runners are strong and being strong is never wrong!
I made my way to the YMCA and commenced into an hour of weightlifting. I’ve been lifting for almost 30 years and it’s a familiar place for me to be. I’ll admit, I’ve lost a lot of strength over the last 3 years and it’s a little disheartening but I’m determined to get some of it back.
Since Thursday was my rest-day from running I decided to do an act of kindness for my club. Every Thursday the club has a dedicated run where we get in a 5-miler or a 5K and with an airmass of humidity weighing everyone down, I figured they’d want some ice-cold water.
So I loaded up the Jeep with a speaker and cooler full of ice and water and made my way to the turn around spot for the 5-miler with Dave. We set up camp and handed out ice cold water to our runners.
During our wait, I got in a short and easy 1-mile run. I was surprised to see that a 10’16” pace felt rather easy.
1.01 Miles | Avg Pace: 10’21” | Avg HR: 128 | Best Mile: 10’16” | Feeling: Dangerous
Friday: 8.2.2024 (Day 19 of 118): What does Crazy Look Like?
After a “rest” day that consisted of running only 1-mile, I felt refreshed and ready to tackle this mornings workout that would put me at 5-miles. Instead of going to the local H.S. Track I decided to tackle this workout at a park, where I knew bathrooms and water were available. Thankfully I did because I ended up requiring both during this training run.
What was supposed to happen:
1.5mi Warmup + 6x 2min at 7’40” w/2min Recovery + 1.1 mile Cool Down.
What commenced was ridiculous. Round and round I went, Real LEFT and real FAST, ok not fast but real left. Over and over and over again.
My warmup of 1.5 miles was at 10’52” then I went into my efforts.
Effort 1: 7’16” | E2: 7’21” | E3: 7’37” | E4: 7’37” | E5: 7’35 | E6: 8’01”
Cooldown 1.10 miles was at 11’35”.
By the time I hit that last effort my legs were dead. I couldn’t stop sweating and I had zero energy to do anything. This heat is getting to me.
During the cooldown my mental state started to deteriorate. Was my coach playing mind games with me? Why would she make the cool down 1.10 miles? What the hell was she thinking? Maybe it was a typo. Nah, she’s trying to build mental strength. Trying to force me to go just a little further when I’m mentally fatigued.
Well played coach. Well played. I know these games. I was the master of them 20 years ago.
4.91 Miles | Avg Pace: 10’48” | Avg HR: 125 | Best Lap: 7’16” | Feeling: Delirious
Saturday: 8.3.2024 (Day 20 of 118): Sure, I can get in a 3-mile run, it’s easy. Right?
From the moment I woke up, all that crossed my mind was “It’s only 3-miles. This is an easy day! Hell, it’s not even a 5K!” On the drive to the trail I felt great. I was hydrating from the day prior, knowing I had an 11-miler on Sunday so this Saturday morning run was going to be easy.
“It’s only 3-miles”
After meeting up with Mike, Erin, Scott and Chrissy we sorted out our distances and paces. Chrissy and Scott were heading out for 12-miles while Erin was shooting for 8-miles and Mike and I getting in 3-miles.
We all started together and were of similar pace at the beginning with conversation flowing and the pitter patter of feet echoing off the Neuse River and tree’s in rhythm that propelled us forward.
It was at the 1-mile mark that I knew something wasn’t right. I didn’t feel great. How is this possible?!? My mind kept racing. I was well hydrated and well rested, yet here I was on mile 1 of 3 and I knew in the depth of my legs that this run was going to pull all the strength right out of me.
When Mike and I turned around at mile 1.5, it was a struggle! Like walking through quick sand, trying to pull you down and end your life in a slow death that is exacerbated the more you struggle, this run was pulling me down. At mile 2 I couldn’t wait for mile 3 to be over with!
When we reached our starting point and mile 3 was over all I could do is hop in the Jeep and make my way to the nearest gas station restroom. This morning was fucking TOUGH!
I must have looked like a madman rushing into this sleepy gas station, sweating and looking in a panic and shooting straight to the restroom. I was hoping they wouldn’t call the county sheriff on me.
They didn’t call the cops and I purchased some Gatorade electrolytes for a “thank you” purchase for having a bathroom open to the public. Seems appropriate after what happened in there.
This run was causing me mental issues. How can I be prepared to run 26.2 miles nonstop when this simple 3 mile run about murdered me? Damn I feel weak and there’s no room for the weak on The Marathon. It will eat you alive.
3.02 Miles | Avg Pace: 10’43” | Avg HR: 121 | Best Mile: 10’29” | Feeling: Overweight
Sunday: 8.4.2024 (Day 21 of 118): A Collaboration of Run Clubs.
I knew all week long that I had an 11-miler on Sunday and all week long I was looking forward to it because we had a collaboration run with the TUFF Run Club out of Raleigh at Umstead State Park. They are a Trail and Ultra Run Club who usually have a dominant presence at Ultra races throughout the region. This was my first time running with them and we had about a dozen runners from Clayton Area Runners make the 35 minute trek out to Umstead for this early Sunday Fun Run.
I’ve ran many miles out there before and know the terrain. It’s hilly. That’s all there is too it. I don’t think there’s any stretch for more than 0.5 miles that flat. It’s basically a roller coaster of run up the hill, then down to the lake/creek then back up hill then back down to a creek then back up. Wash, Rinse Repeat for as many miles as you wanted.
For the 11-miles this morning it was Mike, Carlos, Hank and myself going for the long run. We were all expecting to run on dirt access roads, then it turned into an adventure!
At mile 5 we ran into a washed out bridge with no walk around. So we clambered up an embankment, ran along a busy paved road and then scurried down the other side like some high school kids running from the cops. We even blew right past the sign that explicitly state “Runners and hikers, do not climb this hill” . I’m a grown man, I do what I want.
After bypassing this slight obstacle we get back on trail. At mile 5.6 we come across a water crossing! Out of all the trails and the hundreds of runners in the state park, we happen upon this water obstacle the same time as another runner is walking through carrying his shoes. We drop our shoes and make the water crossing with ease. It helped that the bottom of the path was paved.
The water was actually pretty cool and felt good. After emerging from the other side and a quick check for leeches, we were good to go and continued on.
Around mile 8 Carlo’s wife was calling because she appeared to be lost! So our run slowed and stopped while we made an attempt to locate her via GPS and figure out the best way to reach her. After some deliberation and conversations, his wife decided to make the trek to an intersection nearby.
While he waited for his wife the three of us took off to finish the run. Hank, a far better runner than the rest of us wanted to step it out and took off like a greyhound out of the gate for the last 3 miles. It was obvious we were slowing him down, but he’s a good guy and stuck with us for 8 of the 11 miles. It was appreciated!
The last 3 miles consisted of Mike and I making the best of it and walking a few of the shorter hills and finishing with an easy jog to the 11-mile mark before walking it in to the finish.
At the finish I waited for Carlos and his family while eating some oranges and having conversations with my fellow runners. Fely’s adventure turned a 4-mile walk into a 10-mile hike! We were all relieved that Carlos met up with her and they all made it back.
11.0 Miles | Avg Pace: 11’13” | Avg HR: 137 | Best Mile: 10’05” | Feeling: Adventurous