18 miles and the Signal Ball

Sometimes (well actually a lot of the time) when I log into TP, I really do think Craig is a crazy person and after having him as a coach for three years in college and about a year and a half doing this swimbikerun thing, I'm convinced he is.  I saw that my workout yesterday consisted of an hour bike followed by a two hour and thirty minute "Breakthrough, Fast Finish, Long Run." Well, #1, it's Friday and good thing I took the day off because the Signal Ball was last night and there was going to be no way that this workout was going to be done. I guess there's no #2. I convinced Dave to run the first part of the run with me. The catch: we had to be done with an hour and a half of the run before 6am cause that's when he had to do a Regimental Run with work.

4am comes quickly, especially when you are anticipating your first long run of the season (I can't believe it's that time already!!). So it's pitch black out and we're running up on Wheeler, easy breezy for the first hour, no big deal, we've got this. After a little more than an hour we head over to Schofield so he can meet up with the Regiment (10-ish miles down, 1 hour to go...my lost toenail is doing ok by the way in case anyone was wondering). I say bye to Dave and continue on.  Now I need to start picking up the pace...here is where Craig is a crazy person.  10 miles down and instead of being done because, let's be honest 10 miles is a prett good run...NOPE!  Let's start to pick up the pace.  The next two mile are a gradual uphill battle, great, just what I want after 10 miles of running, a slow uphill, well I'm hitting the paces I'm supposed to be hitting dead on!! I get through those miles and then it's 2 miles back downhill and I'm actually still starting to go faster (I know, I know, it's downhill so of course I'll go faster), but it flattened out and I still kept that pace going...I'm back onto Wheeler and I have about 20 minutes left, no more water, no more gels, crap! I run past my car and seriously contemplate stopping, but I know I'd be mad at myself if I did, so I finished those 20 minutes and I even ran the last half mile ALL-OUT, just like TP told me to! 18 miles before 7am, not too shabby.

Every year the Army Pacific signal Corps holds the Regimental Ball and it was last night at the Hilton Hawaiian village in Waikiki.  A great night out on the town.

There was the opening remarks, arrival of the official party, posting of the colors, national anthem and invocation (ceremonial stuff).  The introduction of distinguished visitors, speeches, toasts, fallen soldier ceremony, UH Tahitian dancers performed, the King's Guard also performed, we had dinner (it was actually really good for once, the last two years dinners were not stellar), the Keynote Speaker: Lieutenant general Carroll F. Pollett, awards presentations, closing remarks the benediction and retiring of the colors. Typical Signal Ball happenings.  Our gift this year was a wine glass, it's pretty nice, I'll use it again for sure!

Anyways, we had a good time, it's always nice to get dressed up every once in a while and wear something that isn't spandex or lycra and full of sweat.