The New Year is going to be great!!

Well, the running has suffered. I had to take a break from any kind of distance and get back to speeding up my two miles to around 14:30 (which is pretty effing quick for me). I need to get my PT test done soon, so I can get back to distance. I MUST do Tough Mudder this year. Looking at Utah, New Hampshire, and (definately) Squaw Valley, and (mayyyybe) one in FLA (we'll see *laughs*). I cannot express how excited that I am, or eager to do these races. I only fear (and need to embrace) the electricity. Ride-the-fucking-lightening...

Drill Sergeant School is pushed off until June, and I might be taking a trip out to FLA sometime in March or April. The reason sucks, but the trip and the time will be amazing. I am simutaneously preparing for D.S. school, Tough Mudder, and a "cage fight". I really want to throw down with someone younger, trained, and in shape. I want to challenge myself beyond whatever else I have ever done, and I want to succeed where the younger NCOs currently are. Father time will win, but I won't ever give in. In 20 years I will still be me. I wish that was clear now.

I managed to close out some personal business, or rather it came to me and allowed me to find some peace in moving towards closure (not what I had hoped for, back in the day, but what simply is). I have been told by friends and family (hers and mine) that I am "fucking stupid", "somebody comfortable", and "asking for whatever you get", but I feel like having the chance to spend some time, before what is almost certainly inevitable (her moving, or moving on), is so much better than being cut off and out of her life. I like the closure, not just some bullshit text to tell me I don't matter. Tell me I don't matter, start seeing other people... let me learn to dislike you in person, or see that I was always true, and all of them, ALL OF THEM were wrong. Did they argue for her, or her happiness, or did they argue for their own perceptions and bias? Call me a sucker, but true love doesn't just die...it just gets a little more guarded.

January is Cabo San Lucas time! Heading to Mexico in Mid January for a week with a few friends. Wish I had one more...but that IS wishful thinking indeed. When I get back, I need to sink a bunch of money into my motorcycle. Going to lace a custom 21" for the front wheel, run electrical through the frame, mount the seat, fender, chain tensioner, and complete the tank. I have to upgrade the engine to some parts that allow the exclusion of a battery (permanently), and boost the H.P., and constant amperage for the lights. Blah, blah, blah....that shit is going to be retarded. I cannot wait to get on that bike. Every ride will be like taking my own life into my hands; no front brake, no turn signals, rear drum brake only.... "Do one thing, every day, that scares you". - Baz Luhrman. Goddamned right.

Details, details....

I find that the little things, when viewed in the end result, are not so little. A little lie, a little extra dessert, a little thing forgotten; The butterfly effect perhaps? My week was filled with little things that, in and of themself, weren't a big deal, but the cumulative effect was awesome in its damage! lol. All things, well... most things, can be fixed; As with my confluence of disaster. There is always another day, week, effort, attempt, etc; A great end to a tumultuous time, says I!
One of my dearest friends is on a Scotland/Ireland trip right now and, as if I needed any further prompting, has me realizing just what I've been missing. Time to get my kit in order and make that trip happen. I would dearly love to go in 2012, but between the two Army schools that I have tried (and succeeded) to get, the Tough Mudder, and my two vacations planned (oh..and work), it'll have to wait until 2013. Now...Tough Mudder IS advertising an Ireland 2013 venue. Hmmmmmmm.
My running, weights and, especially, pull ups are coming along GREAT! I should be right where I need to be by January, and most definitely by race time. The goal is to finish, but to finish strong (especially for the old guy, both in school as well as in T.M.) would really kick some ass.
I love the Fall....running, smelling the crisp air, feeling the rain, and being able to wear long sleeves! lol. Makes me yearn for my wonderful Boston. Great times.

What a couple of weeks!

Holy smokes...Since my last post I did a warm up/break in 30 mile ride on my new road bike. It was a great effort; lots of hills, and getting used to the gearing and pedals. What sucks is the damage that I did to my nether regions. I still can't 100% feel my privates. Suuuuck. I was pretty happy with my time and the guys that I'm riding with. One of them, Mark, is a friggin' dynamo and should probably tour with how strong he rides. *laughs* Our 370 mile coast ride, next month, should be pretty awesome!

Completed the Race the Reaper run last weekend. 5.1 miles, 1000 feet elevation, and 18 obstacles. It was totally awesome, and an ass kicker for me. A great first experience! I'm signing up for the Zombie Apocalypse run (at the end of the month) and plan on Warrior Dash, and Tough Mudder next year. Looking for a few other runs to participate in (meaning, every single one that I can find) and am seeing quite a few popping up. The folks running in them are simply an awesome group of people, and the after event is just as fun as the run. Hung out with a new batch of really nice and fun people that I had never met before. Very excellent experience!

Getting prepared for Drill Sergeant School right now. A lot of memory work, and a lot of physical too. The school is in a location with elevation, so I need to plan on running twice as far here, to try and make it there. I applied for Air Assault School today as well. Rappelling out of helicopters seems to be a damned good idea, in my book at least :) I love the badges, and the accomplishment of doing what a lot of my cohorts (civilian and soldier alike) don't do.