July 2018 Update from Iraq

Writing now with enough updates to fill a blog post.

Evie Jean is 6 months old today.  Eli has a gift for making her laugh.  Thanks to Kari, she actually knows my face and my voice from watching videos every day of me playing with Eli.  I also recorded myself reading a book to the kids and Kari plays it for them every morning.  They just enjoyed a long trip home to Pennsylvania and New Jersey to see parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and lots of friends.  Pops also joined them for the trip back to California for a few days.  We have some great friends who are also our neighbors, and they took care of Riley and the house for us.

On 13 July, I finally graduated with my MBA from Liberty University.  It took 5 years, 2 deployments, 2 kids, and 3 PCS moves to complete.  Kari sent me a picture of my diploma, which arrived in the mail last week.  Super proud of that piece of paper and it will be the only thing except Eli's artwork hanging on my "me" wall at home.

One of the Army Soldiers here agreed to attempt an ultrarunning challenge with me in July.  Our goal was to run the number of miles each day for that calendar date.  So, we ran one mile on 1 July, two miles on 2 July, and so on.  I lasted until the 15th and then simply didn't have the time, even when I split the longer days into morning and evening runs.  It was also 110 degrees every day in July.  We bailed for a few days in the middle of the month to recover but then got back to it around 23 July but switched to running kilometers rather than miles.  He is a better American than me and ran 30 miles on the 30th and 31 on the 31st.  I tried to be hard by running my 31 miles in the afternoon sun to simulate Badwater but I failed miserably and crashed in the air conditioned office after just 18 miles.

Now that school is over, I have a strange amount of "free time" during the hours between 8pm and 8am.  I don't know what to do sometimes so I stare at pictures of Kari and the kids.  This week, I opened three different books that I intend to finish by the end of September.  A few of the guys here built a ping-pong table which serves as sporadic entertainment throughout the week.  We tore up our gym, took everything outside, scrubbed it from wall to wall, and put all the equipment back inside.  We take the trucks on test drives, which are more or less joy rides that double down as fictional baha trips over the sand dunes.  Although somewhat pathetic, I've spent a lot of time listening to Bob Marley while riding a stationary bike because that provides me short spurts of time when I actually feel like I have some freedom.  I downloaded the new Mac Miller album last week and then deleted it because it was terrible.

Until recently, I have never had the desire to run Western States, but in the past week it's grown on me for unknown reasons.  Unfortunately, I won't qualify for the 2019 race because this deployment consumed essentially the entire 2018 calendar year, so if the flame still burns next year then maybe I'll throw my name in the hat for the first time in 2020.

For now, my focus is on supporting this deployment.  My team and I work hard but we also have some time to think and catch our breath.  I'm using the fairly generous work schedule lately to read, exercise, run, cycle, learn more about myself, and interact with our coalition partners from all over the world.  I also just made an 8-team randomized bracket for a Yahtzee tournament tomorrow - shout out to Gold Star Mothers for sending us Yahtzee in a care package.  

Every day is the same, yet every day brings so many new opportunities to learn something.  Although I would rather be home with my family, I'm enjoying what the Corps has given me and making the best of this deployment.  That's all for now.

End of Another Year-Long Study

I haven't written on here in awhile.  Pre-deployment training has been very time-consuming.  I've been traveling a bit over the past two months and even more to look forward to over the next 12 months.  But, I was able to compile my running statistics from 2015 over this past weekend.  I'll jump right into it.

First, as a reminder and to serve as a comparison, here are my numbers from 2014 (two years ago):

Number of Runs: 246
Time: 371:41:52
Distance: 2,111.06 miles (3,397 km)
Elev Gain: 219,441 feet (66,886 meters)
Avg Pace: 10:34 per mile (6:34 per km)
Avg Time per Run: 1:30:37

Avg Miles per Month: 175.92
Avg Miles per Week: 40.60
Avg Miles per Day: 5.78
Avg Miles per Run: 8.58

Avg Elev per Month: 18,287 feet
Avg Elev per Week: 4,220 feet
Avg Elev per Day: 601 feet
Avg Elev per Run: 892 feet

To be honest, I think back to when I hit "enter" on my keyboard to get some of these numbers last year and I was truly surprised.  My photographer and I guessed what elevation gain would be.  I think I was around 125,000 and she was slightly higher.  When the total came out to 219,441 feet I actually felt a sharp pain in my knees as I thought of what they'll feel like 30 years from now when they get replaced with plastic look-a-likes.  When I did the math for 2015 it was easy to identify that we brought a child into the mix, endured a PCS move and a change of landscape, and I suffered through an injury and took 4 weeks off during the summer.  Here are 2015 numbers:

Number of Runs: 272
Time: 223:57:47
Distance: 1,539.59 miles (2,477 km)
Elev Gain: 83,024 feet (25,306 meters)
Avg Pace: 8:44 per mile (5:25 per km)
Avg Time per Run: 49:26

Avg Miles per Month: 128.30
Avg Miles per Week: 29.61
Avg Miles per Day: 4.22
Avg Miles per Run: 5.66

Avg Elev per Month: 6,919 feet
Avg Elev per Week: 1,597 feet
Avg Elev per Day: 227 feet
Avg Elev per Run: 305 feet


A few drastic differences between 2014 and 2015 stand out at first glance:

- I ran 600 more miles in 2014

- I ran a ton of mountains and elevation in 2014 (in Virginia) than in 2015 (in North Carolina's swampy flatlands...)

- My pace per mile was about 2 minutes faster in 2015 due to less elevation gain

- My average time spent per run was nearly twice as long in 2014 (90 minutes) than in 2015 (49 minutes), mostly because I wanted to hurry home to see Little Man


Am I surprised when I compare the two years?  Not particularly.  Camp Lejeune and the surrounding area is flat.  Very flat.  For instance, my 10- and 12- mile routes on base consist of 58 and 74 feet of elevation gain, respectively.  Also, I took 4 consecutive weeks away from running to recover from a foot injury in July.  We also spent about 3 weeks living out of boxes as we transitioned to another new area, new job, and new culture, all with a 6 month old.  To top it off, my current job has demanded more time, effort, and emotion than any job I've had so far, and hours spent "working" each week usually add up to a number higher than 70.  When I'm not in Camp Lejeune working 14 hour days, I'm traveling and working 16 hour days.  In fact, I'm traveling today and as I'm typing this blog post my Blackberry is vibrating with work requirements every few minutes.  Maintaining any sort of routine, especially a running routine, has been nearly impossible.  During the entire month of February I ran between midnight and 0200 every night because that was the only time I could squeeze it in.  That was neither desirable nor healthy, but damnit I'm dedicated.

That's all I have time for right now.  I'd like to dive deep into this and write another article like I did last year, and again compare this to Gladwell's 10,000 hours study, but I'll save that for another time.

Little Man is no longer little.  Eli is now a walking, talking, 15-month old human with the coolest personality ever.  He's got the greatest Mama and she deserves all the credit, especially for his good looks.

 

 

 

This is appropriate.  I'll be gone a lot over the next year but I won't forget where I was raised and what I'm coming home to...

Not-so-little Little Man

This guy is getting big.  He's almost outgrown his first car seat already.  Those things aren't cheap.

 

The last picture taken in our house in VA, the day before we moved.  Notice there aren't 100 pairs of shoes on my photographer's side of the closet.

 

He chases that basketball up and down the driveway in his go-cart

 

He got to the mail before we did.  Luckily it was useless coupons.
 

Bath time is generally more fun for me than for Eli.  Check out that farmers tan!

 

 

 

From just this past weekend.  What a ham sandwich,

 

Cheesin'

 We told Little Man we were going to the mall to people watch, and this was his reaction: 

 

 He is growing up quick.

02-12 Feb: The End of a Year-Long Study

02 FEB -- 37:34 -- 4.56 miles -- 355 elevation gain
03 FEB -- upper body weightlifting -- stationary bike 5 miles
04 FEB -- off
05 FEB -- 41:02 -- 5.14 miles -- 443 elevation gain
             -- upper body weightlifting (afternoon)
06 FEB -- 48:39 -- 4.71 miles -- 758 elevation gain
07 FEB -- 40:00 -- 3.15 miles -- 217 elevation gain
08 FEB -- 1:22:13 -- 10.53 miles -- 578 elevation gain

TOTAL -- 4:09:28 -- 28.09 miles -- 2351 elevation gain

The 3.15-mile run on 07 Feb was our first family run together.  We ran through our neighborhood with the stroller and one of those $5 portable speakers hooked up to some tunes.  It was 60 degrees so Little Man enjoyed it just as much as my photographer and I.




09 FEB -- 34:31 -- 3.58 miles -- 420 elevation gain
             -- upper body weightlifting -- stationary bike 4 miles (afternoon)
10 FEB -- stationary bike 5 miles (morning)
             -- stationary bike 5 miles (afternoon)
11 FEB -- 37:25 -- 4.70 miles -- 451 elevation gain
12 FEB -- stationary bike 5 miles (morning)
             -- 20:00 -- 2.00 miles -- 0 elevation gain (treadmill, afternoon)

TOTAL -- 1:31:56 -- 10.28 miles -- 969 elevation gain

This week, I started a push-up/pull-up program for the next 8 weeks.  This was my end of the bargain to get a friend to run the JFK 50 Mile last November, which he did and, so, now I am...I'll be doing 3 max sets of push-ups every morning, Monday through Friday, as well as a scripted pull-up routine each night that cycles on a weekly basis.  Goal: do 30 straight pull-ups come April.

Also, on 12 Feb, I finished my year-long study about Malcolm Gladwell's idea that spending 10,000 hours practicing something makes you an expert in that field.  I'll post more about this later once I compile all the data and ponder over it for a bit.  It should be interesting and I am excited to compare it to Gladwell's theory in Outliers.  At first glance, I'm estimating that I spent less than 400 hours running last year.  Therefore, by the time I'm an "expert" according to Gladwell I will likely be on my third set of knees with one foot in the coffin.  There is much more to it and I intend to get into the weeds later on.  Right now, my focus is on finishing out the final 3-weeks of my Corporate Finance MBA class and writing my 2,000-word paper for Expeditionary Warfare School. 

12-18 Jan, and MMT 100 Training Run

12 JAN -- upper body weightlifting -- stationary bike 4 miles
             -- 43:34 -- 4.66 miles -- 751 elevation gain
13 JAN -- off
14 JAN -- 15:00 -- 1.00 miles -- 500 elevation gain
             -- 42:39 -- 5.20 miles -- 462 elevation gain
             -- upper body weightlifting -- stationary bike 4 miles
15 JAN -- 1:38:10 -- 11.09 miles -- 1318 elevation gain
16 JAN -- upper body weightlifting -- stationary bike 5 miles
             -- 17:30 -- 1.15 miles -- 850 elevation gain
17 JAN -- off
18 JAN -- 5:19:24 -- 25.52 miles -- 5105 elevation gain (MMT 100 training run)

TOTAL -- 8:56:17 -- 48.62 miles -- 8986 elevation gain

Well, the lottery system worked in my favor for one race and against me in another.  I got into the Hashawha Hills 50k on 28 Feb, but I'm number 48 on the waitlist for MMT 100 in May.  Ironically, Danny is right next to me at number 47.  We hope to get in, though, since last year the wait list got all the way down to number 77 before race day.  I figured I'd do the training runs anyway.

Here are some pictures from today's run in the Massanuttens:

There were about 100 of us on the trails today

Danny is like a ghost, or he walks too fast.  He is blurry in every picture I took.

It was cold and windy on the ridgeline

This made the climb worth the effort

Took a panorama with my phone

...and a selfie...

Purple Trail, my least favorite

And last, but certainly not least, Little Man:

Confused about the sounds coming from my phone

The Day the Earth Shook

Today, Little Man rolled over for the first time.  I'm very fortunate that I was home when he took his first leap into manhood.  Pretty soon, we will be playing Cops and Robbers and shooting mommy with Super Soakers.

He is so legit.

It Was a Great Thursday

Today, I didn't have to work.  Got the day off.  I spent it wisely - I wrote a 4-page paper about the economic outlook of the company Chipotle Mexican Grill (because it begins with the same letter as my last name), hung out with Little Man and my photographer, read about the Falklands War, and broke in my Pearl Izumi N2 trail shoes on the Fredericksburg quarry trails.  I appreciated today for many reasons, mainly because I didn't have to fight the busy bees on route 95.  But it wasn't until today that I genuinely realized how much I work.  I work way too much.  I think all Americans do.  At least in the D.C. area it is the norm.  I don't like it and it took 6 years in the military and a random Thursday off to really understand all of this.  We all hope it pays off one day.  Hopefully it does.  Here are two pictures to sum up the day:

Little Man just woke up from one of his eleventeen naps

11 miles through mud and ice made for a rather enjoyable afternoon

Christmas Came Late

My photographer and I bought ourselves two late Christmas gifts this holiday season:

1.  A new BOB Stroller.  Little Man fits it like a glove.  And yes, that is our Christmas tree in the back, still standing tall.  We might leave it up for next year.

 

2.  A pair of men's Pearl Izumi N2 trail shoes, size 10.

I'm looking forward to trying out the shoes tomorrow in sub-zero temperatures, but I don't think Kari will be taking Little Man outside until it warms up.  I've read quite a few reviews about these shoes, nearly all of them were positive so I'm not too worried about their performance.  I am, however, interested in the types of interactions between customers and Pearl Izumi associates.  No reason at all, just curious how the Pearl Izumi folks treat ultrarunners.  I've had nothing but good experiences and I really like what they stand for, but I'd like to hear what you guys have to say about the company - positive or negative. 

15-28 Dec

15 DEC -- 57:25 -- 6.41 miles -- 643 elevation gain
              -- 43:10 -- 5.71 miles -- 415 elevation gain
16 DEC -- 55:35 -- 6.08 miles -- 1074 elevation gain
              -- upper body weightlifting
17 DEC -- 32:15 -- 3.28 miles -- 698 elevation gain
              -- stationary bike 8 miles
18 DEC -- 1:25:47 -- 10.18 miles -- 832 elevation gain
19 DEC -- off -- upper body weightlifting
20 DEC -- 44:15 -- 4.50 miles -- 650 elevation gain
21 DEC -- off -- drove to New Jersey

TOTAL -- 5:18:27 -- 36.16 miles -- 4312 elevation gain



22 DEC -- off -- spent the day in NYC with Kari and Elijah
23 DEC -- 1:50:42 -- 8.86 miles -- 2130 elevation gain (ran the AT in northern NJ)
24 DEC -- 32:47 -- 4.49 miles -- 484 elevation gain
25 DEC -- 38:21 -- 5.03 miles -- 343 elevation gain (then drove to PA)
26 DEC -- off -- rest
27 DEC -- 38:56 -- 4.91 miles -- 387 elevation gain
28 DEC -- off (drove back to VA)

TOTAL -- 3:40:46 -- 23.29 miles -- 3344 elevation gain

Not bad considering we spent roughly 20 hours in a car over the past two weeks.  The Red Eye 50k is on New Year's Day and will serve as an easy and fun entry into 2015 with the VHTRC fellers.




Little Man in Times Square, sleeping through it all

Training Update

This morning, I quickly added the number of miles I've tackled since I started my project on February 12th.  I've done over 1,800 miles and should have no problem reaching 2,000 before February 12th of 2015.  I didn't add the number of hours but a ballpark number would be around 300 (10:00 minutes per mile).  A few months ago I posted about Malcolm Gladwell's hard and fast rule that 10,000 hours spent practicing something makes you an expert in that field.  If that's legit then I'm not sure I'll make it to "expert" ultrarunning levels until I'm Gary's age.

None of that really matters.  Plus, I plan to write an extensive recount of my entire year-long experiment once complete in February.  Maybe, since I ran every mile using my 310XT GPS watch, Garmin will be interested in the data?!  (And in paying for me to run races in 2016?!)  Really, though, I only needed an excuse to post some pictures of Little Man. 

Imagining himself crossing the finish line of his first Turkey Trot next fall

Yes, his luscious hair can be easily formed into a mohawk and keep its form for days.  This will surely scare off other kids at the race next year.

Ohhhhhhhhh...the wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round...

17-23 Nov

17 NOV -- 1:05:38 -- 9.06 miles -- 368 elevation gain
18 NOV -- 1:05:52 -- 9.01 miles -- 329 elevation gain
19 NOV -- off -- rest
20 NOV -- off -- 100 push ups -- 150 dips -- 200 crunches -- 100 air squats
21 NOV -- off
22 NOV -- 7:22:35 -- 50.77 miles -- 3667 elevation gain (JFK 50 Mile)
23 NOV -- off -- rest

TOTAL -- 9:34:05 -- 68.84 miles -- 3364 elevation gain

Great week!  I spent so much time with Little Man and Kari during the week as I rested for JFK.  I did two decent road runs on Monday and Tuesday to stay active, but otherwise sat around with my family.

The race went well - blessed with great weather again, great temperatures, great friends, and great competition.  The course is boring, as we all know, and again I managed to find myself alone amongst the field of 1500+ starters over the last 20 miles of the race.  I've now finished the race 3 times and have yet to meet the race director.  Or even see the race director.  Thus, it doesn't deserve it's own recount this year.  My blog, my rules.  But, on the positive side, our Marine Corps team finished first in the military team division - we finished 1 of 1 team, which is still winning.  We victoriously hoisted the trophy over Geiger Hall this morning.

Next week I plan to rest my legs as much as possible.  I need to get back into the gym to find my pectorals again...

10-16 Nov

10 NOV -- off -- rest
11 NOV -- 16:55 -- 2.00 miles -- 0 elevation gain (treadmill in my basement)
12 NOV -- off
13 NOV -- off
14 NOV -- off
15 NOV -- 57:54 -- 7.80 miles -- 310 elevation gain
16 NOV -- off -- 125 push ups -- 250 crunches -- 250 dips (in my living room)

TOTAL -- 1:14:49 -- 9.80 miles -- 310 elevation gain

This was a big week, but not for running.  Little Man was born on 11 Nov, Veteran's Day!  Both he and my wife are happy and healthy, and I couldn't be any luckier!

Announcement: Little Man Has Arrived

Quiet, everyone!  I have an announcement to make!

Elijah Benson Cillo was born Tuesday, November 11th, 2014, at 1:34 in the afternoon.  He was not so little at 22 inches long and 9 pounds & 15 ounces.  He's the man and he is legit.  Everyone, meet Elijah, practicing early Karate techniques in his signature war gloves:



My brother said he looks like he's about to put a whoopin' on the kid who stole his passy at the nursery.  I mean, look at those flaring nostrils!

I feel like I grew up overnight when Elijah was born.  My photographer and I have been spending every second with him since Tuesday - particularly all of the seconds between 3:00am and 4:00am - and it has been a blast!  Coffee flows frequently at all hours.  I'm off work this week so I intend to get some final preparation miles in for JFK on Saturday.  And, of course, I'll be spending every second I can with my newly expanded family until the Marine Corps again requires my presence among the eager and determined souls within Quantico and the surrounding warlands!!!