Day 41

It was 3:30am. Back home in Kansas, I often got up at this time to brew my stovetop espresso, read e-mail, do the budget, then run from 4:30am to 5:30am. Here at WDW, I normally don't wake up until 5:30ish. Last night, though, I woke up at 3:30am and soon was sitting on my floor...waiting. More on that later.

After I got back to sleep around 4am, I got another hour and a half of sleep which capped off my longest night of sleep in a long time. Guess what? I was IN bed, TV off, lights out at 10pm last night! I had to make a real effort to do that and even better was that I got that run in, too. Great night sleep except for the one interruption. Overall, the day was good. My commander returned from his multi-"theme park" tour and landed mid-morning here at WDW. I could have really gotten a bad apple in a commander but I didn't. We hit it off from the beginning and I am looking forward to working with him. My sense is that he will task me and give me increasing responsibilities then stand back. He does not appear to be a micro-manager at all. He's the kind of leader that will hand me the rope and I can either climb it or hang myself. My choice. I plan to climb, by the way. :-) All in all, though, it was a quiet day. I see that Fridays are going to be this way. Hopefully, Saturdays are, too. However, should the need present itself, I'll work as long as I'm needed, no matter not. I'm not exactly an hourly worker, you know!

Tonight after dinner, I put on my Vibram FiveFingers again and headed on down to the (d)readmill.  I despise the dreadmill so I had to spice it up tonight. Sorry, Pastor Bill, no sermons tonight. I needed some driving music to get me through a challenging workout:

Mile 1: 9 min/mi @ 1% grade
Mile 2: 1st half mi 9min to 7min/mi, 2nd half mi 7min/mi at 2.5% grade
Mile 3: 1st/3rd qtr mi 15% grade, 3.7mph, 2nd/4th qtr mi 7.5% grade, 4mph
Mile 4: 8min/mi 2% grade
Mile 5 and 6: 8:30/mi at 2% grade

Max Heartrate achieved at 15% grade = 170bpm 

Afterwards, I did some lunges then headed out to the front picnic benches and Skyped with some friends and my parents. Cool, dry breeze tonight...felt good after a challenging workout.

Back to last night's "interruption": due to security concerns, I cannot talk about it even in extreme generalities. I will say this...I sat on my floor in my civilian t-shirt and shorts that I sleep in, but in my body armor and helmet. When things happen anywhere in Oz, different sirens sound and different announcements made. We follow those directions. It is NOT secret to say that Spring is the beginning of fighting season in Oz and it grows into Summer before dying off into the Fall. It is also not secret to say that the fight happens after the sun sets each day. All public knowledge. With that being said, the enemy is a very basic and cowardly one. They hide, they sneak, and they use primitive technology and old weapons. But, they can be effective. Things like washing machine timers are used to set bombs and rockets to go off at predetermined times as they flee to the hills and mountainside. They don't use laser-guided bombs...they simply aim in the general direction and let it go. Often, they fail. Sometimes, they succeed. When any kind of attempt is made whether successful or not, sirens sound and orders given. 'nuf said.

Many have heard the following Children's Prayer: "Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep; if I die before I wake, I pray for Lord my soul to take." Or, a more recent variant: "Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep; Guide and guard me through the night, and wake me with the morning's light." Millions of children say this prayer every evening as routine but rarely is there a fear of it coming true.

"Lord, please protect me. Lord, please protect those who surround me...both Americans and coalition partners alike. Make the enemy's weapons fail. Make them fall short. Make them malfunction. Lord, protect my brothers and sisters outside these concrete walls, give them peace, give them endurance, give them strength to stand up again an enemy who dares not show their face. May they succeed in their mission. May they return home soon. Lord, please put a hedge of protection around them and their families thousands of miles away and give them the same peace. Lord, please reveal yourself to me and to everyone in Oz who is putting their country ahead of themselves and Lord, please remind that country of its brothers and sisters who are doing so. Amen."

Goodnight, everyone. Don't forget, tomorrow is Armed Forces Day.