Wisdom of the Warrior - The Fighter Pilot's View

Go Mom!

noreply@blogger.com (fighterpilot) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 04:28:00 +0000

http://www.crossfiteaton.com

70 And Dominating!

Susan started with us about a month ago. Her son is an avid crossfitter and suggested she give it a try. What a fighter! Susan continues to impress all of us with her work ethic and how fast she learns movements. Keep it up, lady!!

noreply@blogger.com (fighterpilot) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 05:30:00 +0000

Studies conducted by positivity psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky point to 12 things happy people do differently to increase their levels of happiness. These are things that we can start doing today to feel the effects of more happiness in our lives. (Check out her book The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want.)

I want to honor and discuss each of these 12 points, because no matter what part of life’s path we’re currently traveling on, these ‘happiness habits’ will always be applicable.

Express gratitude. – When you appreciate what you have, what you have appreciates in value. Kinda cool right? So basically, being grateful for the goodness that is already evident in your life will bring you a deeper sense of happiness. And that’s without having to go out and buy anything. It makes sense. We’re gonna have a hard time ever being happy if we aren’t thankful for what we already have.
Cultivate optimism. – Winners have the ability to manufacture their own optimism. No matter what the situation, the successful diva is the chick who will always find a way to put an optimistic spin on it. She knows failure only as an opportunity to grow and learn a new lesson from life. People who think optimistically tend to see the world as a place packed with endless opportunities, especially in trying times.
Avoid over-thinking and social comparison. – Comparing yourself to someone else can be poisonous. If we’re somehow ‘better’ than the person that we’re comparing ourselves to, it gives us an unhealthy sense of superiority. Our ego inflates – KABOOM – our inner Kanye West comes out! If we’re ‘worse’ than the person that we’re comparing ourselves to, we usually discredit the hard work that we’ve done and dismiss all the progress that we’ve made. What I’ve found is that the majority of the time this type of social comparison doesn’t stem from a healthy place. If you feel called to compare yourself to something, compare yourself to an earlier version of yourself.
Practice acts of kindness. – Performing an act of kindness releases serotonin in your brain. (Serotonin is a substance that has TREMENDOUS health benefits, including making us feel more blissful.) Selflessly helping someone is a super powerful way to feel good inside. What’s even cooler about this kindness kick is that not only will you feel better, but so will people watching the act of kindness. How extraordinary is that? Bystanders will be blessed with a release of serotonin just by watching what’s going on. A side note is that the job of most anti-depressants is to release more serotonin. Move over Pfizer, kindness is kicking ass and taking names.
Nurture social relationships. – The happiest people on the planet are the ones who have deep, meaningful relationships. Did you know studies show that people’s mortality rates are DOUBLED when they’re lonely? WHOA! There’s a warm fuzzy feeling that comes from having an active circle of good friends who you can share your experiences with. We feel connected and a part of something more meaningful than our lonesome existence.
Develop strategies for coping. – How you respond to the ‘craptastic’ moments is what shapes your character. Sometimes crap happens – it’s inevitable. Forrest Gump knows the deal. It can be hard to come up with creative solutions in the moment when manure is making its way up toward the fan. It helps to have healthy strategies for coping pre-rehearsed, on-call, and in your arsenal at your disposal. [Editor's Note: Check out this list of coping strategies, from BenzoSupport.]
Learn to forgive. – Harboring feelings of hatred is horrible for your well-being. You see, your mind doesn’t know the difference between past and present emotion. When you ‘hate’ someone, and you’re continuously thinking about it, those negative emotions are eating away at your immune system. You put yourself in a state of suckerism (technical term) and it stays with you throughout your day.
Increase flow experiences. – Flow is a state in which it feels like time stands still. It’s when you’re so focused on what you’re doing that you become one with the task. Action and awareness are merged. You’re not hungry, sleepy, or emotional. You’re just completely engaged in the activity that you’re doing. Nothing is distracting you or competing for your focus when you are passionately engaged in something.
Savor life’s joys. – Deep happiness cannot exist without slowing down to enjoy the joy. It’s easy in a world of wild stimuli and omnipresent movement to forget to embrace life’s enjoyable experiences. When we neglect to appreciate, we rob the moment of its magic. It’s the simple things in life that can be the most rewarding if we remember to fully experience them.
Commit to your goals. – Being wholeheartedly dedicated to doing something comes fully-equipped with an ineffable force. Magical things start happening when we commit ourselves to doing whatever it takes to get somewhere. When you’re fully committed to doing something, you have no choice but to do that thing. Counter-intuitively, having no option – where you can’t change your mind – subconsciously makes humans happier because they know part of their purpose.
Practice spirituality. – When we practice spirituality or religion, we recognize that life is bigger than us. We surrender the silly idea that we are the mightiest ever. It enables us to connect to the source of all creation and embrace a connectedness with everything that exists. Some of the most accomplished people I know feel that they’re here doing work they’re “called to do.”
Take care of your body. – Taking care of your body is crucial to being the happiest person you can be. If you don’t have your physical energy in good shape, then your mental energy (your focus), your emotional energy (your feelings), and your spiritual energy (your purpose) will all be negatively affected. Did you know that studies conducted on people who were clinically depressed showed that consistent exercise raises happiness levels just as much as Zoloft? Not only that, but here’s the double whammy… Six months later, the people who participated in exercise were less likely to relapse because they had a higher sense of self-accomplishment and self-worth.

Holistic Max

noreply@blogger.com (fighterpilot) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:25:00 +0000

Holistic does not imply religion. It simply means treating your body as a whole physical, spiritual, psychological entity and approaching your health from all these aspects with equal attention and nurturing. I certainly did not invent the holistic ideology, but my family & I have been making an effort to incorporate holistic concepts into our lifestyle and we have noticed a positive difference, from less illness to how we manage stress! And it turns out that a holistic-health lifestyle will also promote longevity & ideal body composition – optimal leanness and therefore an aesthetically appealing physique!

I have compiled a short list of 12 things you can do daily to incorporate a holistic method into your life. Some will seem very simple & even common sense. In fact you may already be doing many of these little acts, but all combined they are powerful! This list is by no means all inclusive and this is not an exact science, but rather an ideology. Remember too, that this list spans all holistic-lifestyle aspects to include physical, psychological & spiritual. Feel free to add to this list and tailor it to your needs – it is a process of constant evolution and awareness for all of us. It’s a journey.

In no particular order:

Brush your teeth, gums & tongue and floss daily. Mouth bacteria enters directly into the bloodstream when you have gum disease. Flossing disrupts bacteria colonies.
Supplement with probiotic bacteria (healthy bacteria) to support colon health and help fight against yeast-overrun & colon-based pathogens. Natural yogurts & cottage-cheeses & Kombucha tea will also contain live cultures of beneficial bacteria. Pathogens & disease can also enter through an unhealthy ‘leaky’ colon if ‘good’ bacteria are not thriving & regular bowel movements aren’t occurring.
Alkalanize/Alkalize daily with GREEN & RAW veggies & nuts and chlorophyll-containing drinks throughout the day. The goal here is to consume foods with base-pH or greater than 7.0 pH to offset all the acid-forming, refined foods & animal-based foods we eat. As a general rule of thumb, if it is GREEN or plant-based then it is alkaline and raw is usually best. There are many fantastic supplement greens’ powders out there for those on the go! I also drink a morning alkalizing drink first thing on an empty stomach!
Eat multiple Super-Foods daily. By ‘super’ I mean foods that possess powerful healing, energizing or cancer-fighting power. Foods such as olive oil, garlic, honey, lemon, Green-Tea, coconut, eggs, apples, raw nuts, wild cold-water fish and many more. See my complete list of 20 Super-Foods! Feel free to supplement with extracts from these super-foods or other vitamins & supplements as needed! We’re not perfect eaters and never will be!
Cleanse & detox daily. This is very simple: Eat clean, whole-foods, organic when possible, plenty of raw fruits & green veggies and drink pure water! Our bodies do a thorough job of detoxing on their own via our liver, lymphatic, sweat glands, lungs, mucus, kidneys & colon, etc. All we have to do is provide toxin-free foods and water, perhaps along with some teas & herbs. Our bodies will do the rest! Here is a list of 12 easy ways to help daily detox!
Exercise or be ACTIVE every day! At least 20 minutes of moderate-to-high intensity exercise daily to focus mainly on cardio fitness but also to include strength training at least 2 days per week to prevent natural atrophy, protect bone-density and boost resting-metabolism. The benefits of consistent exercise are literally equivalent to the fountain-of-youth and are too many to list. Plus, it is proven that exercise is the only anti-thesis to combat a sedentary lifestyle. Sedentary lifestyle contributes to early-death, insulin-resistance and slow-metabolism. Plus exercise triggers dopamine & Growth Hormone! When possible try and exercise OUTDOORS for cleaner air and exposure to sunlight which boosts serotonin (the pleasure-neurotransmitter), vitamin-D and helps us sleep better at night by establishing better Circadian Rhythm.
Be productive & creative every day. It makes us feel good to be productive, contribute and be creative. It gives us a chance to express our selves and totally engage mentally in the precious present moment. Creating gets the reward-neurotransmitter dopamine firing and anytime we can do that naturally, THAT is health & happiness at its most organic!
Build & nurture social relationships within your life. Facebook & Twitter don’t really count! Skype might! Spending quality time with family & friends does. Whether it’s a club or a team or just hanging out, it is human nature to nurture relationships with others – the forum doesn’t matter. Try to work in some hugs too – hugs heal! Love is all-powerful & healing. Nurturing your libido is good too. Do not under estimate the healing effects of bonding with a pet. Having an animal companion can add years to your life! Karma cannot be ignored either: Part of the holistic ideology is cause and effect. We reap what we sow.
There is a ‘higher-power’. ‘Holistic’ does not evoke religion but it does require spirituality and belief in an infinite-power or higher-intelligence, or whatever you desire to call it. At least acknowledging that the universe is much greater than us and that we are humbled by it and all there is an infinite amount available to learn and incredible energy that surrounds us. When one brings children into this world there is incredible love experienced and a spiritual awakening occurs. Again karma exists in holistic ideology.
Quality sleep is absolutely essential. Sleep is the basis for holistic health. I don’t believe there is an exact quantity that is requisite for everyone, but what sleep you do get needs to be uninterrupted & quality. Deep-Sleep Phase is when we humans get our greatest Growth Hormone secretion, which heals, restores and makes us LEAN. Obviously in the real world, our sleep window is compressed and interrupted, but that’s why we all can benefit from learning the art of the power-nap and being able to sneak one in whenever possible! Seriously, if you’re chronically sleep-deprived EVERYTHING else in your life & health is suffering too. Trust me on this one.
Manage STRESS effectively. In the real world there will always be stress. Some stress actually improves our performance and is beneficial. But chronic stress will lead to premature death. There are many ‘tools’ out there to help us deal & vent, so find what works for you: Exercise, relaxation breathing, massage, a friend who is a good listener, a glass of wine & a hot-shower, making priority lists, delegating, whatever works for you. It’s okay to ask for help!
We’re responsible for our own happiness. Lower your expectations of others and raise them for your self. You’ll be less disappointed. We all have our problems and we can blame all we want, but at the end of the day, nobody is responsible for making you happy but you. If you don’t want to be victimized than choose not to be a victim. I realize it is not always this simple or easy, but examine the relationships you’re in and be prepared to make significant changes if somebody is holding you back, has nothing positive to offer or is unwilling to compromise.

Character

noreply@blogger.com (fighterpilot) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 12:08:00 +0000

Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.
John Wooden

More to Tebow than your average pro athlete

noreply@blogger.com (fighterpilot) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 00:43:00 +0000

I believe in Tim Tebow

By Rick Reilly
ESPN.com


	Tim Tebow with Jacob Rainey, one of the many people dealing with health problems Tebow hosted at Broncos games this season.

I've come to believe in Tim Tebow, but not for what he does on a football field, which is still three parts Dr. Jekyll and two parts Mr. Hyde.

No, I've come to believe in Tim Tebow for what he does off a football field, which is represent the best parts of us, the parts I want to be and so rarely am.

Who among us is this selfless?

Every week, Tebow picks out someone who is suffering, or who is dying, or who is injured. He flies these people and their families to the Broncos game, rents them a car, puts them up in a nice hotel, buys them dinner (usually at a Dave & Buster's), gets them and their families pregame passes, visits with them just before kickoff (!), gets them 30-yard-line tickets down low, visits with them after the game (sometimes for an hour), has them walk him to his car, and sends them off with a basket of gifts.

Home or road, win or lose, hero or goat.

Remember last week, when the world was pulling its hair out in the hour after Tebow had stunned the Pittsburgh Steelers with an 80-yard OT touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas in the playoffs? And Twitter was exploding with 9,420 tweets about Tebow per second? When an ESPN poll was naming him the most popular athlete in America?

Tebow was spending that hour talking to 16-year-old Bailey Knaub about her 73 surgeries so far and what TV shows she likes.

MORE FROM TIM TEBOW

For Tim Tebow's take on being named America's most popular athlete, click here.

"Here he'd just played the game of his life," recalls Bailey's mother, Kathy, of Loveland, Colo., "and the first thing he does after his press conference is come find Bailey and ask, 'Did you get anything to eat?' He acted like what he'd just done wasn't anything, like it was all about Bailey."

More than that, Tebow kept corralling people into the room for Bailey to meet. Hey, Demaryius, come in here a minute. Hey, Mr. Elway. Hey, Coach Fox.

Even though sometimes-fatal Wegener's granulomatosis has left Bailey with only one lung, the attention took her breath away.

"It was the best day of my life," she emailed. "It was a bright star among very gloomy and difficult days. Tim Tebow gave me the greatest gift I could ever imagine. He gave me the strength for the future. I know now that I can face any obstacle placed in front of me. Tim taught me to never give up because at the end of the day, today might seem bleak but it can't rain forever and tomorrow is a new day, with new promises."

I read that email to Tebow, and he was honestly floored.

"Why me? Why should I inspire her?" he said. "I just don't feel, I don't know, adequate. Really, hearing her story inspires me."

It's not just NFL defenses that get Tebowed. It's high school girls who don't know whether they'll ever go to a prom. It's adults who can hardly stand. It's kids who will die soon.

For the game at Buffalo, it was Charlottesville, Va., blue-chip high school QB Jacob Rainey, who lost his leg after a freak tackle in a scrimmage. Tebow threw three interceptions in that Buffalo game and the Broncos were crushed 40-14.

"He walked in and took a big sigh and said, 'Well, that didn't go as planned,'" Rainey remembers. "Where I'm from, people wonder how sincere and genuine he is. But I think he's the most genuine person I've ever met."

There's not an ounce of artifice or phoniness or Hollywood in this kid Tebow, and I've looked everywhere for it.

Take 9-year-old Zac Taylor, a child who lives in constant pain. Immediately after Tebow shocked the Chicago Bears with a 13-10 comeback win, Tebow spent an hour with Zac and his family. At one point, Zac, who has 10 doctors, asked Tebow whether he has a secret prayer for hospital visits. Tebow whispered it in his ear. And because Tebow still needed to be checked out by the Broncos' team doctor, he took Zac in with him, but only after they had whispered it together.

And it's not always kids. Tom Driscoll, a 55-year-old who is dying of brain cancer at a hospice in Denver, was Tebow's guest for the Cincinnati game. "The doctors took some of my brain," Driscoll says, "so my short-term memory is kind of shot. But that day I'll never forget. Tim is such a good man."

This whole thing makes no football sense, of course. Most NFL players hardly talk to teammates before a game, much less visit with the sick and dying.

Isn't that a huge distraction?


	Not everything Tim Tebow does on one knee is controversial. Ask Zac Taylor.

"Just the opposite," Tebow says. "It's by far the best thing I do to get myself ready. Here you are, about to play a game that the world says is the most important thing in the world. Win and they praise you. Lose and they crush you. And here I have a chance to talk to the coolest, most courageous people. It puts it all into perspective. The game doesn't really matter. I mean, I'll give 100 percent of my heart to win it, but in the end, the thing I most want to do is not win championships or make a lot of money, it's to invest in people's lives, to make a difference."

So that's it. I've given up giving up on him. I'm a 100 percent believer. Not in his arm. Not in his skills. I believe in his heart, his there-will-definitely-be-a-pony-under-the-tree optimism, the way his love pours into people, right up to their eyeballs, until they believe they can master the hopeless comeback, too.

Remember the QB who lost his leg, Jacob Rainey? He got his prosthetic leg a few weeks ago, and he wants to play high school football next season. Yes, tackle football. He'd be the first to do that on an above-the-knee amputation.

Hmmm. Wonder where he got that crazy idea?

"Tim told me to keep fighting, no matter what," Rainey says. "I am."

Personal Development

noreply@blogger.com (fighterpilot) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 03:06:00 +0000

I call it growth - call it what you want. Here is what the Air Force Chief of Staff recommends that we add to our personal reading list this year:

1. Monsoon: The Indian Ocean and the Future of American Power by Robert D. Kaplan

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2. A Savage War of Peace: Algeria 1954-1962 (New York Review Books Classics) by Alistair Horne

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3. Cyber War: The Next Threat to National Security and What to Do About It by Richard A. Clarke

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4. The Return of History and the End of Dreams (Vintage) by Robert Kagan

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5. Descent into Chaos: The United States and the Failure of Nation Building in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Central Asia by Ahmed Rashid

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6. Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson

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7. Partners in Command: George Marshall and Dwight Eisenhower in War and Peace by Mark Perry

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8. The Lost Peace: Leadership in a Time of Horror and Hope, 1945-1953 by Robert Dallek

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9. Secrets of Special Ops Leadership: Dare the Impossible -- Achieve the Extraordinary by William Alan Cohen

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10. The All Americans by Lars Anderson

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11. Fighter Pilot: The Memoirs of Legendary Ace Robin Olds by Robin Olds

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12. Red Eagles: America's Secret MiGs (General Aviation) by Steve Davies

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13. Cataclysm: General Hap Arnold and the Defeat of Japan by Herman S. Wolk

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Want the entire list?

Happy New Year 2012

noreply@blogger.com (fighterpilot) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 13:12:00 +0000

Which fitness program will work for you in 2012?

The one that you will follow.

I've worked with Retired Army Major Ash Krishna to develop a quick, online program that requires no gym and no equipment. Let me know what you think!

www.f16fitness.com

Never Summer, Forever Home

noreply@blogger.com (fighterpilot) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 05:08:00 +0000

“Never Summer, Forever Home”

Steve Cormey

There’s a place I know that I can get to

Tucked away deep in the mountains that I love

Far away from the hustle of the city

The traffic, crowds, the pushing and the shove

It’s a magic place, the keeper of my soul

And its calming waters ease into my mind

When I go, I always find myself there

With each visit there is more of me to find

Never Summer, nights are cold

Days are magic, Spirits bold

Open your eyes and count the streams unfold

Never Summer, Forever Home

There is a dead-end road that leads to the beginning

Of the sacred path that leads me to my soul

And scattered like my memories lie the pine cones

Some are distant, some gone, some new, some old

And there beneath the bald and ancient mountain

Lies a golden meadow cradling a stream

It meanders through the willows and the wetlands

To this peaceful place where I can go to dream

Never Summer, nights are cold

Days are magic, Spirits bold

Open your eyes and count the streams unfold

Never Summer, Forever Home

Rocky Mountain winds lift me to the heavens

Where eagles only dare to ride your song

Yes, there’s a place I know that I can get to

Tucked away deep in the mountains that I love

Open your eyes and see the wonders of Mother Nature’s Gold

Never Summer, Forever Home

Max on Intensity

noreply@blogger.com (fighterpilot) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 04:21:00 +0000

Here's an update from Max Wettstein:

…Intensity! This is most likely why you’re getting the same results, or getting no results. So many of us just plop on the stationary bike, elliptical trainer, or treadmill and simply plod along in our comfort zone, (sometimes called the ‘fat-burning zone’ to make ourselves feel better), barely even breaking a sweat or raising our heart rate. Yes, we’ll chug along, reading a magazine, watching TV, or even talk to a buddy, all the while feeling good about ourselves because we’re at least doing something for our fitness. But because we're only reaching light to moderate intensity levels, we’re lucky if we even burn 300 calories in an hour, or cause ourselves to go into oxygen debt even once. Burning your fat stores? Yeah right! Think again: You may have been working out at 60% of your maximum heart rate, but you’ll be lucky to even touch any fat stores/adipose tissue in an hour’s time at such a low heart rate.

You know, in today’s politically correct, everybody’s-a-winner, easy-button, society, there is still some truth to the old adage, “No Pain, No Gain.” While there will always be a place for ‘LSD’ endurance training, (long-slow-distance), we all need to incorporate some intense and even anaerobic training into our exercise plan. Get out of your comfort zone. Move your cheese. Unfortunately intense training usually goes hand in hand with some level of physical discomfort – not injury pain, but you know what I’m talking about – the “I’m actually working here” kind of pain!

Intense aerobic training usually means you’re training at a heart rate level close to your VO2 maximum, (maximum oxygen carrying capacity), and above your lactic acid threshold. In simple terms, this means your working close to entering oxygen debt and building up lactic acid. Intense anaerobic training usually means your muscles are hitting physical failure in 30 seconds or less, meaning you can’t do another repetition, due to lactic acid build-up and/or your muscle cell ATP stores deplete. When the latter occurs, your ATP will replenish within a minute or so of rest, and any lactic acid, if produced, will completely recycle within 30 minutes or less.

So why train with such intensity? Couldn’t you possibly pull a muscle or have an aneurism or something else bad? Perhaps, so warm-up, cool-down, and stretch! Here are a few reasons why, with proper warm-up and your physician’s blessing, you should train intensely at least one day per week:

You’ll burn up to 3 times as many calories in a given period of time compared to low-intensity exercise. (Roughly speaking, intense exercise is performed at least at 80% max heart rate or greater, or, purely anaerobic/strength training.)
The ‘fat-burning-zone’ training philosophy only works for very long work-out sessions lasting 1.5 hours or longer. At low intensities it takes at least 30 minutes of exercise to use up bloodstream and liver energy stores before you can access stored adipose tissue fat.
You’ll raise your lactic acid threshold, meaning you will be able to train at higher heart rates without lactic acid build-up failure.
**Lactic acid build up in the muscles directly triggers a consequential Growth Hormone release...essential for lean-body mass and tissue regeneration.
You’ll involve your fast-twitch/type 2 muscle fibers, building your strength and power.
You’ll actually sweat and detox.
You’ll preserve and build muscle mass.
You’ll maintain bone density.
Short, but very intense work-outs, (45 minutes or less), promote testosterone and growth hormone release. Long term endurance training can lower these two anabolic hormone levels and elevate Cortisol levels.
You’ll build up your muscle-neurological connection and mapping; develop quicker synapses, increasing your quickness and propreoception.
You’ll increase cell mitochondria function, (your cells’ energy powerhouses), and grow more oxygen delivering capillaries.
You’ll feel alive and focused as you stimulate dopamine production and enjoy your body’s natural opium – endorphins. You’ll be motivated for the rest of the day.
You'll improve insulin function and sensitivity and 'teach' your muscles how to uptake glucose and store it as glycogen for energy instead of storing as fat.
You’ll be able to vent all your angst and channel any aggression you have in a positive outlet instead of kicking the dog or snapping at your First Officer.
You’ll stimulate your adrenal glands in the way in which Mother Nature intended.
You’ll circulate lymphatic fluid.
When your kid challenges you to a race, or your buddy challenges you to a tennis match, you’ll actually be able to do it without collapsing in oxygen debt, or straining something. You’ll be in shapeJ

There’s enough reasons to validate my point, but if you’re not feeling compelled to step up your training drive yet then e-mail me and I’ll give you 10 more reasons, including stop your whining! I can’t emphasize the mental and psychological aspect of training with intensity enough. When you give something your mental and physical all, you really can experience a mental and dare I say, spiritual awakening. The hormones and neurotransmitters that become triggered in the brain and body including but not limited to dopamine, serotonin, adrenaline, testosterone, and pain-eliminating endorphins, can really combine to empower you to feel confident, strong, happy, motivated, and alive in general. An intense workout may be just what you needed to get you out of your rut, or salvage your day, or open your mind up to let an idea in.

Physiologically speaking, if all you do is slow, aerobic type of exercising, then you are really ignoring 50% of your fitness. An ideal training program incorporates aerobic/endurance training, strength/anaerobic training, and core/flexibility training, equally. Perhaps you think you don’t know how to strength train. Of course you do! Just do some sprints, or run a steep hill or stairs, or do some push-ups or pull-ups. Go mountain-biking on an actual off-road trail. Play a game of touch-football and don’t be all-time quarterback. Go snow-skiing this season. Be a kid again. Again, with intensity comes greater risk of injury, making it imperative that you do a proper warm-up first, and start slowly with light weight, and always proper technique.

The Epitome of IRONMAN

noreply@blogger.com (fighterpilot) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 04:11:00 +0000

More inspiration from one of my favorite athletes and leaders. Terry Nugent competes (and wins), in arguably the most grueling sport, with peers that train as full-time jobs!

Congrats on your PR and the huge milestone Terry!

Following is Terry's Official TRI RACE REPORT - hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Got it done in Kona this year. Had a PR by over 25 minutes to go sub 10 hours for the first time ever. 9:46 which was good enough for 3rd in the
world in my age group. Needless to say I was quite happy with the results!!

In December of 2010 after a disappointing Kona race my brother Kevin (who raced Kona 10' with me) sent me a custom sweatshirt for my birthday titled "Unfinished Business-Kona 11". He knew that I felt that I had not yet put together an overall good race in Hawaii the previous 4X due to a variety of reasons, most pertaining to the heat and nutrition. I went into last years race in peak condition and felt ready to crack the elusive 10 hr. mark. That didn't happen and it set the stage for 2011. However, I questioned many times over my motivation and passion for triathlon this year as the race approached. I wasn't enjoying the experience and journey in my prep work and quite frankly couldn't wait to just get this race over with. My training over the past two months was uninspiring. I choose to train on my own instead of getting locked into a suffer fest with my normal buddies. Not to take away from that but I knew what I needed to do to get ready even though it wasn't much fun. As most of you know, there is tremendous sacrifice from this sport and for me, if I wasn't working, training, or coaching, I was sleeping. Everything else took a back seat. You know the drill. So, the closer I got to Kona the more I looked at this race with a different eye knowing that it might be some time before I return. I promised myself that I would enjoy the day since I had earned the privilege of being there. My past two races I did not enjoy with the exception of seeing my kids on the course and at the finish line. This time was going to be different even if that meant slowing down to take it all in. The end result of this year was that I was able to take it all in, enjoy the day and take care of the "unfinished business" by having a complete race.

Pre Race Prep work:

One of my biggest fears of racing Kona is the heat and humidity. After my dnf in St. George, my brother and I did extensive research of heat training and the importance of acclimating to the environment that you will be racing in. To me that meant running in the heat of the day, training in Bill Ankele's home made heat chamber (90 deg with 72% humidity!!) Thanks Bill! I also turned my own home gym into a controlled heat room with a space heater and humidifier for my compu trainer rides. Trips to the dry sauna at Greenwood became common as well. When I landed in Kona I never turned on the AC in the car and did pre-race workouts in the heat of the day. All of these small things add up so that mentally and physically you become adapted. I knew that I could do it after having a good run split in the 100 deg heat at Buffalo Springs-which I need to give a shout out to Carlos for pushing me to do that race. I also switched my nutrition drink to Infinite Nutrition which customized my drink mix based on my sweat loss rate, weight etc..(thanks to Grant Bovee for that recommendation!!) Bottom line here is that I felt like I could have a good run even in the hottest of conditions as I had done the prep work for that and had tested my nutrition for it.

Race Day notes:

Day/Night before: 20 min ocean swim, 20 min bike, 10 min easy run with XXX (James Stromberg-my stud friend from Michigan who cracked 10 hours for 1st time!). Wanted to eat earlier this year so finished up dinner by 5:00 p.m. Drank an insure at 8:00 p.m. Chilled the rest of the evening before trying to hit the sack at 9:00 p.m. Had an upset stomach all night and just chalked it up to nerves. Never fell asleep and finally at 2:00 a.m. felt like I needed to throw up which is exactly what happened. Puked my guts out from food poisoning. Kevin had the same issue. We concluded later that it had to come from some bacteria on the cucumbers or carrots in the salad. Needless to say I never went back to sleep as my stomach just felt raw and torn up.

Breakfast plans went by the wayside. Ate half a plain bagel with a few bites of banana only because I knew I needed something. Sipped on Gatorade all morning to get fluids back into me and then 20 minutes before the swim I hit a GU with caffeine.

Swim Start: After the last two races of getting the crap beat out of me at the swim start I knew where I didn't want to line up and that was next to the pier! Started in the middle but actually moved two times further to my left when the area I was in became crowded. Felt very relaxed with low expectations. At the gun I actually waited just a few seconds so the lead guys right ahead of me could move out. I pulled in right behind them and had clean water with minimal bumping. Lesson learned here:if you don't like where you are lined up and feel tight given the amount of swimmers around you, look around for somewhere else to go. As I said earlier, I moved 2X. Yes, it was probably another 100-200 meters further from the straightest line but the cleaner water was well worth it. We still had our draft lines and slowly moved back into mainstream by the turn around. Never went anaerobic and enjoyed the best swim I have had there even though my swim time was slightly off from last year. My buddy from Michigan started by the pier and said he got absolutely thrashed. My decision ended up being the right one.

Bike: Best advice I received was from Dave Scott telling me to take the first 15 miles on the bike easy which I did. The theory behind that is you can become overextended up the Kuakini Hwy as it is uphill. Better to sit back, catch a draft (no race marshalls on that road-just too dangerous) and then wait until you hit the airport to get into the race groove. I did exactly that. Had no calories until 45 min on the bike and sipped some water to begin the hydration phase. Used my concentrated bottle of Infinite (5 scoops) which I had taken a pen and marked out 8 equal lines that I used as a reference point so that every 15 minutes I would drink down to the next line thereby finishing the bottle by the turnaround. I had another bottle at turnaround that I used for the return leg. That worked exactly as planned. Hammered the water at every aid station (every 7 miles) and took approx 12 salt stick capsules during the whole bike. My infinite formula is loaded with Sodium as well (524 mg per serving-2 scoops). Had two gels, a stinger bar and a few bites of a banana. That was it for calories. My original plan said 380 calories per hour but I used significantly less than that after research from St. George and after chatting with the guys from Infinite. I ended up right close to 300 calories an hour using the "less is more" research.

One thing happened on the bike that had never happened before was at about mile 25 I ended up in a peloton of no less than 70 riders and we zipped along like the tour de France for a good 8-10 miles with a race marshall right next to us. Was nothing he could do as the line couldn't spread out. I was near the tail end of that group for fear of a drafting penalty but he couldn't hand out penalties at that time. I finally held back and was glad I did as the next penalty tent another 10 miles up the road was over full of bikers as I suspect the line got drawn out and the race marshall was finally able to write tickets. Had to be at least 15 guys in the tent!

Passed a ton of riders the last 30 miles into town. These were the guys that took it out too hard and couldn't hold their speed into the wind and heat from Waikoloa back to Kona. Lesson is the race is 112 miles, not 80.

Run: Alii drive has to be the hottest and most humid place on the earth to run!! I felt like an ice cube melting in the sun by mile 6 and could see everyone else melting as well. Just plain miserable there as the air just hangs and the humidity from the lush vegetation is insane. No ocean breezes either as the course if blocked by the endless rows condos and townhomes along the ocean. I couldn't wait to get up to the Queen K to run. Saw my good friend Carlos and Sue on this part of the course and they,as always,provided great inspiration. For those who don't know them, they are two world class triathletes from Az who happened to get in a bike wreck two weeks out from Kona. Carlos didn't run until the day of the race and Sue ended up with over 160 stitches on her forearm that looked like she had been bitten by a Tiger Shark. They get the "Most Inspirational" award in Kona this year. Most others wouldn't have toed the line having gone through what they did!

One of my Kona goals every year is to actually run up Palani and not walk that darn thing. Well this year I was able to do that. At the top of Palani my brother gave me my first race report-that I was 5th off the bike and the lead guys weren't that far ahead of me. His timing was good as it provided additional motivation and I was feeling better after getting off Alii drive.

Stayed with water, coke and an occasional Ironman Perform drink. Did just two gu's during the run course and had two salt tabs at special needs and a cup of chicken broth at mile 21 for the added sodium. Never had gastro issues or cramping during the run which is unusual for me as mile 22-23 has always been my nemesis for that. Not to be this year and I will chalk that up to the sodium, potassium, and amino acid intake from the bike and the amount of fluids I hammered on the run. My first sip of coke was at mile 5 as I felt like I needed the calories to rescue me from Alii drive. Didn't do coke again until about mile 10 and then about every few miles until the finish.

Lesson on the run: after getting off Alii drive, I went by feel for water intake and calorie intake. I soaked myself at every aid station and put ice into my arm coolers, chest and back. This strategy worked as well and one that I will do again.

Alii Drive-still the best finishing line is all of sports. Words cant describe the emotions finally getting there to run the last quarter mile of a day that started right in Kailua bay. The best way to describe it is to watch the finishers at the final hour. It is simply an amazing experience to go through! I ended up with a weight loss of 11 lbs and 2 iv's later I was ready to roll. Weigh in is now mandatory on race morning after body marking which makes sense given the number of people who suffer huge weight loss because of the conditions. We all went back to the finish line until the midnight cut-off. The street were filled with thousands of onlookers cheering for the last finishers. One guy came in with a minute to spare and the very last racer just missed it by 4 seconds despite the crowd and Mike Reilly raising the roof with cheers to get her there in time. She was not an official finisher by 4 seconds-no exceptions. Everyone felt terrible but the cut off time is there for a reason.

Shout outs: Wayde, Christian, Steve, Scott, Coop, Jeff-The Ironcamp crew and training partners. Can't do this sport without their help. They provide motivation and support to no end as well as the occasional ass kicking to keep things real!

Carlos-opening up your home for the intense heat training sessions and for the class guy you are!!

Sue-A true Warrior! Not much else to say about that!

Kevin, Charlene & Jason-the support team in Kona. They are wired just like we are. Kevin ran 18 miles on the Queen K drinking from leftover water bottles on race day. Jason swam the whole course in just over 50 minutes Friday before the race. The 16 year old college bound swimmer is that fast. Makes me sick. Would love to draft off him some day if only for the first 25 meters!

Nick-always checking in to see how things are going. True friend!

Bill-Heat chamber!!

Tim Hola-for the motivation and Powerbar products. One of the nicest (and fastest) guys you will ever meet.

Dave Scott-getting me ready as he always does. Telling me what I need to hear, not what I want to hear. For always raising the bar!

Sonja-words of wisdom at swim start. 1900 racers in the water and we end up next to each other

Grant-for friendship, Infinite and Tyr 5. Thanks buddy!

XXX-pushing the envelope and realizing sub 10. You know the rest.

Paulo (Enrique)-keeping things light! Good luck in Fla and thanks for always making me laugh!

Terry Nugent, CIMA
Senior Vice President - Investments
Advisory & Brokerage Services
UBS Financial Services, Inc.

Character - two kinds of people

noreply@blogger.com (fighterpilot) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 05:37:00 +0000

I submit this post humbly recognizing I haven't always achieved my fullest character potential, but strive to improve daily. The Principal at Faith's school shared this recently and I find it inspiring. I hope you do too.

Shopping-Cart Virtue

According to a story in the book, "Hugs for Dad," by John William Smith, a father asked his son after grocery shopping to return their cart to the retrieval area. Although it would have taken only a minute, the son protested.

"C'mon, Dad," he said, "there are carts all over the lot. None of those people returned theirs. No one expects them to."

Then Mom chimed in. "For heaven's sake, they pay people to collect the carts. Returning one more won't change the history of the world. Let's just go."

Dad was about to surrender when he saw an elderly couple walking together to return their cart. After a moment, he said to his son, "We're not responsible for what other people do, but we are responsible for what we do. There are two kinds of people: those who put their carts away and those who don't. We put our carts away because that's the kind of people we are."

This story isn't just about grocery carts. It's about doing the right thing in a world that seems to promote rationalizations and excuses that demean or trivialize simple acts of virtue. There are two kinds of people: those who find the strength to do what they ought to and those who find excuses not to.

People of character do the right thing even if no one else does, not because they think it will change the world, but because they refuse to be changed by the world.

Crossfit Exposure!

noreply@blogger.com (fighterpilot) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 01:05:00 +0000

CrossFit threw down with a competition during UFC Fan Expo in Houston this past weekend. This two-day competition will took place both days of the Expo. In classic CrossFit fashion, the events were not announced in advance. This competition was held to showcase what it means to be a CrossFit Athlete. The workouts were what you'd expect form CrossFit, functional and intense...with a couple unique elements.

Many of the best CrossFit Games athletes are headed down south to compete in this unprecedented CrossFit competition. Grouped into pairs of two, the Games athletes competed in a series of events on Friday and Saturday along with around a 100 other CrossFitters to determine the fittest male and female pairs.

On the men's side, 2011's 2nd-place finisher Josh Bridges and 2009 champ Mikko Salo were thought to be the team to beat, but they faced some stiff competition. Our very own Matt Chan and the infamous Chris Spealler.

The events were:

Friday:

WOD 1
"Jackie" X2
Each athlete does Jackie
Athlete 1 Row 1000, 50 Thrusters (45lbs), 30 Pull-ups. Once Athlete 1 comes off the bar after their 30th pull-up... Athlete 2 starts his/her row 1000, 50 Thrusters (45lbs), 30 Pull-ups.

Chris/Matt took 2nd place with at time of 11:03

WOD 2
Dummy Carry Toes to bar.
Max rounds of this in 8 minutes, alternating team members each time:

Athlete runs across the stadium floor while carrying dummy (120#), puts dummy down, does 15 toes-to-bar, picks dummy back up, runs back to start. That's 1 round. Partner then does the same work to accomplish 2nd round.

Chris/Matt took 2nd place with 9 rounds and and almost to the finish of 10.

WOD 3
Alternating Chipper
Athlete 1 does 50 Double-unders
Athlete 2 does 50 Double-unders
Athlete 1 does 5 Ground-to-overhead (135#,95#)
Athlete 2 does 5 Ground-to-overhead
3 rounds of that for a total for 30 GTO (Next teammate can't work until teammate completes his/her 5).
Athlete 1 does 50 Double-unders
Athlete 2 does 50 Double-unders
Athlete 1 does 5 Box Jumps, up and over (30", 24")
Athlete 2 does 5 Box Jumps, up and over (30", 24")
3 Rounds of that for a total for 30 Box Jump up and overs
Athlete 1 does 50 Double-unders
Athlete 2 does 50 Double-unders

Chris/Matt took 1st place with at time of 4:43

Saturday:

WOD 4
10 Fatbar Deadlifts, (295#,205#)
Sprint
30 situps
Sprint
30 hand release push-ups
Sprint.

Similar to Event 3, one athlete works at a time, completing each couplet before tagging their teammate.

Chris/Matt took 1st place with at time of 2:48

WOD 5
AMRAP
:90 seconds bar muscle-ups.
:60 Rest
:90 seconds, Shoulder to overheads, (185#, 135#)

Chris/Matt took 1st place with Chris completing 26/26 and Matt completing 19/32.

WOD 6
75 ring dips, while the partner was completing ring dips the other was required to hold the chest to bar position on a pull-up bar.

20 squat snatches (155#/95#), 10 each, alternating each rep.

1500m row, each athlete was only allowed to row while their partner was holding a barbell at the top of the deadlift position (225#/185#). If the bar is put down, the rowing had to stop.

Each partner lunged 65 feet to the finish line, one after the other, carrying dumbbells, (65#, 45#).

Chris/Matt took 2nd place with at time of 10:34

With three 1st place finishes and three 2nd place finishes, Matt Chan and Chris Spealler took the lead in the overall standings.

Congratulations Matt and Chris, way to represent the South West!

Watch the videos here.

Citizen Soldiers - Air National Guard

noreply@blogger.com (fighterpilot) — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 05:07:00 +0000

19 years and counting serving with some of the country's finest Americans!

“Given the…looming fiscal challenges the nation confronts, the projected demands for forces, the unique capabilities resident in the reserve components, and their cost effectiveness, the Commission sees no reasonable alternative to an increased use of and reliance on the reserve components” ‐ Commission on the National Guard and Reserves, 2008
“In fiscal year 2006, it cost the federal government more than $126,000, on average, to provide annual compensation to active duty service members…Most reservists are part‐time, and their per capita compensation was $19,100 in FY 2006.” ‐Government Accountability Office, “Military Personnel”
“…we find that the total amount budgeted is approximately $51,000 for each reserve component service member and $223,000 for each active component service member.” ‐ Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller)
“When…personnel appropriations are compared, it is striking to note that Air Reserve Component members use about 14 percent of appropriated personnel funds, but perform over half of all Air Force missions.” ‐The Heritage Foundation
“Our analysis found that reservists are the best buy for the taxpayer…by any metric they are a cost‐effective source of trained manpower, particularly as the cost of active‐duty manpower has grown exponentially in recent years. We consulted CBO, GAO, the DOD comptroller, and outside think tanks. There are many studies and lots of data, but they all come to the same conclusion...” ‐Commission on the National Guard and Reserves, 2008

Max's Blog

noreply@blogger.com (fighterpilot) — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 14:34:00 +0000

Update from Max's New Blog - Enjoy!

Ideal Body Fat Percentage: Weightloss Vs. Improving Body Composition

Posted: 26 Sep 2011 12:54 PM PDT

You always hear diet books, infomercials, antiquated trainers and even doctors talking about weight-loss. Perhaps it is your parents, spouse or even you saying they need to lose weight. It can be convenient to use the term weight-loss, but what really matters most – for both our health and our appearance - is FAT-loss! This isn’t just as simple as semantics here either: Unfortunately most overweight or out of shape folks only care about what the scale says and if they’re losing any weight…especially women who tend to have only one physique goal in mind – to be skinny!

I’ve got some bad news for you, which any athlete or fitness-savvy individual already knows: You just might be losing weight without losing any fat at all, due to glycogen-depletion, fluid-loss and muscle catabolism. Personally, I’ve lost 4 pounds overnight before, and I can tell you that none of that weight was fat-loss. Starvation-type, dehydrating dieting without exercise, is a sure way to lose mostly muscle tissue and little-to-no fat!

Now for the good news: You can become leaner – actually lower your body fat percentage – without losing ANY fat. All you have to do is gain muscle mass! Think about it. You gain muscle, so you now weigh more, but still with the same amount of body fat you always had. Therefore you have effectively increased your lean-body mass. And it is based on this principle that typical body-mass index, BMI, charts and simple weighing-scales are not particularly useful for fitness progress. They only provide you with part of the picture…partial, non-specific data.

Body fat percentage is calculated simply by dividing the weight of your total amount of body fat by your total body weight and multiplying by 100. So you can see if you add lean (fat-free) mass to your body, i.e. muscle, your percentage of body fat decreases. Now of course many people don’t desire to add a bunch of muscle mass to their physiques, and while this is understandable you can not ignore this physiological fact: Lean muscle mass IS primarily what drives your resting metabolism, allowing you to burn more calories while at rest. And some folks who dread cardio training will find relief in knowing that building quality muscle only requires strength training and ‘clean’ eating. It is muscle that is the basis for a tone, tight appearance…Stop your obsession with being skinny NOW!

Now that you understand the principles behind lean-body mass and body fat percentage, and how it is fat-loss and muscle mass that matter most and NOT weight-loss, we can now acknowledge that of course the most ideal physique transformation scenario is to not only gain or preserve muscle mass, but to simultaneously lose fat as well. This where you have to add in cardio training and fine tune your diet, and for now is beyond the scope of this article. More importantly the cardiovascular benefits of aerobic training are necessary for optimum health.

It is much simpler to track progress by stepping on a scale at home and much more difficult to track body fat percentage. Perhaps this is why so many folks seem to forget about fat-loss and only concern themselves with weight-loss. Well I’m here to help you out and get you started and I am including the ‘American Council on Exercise’ body fat percentage recommendations based on your age and fitness level. This is a much more useful chart than the more common body mass index, BMI, chart. Also, at most sports’ stores now, you can purchase a home scale for under $100 that not only measures body weight but also provides a fairly accurate body fat percentage analysis using technology called bioelectrical impedance. Perhaps more important than the initial accuracy of your fat-analysis is the ability you will now have to track trends. The accuracy is mostly affected by hydration levels as water is the medium for B.I.A. conduction: If you are well-hydrated you will consequently have a slightly lower body fat percentage read-out than if you are dehydrated at the time of analysis.

'American Council on Exercise' Chart:

Remembering the Ghost - a firsthand account

noreply@blogger.com (fighterpilot) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 19:17:00 +0000

A few years ago, I had the privilege of attending the RENO AIR RACES with Lars Krieglmeier - what an amazing event. This year, my buddy Coma Colmer was in attendance when the tragedy occurred. This firsthand account was provided to me by General (Ret) Mongo Stroud. Read with reverence.

Ten Seconds of Life

by Jim Baxter

It was the culmination of the perfect day at the Reno Air Races, a beautiful late Nevada afternoon, 80 degrees, slight cloud cover and a 10 knot wind down the runway. I had finished my duties for the day and sipped a fresh beer. I decided to take a walk to the box seats where friends of 20 years enjoyed the day; the events that followed are etched into my memory forever.

I was on my way to Box 101, nicknamed the “Voodoo Lounge” after the F-101 Voodoo fighter of the 1960s. One of the long time “owners” of box 101 was friend and fellow fighter pilot, “Magic,” who has made the annual pilgrimage to the races for several years. Magic was a hero in the fighter community, recently retired. He passed away in a Florida plane crash earlier this year much to the pain of the shareholders of box 101. This year would be different, one without the ever optimistic smile of Magic. A somber lone chair stood in the northwest corner of the Voodoo lounge, with an embroidered cover in his memory. Someone had placed an ice-laden bourbon and cola on the chair.

A line of large, white, 30 gallon coolers defined the north edge of box 101. The box was actually joined with the members from box 102; a “you bring the beer, we’ll bring the liquor” type of agreement had been in place for years between 101 and 102. The first order of business each year was removing the canvas dividing the two boxes. The eight coolers, each full of ice, water, and beverages provided fuel for the four days of aviation’s display of American ingenuity and aviation pride. Each racing aircraft, from the self-designed and built sport class, the homemade biplanes, old warbirds, to the testosterone laden unlimited class were each testimony to a passion seldom seen in our world today. This day the coolers would serve another, unforeseen duty, one none of us had ever considered, but may be why some are alive today—they were a barrier which would absorb some of the energy from the violent end of the legendary Galloping Ghost.

I made my way to the box seats with two other friends and escorted them to the boxes so they too could enjoy the exhilaration of the unlimited class boring holes in the sky at 500 mph. I remember thinking to myself that I had only spent a few minutes that day with the friends in the Voodoo Lounge; and how I would make a concerted effort tomorrow to spend more time with these long time brothers in service. These aren’t your run-of-the-mill retired fighter pilots; these were true heroes in the fighter community. The kind of guys who each had claim to fame on how they changed the hardware, software, weapons and tactics of the past two decades of fighter aviation; although they would never boast about it. They would just tell humble stories that started with “remember when” and ended with the sip of a beverage and a smile that is only understood by those who have been there. A smile I would see again from them all that night in the bar. A smile that in this case, simply communicated “Holly crap dude, good to see you alive.”

The first order of business upon entering the box was to make a beverage. Sorting out where to start was difficult since the labels on the coolers rarely coincided with their actual contents. Beyond the front line of coolers was a ten foot wide walkway between the front and back rows of the box seats. The box area stood on the tarmac in front of the main grandstands and were divided by metal poles and colored, red, white, and blue canvas. The vantage point provided an unobstructed view of the races while still well behind the FAA mandated safety distance from the show line. When the wind was right, you could even get a whiff of the exhaust gasses after the beautiful machines streaked by. But moreover, the boxes provided the community atmosphere which was so much a part of why friends, family and businesses spend thousands of dollars each year to be a part of it. The ice crackled as I poured the dark liquid and added an appropriate amount of cola. I would never taste that drink.

It was the third or fourth lap of the Unlimited Class Gold heat, the fastest propeller driven class at the races and by far the most expensive and technical. I heard the race announcer comment that an aircraft had called mayday, the word that meant they had a problem and were removing themselves from the race. This was a common occurrence during the races and well scripted rules guided the pilots on the procedure. Once an aircraft was at a safe altitude, away from the other races and crowd, the pilot and chase pilot would discuss the malfunction and determine the best course of action. Usually, this meant landing on one of the several runways or even dirt prepared surfaces around the 6+ mile track. The design of the course gave pilots a runway to glide to.

I watched the aircraft climb as it headed down what NASCAR fans would call the front stretch. But this time the aircraft wasn’t pulling up straight ahead. The aircraft moved to the right, away from the runway show line and headed over the spectators. From our point of view the plane moved to the left as it climbed since it was pointed our way. The crowd followed the aircraft with noted concern but since it was still headed up and appeared to be under control I did not see a reason for alarm. I almost had the drink to my lips when my attitude changed. The aircraft suddenly made a quick skid followed by a violent roll to inverted where it again made a strange movement we all knew was not normal. It looked like a paper airplane when you throw it too hard and it flips over on its back. I remember thinking, “Come on, get control of it.” Up until now, only the non-pilots were really concerned because the Ghost was still flying the way airplanes fly. But at that moment, realization hit and everyone knew something had gone terribly wrong.

Screams erupted from the crowd as I continued to watch the trajectory of the aircraft. At first it appeared the aircraft would continue over our heads but a few seconds later the flight path changed and I saw no movement of the Ghost against the sky; the indication every pilot is taught the first day of training that defines a collision course. This was the first point the thought, “you gotta be kidding me,” launched through my head, this could actually happen. It’s interesting, the subroutines constantly running in our brains; thoughts that don’t manifest themselves in words we recognize as cognitive thinking but feelings and ideas that only later you can link with words. 3500 hours flying fighters with no mishaps and this could be the way it all ends? At least I had boots on.

The spectators at the apparent impact point had little indication of which way to run. The screams hit a fevered pitch, I chose my direction and turned to run only to find no way out. People were everywhere and it was painfully obvious I could not make it past the back of the box before impact. Somewhere in the time-line my untouched drink hit the ground. With the exit blocked I dove to the ground as my fighter pilot-turned- Special Forces comrade yelled “Get Down!” I was now lying on the tarmac, hands over my head and the aroma of spilled drinks mixing with asphalt hit my nostrils.

Ten seconds had passed since the recognition of the impending impact. I lay on the ground, hands over my head and waited what seemed like several seconds but was actually only about two. There was no screen show of my life, just the slow, surreal silence my mind had created. It was working overtime trying to calculate the impact point from the last flight path I saw the Ghost taking. I figured it would hit maybe a few dozen feet to the north. A feeling of pure helplessness permeated my body; fighter pilots are trained from the beginning to take action, but there I lay making no contribution what so ever to my survival. There was no sound of the Ghost approaching; only in the last second did I hear anything. The sound was deafening. The V-12 engine still screaming producing 3800 hp and a zipping sound of the air it was ripping through. Then it hit. There is no sound I can associate it to. Nothing I’ve ever heard matched the pure destructive sound of 8000 pounds of polished metal hitting 30 feet away at 400 mph; instantly shredding the aircraft into pieces no bigger than a tool box. Those pieces and parts whizzed over my head and body and landed all around. The beautiful, majestic Galloping Ghost, and her skilled pilot, were gone.

You would think euphoria would kick in when I realized I was still alive but it never happened. For the past ten seconds all I was worried about was the impact. I had missed a major factor that I was now aware; a fire. A second after the impact the air I was breathing became thick with the sweet and sickening smell of atomized fuel; the same type of atomized fuel-air mixture the military has used for years as a “fuel-air explosive” or thermobaric weapon if you like details. With the right mixture of fuel and oxygen along with an ignition source an explosion can be produced with incredible force. I was convinced it was imminent. I looked to my right and saw part of the blue canvas divider and attempted to roll up in it thinking it might save my skin if the explosion was of short duration. In reality, I probably buried my face and that is about it.

The thick stench was still in the air, far longer than I anticipated, probably five seconds or so. I could feel the westerly breeze blowing and the realization that people all around me were getting up and running, or attempting to run. I made the decision to uncover and run into the wind hoping that if the fireball did ignite the wind would push it east, away from my direction. Five steps later the fresh air of the late afternoon hit may face. I had escaped.

To my relief, I immediately ran into several patrons from the Voodoo Lounge; standing, moving and with all appendages. But the horror of the situation was yet to hit. There we stood, covered from head to toe with bloody pieces of the people from the box in front of us, their bodies torn to shreds by the flying shrapnel that was, only seconds before, one of the most beautiful machines on earth. Then I looked into box 102 and started to understand the carnage; the mid-section of a person, void of head and legs, lay splayed open almost unrecognizable as human. Arms, feet, legs separated from their owners littered the area. A child’s white sock, stained with blood was perfectly laid out as if waiting to be ironed. A man, without feet tried to get up. The moaning, screaming and emergency sirens eerily filled in the grotesque picture. But even in this moment, the human character was strong.

I walked around the site frantically looking for the friends I had escorted to the box five long minutes ago. The images were horrific but still, the wounded were helping wounded. A woman lay on the ground with her leg missing below the hip. Her family members and friends were at her side applying direct pressure to the wound, holding her and encouraging her. Another man wrapped a shirt around the bones sticking out of a woman’s arm. Others quickly started organizing triage. Behind me I heard a man consoling a weeping older woman saying “He was doing what he loved to do,” I assumed that it was Jimmy’s family. Everyone was helping as they could; and Magic’s chair was still standing.

The entire place was in shock but the seasoned announcer kept talking on the loudspeaker trying to calm the crowd and give them direction. Fire trucks and ambulances arrived to do what they could but for many, it was too late. Their bodies were shredded into a million parts strewn across the tarmac. After ten minutes I came to the conclusion I was of no help to anyone anymore and left the area. I realized I had never inspected myself for injury and took a minute to look myself over. The fragmented body parts on my clothes nearly made me vomit, but I was 100% accounted for.

Later inspection placed the engine impact point 30 feet from the Voodoo Lounge and wingtip 15 feet away. A propeller blade lay in front of the destroyed coolers, slicing one and denting another. My last view of the Ghost was of her inverted and I was surprised when I saw the video showing her upright. If Jimmy had not rolled her over and changed the flightpath a few degrees toward the open tarmac and if the coolers had not been full and where they were, the outcome would have been very different. And why wasn’t there a fire?

I walked away without a scratch. The Lord shined on box 101 and 102 that day and I can’t help but think Magic was there to help.

The box in front was not as lucky. They went from enjoying a great day with family and friends to terror and even watching loved ones suffer and die. Everyone’s life was changed forever and all it took was ten seconds of life.

Crossfit 3 to Honor 31

noreply@blogger.com (fighterpilot) — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 17:36:00 +0000

Survived the "Kelly" WOD with Lindsay and the Verve Faithful this Saturday morning where I also learned a little bit about "3 to Honor 31."

This past Wednesday we cancelled our second go of flying at Buckley to observe quiet hours as the remains of Colorado Army Guardsman, Chief Warrant Officer David Carter - -one of the pilots of the Chinook helicopter that was shot down (article.)

I ask that those of you that do Crossfit and even those that don't - - make a contribution to the Navy Seal Foundation (see below) and join us in working out on September 3.

31 Heroes - September 3, 2011.
This nation will remain the home of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.

On August 5th 2011, a chinook helicopter carrying troops in Afghanistan was shot down by ground fire. These troops were heading to a location where other American soldiers were under attack by enemy combatants. Among the soldiers killed in action, 31 were special forces soldiers.

On September 3, 2011 CrossFit Verve will be hosting the "31" to honor our heroes killed in action August 5th with a workout in an effort to raise funds for the families affected by this tragedy. All funds received will go to these families through the Navy SEAL Foundation, other like-organizations, & individual family funds.

The workout promises to be a unique Hero WOD. 31 of America’s bravest have made the ultimate sacrifice for our sake. We can all agree that no workout will ever be enough to say thank you, but among this community it almost seems to be our version of the “moment of silence”, a small way we can honor the those that have gone before us. We hope you’ll join us for this moment of silence.

100% of proceeds will go to families immediately affected through the Navy SEAL Foundation, other like-organizations, & individual family funds. Please join us as we pay our respects through sweat.

Redeyes in the news!

noreply@blogger.com (fighterpilot) — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 16:39:00 +0000

This month's Air and Space Magazine

Don't Stop Believn'!

noreply@blogger.com (fighterpilot) — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 05:50:00 +0000

Maintain conviction to your vision in times of adversity...

Enjoy a few "catchup" pictures from earlier this year!

Humbled to serve as a... Fighter Pilot

noreply@blogger.com (fighterpilot) — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 06:06:00 +0000

I still get emails from many retired Fighter Pilots that I have flown and served with - - quite a proud bunch, and rightfully so! It is a unique profession that requires skill, determination, competitiveness and a willingness to risk and take life. The camaraderie we share is a unique mystery to those who haven't experienced it.

It was truly a privilege today to take part in the hiring/interview process to select the next Fighter Pilots that will become "Redeyes' in the 120th Fighter Squadron. All of those selected for interview are excellent candidates.

Pictured with one of my favorite Fighter Pilots at his daughter's wedding in July: PAV!

Sharing Fitness

noreply@blogger.com (fighterpilot) — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 01:23:00 +0000

Enjoyed the company of my Captain - Line Check Pilot Phil Combest for a killer WOD today at the Westin Gym in Vegas.

We performed the Crossfit Verve WOD from Tuesday 02 August and may have a new Crossfit convert!

Pictured last weekend with one of our aviation, fitness, and friendship inspirations: BANZAI Bunts.

Coach TroyCalhoun

noreply@blogger.com (fighterpilot) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 06:32:00 +0000

Relatively hot run to the 24 hour Fitness in Vegas this week to hammer out yesterday's Verve WOD:

50 Clean and Jerk's at 135#'s for time.

I had the privilege of hosting Coach Troy Calhoun at the squadron last week for some promo photos/video clips for the upcoming Falcon Football season.

Jackie WOD

noreply@blogger.com (fighterpilot) — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 05:12:00 +0000

Hammered out a quick round of the WOD: Jackie at 24 Hour Fitness near LAX this morning.

1000 M Row
50 x 45# thrusters
30 pullups

completed in 8:31

Pictured is my little fisherman Faith in Grand Lake last week and a link to the Trace Adkins video - "Just Fishin."

Inspiration - 90 days - here we go!

noreply@blogger.com (fighterpilot) — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 05:33:00 +0000

What a unique experience to take in the Crossfit Games in LA today! In addition to our 3 Verve athletes it was amazing to see so many dedicated fitness enthusiasts assembled in one place.

On Monday August 1 I am starting my own 90 day Crossfit immersion. I have continued working out on a mostly consistent basis, but I have definitely coasted a bit this summer - - all while Lindsay has really stepped up her game!

I will journal my workouts - primarily for the www.crossfitverve.com website. I will also provide some of the substitutions that I use on the road.

My hope is that my little venture will generate some discussion and even possible inspiration - - here we go!

Crossfit Games 2011

noreply@blogger.com (fighterpilot) — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 12:43:00 +0000

Our friends Matt and Cherie Chan, and Jim Duwve all performed well in day one of the Crossfit Games in LA!

Matt is currently 15th in the world
Cherie is 34th in the world
Jim is 17th in the Master's division (50-55)

check out their progress at:
http://games.crossfit.com/

Privilege to serve

noreply@blogger.com (fighterpilot) — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 02:32:00 +0000

I was honored to read the order for Captain Teneyck Latourette's promotion to Major this morning. In his brief speech "THOR" emphasized what a privilege it is to fly jets in our home state of Colorado and serve our country - - I couldn't agree more.

All the Redeyes and our families are grateful for the hospitality extended to us by Martin Lind, Jerry Hegleson and their families and friends in Windsor this weekend too - - THANKS!

Thor pictured back in Balad.