2009 Christmas Can Cure 5K

Christmas Can Cure to benefit Wounded Warriors Project (Link)

Did this with 10 folks from CFLV.
27:25
Cold weather. Slight uphill the first mile, then flat for a mile, slight downgrade the third mile except the last 400m which was a relatively steep hill up around the park. I pushed the end, just to see how hard I could go at that point. Felt good to cross the finish line.

Breakfast at Egg Works afterwards. Very filling.

[pending pictures if Zach comes through]

Welcome Home Dinner

Ray surprised me on Thursday night.
Awesome view from the Top of the World at the Stratosphere.



A lovely meal, a great evening, wonderful company, nice welcome home.



and Happy Hannukka.

A Day at the Smithsonian

White House

National Christmas Tree









Washington Monument









WWII Monument









Air & Space Museum









Native American Museum









The Capital









Natural History Museum









National Archives









Spy Museum










TIRED!

Day of Remembrance

(for more pictures, see konashark's flickr

Getting Ready for a VIP

Laundry - check
Bed made - check
Diet Pepsi in the fridge - check
Workout:
5 rounds (individually times) - 250m row, 25 pushups, 25 box jumps (24")
1. 3:13
2. 3:40
3. 3:35
4. 3:57
5. 3:24
(60-180 sec rest between rounds)
Up to 15 pullups in a row using the blue band. Time to graduate to the red band.

Ready for Hubby to arrive!

It's Snowing

This morning when it first started.


Just after lunch.


Later this afternoon.

Wow, Just WOW! or "They Really Like Me"

As a reservist I'm not usually considered part of the flight. I show up a couple time a year, see patients or work on projects. Usually eat meals alone. Go back home or the lodging at night. Sometimes I do something social with the flight but I don't really know people that well. This time I noticed that something was different. From the first day the Nutritional Medicine Flight at Malcolm Grow Medical Center made me feel welcome, part of the team, a member of the family. When I was here at work, I didn't feel like a temporary employee, I felt like I was a full time member of the flight.









I had the pleasure of working with some very dedicated, enthusiastic diet techs who helped me leave a lasting contribution to the capital region. In less than eight weeks togther we got the clinic fully functioning (certifying a new tech to provide group classes and basic individual nutrition education in less than one month; considered record time in this career field), revised five group classes (two of them are now more effective six week programs), saw over 400 patients. In addition, I was part of the strategic planning team for our career field, a member of the medical nutrition therapy working group (so I've revamped 2 diet tech training modules and 4 diet tech clinical guidelines), created a dozen documentation templates utilizing the nutrition care process protocol, and help the population health team get their diabetes initiative off the ground.

Hey! This isn't our flight meeting!

I've never been given a goodbye party before. When I transfered my unit of assignment from Nellis to Travis, no one realized I was gone except the flight commander since he signed my paperwork. Despite five years at Nellis there was nothing to mark my leaving. When I put on Major (which is a big deal in the military) there was no pinning ceremony, no congratulations from a commander. Just a "go ahead and sew it on" and then when I showed up at Travis for the first time with the oak leaf it was "oh, you're a Major now. Nice." After three years at Travis the Reserve office decided they shouldn't have to pay for me to travel so far when there was a perfectly good military facility in my home town. So I was transfered back to Nellis. My last day at Travis was a 'tag-on' to someone else's last day party.....until the Squadron Commander pulled me aside privately and awarded me her Commander's Coin (Col McCann - thank you!).

Here at Andrews my job was only for 53 days (36 if you only count duty days). To hear the flight members talking it was like I'd been here with them for over a year. I was getting teary giving my thanks. But when one after the other got up to say something, I was flabbergasted. And to give me salutes? WOW! I really felt part of the 779th MDSS/SGSN Team all the way.

Thank you all for the opportunity to serve with you. It's been a pleasure and an honor. The people you feed and care for are in good hands. I'll always consider myself an honorary member of Team Andrews, the Face of Air Force Medicine.

Visit to the Pentagon

Took the Metro to the Pentagon with Public Health flight. We went on the offical tour. That place is amazing. 23,000 people work there! It's bigger than most towns in the US. Our tour was only for 60 minutes, just a few floors, two rings and 5 corridors. And the inner courtyard. There are museum and memorials along most of the walls. I could spend hours just going from corridor to corridor looking at all the photos and momentos.



Unfortunately cameras are not allowed inside. This was in the visitor center just before our tour briefing.

Hope to go back next Monday and see more of the exhibits.

Countdown?

3 days left and still so much to do.

All the data collection questionnaires are updated and electronic (the only set I didn't do was Pediatric, isn't that ironic).

Tomorrow we present our two new outpatient education programs to the department: Winning at Losing (weight management) and Healthy Heart Needs TLC (cholesterol).

The updated diabetes education sessions have been a big success with the Population Health team that is revamping their program. They are still looking for a CDE. Maj Chen approached me but I had to explain their protocol called for an RN-CDE, and I am looking forward to going back to my husband in Las Vegas.

The Diet Tech training module for Diabetes has been sent forward to the Working Group. The Hyperlipidemia training module is in progress (still working on the study guide). I still haven't looked at the Strategic Plan that I helped create last month.

More outpatients on Wednesday. On Thursday (after squadron PT in the morning) I am going on a tour with Public Health at the Pentagon! On Friday the returning dietitian gets to see all the upgrades and I get to show her the new documentation templates.

Don't tell the airmen who have been working with me in the clinic, but on Friday I'm going to present the two of them with AF Dietetics coins. Shhhhhhh.

Then 1 day to get rejuvenated before I get my hubby!!! He's flying out this weekend so we can be tourist for a couple of days before going back home.

Working Off TG Weekend

"Linda"
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 reps (scaled)
Deadlift (115#)
Bench Press (75#)
Clean (60#)
22:45

What a gorgeous sunny day. Went for a short walk also.

Thanksgiving Road Trip

Visited the Inlaws (and Mongo) for the holiday weekend.

Very nice dinner out on Thursday and then celebrated Del & Mary's anniversary on Friday night.

Deep Thoughts (Politically Incorrect)

A group of mothers watching daughters practice cheer routines in the Tactical Fitness Gym. Sitting on the benches, munching on bags of chips or chocolate covered granola bars. Instead of taking this time as an opportunity TO MOVE THEIR MORBIDLY OBESE BODIES and walk around the gym for an hour.

UGH!

My time in the gym:
Warm-up 1000m row, 15 pullups (blue band, no stopping), 45# deadlift x 10, mid-hang clean x 10, front squat x 10, push-press x 10, back squat x 10. 20# medicine ball cleans x 10. Set up the equipment for the WOD.
2 laps (~300m)
30 back squats 65#
10 kettlebells 25#
3 laps (~500m)
20 back squats 55#
20 kettlebells 25#
4 laps (~675m)
10 back squats 55#
30 kettlebells 25#
22:00 min

I'm now officially tired, if not exhausted. Still favoring my right elbow, the Lateral epicondylitis is still bothering me but not keeping me from exercise (like it did at the end of September). I believe the fish oil (Omega 3) has been helping to reduce the inflammation.

CrossFit WOD Turned into OUCH!

Back in August when I found CrossFit Las Vegas:
Had my baseline evaluation today with Mike. After watching me jump rope, row, airsquat, do crossfit situps & pushups and demonstrate a pullup, he had me to the baseline workout: 500m row, 40 airsquats, 30 situps, 20 pushups, 10 pullups (used the purple band) in 6:45.

This was the WOD today. I thought I was doing pretty well until I got to the last exercise. I could not get my foot into that damn blue band. It slipped off my foot (before I could get it into the proper position)! Picture what happens when you snap a rubber band. Yah, pretty much that, landing across my chest - with the initial slap direct on my right nipple. OUCH!!! Going to leave a bruise I'm sure.

So I was disappointed when I got unhooked and jumped down to stop my watch; to see my time of 7:35. I'm sure if there was a trainer looking over (with the usual encouraging words), helping to get into the band quickly (and safely), and stopping the timer at the end of the last pullup, I could have at least equaled my previous time. I'm sure I'll have a chance to do this again soon. My goal will be <6:30.

The CFLV blog TTOD (Trainers Topic of the Day) was about starting clean lifts from three positions. I watched instructional videos on the main site and realized I was not really getting under the bar properly. But now I'm much better. Did 1 lift in all three positions for 3 rounds, then went to 65# for the last round. I want to have a trainer watch my form before going heavier.

Saturday in the Park

Volunteer Project
National Park Service (NPS)- President's Park (The Ellipse) by the
White House - Washington DC
Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility Washington (JBANAFW)
Sponsored by the Culture of Responsible Choices (CoRC)

CoRC promotes healthy lifestyle activities to prevent JBANAFW member DUIs, undersage drinking, and substance abuse
Project duties: laying Ecotrack for accessible seating, tent floor installation, litter removal. The purpose of the project is to assist the NPS prepare for the annual President's Park Christmas Tree Pageant (White House Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony and Concert)

Back to the Workouts and Making the Clubhouse Turn

The past two days I've been involved in an AF Dietetics Strategic Planning Video Conference. It was hosted in the Central time zone so we'd finish at 5:30p and then I still had some local stuff to do back in my office. By the time I was done it really was too late for me to go to the gym (not if I wanted dinner before 8p).

Today I'm back on schedule and got to the Fitness Center tonight for a modified version of "Eva". My WOD was 3 laps around the gym (~500m), 15 kettlebells (25#) and 15 pullups (blue band) x 5 sets. I started out pretty strong (got the first 3 sets done in 15min) but I stopped after set #4 to help a new person with kipping pullups so didn't finish the workout until 32min. I have the feeling it's going to be a little difficult to lift my arms tomorrow. But I love the "tired after a good workout" feeling.

Got my plane ticket for the trip home. Can't believe that it's getting that close now. Sort of like a horse going around the clubhouse turn. So much left to do for the flight and really only two working weeks left (cause next week is so short). Every day coming up is full of outpatient appointments so project time is going to be tight. Guess there will be some "homework" over Thanksgiving.

Ravenchase Quest Around the Capital Mall

A great way to see some sights around the main park. Had lots of fun solving puzzles, saw a couple of museums, and got some exercise.






Here's just a taste of where we went today. And then a great lunch at Matchbox (on H Street). And what a gorgeous sunny day!

The bulk of the photos (including the clues) are posted on my flickr starting HERE.