Three Cheers for Aspercreme (and other dysfunctions), May 30, 2010

My husband taught me a new trick. I have been having shin and calf pain during running on pavement, and he suggested that I put aspercreme on before I run. Man, did that do the trick. I am so glad because I did not want to run on the treadmill. I had the best 5 mile run around the compound one night, then had group PT the next morning where we did some sprinting. In a turn of bad luck, I pulled my hamstring. Thank God my husband got me aspercreme, now I am using it on my butt. I lovingly think of him when I rub it in.

The General always says that the group PT is to raise moral. How can making a bunch of middle age desk jockeys, who are working between 15 and 17 hours a day, get up an hour earlier to sprint increase moral? Maybe the pulled hamstring is actually a stroke of good luck…I now have a doctor’s note saying I can’t PT for 2 months. Actually, I’ve always enjoyed the group PT, but I complain nonetheless.

It really isn’t a good thing…running is the best stress reliever that I have, and now I really do need to lay off. I am hoping it don’t take 2 months…that will cut into my marathon training. I’ve got a marathon to run in November—the New York Marathon! I put my name into the lottery with a couple of pals. We heard that if you don’t get in for four years straight, you get an automatic invite the fifth year. So we figured if we start now, we’ll get invited in five years and have a girls running vacation. Well, they drew my number, and I’m the only one. So, I’m having a family running vacation. I’ll run, and my family will watch.

The other dysfunctions mentioned in the title… I wish I could put some aspercreme on a couple of things, and they would go away. I got an email from a Colonel saying “great email, thanks for keeping everyone informed” and “keep them coming”. Then I get an email from another Colonel saying “you need to vet these through me”. He basically told me to ask permission to do the right thing. I hate that.

Here are some pics of the compound where I live, plus some out and about…


The interior courtyard…our whole existence is played out in this courtyard. We form up for PT here, we eat here (our dining hall is too small for all the people here) and you have to go through here to get anywhere else. There are three hard buildings, these two, which are billets, one right behind me, where we work. Surrounding these are tents are tents and PODs (8X18 trailers), then the big ass T walls that form our perimeter.

This is where I live, on the third floor.

A side view of the courtyard…that is the USO tent. They provide free wifi and free phone calls back home.




The Afghan National Police (ANP) try to direct traffic, but it is a free for all. There are no rules of the road.

Typical scene, smog and all.

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