The Path: Wake up early. Work out. Eat clean. Work hard. Do things right. Stay humble. Don’t stop.
- Jocko Willink, July 2, 2024
Reflecting
Daniel Mannix’s excellent book Those About to Die is getting made into a drama on Roman blood sports:
Can’t wait. I love the history of gladiators as well as our modern approximations. But MMA and even lethwei are just that: approximations. We are jiu jitsu players not fighters. Several years ago, a mixed martial arts fan got UFC tickets for himself and his brother to celebrate the older brother’s return from a tough tour in Iraq in which he participated in repeated close quarters combat. The UFC event everything you’d hope to see from the mixed martial artists. After a brutal knockout, the younger brother turned to his combat vet brother and asked “what did you think of the fight?” to which his brother replied, “that wasn’t a fight.” We might try to choke each other out, but the fact that we always stop when someone taps or the ref stops the round makes all the difference. Unless you’re in a fight to the death, you never really know what it would be like.
Ave Imperator, morituri te salutant
(“Hail, Emperor, those who are about to die salute you.”) Suetonius apocryphally attributed this to gladiators speaking to emperor Claudius before their battle. Claudius reported responded “or not,” but that would have offered faint solace. The gladiator courage is rousing. Their fate was imminent, but such fate always comes sooner or later. We are all those about to die. Until then, we can all show such courage.
Training
Fun and successful first ultramarathon after my recent injury. Not sure if anyone has gone from pulmonary embolisms to ultramarathon this quickly before but it worked:
Next ultramarathons in Majorca and Dolomites. This morning’s whiteboard:
As many reps as possible in 8 minutes of —
8 bench press with 2 70 lb. dumbbells
6 chest to bar
12 cals on the bike
6 chest to bar
Rest 4 minutes then repeat.
Fueling
Steak. Eggs.
Supplementing
Free vitamin D today:
Measuring
Keep track of your iron. Excess appears to mental and physical decline. I’m donating blood this month to help others while also controlling my blood iron level. Consider doing the same.
Recovering
Sensi Azores Nature & Spa was an optimal spot for recovering from my ultramarathon – clean food, sea breeze, sauna and pools. We also did three days of surfing and surfing lessons. The saltwater helped me heal from the scrapes and bruises from the trail.
Closing
Fresh off of shooting down missiles in the Red Sea, the USS Mason steamed into port while I was in the Azores. Amidst the little fishing boats, a grey guided missile destroyer flying a huge American flag is a welcome sight abroad. It is like having a strong big brother stop by. It is good to have more than one tool in your defensive tool kit – have some jiu jitsu and carry a clinch pick and a concealed carry sidearm. But also have friends with 96 missiles loaded on a destroyer stop by every once in a while to remind the locals that we come in peace but have a plan B.