Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Commandant's Challenge 5k+

Today was the capstone event for Squadron Officer School (SOS). It happens in the last week of an eight-week course. It consists of an individual 5k run, and then as soon as the entire team finishes, the team continues on to a series of problem solving events. Those events take place over the course of another two miles or so. The team is supposed to use all of the leadership and problem-solving skills they've learned over the course of the eight-week program. My job as their instructor is to run alongside them and keep them on the right track (literally, on the course, not on guiding them through their problem solving).

The flight did well. They didn't get all of the problems solved. But they remained a team the entire team. Well, mostly a team. There is one person in the flight that I will consider "dead weight." She had no interest in doing her best. Everyone finished before her, which is fine, but the flight sent five members back to run with her to the finish. When they found her, she was walking the course, chit-chatting with another student. As if they were out for a stroll, not a timed military team event. I was disappointed to say the least. This flight has carried her through each event throughout the course. For this capstone, I had hoped to see some motivation in her to help them succeed. But no. Just a shrug and "whatever." *sigh* I can say though, that of the 42 students I've had so far, she is the only one that has so obviously shown this mentality. 

This is a fitness post because I had to run alongside them for every event. I finished the first three miles in 26:48. Not bad! Then the next two miles (untimed), and then finished it with another 1/2 mile jog back to the starting point. My left leg aches a little bit. But I feel much better than I did the last time I did this about 10 weeks ago. The recent runs building up to this have certainly helped!

Today's motivational song was Lady GaGa's "Applause," which came on right before I hit the massive hill at the end of the first leg of the event.


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