Celebratory (Cup)Cake

10 years total as active duty + civilian! I’m blessed to have the perspective of both sides of the uniform and two different military branches. There was nothing easy about either; however, I make a better civilian than I did in NWUs.

This seemingly rickety bridge has been around longer than 10 years. Probably 100. As you can see, the Wichita River is flowing courtesy of the recent rains. As several of us volunteered to set up an obstacle run, the Texas-sized mosquitoes tried to carry us off. We prevailed.

Surviving an incredibly long, stressful, packed week warranted ice cream and cupcakes. The ice cream? Meh. I think Cookie Two Step rates much higher on the “you gotta try this” scale. Brookie A La Mode just didn’t do it for me.

The star of the show was the cupcakes. I’m not sure if I ever mentioned it before, but when I was stationed in Pensacola my first year in the Navy, my best friend, Sam, turned me on to Kimberly’s cupcakes. Who knows how many cupcakes were consumed as we tried them all. All. I don’t recall ever eating a bad Kimberly’s cupcake. It’s the perfect blend of frosting and super soft, moist cake. They are divine. When I lived in Virginia, I could still purchase Kimberly’s cupcakes. However, upon moving back to Texas, I only recall seeing Kimberly’s cupcakes a handful of times in the local grocery stores. It’s been at least 5 years since their last sighting. Until now! A new (to me) grocery chain recently opened and they have Kimberly’s cupcakes. This will not end well.

I didn’t set out to celebrate 10 years with the customary ice cream and cake yet somehow it found me when I needed it. Thanks, Kimberly, wherever and whoever you are.

_______________

I ask you –

Have you ever tried Kimberly’s cupcakes?

What are your thoughts on the Blue Bell flavor?

(The post Celebratory (Cup)Cake first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

Moments of Resilience

Turns out I’m allergic to patterned carpet. Dramatic much, Kel. Obviously I’m not allergic. More like averse to it. The patterns are optical and often symmetrical enough to prompt a very dizzying effect. Hotels, classrooms, and educational training sites often utilize this type of carpet which really causes issues with my brain. Or equilibrium. You know what else causes all the sneezing? Beautiful, resilient, blooms, like these flowers. How can something so gorgeous create so many issues?!

CMSgt Fabrienne Burnett

This incredible woman made a few last minute stops on her way to retirement and I was so humbled to be a part of her waypoint. You see, she just returned from deployment in a war-torn, volatile area. Sure, she’s done her fair share of deployments but the emotion I felt in her presence was stained with exhaustion, and dare I say, an undercurrent of hurt. The sheer fact that she took it upon herself to say goodbye rather than fading into R&R without a rear view speaks volumes of her commitment. CMSgt Burnett is one of a kind. I’ve seen some good ones, but she is a great one. And to say she will be missed is an understatement. At a recent commander’s call, our commander asked for a raise of hands to indicate who knew or had been impacted by Chief. Nearly the entire room had a hand raised. As I looked around at the faces of those with their hands up, it was apparent the impression she had made. People were smiling. And that’s what people did when they saw her in her office, out and about, in their spaces. They smiled. She cared. And she will be missed.

All this to say, the empathic part of me accepted her emotions. As the day went on, I kept coming back to those emotions, visible in her eyes and the long hug – needing connection, stability, and a listening ear. The next day, I had grand plans to run, to do things, to be productive. Instead, I couldn’t find the energy. I knew if I didn’t sit with the emotions, my mind and body would eventually force me to do so. When it hits, there’s no pause button, no “please schedule a time…”. So I sat. I rested. I felt. This is the resilience we often speak of. The acknowledgement to ourselves we are strong, even when weak.

Even as the flowers are beautiful, they are equally resilient. If only my nose was the same.

________________

I ask you –

Have you someone in your life who embodies the core of resiliency?

(The post Moments of Resilience first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

Expand Your Mind, pt 3 – The Pareto Principle

The Pareto Principle aka the 80/20 Rule

Named after economist Vilfredo Pareto, the Pareto Principle states 80% of results are from 20% of causes which implies only a small amount of the minority is actually driven by the majority. This disproportionate principle is often viewed from the people standpoint, i.e., 80% of the work is completed by 20% of the people. So what about the remaining work and/or people? Well, this is where life is not fair. Equal distribution is a myth, much like the term “balance”.

Businesses would lead us to believe that rewarding the 20% encourages the remaining percentage to do better. No such evidence exists. As some are more motivated by consequences, it is difficult to tell if these are positive or negative consequences. Nonetheless, it can be quite frustrating to be the 20% completing 80% of the work while the remaining workforce contributes little. Wealth distribution was Pareto’s basis for this principle, which relied on statistical tools. Today, many believe the Pareto Principle is manipulated and, therefore, not the universal principle originally touted.

One area where the Pareto Principle is applicable is time management. For example, working for 40-45 mins, then taking a 15-20 min break. Yes, I know it’s not 80/20, work with me here. Most training curriculums mimic this style because studies have shown the attention span is approximately 11 minutes and taking a 10 min break every 60 mins encourages physical and mental reprieve.

I won’t say this one is the most interesting. However, I will say it’s the most common (to me). In a rapidly changing society of differing generational norms, I was raised to work hard, to own my behavior and mistakes, and to strive for the top. It does not seem this way anymore.

More to come!

________________

I ask you –

Without adding “but” or “because”, ask yourself – are you the 80% or the 20%?

(The post Expand Your Mind, pt 3 – The Pareto Principle first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

March Movement + Random Recap

March movement totals weren’t too bad considering this new age bracket. 40+. It looks like I decreased on the two-a-day workouts, but it was probably for the best.

In other news, another season of intramural volleyball is upon us. Allow me to introduce The Shiny Ones –

Our losing streak is alive and well. Oh well. I must say, though, the team has come a long way and definitely looks more comfortable on the court. The elusive winning streak may or may not come, but, if fun is the intention, then they win every time.

________________

I ask you –

What are the odds The Shiny Ones win at least 1 game this season? About the same as the Bears winning the Super Bowl next year.

…very possible!

(The post March Movement + Random Recap first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

Things it doesn’t take a PhD to do

Read the directions
Properly fill out a form
Ask for help
Say no
Reschedule a meeting/appointment/obligation
Be kind
Laugh maniacally

Side note. I posted the above photo on Instagram and no one commented. And I wasn’t flagged either. Maybe I’m losing my touch. Parts and I had the best laugh when she shared this info with me one morning on the drive to work. I thought she was kidding. The previous dude was Mencho or Menchi or some iteration of a word I am too lazy this moment to research. We went from him to Sir Yogurt. Classy. I really should not joke about these things because my history precedes me.

8. Balance junk with “healthier” options. Oreos + chocolate milk. Disclaimer: the sugar free Oreos are really nothing special. Personally, I’d choose the gluten free ones because I think they taste the best of all – super crunchy, no after taste, and (maybe?) slightly healthier than regular Oreos.

________________

I ask you –

What is your favorite type or flavor of Oreos?

Of the 8 listed items, which do you find the easiest and which is the toughest?

(The post Things it doesn’t take a PhD to do first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

Still Talking About Standards

I think there is some confusion regarding the (soon to be released) updated Air Force fitness standards, specifically the acclimatization period, indicated by the unprofessional eye roll I exhibited when someone said they were instructed to provide feedback once the standards are released. Might be a little late for feedback. It sounded as if the person thought the acclimatization period was for the new standards to acclimate to them. No, no. The acclimatization period is for you to adapt to the standard.

One must understand fitness waits for no one. And if you don’t get onboard now, you will be left behind. The fact that each military member has between 6-12 months to “acclimate” is extremely generous. Upon a high level policy discussion, I shared how I had completed a 5k obstacle run at 16-weeks postpartum. Please don’t tell me you didn’t have enough time to get yourself in shape for these new standards. Please don’t give me your excuses. Might it have been lofty, dare I say stupid, to attempt this endeavor? Sure. But I did it. Because I knew I would be returning to the uniform sooner rather than later. And fitness waits for no one.

Tag: Air Power. Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Now – I strive to share fair albeit biased information on RoF. So I’ve put together a sampling of other country’s (enemy and ally) fitness standards. If the US desires to compete as a global power, then we must get a handle on the expanding medical challenges we face, starting with obesity and rapidly growing waistlines. For brevity, I am only researching Air Force standards, not Army or Navy.

Allies

Royal Air Force (RAF) – Candidates must pass a Pre-Joining Fitness Test, which consists of a 2.4km (1.5 mile) run on a treadmill (set to zero incline), and as many press-ups and sit ups as possible in 1 minute. For the male/female pass standards, check out RAF. The same testing methods apply to current RAF members.

Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JSDF), or Japanese Air Force – 20 meter shuttle run, standing long jump, grip strength, sit-ups, and the sit and reach. The initial test is shared on the Japanese SDF page, but it was difficult to determine if this was only for the Army or all branches.

South Korea – an initial “fitness for duty” conscription test is administered to everyone at age 19. This test consists of grip strength, back strength (push ups), sit and reach, standing long-jump, sit-ups, and a 3km shuttle run. The annual requirement includes a 3km run, 2-minutes of push-ups, and 2-minutes of sit-ups. I wasn’t able to locate the pass/fail standards after a cursory search.

German Air Force – annually, members conduct an 11×10 meter shuttle sprint, a flexed-arm hang to measure endurance, and a 1000-meter run. For further explanation of the requirements, click here.

French Air & Space Force – annual requirements include the “beep test”, or shuttle run, of 2400 meters, pull ups, push ups, a 25 meter swim (or other variation), and, possibly, rope climbing. This article from 2010 is the closest I could find for the testing standards.

Enemies

Russian Air Force – scores are categorized for members over and under 30 years of age – a 3km run (cardiovascular), a 100m sprint (speed), pull-ups (upper body strength), and 10×10 meter shuttle runs (agility). Connell, Lennox, and Schwartz (2023) wrote Training in the Russian Armed Forces: An
Assessment of Recent Reforms and their Impact on Russian Operations in Ukraine, an interesting look into the Russian military.

North Korea – the secretiveness of the military regime prevented full research data; however, it is known members adhere to a test which include 30-minutes of power walking, gymnastics without apparatus, and 5-minutes of stretching/squats. Interestingly, military members must initially pass the following checks: at least 148cm (4 ft 9 in) in height and a weight of at least 43kg (94.79 lbs). As malnutrition is a widespread problem in the country, the heigh and weight requirements have adjusted throughout history. Specific information regarding the fitness scores and standards is not publicly available.

People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), or China – testing includes a 2.4 km run, 2 mins of push-ups, 2 mins of sit-ups. Allen and Allen (2018) discuss PLAAF unit testing, as well as Cozad and Wenger (2025) who indicate the challenges facing China’s ability to recruit members based on malnutrition disqualification and one-child families. Access to the fitness standards was difficult to obtain.

Conclusion

Although I had hoped this post would go a different direction using concrete evidence and publicly available data, I still believe the US is on par with other country’s military fitness requirements. The shuttle run is a popular technique amongst allied and enemy countries, as well as the standard push up and sit up. Again, some of the information I found could be slanted towards Army/Navy; however, I put more effort into finding Air Force-specific standards.

So what does this all mean? In truth, I don’t really know. I think most countries agree on the standard fitness tests and mostly agree on the methods to test. Interestingly, I did not purposefully seek data regarding height/weight measurements, which is a tested element in the US and several other countries, despite only North Korea outright sharing the requirement. As malnutrition, corruption, and lack of sustainable food growth is a serious problem in other countries, they have the opposite issue of the US – their people do not eat enough and their growth is stunted. In the US, although food insecurity and a percentage of the population without adequate nutrition exists, we either don’t widely share that data or it is insignificant when researching the military. Perhaps a post for another day.

____________________

I ask you –

Did any of the information above surprise you?

(The post Still Talking About Standards first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

Where is the ball?

Disclaimer: I do not know anything about basketball. Zero. None.

A 3-day basketball tournament? Sounds a lot like nails on a chalkboard whilst watching Nascar. I have no desire, no motivation, and no tangible willingness for either. Could it be worse? Sure. But I’d rather not test the theory.

Insert basketball tournament. Oh yay. For weeks, I dreaded it. Not only was it difficult to coordinate, nearly impossible to understand, and fraught with issues way out of my control, I just didn’t wanna. Alas, the show must go on. Fitness stops for no one.

Nothing could have prepared me for the unity, the resiliency, the mental health priority which is basketball, but also sports in general. How narrow-minded of me to misunderstand what running is to me, another sport is to someone else. How I receive clarity and new ideas generation when my feet are pounding the pavement and my breath is rapidly entering/exiting my lungs…is the same for other athletes.

I have hundreds of photos of 11 teams, 125+ players, playing 70+ games over the entirety of the weekend. Here’s the real data: that’s 125+ players choosing their dreams, their sport, and themselves over suicide. That’s 125+ families whose son is going home. That’s 125+ service members returning to their unit/squadron/brigade. The military is 1%. And these 125 human beings still matter.

(L) Brittney and I.
(R) Fort Hood Phantom Warriors (champions) and Cannon AFB (runner up)

Check out this link to our interview with Mike. Forgive our humor, we were tired. Interview

Later, I received one of the most impactful emails I’ve ever read from someone outside my circle. Mike, the Commissioner and Founder of the MBA, recapped our time together with praise, inspiration, and humor. It brought tears to my eyes to be seen from an outsider’s perspective. Admittedly, it took me a few days to formulate a response and we all know I am rarely at a loss for words.

If you’d like more information about the MBA or to see what they’re doing in military and veteran’s lives, check out MBA.

________________________

I ask you –

What do you know about basketball? I just learned the purpose of a shot clock.

(The post Where is the ball? first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

Addendum

Recognizing we’re already into 2026 and the numbers post was already published, I still feel as if there is more to say about 2025.

my thinking face

More Lessons

I allowed people to disrupt my life when I should have never given them the time of day. Lesson: less allowance.

I succumbed to bad moods made possible by others who have no control over my emotions. Lesson: own my day.

I negated my reach by questioning simple responses. Lesson: commit to the answer.

It’s in the Ask

Countless instances exist of asking someone to help and then they accept. It’s not rocket science. Yet we are so quick to assume/presume/outright believe without evidence that no one wants to help or be part of a task/duty/event. How do you know if you do not ask? I use this line all the time. And what’s the worst that could happen? They say no!? Show me where it isn’t worth your time and effort just to ask.

I make it a point to ask what the end game, end goal, desired outcome, or expectation is during most conversations where I know there is a decision to be made. Trust me, it alleviates any confusion. Just tell me what you want!

_____________________

I ask you –

Did you learn any lessons in 2025?

(The post Addendum first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

Outtakes, episode 5

Mini joined me for a rousing room of 3 other participants, complete with a broken thermostat and much running.

An attempt to tame my curls came in the form of these little dinglehoppers, otherwise known as French horns. Ahem, French pins. And a partridge in a pear tree. Or the garbage can, which is where one went after I broke it. It lasted only a few hours in my hair. RIP, French horn. Also, the tutorial exploited its ease of use. It was not.

I was honored to be selected as a judge for lodging’s gingerbread house competition! When I asked for a taste test, I almost lost my judging rights. Next time.

Another week of leave is on the horizon. Ahem, now. There will be no gingerbread house creation. Instead, upwards of 75 degrees is forecasted. I have no doubt the winter weather will come soon though. Merry Christmas Eve!

_____________________

I ask you –

Have you ever eaten a gingerbread house post-decoration?

(The post Outtakes, episode 5 first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

Sips and Cigs

Any time I see someone smoking a cigarette, I think to myself they must be rich. Have you seen those prices? Only an addict would pay $10+ per pack of cigarettes. Rich folks.

Do the commercials still exist where they state that if you forgo your daily coffee, then you’ll save $200 per month? Let’s do some math.

Cigarettes: $10/pack, avg smoker smokes 1 pack/2 days. 7 days/wk, 3.5 packs/wk = $35.

Coffee: $6/coffee, 1 coffee/day, 7/wk = $36.

Basic math would show you the two habits are roughly equal. Health wise, not so much.

Another way to put it is this: (stolen from a meme) If I see someone at a movie theater with candy, popcorn, and a drink, they must be a drug dealer because there is no real excuse for that type of money.

Thought Break –

Certified!

The relevance of the above photos fit directly into the title.

I had been trying to attend this course for months, but work things continued to pop up each time I registered. This was the final course available in 2025. Done!
As a regular electrolyte drinker, I thought I would enjoy LMNT (pronounced element or elementy). Others had flavored options while I had the unflavored one. Holy salt cow. It was if I took a drink from the ocean. No thanks. I’ll stick with my XTEND.

Landing the Plane

Recently, my team somehow ended up in possession of a “gently used” vape. With nearly a full battery and approximately half of the liquid contents, I wasn’t sure what to do. We have signage regarding not throwing away batteries, electronic cigarettes, etc. so I knew that much. Google helped me none. When I contacted safety, it became a nuclear issue. And that’s the story of how I became responsible for a new safety policy. Not responsible for the design, but responsible for the reason. Sorry, everyone, I don’t know anything about these things.

_____________________

I ask you –

What are your thoughts on the cost of cigarettes?

(The post Sips and Cigs first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)