Ultradad

Peter Pan wanted to be a Firefighter too

2009-07-06T21:58:00.000-07:00

How old do have to be to stop chasing dreams? When is it time to say enough is enough, Peter Pan . . . grow up!? I’m not sure why I’m writing this entry. I guess because I haven’t contributed to the new blog at all and I’m at a difficult juncture in my life. A place where a difficult decision must be made, a possible career change. After all the blog should chronicle the life and times of the people blogging, shouldn’t it?

So here is my dilemma, I am a volunteer paid on-call firefighter and a laundry resource manager. I have two paying jobs. I love both jobs but for different reasons. One job I don’t have to explain to the reader it is kind of self explanatory. The other job I couldn’t explain in a hundred words or less so I won’t even try.

I can’t explain the laundry job but let me tell you why I love it. It always presents a challenge. The challenge can be major or minor and sometimes I overcome the challenge and other times it overcomes me. I guess that is the key to enjoyment of most jobs. I recently read a book about Flow. It was called Flow: The Optimal Experience and it was really insightful. It talked about the things like work and getting into the zone. The optimal experience occurs when you are at the edge of your skill set where skills meet challenge. Without getting too far into it, that is what I enjoy about my job.

What I don’t enjoy about my job is the travel. When I first started the job I was gone one week a month. I hated it. A shuffling of accounts and I was back to a couple of days a month. A few longer days instead of overnights and I was down to one day a month. Lately I’ve been up to the 3 or 4, sometimes 5 nights a month and quite frankly I see it getting worse not better. My boss probably spends 2 or 3 weeks a month travelling. My counterpart in Alberta is the same. They have been doing for years.

My wake call came 3 weeks ago. I was in Prince George, miles away from home counting soiled garments on a production line (yeah it doesn’t get much more exciting then that) I was in the middle of the line “42, 43, 44 . . .” (The phone rings . . wake up call)

“Can I call you back!”, I yell (it was very loud where I was standing). Without waiting for a response I hung up. I finished my task and called Jen back.

“The kids and I have been in a car accident . . .” She says in a distraught voice. She tells me the kids are okay but she has wrenched back.

I was absolutely floored in disbelief. I couldn’t believe I hung up on her a moment ago.. I started to tremble. I was at least a plane ride away. I just wanted to be home. I couldn’t get a flight out as it was already 3:30 in the afternoon. The earliest I could get home was the next morning. which I did. At that point I thought that things would have to change.

So what about this crossroads? Well my fire department is going to a career hall which means a lot of phasing out of guys like me but not a complete phase out. They will still have a need for volunteers when the volume of calls spikes. When they first announce the department was going career I thought about briefly . . .the pay is really bad. But then I heard rumor that they were going to start the first four at first class rate. First class rate is what I make now but without bonus. Bonus is something you see when the economy is good. I didn’t see a bonus this year so in my eyes I’m trading one for one.

So my dilemma is applying for a position with the fire department. I have wanted this to happen for as long as I’ve been a firefighter. But with each passing year I see my chances slipping away. I was almost at the point where I was ready to pack it in a leave the job for someone else but then the posting came up and I couldn’t resist it. I had to apply. One more kick at the can.

For the last week or so I’ve been shaking my head in disbelief or possibly with the faint hope that yes it will work out financially.

The Chief is keeping the salary thing pretty close to his chest. Even on the application it states “Salary :TBA”. I say WTF?

Thoughts from Ethiopia

2009-04-11T10:04:00.000-07:00

You know I had a thought recently. It’s true I know I don’t get many but here goes. History has a way of writing itself. These are the most memorable times of our lives right now we are in a far off country picking up our daughter and blogging it. This is our account, well my account, my wife may have a different view which is my point exactly. History is told by one person’s account and retold using that account. Years from now that becomes the point of fact. Recently Barack Obama flubbed his swearing in the oath of office. He re-did it and recorded it as history. Are there re-dos in history? Of course there are! Remember Douglas MacArthur landing on Leyte Beach in WWII. That was a re-do at least on film it was. I think in today’s world, CNN and Wikipedia will hold us all accountable, at least for the major events of the world.

So here is my bit of history. Today we went to get Kalllie’s last vaccination. It was an adventure as Jenny has written and maybe the whole vaccination thing played apart in Kallie’s behavior the rest of the day. As far as attachment issues I’ve become or am becoming more aware of what could be there. I think under different circumstances I would have blown it off. For example, the moment she got her shot she was in the lap of Hana, (her nurse and someone she has known and trusted her whole life) but the realization of pain made her reach out for us. Okay that was cool. I took her from Hana as Kallie reached out. I was able to console her for a brief moment before someone else stepped in. (Read into this folks, it is being edited). So Jen took her back to the car and off we went with vaccination records in hand. We stopped at a little open air shack which is Ethiopia’s equivalent to Kinko’s the copy place and took copies of the records and we were home soon enough.

As far as consoling and cuddling goes it was an up and down day. There have been times today where Kallie didn’t want to be held and she just kind of sucked her thumb and rubbed her blanket. Then there were certainly times where we could not let go of her. Today we were finally able to let her play on the bed by herself without her crying. She even squirmed over to other parts of the bed where a different toy was and she grabbed it. But those moments are fleeting and we have to build on those when they come again.

We had our first ‘child in restaurant’ episode this evening. We decided to venture out to Makush a kind of Art Gallery and restaurant all tied in to one. On the walls were these amazing paintings by local artists. I wish I knew more about art styles but some were very real looking pieces, some more abstract, and some were just lines on a canvas that if you stared at long enough really came to life. We were seated in a quaint little table for two, with one on lap. Did I ever tell you Kallie may very well be a drummer.

“Wham, wham, wham!”

The big spoon at Jenny’s place setting makes a thunderous sound on our table. How delightful. Jen soon moves the other items in front of her to a very attractive yet functional radius about the size of a short arm. The circle of fun!

In the background I hear “ Table for six?” There were some very well dressed, older people walking in and were being seated down a couple of tables over. They were quite well dressed or perhaps I was under dressed, no matter. I can over hear their conversation about the artwork in the room and how good the food is hear blah, blah, blah . . .

“Wham, wham, wham”

There goes the big spoon on the table. It somehow got louder or the place got quieter I’m not sure. So Jen takes the spoon away from Kallie. Did you know Kallie isn’t big on words. She’s doesn’t say much but when she’s mad and in a mood she’ll let you know. She scrunches up her face and makes this sound like “EEEE!” It’s not really loud but its kind of fun to watch as she waves her hand. I swear she is shaking her fist. So what does an 11 month old do when something is taken away? She lunges for it of course but Jen was quick to put it outside the circle of fun. What was inside the circle of fun was the table cloth.

So after we changed our meal plan from dining in to take-out. I noticed that the table for six had moved to the far side of the restaurant. But through it all the people in charge were extremely nice. They even held Kallie and played peek a boo with her. Ethiopians are incredible with children, maybe that is too broad a statement but I have yet to find one who doesn’t crack a smile and wave to Kallie as we walked around today.

Our take-out didn’t quite meet our needs. I think the whole selling point for Makush is the atmosphere and not the food. Jenny couldn’t eat hers and me I’m lactose intolerant so getting an order of CHEESE ravioli in a cheesy tomato sauce wasn’t a great idea. The menu said Ravioli in Brown sauce. Usually I have a 50/50 shot of getting meat ravioli. I played the odds and lost. Our doorman was very appreciative of the meal

Keep moving folks I’ll see you tomorrow. Today’s history is written.

Ethiopia Notes

2009-04-11T10:03:00.001-07:00

I don’t care what you say there is nobody could ever capture the essence of this city on film, in blogs, or in photographs. The guidebook we were given quotes an ancient traveler calling Addis Ababa ‘noisy, dusty, sprawling and shambolic’. A hundred years later, he may still be right today but for the 2.8 million people who call it home it does have a certain appeal that I cannot quite nail down.

Maybe it is the fact that this place is so rich in history that around every corner there is a story to tell. On the other hand, maybe the people are so beautiful and culturally proud. We went to church today, yeah I know church with an 11-month-old but after she fell asleep, all was good. The sermon was okay. All in English served by a pastor from the US. Religion is big in Ethiopia you are pretty much Orthodox Christian or Muslim with no in between. It wasn’t so much the sermon that got me thinking it is the people and there undying faith. To look at the big picture you would almost say God dealt them a bad hand. Think about it: drought, famine, poverty, AIDS, war, this place has it all. Yet through it, all these people are incredibly proud.

This afternoon while Kallie was napping I thought about what I would blog today. The thoughts came in chunks so I thought I would kind of blog babble.

The streets of Addis are a shambles the main streets are well paved but all the side streets are patchwork cobblestones. Navigating the streets is an art form; there are very few street signs. Surviving the streets is a challenge with drivers weaving in and out doing, U turns are commonplace. The smog is incredible! Considering Addis has almost no heavy industry it makes it easy to place the blame on the poorly tuned automobiles described previously. Probably 70% of the vehicles are blue and white taxi vans or cars. Its funny to see these vans zipping up and down Bole Road, some guy half out the window calling out the next destination.

“National Stadium!” he yells. An arm waves and the van pulls over. An old man squeezes into an available bench seat after giving the person in the window a couple of Birr (the local currency). Off they go in a cloud of blue smoke.

A couple of kids, probably about 10 or 12 years old, are kicking a little ball down Bole Road. They are oblivious to the cars zipping by. Pass, kick, pass kick and a miss the ball goes into the street. Undeterred the one kid does a quick check and is in the street after it. The cars aren’t slowing down. Near miss a honk and the game goes on down the street as if nothing happened.

The other day, when we were on the way back from getting Kallie we were on one of the major feeder roads of Addis Ababa. It is quite common to see animals at the side of the road or even on the road. Donkeys are still used to tote around heavier items like bricks to construction sites. We were driving along zipping in and out of traffic when up ahead we saw a bull. Actually there were a couple of them just walking down the street. Abraham, our driver, honks his horn thinking they’ll get out of the way as he quickly approaches. He is still full throttle and the bull is still . . . well . . .still there. Rapid deceleration. HONK! We are a mere few inches from this bull. If the bull was breathing hard he’d probably fog up our windshield. But he wasn’t breathing hard because he wasn’t moving. Abraham calls to the farmer or whomever owns these beasts and moves them out of the way. Where is my seatbelt? Oh wait this van doesn’t have any!

Yesterday, we went up to Entoto the former capital of Ethiopia. Entoto is a mountain that was once heavily populated with eucalyptus trees. Of course eucalyptus is not indigenous to Ethiopia and was brought here by Emperor Menelik around the turn of the last century. Eucalyptus did well in the environment. I say it was ‘once heavily populated’ because it is being deforested by these women, known as the ‘fuel wood women’ who cut down the trees and haul them down the mountain to sell the wood for fuel. I’m not kidding. Going up the mountain we saw dozens of women with bundles of tree stalks carrying them down the mountain on their backs. These bundles were about 8 feet long and two or three feet in diameter. The stalks ranged from 1” to 3” in diameter. The bundles must have weighed about 60 lbs. These women were tiny probably not more than 100 lbs. So how much to you think you get for carrying a cumbersome 60 lb bundle of sticks down a mountain several miles to town? Incredibly the going rate for a bundle of fuel wood is only a few dollars!

We went shopping yesterday as Jenny mentioned. Every time we stopped the van we were mobbed by children trying to sell us something or just begging. But begging wasn’t restricted to children, adults half blind or crippled or both would constantly come up to you. “Please I’m starving” was usually what came out of there mouth. I don’t doubt that they were but we were warned not to offer anything. Any amount of generosity on our part does nothing to solve the problem. It was indescribable the gamut of thoughts and feelings running through your head as you are told to look the other way. The marketplaces were the worst for this but even the street outside of our hotel has it’s fair share of street people.

This trip has been an emotional rollercoaster. In my mind I’ve got tons of questions. In my heart I wish I had the answers.

Just keep moving folks. Just keep moving.

Day Two :Our Trip

2009-04-11T10:02:00.001-07:00

Day 2: The Best Day of My Life (tied for 5th)

The title says it all. The birth of my children was something to behold. Each birth has a different story and each was remarkable in its own way. I was never present for Kallie’s birth so this will have to serve as that day, the first time I laid eyes on her.

The day had began where the last post ends, We landed in Nairobi early at about 6 am. Nairobi Airport was a little different then I expected. We walked through the arrivals gate to find our connecting gate to Addis Ababa. The walk itself was different. We arrived at Gate 16 and had to make our way to Gate 4B. Picture the departures level at Vancouver Airport big wide open with many different gates and destinations to boot. Interspersed between the different gates are vendors selling magazines or coffee whatever your last minute needs. The decorum is impressive, local artist’s work is proudly displayed in the long gaps between gates and vendors. Now close your eyes and forget what you just saw because Nairobi is nothing like that. Walking to the next gate was more like walking to your next class in school, the hallway was just as wide and as the bell rings and a thousand kids want out in the opposite direction you are going. There are still vendors except they display their wares from their lockers one right after another. The entrance to the gates are merely doorways with someone standing out front and you waiting patiently while the masses move past like salmon spawning in a stream and you clinging to the nearest rock.

Our gate was slightly different we were fortunate enough to be at the end of the hallway at the bottom of the narrow staircase in the basement. New country means new security clearance, you know the routine: bags through the scanner . . . any gels or liquids? . . . remove your laptop? Wait a second they didn’t do the last two. Maybe the walk-through metal detector constantly going off constantly distracted them. A quick pat down at the shoulders and waist means you are okay. It must because the detector went off when nobody was going through. I feel secure now!

The flight to Addis Ababa was short enough depending on how you look at it. One hour and forty minutes or the tail end of a 29 hour odyssey which the case I was glad it was over. Hop a bus from the far end of the tarmac to the arrivals area. First though the Visa area an impromptu line ensues $40 dollars and a decal in my passport and Jen and I are officially visiting. On to the immigration line to hand in the card, we filled out and down to the carousel. I’m reserving comment on the Addis Ababa Bole Road Airport. A little more wide-open but still needs some work.

I’m being bogged down folks, with too much to say not enough time to write. Let’s jump to meeting Solomon. Super nice guy, he bought us flowers and he took us to the Weygoss where we could freshen up. The plan was to freshen up and meet back at two o’clock. We made a quick trip to head office sign some papers and we would be off to the transition house. See! Now we are getting there, I could always write separate posts about: the lost stroller, the Weygoss toilet , or the Streets of Addis Ababa. Lunch our first meal in Addis. Trust me folks I’ll get there.

Let me just say this quickly. If you had to get somewhere through the downtown core of your own city, could you navigate there without road signs or street signs? Welcome to Addis Ababa! We made it to the compound of Imagine Adoption and we met Martha, a very nice lady. I’m trying to visualize the trip so that maybe I could look it up later on Google Earth but that’s just a minor detail. Our meeting was brief we were just there to get Kallie’s passport and facilitation visa and other original documents. There is a certain irony to the whole event. The facilitation visa as part of the citizenship route looks very much like our visitor visa, a decal inside our passport. The whole process at the airport took about 5 or 6 minutes. The whole process to get the facilitation visa took 11 weeks, no pomp with this circumstance. I don’t know its just mind numbing and almost upsetting.

Another jaunt through the city and I’m seeing a whole bunch of stuff. Steady Rob . . .hold the course, talk about it later. I saw the Federation of Sport (cool I took a picture), heading south, a Roundabout and a right turn down a dusty boulevard to the bottling plant, turn right and right again up an alley they call a street and I see the familiar site of the Transition House, the red roof is a give away. It’s probably the nicest building on the “block” and perhaps of our whole trip, so far.

Timeout! You are probably wondering when this guy is going to get to talking about his daughter the suspense is killing me. Yeah well now you know how I felt. It’s about 36 hours since our plane took off in Vancouver. Total sleep hours to this point is still in the single digits not close to breaking the double digits. I am tired and cranky sleep deprived jet lagged but amazingly coherent. Okay I will get back to the story.

The foyer you see in a lot of peoples blog pictures is the front door. A sliding glass door and you are in a beautiful vaulted ceiling atrium. The only décor is two couches, a single matching chair and a glass coffee table. Then we are met by the social worker, whose name is also Kalkidan, we exchange handshakes and she seats us to get ready to meet out daughter. The smell of freshly roasted coffee beans permeates the air as one of the staff is preparing coffee for us.

The head nurse walks in with Kallie in her arms. My daughter is absolutely beautiful, of course I’m biased but she is stunning. Kallie is wearing a little yellow Ethiopian style sundress, her hair is done up in braids like corn rows. She glances over at us pauses, and cries, howls in fact! Quick transition and she is in Jenny’s arms, two of the most beautiful women on the face of the Earth are before my eyes. The next couple of hours we spent getting comfortable with her. Every time we switch off she cries. She soon has us trained to the fact that yes I will cry but if you get up and walk around with me so I see stuff I’ll stop crying. Time is standing still right now I’m trying to record everything in my foggy head, on camera, video camera, and digital voice recorder. I am geeked out.

When all the staff come back we ask a barrage of questions about habits and behaviors and all sorts of stuff. Jenny is diligently taking notes. We have coffee. It is incredible coffee. Another caregiver comes in with Kallie’s food it is banana and papaya mushed up. This is her “juice”. We start to feed her but she is kind of distracted. The level of trust hasn’t quite built up enough to where we can feed her. I’ll let you hold me but feeding me maybe another time.Hana the head nuse takes over to feed her and is done in a flash!

Our visit seemed all too brief but it was past her nap time and she seemed to be getting a little cranky. We asked to see her crib and roommates. No pictures, of course, but there were 5 cribs and only four occupied at the time. Kallie was one. Pictures we sent her were posted above her crib. In the crib next to her was another beautiful little girl about her age also with pictures of her family. I didn’t get to read the names on the card except Mommy Daddy and someone else. We did not impress this little girl. At least we got a reaction. In the crib next to her, a little girl was fast asleep but didn’t event stir with all of the chatter of adults and, one girl screaming . The little boy in the room was quite the gentleman. We was standing in his crib just staring back at me. He was not crying or anything just trying to figure out who I was. A brief visit and of course all other doors were closed. No photos and they would not even tell us the babies names. Kallie’s room was on the ground floor and there were many other rooms above us.

Alas it was time to go. We had a shopping list and food to buy. I’ll see you tomorrow Kallie! We made a quick trip to the store and back to the hotel. Okay now I was physically and emotionally drained. As the sun went down so did I. With luck on my side the Weygoss was in a brown out which meant no lights, no internet, no problem.
The last thing I remember is Jenny telling me that she had left a babbling, sobbing message to ours boys and Jen’s mom. It is three in the afternoon Vancouver time, 1 am local time. I am just finishing this off.

Oh and if you are wondering the fifth best day of my life was my wedding day, of course.

Day One: Our Trip

2009-04-11T10:00:00.000-07:00

Nothing ever goes as planned when it comes to long flights on an airplane. Case in point, Day 1 of our journey to Ethiopia, probably from the outset of when we first thought of adopting from Ethiopia was how long the flight to get there would be. The number of layovers was kind of a given in that you had to have at least one, there are no direct flights. So in your mind you kind of develop a game plan of what is going to keep you occupied for the long flight.

Books
Several weeks prior to our trip we ventured out to Chapters and picked up some really good reading material, stuff that I’ve been getting into but yet holding back because I didn’t want to only to savor it for the long flight. As my stopwatch ticks away at 19:45.27 (I started it the moment the wheels left the ground in Vancouver) I have yet to crack open my book.

Magazines
I brought two running magazines. Actually I bought one and one is the gift subscription my mother-in-law gets me every year. I have had both in my possession for about a week, once again savoring for the moment. Once again, I have barely skimmed the contents of either.

Electronic Gear
I have brought my iPod, two in fact just in case the batteries run out in one I will have the other. The iPod has puzzle games and the video games and stuff. Usually I like to load the thinking games likes puzzles, Sudoku stuff like that it keeps my mind amused.

However, this trip has been different. I think I have turned my brain off and I just do not want to think. That being said I have channeled into my blogging persona and pulled out the laptop for the final couple of hours of this tour.

Random thoughts of the Day:
So far, we have been to two airports Vancouver and Amsterdam. Vancouver takes it easily minus a couple of points for the Starbucks in the International Area not having coffee. What kind of Starbucks runs out of coffee?

A Yotel is a incredible concept. I wouldn’t call it a hotel but more of a functional closet that you can wash, sleep, and connect to the internet. Although it seems fairly pricey it is well worth the bed time spent if even for a couple of hours.

Amsterdam is very expensive. It’s funny that some people benchmark the relative prices of things based on standard commodities: a cup of coffee or a beer. As parents of small children we alter our perception of things based on the price of a Quarter Pounder w/Cheese meal and Star Wars Action Figures. If the dollar was par with the Euro we would be good but since the Euro is worth nearly twice what our dollar is things are not so good.

We have been lucky so far tapping into our good karma. Two very long haul flights, Jenny and I have had a row of three seats to the two of us. Jenny is flaked out beside me now taking two of those seats.

Well it is getting late or early depending where you are. I’ve probably slept 6 hours in the last two days. We land in Nairobi in just over two hours we have a connecting flight to Addis Ababa in less than 45 minutes after we touch down. It’s a two hour fight to Addis and Jenny has requested to see Kallie right away.

OMG – last though of the day. Jenny woke up! There is a small child about Kallie’s age screaming her head off right now. I wonder how well Kallie is going to travel? Come on karma hold out for a little while longer. Just keep moving.

Running in Edmonton

2009-02-03T21:24:00.000-08:00

It’s a chilly Edmonton evening. The sky is a dark grey as clouds conceal the moon from shining down on us mortals as we tap away on our laptops. The mood is somber and I am wishing it would change. Tap away I do, searching the inner depths for something positive. I’ll go for a run to change my mood, it is not raining yet and travelling here on business has left me with nothing but time.

Mile one rolls by with not much of a thought, the streets are a dark mocha brown from all the sand and gravel that has been laid down over top on the rippled icy surface. It feels like cobblestones beneath my feet and still I run.

Mile two passes beneath my feet and to myself I think about the adoption. How long it seems to have gone on, I no longer count the months because this does nothing to improve the mood. I’m listening to my iPod but barely acknowledge the words as my mind drifts in and out of the waiting. The surface turns to hard packed snow. There is a groove where people tread down the center of the path. It may have been safer during the day but it has become slick at night as the miles go by.

Mile three and four go by I’m feeling my groove. That point where my solace takes a quantum leap into effortlessness. I fast forward to travelling to a far off land exploring the culture, the people, and the places but most of all holding my daughter for the very first time. Fast forward even more to our daughter’s first steps, the first time we hear momma and dada. The blues are blowing away beneath my feet.

Mile five, she’s crying now why is she crying? Is she hungry? Is she wet? Is she scared? There, there little one I’m here now. The trail ends I had better turn around. The moon is chasing away the clouds and lights up the trail. There is old snow on the ground that has turned to glass. It glistens in the moonlight.

Mile six, hey I was running uphill I hardly noticed. I have to put up that baby gate when I get home. Man alive we bought a lot of gear that we had years ago. I can just picture her little face pressed against that baby gate saying “hey I want ot go down there!” “No honey it is too dangerous.” Runners cross paths in the night. They are out for a run with their running stroller. How cool is that.

Mile seven, the river looks beautiful in its frozen blanket. A flat white sheet covers the mighty North Saskatchewan River. It divides this city in half as it meanders slowly through the metropolis.

Mile eight, I still have lots to do before we leave. Lots of work at work and at home but still I would leave in a moments notice. In my mind, I picture her sleeping now, she’s seem content. I wonder if she sleeps through the night? We will soon see. I wonder if she likes dogs? We will soon see.

Mile nine, I see the lights of the city. I am running along the major roads now. Stereos are blaring, people are honking their horns and in the distance I hear the faint sound of someone’s car alarm.

Mile ten, the home stretch I’m better now I have made peace with the universe. The problems of today melted away beneath my feet and back to where they came from. And with it another blog post. Thanks for reading. Relentless forward motion.

Day 8: Still no luggage

2009-01-16T17:27:00.001-08:00

Well today is Day 8 without my suitcase. I get upset every time I think about it now. I called WestJet this morning just to get an update. Officially, the Central Baggage department is handling my case. They have yet to make contact with me.

So far, I have gotten on with my life. I am running on my old shoes that have close to 600 miles on them. Yes, they do hurt and my hips and knees throb a bit afterwards but the good feelings far out weigh the bad. However, the balance is quickly changing. I do have two pairs of old shoes that I am switching out for the moment but both pairs have 500+ miles on them. It is funny to note how different they feel after running two weeks on brand new shoes. In the new shoes, I hardly felt anything until about 8 miles and I recovered quickly to run the next day. Now I throb after five and probably could not run more than 4 times a week, even running consecutive days is taxing.

The loss of running clothes has been a challenge. Although I have escaped the wintery climes of Edmonton, the temperatures are still below zero in the morning. If I had something more than shorts to wear, I probably would wear it. Seeing as I don’t I compensate by layering the top half with fleece, which is surprisingly comfortable to run in. The weather has been compliant in that it has not rained since I have been back. There is no rain forecast for the next 4 days.

As far as podcasting goes, I think I mentioned all my podcasting gear was in the bag as well. Digital recorders are surprisingly cheap and I do use it for work as well, so I will be able to replace it and expense it. The loss of the Giant Squid microphone is damaging. Therefore, I will replace the recorder and be back in operation for the weekend.

Lost

2009-01-10T15:57:00.000-08:00

My world came crashing down in a blur as I touched down at the Abbotsford Airport. As I got off the plane and headed for the Arrivals area of the airport, I watched as people picked up their luggage and I patiently waited for mine to show. It never showed and in fact at this writing still has not shown up. I have been researching all sorts of lost luggage statistics to find some solace, a glimmer of hope.

I have been nothing but a cranky, miserable SOB since the moment my luggage failed to arrive. I would like to blame WestJet for my condition but really, I am in control of my mood and nobody else.

As I face the reality that my luggage may never show up, I keep going over all the things albeit material things that are in the suitcase that are very much part of
1) My brand new running shoes – I got them for Christmas
2) Running Pants –for cold weather running
3) Running Shorts
4) 2 pairs of running socks
5) Long sleeve running shirt that my boys bought my for my last birthday
6) My Ultimate Direction water bottle holder that my wife got for my first ultramarathon
7) Several running shirts
8) Work shirts
9) Pants
10) Underwear
11) Socks
12) A printer – yeah a mobile printer light compact expensive
13) My iPod Nano – doesn’t get much use now that I have a Touch
14) My digital recorder for recording my podcast along with the microphone
15) My electric shaver – I’ve had to shave with a blade for the first time in years –ouch!. Plus the other toiletries
16) My running jacket
17) Down vest for added warmth

Sure all these things are replaceable. However, with a baby on the way real soon I cannot afford the cost of replacing any of it. Some of thing things kind of go together. Much of it has been accumulated over years of acquisitions.

I cannot change what has happened and it has given me cause to re-evaluate my life. I may not run for a couple of days or until I can, figure something out but I will live.

Moreover, to my wife, I admit I have been an ass. Forgiveness is the first step in repairing the wounds.

Manzella Wind Pro Gloves

2009-01-07T22:30:00.000-08:00

I bought a new pair of gloves today at the Running Room. For all of you who do not know the Running Room is like a Canadian institution. Starting from one small store in Edmonton, it now has stores in every major city in Canada. Little did I know that the store I would visit today was actually store #1.

Manzella makes the gloves from Polartec fleece and come up well past the wrist. The Index and Middle finger and thumb have an added reinforcement for a little extra grip.

The official name of the glove in the Wind pro®-10 as part of the Manzella Glove Selection System. I chose the ‘warmer’ glove as there was also a ‘warmest’ and a ‘warm’ glove for three different climates.

They fit well and breath really well and don’t allow my had to get all sweaty. They were pricey at $39.99 but I had a gift card that I was dying to use. After yesterdays near frostbite episode, I did not want to be cold again. These gloves did not let me down.

Edmonton: Day 2

2009-01-06T23:34:00.000-08:00

Awesome run today, I really tested my mettle. Although the run was only 8 miles it was -25C which is biting cold. The run started well deep in the heart of the city and within a few block of the hotel I found an awesome trail which I recorded my podcast. I don’t know how far the trail went on for I took it for about 4 miles out and turned around.

By the end of the run I couldn’t move my fingers. My wife called me on my cell phone and my hands were so frozen I couldn’t grasp the phone hard enough to pull it out of my pocket. I don’t think I could have lasted another mile in the cold but I had a ton of fun suffering through it. Is that pathetic or what?

When I I finally got inside and started to thaw out the pain of the circulation coming back into my extremities was excruciating. It’s later now and I’m totally thawed out. I didn’t suffer any noticeable windburn so I’ll be out there tomorrow

Edmonton

2009-01-05T21:49:00.000-08:00

Edmonton is not such a bad place after all. I never thought that I'd actually appreciate the cold Albertan weather. The weather has actually warmed up over the last week. Last week Edmonton was one of the coldest places in Canada at -42F. If you are wondering -40 is where the Celsius and fahrenheit scales meet and are equal.

But I must say Edmonton has got it together when it comes to snow removal and sanding. The streets are a beautiful mocha brown, beautiful maybe an over statement but I really love running on a surface with traction. Back home in Mission it is still slushy and the streets are frozen. In fact it was a snow day back home so even better that I'm out of town. I ran to Staples and around the downtown core where I am staying. There were some pretty interesting sites to see even in dark. I love exploring a new place.

Although I really miss my family when I'm gone and I think they miss me. Eatting out every meal really sucks and you have to find healthy places to eat. I'll have to work on that tomorrow!

Runner,dude!

2009-01-04T21:04:00.000-08:00

We watched an amusing movie last night. “Surfer, dude” which is a film starring Matthew McConaughey. It was a bad movie but the premise of the movie was somewhat interesting. I will not spoil it for you but Steve Addington is a surfer, which is all he is. During the movie, we see what happens when a surfer has no surf and nothing else in his life. It is a long drought and this is possibly, where the movie dried up.

Nevertheless, I started to draw parallels between the main character and myself. You see it has been about three weeks since I last saw the street in front of my house. Three weeks ago, the snow came and stayed for a while, a long while. As a runner, I have longed for the clear open road and a chance to unwind on it. It started the day after school let out and it has not let up yet. I have had brief glimpses on the road and sometimes ventured out on to the snow pack or slush and ice or whatever safety allowed. However, these were very rare adventures. My moments of solace abate me.

And so now begins the real storm before the calm. In my entire work career, I do not think I have ever been busier. In the next 8 weeks from this day forward I have planned and in the books:

Two trips to Edmonton
One trip to Toronto
One trip to Prince George
Two trips to Kelowna
And topped of by one very important trip to Ethiopia.

Most of the trips will be flying some I may drive. The trip to Ethiopia is not in the books and as an added stress; my beautiful wife says she is going with or without me. First available date and she is gone. My first available date is the middle of February.

The Christmas break was simply wonderful well maybe not simple but wonderful just the same. The weather could not be better suited for a break as it almost forced us to stay home and relax or shovel snow. My back may never be the same. I am always sad to see long breaks end but this one I was ready to end it.

From what I understand, the weather pattern has changed and it will be warming up and switching to rain. Maybe I will be able to see the road beneath my feet once more. However, until that time I wait.

Resolutions 2009

2009-01-03T15:40:00.000-08:00

Well we are 3 days into 2009 and I’ve had a bit of time to think about things I’d like to change this year. I’m usually not one for resolutions, in fact I’m kind of a ‘Do It Now’ kind of person. Or more so ‘Do It Now or Never at All’ but I’ve been inspired.

Personal Resolutions
Communicate more. – I like blogging I really do but I get distracted by whatever comes along. Finding time to sit down for a hour or so just doesn’t happen so if I blog I will blog shorter. It’s taken 3 hours to complete this post. Work in progress.
Communicate efficiently – say it succinctly in as few words as possible. Whether it’s podcasting or blogging. Just don’t babble.
Details matter- I’ve always for as long as I can remember have been a Big Picture person and details were not as important. I’m finding more the details do matter in that it shows a different side of a the person.

Goals for 2009
 Run in a far off place. In picking up our daughter in Ethiopia I plan to get at least one run in.
 Run another marathon. The next goal and this goal are not necessarily exclusive of each other
 Set a some PR’s
 Run another Ultra. With my schedule I’ve got a short list right now
 Work the core. My core sucks and I’m going to change that now!
 Build the Upper body and gain some weight. I’ve got put on some muscle.

Yes it’s a short list but like I said the shorter it is the more efficiently I can get it out.

The Wait is OVER. This is my Daughter

2009-01-01T11:08:00.000-08:00

Thank you thank you thankyou. Just a quick post. News came in via email with great news. And now I wish to share a couple of photographs with you. For more information and news and stuff check out our other blog http://ethiopiajourney.blogspot.com.

Counting down to the Court Date

2009-01-01T10:26:00.000-08:00

Do you believe in jinxes? I guess that is to say are you superstitious? I believe the Bible says not to believe in it as it gives power to the evil one. I can't help myself really, I'm a jock, an athlete if you will. We are superstitious by nature: favorite socks, favorite hat, pre-race routines the whole enchilada.

In baseball if a pitcher is throwing a no hitter nobody but nobody talks to him in the late innings. Nobody looks at him for fear of the 'stink eye'. It's bad mojo, superstition prevails we don't jinx.

In many sports during the playoffs they don't shave once again superstition.

January 1st was just a few days away when I started this post and with it our second court date. I can't help but think we somehow jinxed the first court date. I can't elaborate but I think we did. The question
is: Is writing about it now somehow changing my karma? I don't believe so because I'm not changing the groove. I am merely an observer to the celestial events I haven't bought any plane tickets I'm just taking it all in.

I must say the anticipation is killing me. If I don't post this then the karma dogs got the better of me. If I do post this then it gives Jenny an out and I become the fall guy.
Okay I di

At 11:30pm with just 30 minutes left in the year my pager went off. A
Cardiac call with ambulance delayed, something inside triggers everytime an cardiac emergency call comes in like somehow I've been given a special gift and only I can do this. But with just 30 minutes left in the year I knew I'd probably be on scene rather than at home ringing in the New Year.

As it turned out, the patient was DOA. In fact it was Mission's final homicide of 2008. With just 10 minutes left in the year we were told we could clear. I might make it after all I said to our District Chief on scene.
"Hey guys!" was the call from the paramedics.
"You jinxed it", I murmured to myself. A minor detail but just enough to have me on a truck rolling home when the clock struck midnight instead of at home.

The house was dark and quiet when I got home at 8 minutes after the New Year.

When the pager went off at 6:30 I was extremely groggy but I had the presence of mind to remember that this was the big day. Stay home dumbass!

I got up and let the dogs out. Silently I would wait. If the phone rang it would be good news. If the email alert went off it would be bad news.

7:00 and then 8:00 painfully I watched the time go by. I lit the prayer candle my mother-in-law brought by the night before. I popped my head in to the bedroom to see if Jen was awake. Bad move dumbass!

In my head, I fought off visions of that terrible day in November when we got the email and not the phone call. I quickly put it out of my head. Think positive, be happy.

9:00 Oh yet another cardiac call. I do nothing but silently stare at the computer scene.

Episode 29: Show Notes on Shoes

2008-11-13T19:14:00.000-08:00

Episode SHOES
The life of the average running shoe is 300 to 500 miles
The wide range in lifespan is due to make up and materials but also the runner and the running surface.

Weight if the Runner a heavier runner will land with more impact than a lighter runner. Thus the midsole will compress more and lose it rebounding and elasticity sooner.

Cleanliness of the shoe. Running outdoors will degrade the uppers. Soil and debris like mud will wear away the upper just like any other material

Outsoles will wear away with surface abrasion. Trail shoe in particular will wear away from abrasion quicker than the midsole breaks down from impact. As a general rule, here is Canada our sidewalks are made from concrete. Apart from being one of the hardest surfaces a runner can run on, thus transferring the most force back into the joints. Concrete is one of the most abrasive surfaces we run on and therefore should be avoided at all costs.

Shoe type. Shoes are designed for basically three types of runners based on the varying degrees of pronation. Stability Shoes Pronators, Motion Control, Neutral Cushioning. If your foot roll inward from the ankle while you run you are a pronator. Basic checks: Check the arches, check the wear patterns on your shoes, check into a reputable shoe dealer.

There is a lot more about shoes that I could ever cover in one podcast But I’d like to talk about Trail Shoes

Trail Shoes are not meant for streets. Because of the uneven surfaces they don’t take a lot of pronation control into account for their design. In fact it’s a whole new ball game when we talk about trail shoes. The last is usually stiff because we expect rocks and roots. The midsole is tiff because we expect cushion from the ground. The upper is either waterproof or drains incredibly well. To use an analogy choosing a trail shoes is choosing a tire for your car. Mud Tires for 4 x 4s , Snow Tires for Snow, Slick if you want to go fast. The variations are endless. Some shoes are designed with thick lugs which are great for mud and dirt but maybe not so for slick rock or packed trails. Tread pattern is important so decide what is best. Keep your trail shoes for the trails. Avoid hot pavement and concrete which will shorten the life of your tread.

Quick note about Responsible Shoes I agree with Steve Runner. But the way to do it is not to boycott their shoes but rather write your congressman or MP. Ask for trade sanctions unless labour codes are improved. This goes way beyond shoes. Shoes are a drop in the bucket. Many countries are involved, many consumer products are involved from running shoes and sportswear to automobiles, computer software and hardware, electronics, virtually every product in your house has been touched by poverty stricken countries with poor labour practices. If we expose one company it just means those workers will lose there jobs or work for a sub contractor to a subcontractor of some other consumer product. While at the same time we voice our concerns we also must be ready for the outcome and the ripple effects we create. I’m sorry to sound apathetic but this is an inconvenient truth. As far as auditing goes once again this is very tough. In my own country auditing safety concerns has a huge backlog and only the worst o

In my own experience I am a heel striker and a pronator. I need an outsole that has a plate of rubber at the heel strike corner. I’ve had shoes that have had lugs at the heel and have ended up wearing out the heel lugs. I would love to find a shoe that has a little less cushion or midsole in the heel. The height of most of the trail shoes I’ve worn are higher than their road counterparts. The end result, or what I believe to be the end result is my heel strike is harder than my road shoes. Kyle Skaggs winner of this years Hardrock 100 wore a prototype shoe from New Balance which resembled racing flats. I’d be curious to try those. Anton Krupicjka sponsored by La Sportiva was once fabled to cut out the heel of his midsole to get a better feel

Chasing the Runner's High

2008-11-03T14:29:00.000-08:00

This week’s episode I talk about the elusive Runner’s High. I recently re-read an article by Amby Burfoot of Runner’s World about the high and give you some of the highlights from the article. I then go on to discuss the merits of the article. Is it real and why can’t we tap into it more readily?

This weeks highlights from the Firehall
Still no TUNE notes this week.

Feel free to contact me at:

Ultradad.podcast at gmail.com or read my blog at

http://ultradad.blogspot.com/

Runner's High? Endorphins? Fiction, Some Scientists Say

Yes, Running Can Make You High

Frightening at times!

2008-10-30T06:58:00.001-07:00

We have three boys, each with their own vibrant personalities and habits. As the days get shorter they start to spend more and more time indoors, bored. I try spending time with them whenever I get a chance but it’s not always easy finding a happy medium with all three. In a nutshell, I’ve got a thinker, an explorer/dreamer, and a how much trouble can I get into before someone catches me child. In each I see myself looking back at me. Many times I marvel at this fact and still there are those times where it’s down right frightening. Jenny usually makes the connection to this truth long before I do. I’m in denial.

This past weekend was beautiful and for late October temperatures were practically shorts weather. My legs usually take on a light bluish color before I relegate the shorts to the summer clothes drawer so this particular day was a bonus.

As Sunday drew to a close I couldn’t give up the day without going for a short run. As many of you know I’m a runner. I love to run and will do so at any opportunity given. One of the greatest pleasures in a runner’s life is being able to run with your children. I remember when I did my first ultramarathon my family met me at several of the aid stations. At one particular aid station, Ethan had asked if he could run with me for a while. A while ended up being only a couple hundred yards.

“I’m going to be a runner like you Dad!” he said with pride before calling it a day.

Since that time we’ve run on several occasions including our first 5K together. On Sunday I asked if he wanted to go for another run and as always he said, “Sure!”

Conversation is always light but that’s okay. Ethan always highlights the week’s events which are usually activity based and rarely informative of his academics.

“I’m second fastest in my class” he tells me with pride.

Our runs are usually interspersed with walks and only last about a half an hour but the quality carries on for the rest of the day.

Ah yes, the rest of the day. As I mentioned before I have three boys. In the time that I wasn’t watching over them directly my youngest had decided that his bangs were bugging him. So he cut them. Short!

Okay let me give you just a little background. I cut my own hair. I’ve cut my own hair for about twenty years now. I can’t be bothered with style and the other frivolous things that go along with it. If I make a mistake, gel can usually cover it up until it grows out a bit. It’s no big deal. My kids have seen me cut my hair on numerous occasions. Fade to black.

“Honey, did you see what Owen did to his hair while you were supposed to be watching him!” ,my wife says in a somewhat frustrated tone.

“Yes, I did!”

“Are you going to say something to him?”

“Owen, come here!”

Owen walks into the room. His head hung low. His bangs resemble something of a semi-circle or maybe a bent sickle I can’t be sure. It took everything I had not to laugh or crack a smile.

“Owen, did you cut your hair?” I said with the sternest face I had. And yet still a sense of pride was welling up inside me. Just like me my boy had cut his own hair. Free from style conscience masses that dictate what hair should look like. Free from the fashion police that draw the solid black line between what is in and what is out.

Dejected, he nods.

All I could muster was “Owen, don’t do it again.”

The resemblance was uncanny. In fact it was frightening.

Its Picture Day at School!

2008-10-28T15:57:00.001-07:00

Picture Day at elementary school was always a challenge. A long line up of kids from your class lined up one after the other. Each one dressed up in their finest outfits or at least their coolest outfits. I remember as a kid trying to maintain some level of coolness as my mom picked out the geekiest clothes and combed my hair in the style to match my clothes. It was alright though because even the coolest kids had moms like mine and their hair actually looked worse.

It was a torturous day as we tried to maintain our hairstyles and keep our clothes clean until we got our pictures taken. There is a reason why photographers ask that the kindergarten and early grades go first because their expectation to make through recess unscathed was much less than the older grades.

One by one an already wearisome photographer rattles off a couple of shots per child and moves one to the next child. “Smile!” he commands not really waiting for a response just clicking the picture with a “Good enough” smirk on his face.

“Next please!”

One by one my friends were taken down. Their dorkiness captured forever on film to be produced into an 8 x10 and a couple of wallet size photos for all the relatives to laugh at.

Oh the torture of standing in line, all your friends looking at you weird like they’d never seen you before. Maybe they were secretly giggling at you. Laughing at the dorky haircut your mom just gave you. I’d show them I said to myself. I’m going to do the goofiest smile and make them all laugh. Yeah that’s it! But wait what will my mom say. Mom will freak if she sees a goofy smile in my picture.

Invariably the photographer always captured the very essence of the moment. Not quite a picture perfect smile and not the goofy weird face that would have won respect from the line up behind me but rather somewhere in between.

Years later, I’m a parent and now the roles change as the photographs come back from my children’s own picture day. As the media has gone from film to digital, a new era is brought in. A photographer could surely rattle off twenty pictures in the time it use to take one and there is virtually no cost. Just erase the one with the goofy smiles.

“How did the photos turn out honey?” I ask my wife.

“Hmmf! I could have done better!”

I stare in amazement at the photographs with their supposed grins, not quite a smile and not quite a goofy face that would have brought down the house. I have no response. The memories come flooding back and secretly I smile.

An 8 x10 and a couple of wallet size, please!

Episode 10: Ultradad and the 3 Bear (Stories)

2008-07-10T20:55:00.000-07:00

There's a bear out there. On my podcast I discuss my encounters with bears. This one photographed here is on my neighbor's lawn. I'm not joking!

I also discuss product reviews that you read in magazines. In fact here are my notes for the show:

It’s funny how a podcast can develop. I think in the past 10 shows I’ve reviewed my hydration systems, my shoes, my shorts. I wish I had more stuff to review. I don’t know about you folks but other peoples opinions matter to me about gear I’m going to buy. Not so much about shoes because everybody’s feet are different. But I read every review I can find about a product I’m interested in for two reasons. The first I look for experienced people to go through the ins and out of these products before I buy them. Manufacturers tend to highlight the good things about a product and downplay the shortcomings. Magazines I am torn with the opinions from magazines for the simple reason the a large majority of their operating income comes from advertising. Because of this you’ll never see Runners World say Wow those new Nike Air Watchamacallits they suck. The forefoot doesn’t fit many, the heel counter fits poorly and the construction is poor. I give it two thumbs down. Instead you’ll see ten pairs from different manufacturers reviewed, a few will get top marks for design, others will get Editors Choice and the new design for the Air Watchamacallits will get average marks with neutral statements made about it. It’s not that it is highlighted but it isn’t swept under the carpet either. We as the consumer have to read between the lines.

This is where the opinions of consumers become valued. I like going to websites for online stores where the consumer will openly state “They fell apart after 100 miles” Midsole lost cushioning after three weeks, stuff like that. I need to know this sort of stuff because I can’t go into a store and size up the latest gizmo in a 10 minute perusing of the features only to get home and find it isn’t as user friendly as all the ads made it out to be.

This is what I’m going to do. Because I’m the frugalest (sp) the most frugal runner on the face of the Earth. I am going to solicit supplier for their products. The products I’m going to solicit are things that I’d like to have but don’t necessarily need to achieve my goals. For example:
Moeben Arm Warmers
Salomon XT Wings – okay I have a pair and love them but come on they aren’t cheap.
North Face Gear – I know North Face makes some really good quality stuff but do you need it compare to a lesser made pair of gear. I hope to explore the differences.
Gels and Energy Bars – right now I use Power Gels and Sharkies because they are available. I’d like to try other products but I’m frugal and it takes a few runs and a few packs to really know and if it doesn’t work you’ve spent $20 on nothing but a stomach ache.

I’m not looking for sponsorship but who am I kidding it would be nice. Wouldn’t it be cool to actually find a sponsor whose products you chose to be the best out there and not because they were the only ones to flash free stuff and the occasional entry fee. In this way you’d being doing a public service and not selling out. Still I’m skeptical if it would work.

The New Media

2008-07-04T17:49:00.000-07:00

Podcasting is the new media. More clearly defined podcasting as a subset of the Internet is the newest medium for conveying information to the targeted masses. By ‘targeted’ masses I mean a specific listening audience that is intent on finding information about a topic. My podcast is about running more specific than that I key in on trail running and even more specific than that ultra distance trail running.

NUMBERS
I don’t know what the numbers are and I’m sure some company somewhere has been paid to keep tabs on the numbers but a lot of people are into fitness, whether it is diets and keeping the pounds off any way they can or activity based fitness. Of those people are born the runners which possible number into the hundreds of millions. In my own corner of the world the Vancouver Sun Run, a local 10K, had 50,000 participants this year. Of those people there are marathoners or aspiring marathoners. I’ve been told that marathoners constitute ½ of 1% of the world’s population. If that is even remotely close that may seem like a minority in the world but that translates to 5 million people worldwide. Add to that the aspiring and the number grows even more. Ultra distance runners are even fewer than that. But the aspiring from that are probably bordering on similar numbers to sum to the total population. In other words everyone who has run a step to classify themselves a runner probably has considered or is at least intrigued by a marathon so the numbers of aspiring plus actual marathoners borders on the total population of runners. A similar argument can be debated for ultra marathoners. So you see creating a podcast about trail running and ultra marathoning may not be as obscure as one would think.

THE WALTER MITTY FACTOR
My nine year old recently asked me what an alter ego was. He had heard the expression on a TV show that he had been watching, I tried as best I could in terms that a nine year old would understand that as alter ego is like a secret life or something you do that is different from your everyday life. Without waxing on the philosophical, I said it was like being a superhero and an everyday guy like Clark Kent and Superman. I remember reading the short story The Secret Life of Walter Mitty a terrific story about a daydreamer who escapes into different worlds only to be brought back to reality by the circumstances that surround him. For that brief moment we are with him we are right there for those interludes those romantic escapes. And that in essence is my podcast.

MY APPROACH
My approach to podcasting is to be myself. I am one of you. I am you. I am a middle of the pack, working, mortgage paying, forty-something, father of three, happily married living in the suburbs and escaping to the trails every chance I get. My real escape is chasing my dream of running the ultra distances. The Walter Mitty in me escapes into a world some only daydream of and I take you with me. Whether you listen streaming online at your cubicle at work or you yourself are grinding out a workout of your own.

I think my appeal will be just that. As I get out there and record my podcast, it is for those of you who run or those of you who aspire will be able to relate or grab little tidbits of the experience of long run. My intent is to inspire and motivate, to educate and commiserate. You know its great to read the blogs of the ultra distance elite like Krupicka and Meltzer but they probably feel no pain. And if they do they don’t let on about it. My podcast is stream of consciousness, moment by moment as the run unfolds. It is for the most part unscripted but sometimes researched ahead of time.

IN SUMMARY
To paraphrase Steve Runner of the Phedippidations Podcast, Podcasting is about the community. It’s about expanding our own horizons and in the process expanding those of others. For me it is making the impossible seem possible, there are no boundaries just hurdles. I hope you enjoy my podcast and discover your dreams in the process.

My Podcast

2008-06-06T14:13:00.000-07:00

I’ve decided to try Podcasting. It is a little more convenient than blogging because I can mix two worlds or running with blogging and record verbally instead of writing it out and editing. So far it has been a lot of fun. There is a huge learning curve and this is what I’ve learned so far.

On running and podcasting:
1) Clarity of speech is proportional to speed and exertion. The faster you go the harder you are to understand.
2) Lapel microphones are extremely touchy. Therefore I don’t use one!
3) The amount of background noise dictates the quality of the podcast.
4) Weather controls background noise. i.e. Rain, Wind, even rain slick streets
5) You’ve got to enunciate!
6) Notes or cue cards help to keep you on track.
7) People look at you funny when you appear to be talking to yourself.
8) It is harder to run and record on trails than on roads.
9) It is hard to understand a person running uphill.
10) Trails produce better sound quality than roads.

On podcast production:
1) The amount of time you want to spend editing increases proportionately with the quality of the product.
2) It may not be rocket science but there is a science to producing quality. Experience counts!
3) The closet makes for a great sound room.
4) The tiled floors and hardwood floors do not make great sound rooms.
5) A script although initially hard to follow, takes a lot of practice and keeps you on track.

I’ve learned a lot and still have a lot to learn. I plan to take my podcast all the way to Ethiopia and my first Ultra. So you’ll see a few less blog posts and more podcasts. Stay tuned.

Check it out I'm searchable on iTunes and there is a link in the title subject line to my Podbean feed.

My New Shoes

2008-04-19T15:27:00.000-07:00

Shoes are always fun to buy. I am relentless at trying to find a good deal. My wife an I did some power shopping in Boca Raton down in Florida. Actually the mall we went to was about 45 minutes away. We were told that Sawgrass Mills Shopping Mall is like the third largest attraction is south Florida next to Disney World and Universal Studios.

There was 270 shops in all and I was on a hunt to find a new pair of Trail Shoes for the summer. My last pair did me well, Montrail Continental Divide. The only problem was my trail runs are half trail and half road and I wore out the outsole really quickly in my last pair.

The Salomon XT Wings are advertised as the perfect match to my needs. I read all the reviews. TrailRunner Magazine, Runners World, and even a few local ones all of them said the outsole was geared toward a bit of both.

So I found some for just under $110 in a discount shoe store. I couldn’t resist them they looked just like the picture in the ads in the magazine. You know the ones where they include an excerpt from some trail description of a badass race like Western States or Miwok 100.

Now after bringing them home, I’ve been wearing them around the house trying to get use to the funky lacing system. Thin Kevlar lace and a lace lock then you have to tuck the excess into a flap. The first couple of times I wore them too tight and the tops of my feet hurt from the pressure of the laces. Now you kind of have to remember how tight to pull and lock it into place.

The other thing that may take some getting use too is the pronation control feature. This translates into a soft arch support. I haven’t run in them yet but I’m worried the ‘arch support’ might rub a bit.and eventually cause blisters.

I wear them from the time I get home to the time I go to bed and they feel awesome. They literally fit like a glove.

I’ll keep you posted on how they do on the trail/roads.

I know why God gave us Trail Shoes

2008-04-18T10:02:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I resumed my quest for ultra distance by hitting the trails. I had to take a momentary hiatus from the trails because of that darn Daylight Savings Time. A few months ago it was great I would start my runs in the dark run for an hour and hit the trailhead at sunrise. Then daylight savings time comes around and BAM it’s dark for another hour. So I went long on the roads for a while, then I got sick, then I went to Boca Raton and now I’m back at it.

My new long run starts out on the roads (as do all my runs). I run for about 5 ½ miles and I hit the trailhead at Bear Mountain. Bear Mountain is the local mountain biking downhill. It has its steep moments and the overall elevation gain is about 600 to 700 feet.
Some of the areas are washout from the spring runoff. It is those areas where I now appreciate a good trail shoe not so much for the ankle support or the toe protection but the stiffer sole that allows you to cruise over rocky surfaces.

I topped out after a mile or so and decided to look around. There is a whole network of fire roads that I have to explore. I wanted to keep my miles below 12 this run as it was my first long run in awhile. On the way down all the uneven surfaces slowed me down more than normal in my road shoes. I tended to roll over a bit more in my road shoes too.

Once back on the road it was the weirdest feeling to have your very flexible sole on a flat surface. The run ended up being 15 and change, so much for keeping it under 12. But at least I discovered new ground to cover. I think I’ll break in my Salomon’s on this trail.

All I have to do figure out how to attach my Nike+ Sensor to my Kevlar Laces. Duct Tape?

Vision Quest

2008-04-15T06:34:00.001-07:00

I remember hearing about some native ritual from long ago whereby young men as passport to manhood are deprived of food and water and sent out to the wilderness alone. They starve and thirst and achieve a heightened sense of awareness and gain better focus on what is truly important or they die in the wilderness. They call it a Vision Quest. Tough love!

I believe the turning point or epiphany the young man observes has a lot to do with the deprivation of the normal, the material and survival goods that surround his everyday life.

For me this past week was full of epiphanies, if that’s possible. I’ve gone on week long business trips without family but I always have my running. You see I’m a runner. Running makes me normal. On my runs I find solace. On my runs my head become clearer thinking. So when I don’t run I go through several stages much like hunger. To take running away from me makes me less than normal. On the first day I yearn for it and miss it. On the second day I get cranky and pretty miserable to be around. On the third day I’m kind of weird almost like a constant confusion, a daze if you will. And that’s usually the most it ever goes because injuries are rare, sickness only last a few days and I’ll run on the cusp of recovery. Day Four never comes, I have never walked into the wilderness.

My company as a reward for the past years performance take the top ten reps on an all expenses paid trip to some plush resort. They then proceed to pamper said employee and their spouse to a weekend of decadence. This year I was so lucky to attend the weekend in Boca Raton, Florida.

This past week, as I said was full of epiphanies. Our whole family, even Nana was sick with a respiratory infection. Everybody went on some form of antibiotic, me being a mediphobe (fear of medication – my term) did not take any. So for three days I didn’t run. I was on the cusp of recovery, Day Four, when our trip to Boca Raton was scheduled. I walked into the wilderness on my Vision Quest.

Because of the time difference, jet lag, and social networking I didn’t run for the duration of the trip. I had a short 40 minute bout on a treadmill but treadmills just don’t count. By this time I was on day 5 of my Vision Quest.

My first epiphany was more of a point of clarity. The realization that my wife means everything to me became clearer than ever. We talked like when we first met, we hung out like we were the only two people in the World. We didn’t fight or argue. On the other end of the continent was our world, we were in the wilderness. We could survive and communicate and love each other without being entwined in our world. The epiphany part is that sometimes because of the daily routines and fast paced schedule of raising children, holding down a job to pay the mortgage and feed the kids. The romancing takes a back seat or at least sits in the side car on the motorcycle of life. With some people it’s lost altogether and never noticed until the kids are gone and there is no mortgage. But for us this trip reinforced our bond, our love.

I just wish it could be that way more often. I see glimpses of it in the twenty or so minutes between the time the last child goes to bed and we go to bed ourselves. Seeing that glimpse now makes me smile like it never use to.

I’m back running again. Vision Quest completed. Things are normal again, I have just gained greater focus.

I hope all of you who read this blog someday get a chance to get epiphanies like I did.