12 differences: marathon vs ultra running
Learning by doing, that’s usually what it comes down to with me. For my first ultra race I didn’t prepare particularly well. I basically prepared as if I was going to run another regular marathon. Sure, I got the mandatory race kit. But I didn’t decide on the (110K) distance until three days before the event, or specifically prepare for running up hills or on rough terrain. I hoped my heat training in The Gambia, plus one recent trail marathon, would be enough. I justify my l
25 minutes ago3 min read
Iron Man training begins now
When it comes to my current job in the Foreign Service, I'm enjoying more freedom than I have in years. I still work full-time, but I don't have to commute to anywhere but my downstairs office, and I don't start at 8 AM. Because I'm working on a DETO and I'm in a different time zone from DC, my supervisor prefers I start at 10 AM so our hours have some overlap. The beauty of this, I soon realized, is that I have a nice chunk of time in the morning to work out. As it happens,
4 days ago3 min read
Chipped tooth: dental care in The Gambia
One of the least fun things about being me is my dental history. I've had just about every dental procedure imaginable, multiple times over. On the bright side, I've had the good fortune to be posted in several countries where dental care is not only affordable but also unexpectedly high quality. In fact, countries like Armenia and India are 'dental tourism' destinations! But The Gambia is a little different. Nobody comes here for the dental care, or any kind of medical care
Feb 132 min read
