I'm tired from training for an Iron Man. But I'm not sure if that's because of the workouts or all the logistics around it! In the beginning, I was thinking something along the lines of: I'm going to train really hard and consistently, and then we'll see on race day if I have it in me to finish and become an Iron Man (person). Currently, I'm much less concerned about my level of training or my expected finishing time. I think that with my current training intensity things wil

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

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

Traveling to Rwanda may not be everybody's dream, but it was certainly mine! It's located in the heart of Sub-Saharan Africa, so it's not overrun by tourists. It has a warm climate, friendly people, fabulous nauture, and it’s safer than almost anywhere in the world. My kind of place. Unfortunately, flying from The Gambia to Rwanda isn't as straightforward as you might expect. There are direct flights to Kigali from Europe and other places, but everyone who has been to Sub-Sah