Book Review: The Cruelest Miles

In 1925, a severe diphtheria outbreak threatened to wipe out the town of Nome, Alaska. With aviation in the Arctic still in its infancy stage, the only way to "safely" get the serum to Nome was to entrust sled dog teams to traverse the 1,000 miles through the wilderness. These sled dog teams endured conditions that most of us would find dangerous, but for them it was simply a way of life. As the title implores, they were The Cruelest Miles.

While at the heart of the book is the story of the diphtheria outbreak and the sled dog teams, it also details Alaskan history. It is a history steeped in the love of the wild, endurance, and a willingness to adapt to the land.
The Iditarod which is currently taking place, was started in 1973 to immortalize and preserve the history and accomplishments of the sled dogs and teams of the 1925 run to save the town of Nome.

What I took away from the book was an appreciation of the connection that man has with dogs and the ability to push aside financial compensation for the greater good. There is also truth in that sometimes the best technology is what you have right in front of you.

Audio Interview: Hell on Two Wheels

Here is an audio interview that I did with author Amy Snyder about her book "Hell on Two Wheels"

Book Review: Hell on Two Wheels

Hell on Two Wheels by Amy Snyder is up close and personal view of one of if not the most demanding events in the world known as the Race Across America, or RAAM for short.

The premise of the race is simple. Ride across the country as fast as you can. First one to finish wins. In order to do this, solo racers push their bodies to their physical and mental limits and beyond to achieve this goal.

While the coverage of the race as to who wins, who quits, and who is forced to abandoned because of injury is thorough, I was really intrigued by the mental side of the race. What does it take to will your body and mind, day after day, pedal stroke after pedal stroke, down the road? How far are you willing to go to achieve your dream? What will you do when you are reduced to the core and your primal instincts are all that is left?

Interview: View Sport

Sweat activated technology. The idea behind the company Viewsport, is that the harder you perspire, a design activated by the sweat will appear. Their idea is to showcase your hard work by the logo that appears. It is an interesting concept and below is an interview that I did with Ben and Chris over at Viewsport.


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Book Review: Good to Great

"Few people attain great lives because in large part it is just so easy to settle for a good life.
Jim Collins

Any book that starts out with the author finishing the manuscript and then heading off to the mountains for a run, is guaranteed in my book for at least a couple of chapters. While Good to Great is widely regarded as a book strictly dealing in the art of business and management, I found it to be equally as applicable to one's own journey in life.

Collins makes the point several times throughout that you do no simply go from good to great in an instant. Becoming a better business, leader, father, educator, or athlete is the result of a cumulative process. Step by step, action by action, and decision by decision. That is how you build the foundation and the path for greatness.

However, those steps alone do not ensure success. Are you passionate about what you are doing? Have you surrounded yourself with the best people? Are you putting into practice, disciplined people, discipline thought, and disciplined action? Without those things while you might achieve some measure of success, you will never have a sustained level of success or be in the position to be great.

As an educator, I thoroughly enjoyed the book because I firmly believe that the education world can learn so much from the world of business if they are willing to look at the big picture. This ideology while learned during my masters work, has taken some time for me to digest and begin to put into practical applications daily as an administrator. Personally, the ideas found in the book to be relevant as I train to run the Double Blue Ridge Marathon. Step by step, action by action.

In the end, the message I took away was simple yet powerful: Focus on doing the right things and doing them well.

Skora Running Interview

Skora Running is a new player in the running shoe market. From the website, at SKORA, we view Real Running as running how nature intended. As the foot strikes the ground, contact is made at the mid/forefoot, not at the heel. Compare this to running in conventional running shoes, built with large amounts of cushioning, support, and significant heel-toe drop, resulting in heavy heel-striking. A more natural running style promotes a more efficient gait which helps reduce impact-related injuries. Run Real™.

Click below for an interview that I did with CEO, David Sypniewski on the latest episode of the podcast: 

Coming Attraction: Desert Runner Movie

 The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.
Lao Tzu

Running a marathon or farther takes a commitment. Attempting to complete just 1 of the  Racing The Planet’s 4Desert Ultramarathon Series is step up, and attempting to complete all 4 of the Desert Ultramarathon Series in one year is almost unfathomable.

A new film though called Desert Runners Movie, follows 4 people who have chosen to take that journey of a thousand miles with that first step in an attempt to cross 4 of the most treacherous deserts in the world.