Rush hour and Traffic Jams ...how much do I not miss this when working away!
Having travelled away several times now I've begun to notice a trend and it seems that there is a deficit of old films in the media pool. An abundance of copies of Avatar and Hurt Locker, Shrek and recent movies but no one seems to have the old films especially the video nasty type.
You do seem to find copies of "Back to the Future" and "Karate Kid" but no one seems to have copies of the films like "Robocop" or "Childs Play".
My theory is that where as most people who are in there 30s got to see the PG rated stuff, the violent/horror movies titles only the naughty kids got to see. Chances are if your 30 by the time you were old enough to watch an 18 it would have been Trainspotting or Reservoir Dogs. Anyhow regardless for the reason I've got a month before I head back South and it's my mission to collect as many forgotten 80s classics as possible in advance of those long Antarctic nights. Any suggestions??? (Oh btw - I've already got the "The Thing" :-)
A few weeks back I posted a blog post and sent a message regarding the future of the Runcast.TV and the potential closure of the site. I have since been informed that very soon Ning will be pulling the plug on the site. At this point I don’t know what that means but we will either see the whole site will disappear or it will remain but with restricted privileges. Whatever happens I have decided that to stay with Ning would be a bad thing and therefore I haven’t pursued Renato to try and keep the site on the network.
Before I continue I'd like to make it clear that Renato and myself are still friends and I would like to personally thank him for making this site possible and giving us all the possibility to share videos with like minded runners. Renato I owe you, and on behalf of everyone we are very grateful for what you made happen. :-)
In particular I would especially like to say thank you to those who made a extra special contribution Steve Runner, Carlos “The Jackal”, Dave and Gene, Chris Russell, Charles White, Steve Chopper, Toni Harvey, Dave Powel, Nik and Dan, ZenRunner, Nigel Runner, Duff Runner, Eddie Marathon, David Colby Young, Martin Weiner, Darzo, Nathan Bunting, Resurrected Runner, Mark, Gary,Paul, Krister, Harry...the list goes on and my apologies that I’ve missed so many but you know who you are and if ive missed you its not personal - I have a 2000 word limit on this mail L
Can I also thank all those who offered support in response to my last email, it was really appreciated and made me determined that this wouldn’t be the end of the site.
In particular I would like to thank one particular person who has come to the rescue in a manner that is beyond my wildest expectations. That person is Ben from Buckeye Outdoors and I am very pleased to announce that with his help we will be rolling out an all new Runcast.TV within the next few weeks. It will be entirely new sites that will be keeping the raw essence of the original. But behind the scenes it will integrated so perfectly with the Buckeye platform it will take Runcast.TV to the next level, just watch this space its very exciting.
Anyhow for now the site is closing, in the next few days the domain will be hosted at an under construction page (blog) and I will keep everyone posted on the progress and on the details of what’s happening, in the meantime thanks again and I hope you will join us over at the new site once its ready.
Not really, I was a bit of a fantasist constantly changing my mind, my earliest memory was wanting to be an astronaut, then it was an footballer finally when I was about 14 I decided I wanted to be an Architect but changed my mind at the last minute as Civil Engineer seemed to offer more exciting opportunities.
* Did you need any qualifications to pursue your career choice? If so, where did you study/how did you make it happen?
I picked my A-Levels based on the subjects I enjoyed which where Art, Maths and Physics. These gave me a great foundation for then going to University to study Civil Engineering. To minimise study costs I decided to stay at home and therefore chose to get my degree from the University of Liverpool.
* Can you describe your early career?
I graduated in 1999 and by early 2001 I had been sent on my first overseas posting to the Isle of Mann. I was given quite a lot of responsibility early on and though this was quite stressful I enjoyed the island so much that I managed to cope and stayed there for almost 4 years. The highlight was being the site engineer on the Track renewal for the Steam Railway between Douglas to Port Erin. That project had a real feeling of prestige and history that satisfied nearly all my romantic ideas about civil engineering as a career.
* How did you get into your current role?
Whilst I was working on the Isle of Mann I met an operative who had spent time working in the Falklands and also Antarctica. He described a magical place which captured my imagination and his advice to me was if I ever got the chance to go I should seize it. In 2006 I just happened to be in the right place at the right time and I was asked to be involved with the build of the New “Halley VI” base on the Brunt Ice Shelf, I accepted the chance without questioning.
* Can you describe the region where you work?
The best way for me to describe working on the Brunt Ice Shelf in Antarctica is to liken it to a scene in the movie the matrix. Where reality as you know it has been deleted and a new reality has been loaded on to a blank background. With regards to Halley it's been reloaded with only the basic requirements for human survival and not much more, it's very surreal. It is the closest thing I to being on another planet. Everything is alien and there are lots of hidden things like being at -8 degrees and suffering from sunburn due to UV exposure or that there is 24 hour of sunlight which makes it difficult to sleep even thought you are physically exhausted.
* Can you describe the work you do and the organisation you work for?
The organisation I work for have many divisions covering a whole host Construction areas ranging from House Building thorough to larges scale Civil Engineering projects. I work for the International side of the business and apart from the day to day role of being a site engineering, looking after issues surrounding quality, safety, environmental and cutomer value. I would add that due to the nature of the projects we do there is a big emphasis on the logistical side of working in some very remote locations.
* What are the main benefits/rewards of working in Antarctic?
Apart from being fortunate enough to see some incredible places the whole experience opens your mind to a belief that anything is possible if you plan for it.
I would definitely say that I get a lot less fazed by problems now than I did before I went to Antarctica.
* What are the main challenges of working in such a location?
Professionally definitely the most challenging aspect is the logistical side of getting there and getting material to site. A lot of planning goes into ensuring that every last nut and bolt is on site, as its not as if you can nip down the local hardware store for any missing items.
On the personal level its being away from home from loved ones especially over Christmas.
* Do you have any loneliness issues?
No,If anything it's the opposite as living in such close proximity to others means you have very little time on your own. You are almost entirely in the company of others 24hours a day. It's very difficult to get time on your own and I used to go running just for a bit of “me” time.
* Has it proved easy to interact with local people or colleagues?
On the whole yes but it can be difficult at times. You have to be very patient as minor things can start to feel like massive issues. That said its also very hard to fall out with anyone for any length of time as you cant escape, the environment forces you to be very forgiving.
* Have you ever been in any danger?
It’s a very hazardous place and from the moment you arrive you are faced with danger whether its landing in a 66 year old plane on an ice Runway or travelling across sea ice on the back of a sledge, it’s a hazard. Therefore procedures are in place to protect you. As one of my South African colleagues put it "Fortune favours the brave but Antarctica favours the risk adverse".
The only time I was really scared was when I was caught out once in a blow situation by gusting winds. The visibility went momentarily from low to nothing in the space of a few seconds. I managed to make it to a flag but there was no tag line as it was in the middle of the main traffic route. I stood there waiting for the visibility to improve and it felt like an for an eternity. In that short amount of time I was there I lost all sense of direction and when the visibility did improve, I saw a building that I headed towards which turned out to be the building I left 5 mins earlier.
* What's the most unusual thing to have happened?
You have a mental image of the environment being very hostile and difficult traverse, which on the whole it is. I decided however to start running and after a few weeks found it to be easier as I seemed to recover a lot quick than I did running on the roads back home. After a few weeks I decided it would be possible to go much further than I had previously expected and right at the end of the season I ran a marathon, something I never would have dreamt possible at the start of the season.
* What was the major culture clash moment that made you think, “woah”?
I think seeing some of the Ice Bergs for the first time blew my mind. Can't begin to describe them, words and photos don’t do them justice they are just beautiful. Likewise standing next to an emperor Penguin in its natural habitat it’s a very special thing.
Cultural clash happened when I first arrived home in the UK. The place I knew as home looked so familiar but different. I couldn’t comprehend why everything was so disorganised, things like litter really stood out where as previously I had sadly accepted it.
* Have you found yourself in any amusing situations?
Not sure if you can use this one but, when we were camping at the remote build site 16km from the main base we had to build a special outside toilet. I used to tell people off for not closing the door but the response I would get was where else in the world would you get a view like that whist answering the call of nature. I did see their point so we opted for putting a flag out but then people would forget to take the flag down which caused all sorts of confusion, we never did fully resolve it.
* Do you ever wish you had chosen a more conventional working life?
For as much as I love the adventure of being away I do find myself wishing I could spend more time at home. Its especially hard when there is illness within the family and you are not home.
* Do you think of home a lot?
I do but I find myself looking forward to getting home. The best trick is not to go directly home but sandwich something in between leaving site and getting home. This season I spent a few weeks travelling through South America and met up with my Girlfriend on route. This helped block any feelings of homesickness.
* Has working in the Antarctic changed you? In what ways?
As I said earlier I get less fazed by things now, I seem now to have greater stamina, resolve and patience and my endurance has grown. These are all qualities I lacked in my younger career. I also have a great appreciation about the urgency that things have especially when they need to coincide with shipping deadlines.
* What does the future hold for you (ie, will you remain in similar work, would you like to work in a similarly challenging environment elsewhere?)
I'am currently on Ascension Island, until October then back to Antarctica at the end of the year. Whilst the exciting work is available I will always be tempted and the ultimate would be to go into space (but that’s never going to happen). As I can't go into space I would perhaps settle for something in the desert. If the opportunities stopped coming then I would be more than happy accept a normal job back home.
* Do you have any advice for young people (or those looking to switch careers) who might want to follow a similar career path? (ie, would you recommend any particular qualifications/courses; and what mental/emotional qualities might you need?)
Sounds cheesy but my advice would be to make sure you do what interests you. If you're enthusiastic about your work you gravitate towards the things that you want to do. If you ever have any doubt or you let set backs get in your way then you probably didn't want to do it enough and therefore a positive mind set is in my opinion the most important quality to have. I would say also that on the emotional sides of things your need to not let your emotions control you and need to be able to take a step back and put things into perspective. You will also be surrounded with by people who will have experience of different things to you and you need to be able to listen and take on board the advice they offer you. If you can do this then working in Antarctica doesn’t seem half as difficult as you would expect.
Some of facts about Ascension Island:
From: "p.moneypenny" <p.moneypenny@mac.com>
Date: 11 August 2010 9:01:09 PM
To: post@shadowcasts.posterous.com
Subject: Extreme Cold Weather clothingSat here on the equator its hard to think that I would be planning my return trip back to Antarctica but thats what Ive been doing to day. Placed an order for £74,000 pounds of structural steelwork this afternoon so that gives me pleanty to get started on when I get back to site.Next job will be to make sure Ive got the ECW (Extreme Cold Weather) Clothing sorted, which because its work is actually classed as PPE (Personal Protective Equipment).For anyone whos intrested in this topic I've attached a section from the Field Manual for the U.S American Program.
I was on Twitter earlier today (something I do quite rarely these days) and read a tweet that caught my attention. It had been posted by @flipbooks which is one one of those good types of "spam" accounts. The type of account that annoys you most of the time but just when your about to unfollow offers you something of value. Well today it offered something of value in the form of a Quote which went something like this "Misery happens when you replace what you want in the future for something you want now!".
That's not the exact quote but its the gist, and it was that very idea that rang true to me. If I can now bring your attention to the attached photo I will explain this idea slightly further. The photo contains all my "Rehabilitation Gear". A pair of £85 Mizunos, two compression bandages, two Neoprean knee supports, an ice pack, freeze spray and a tube of freeze gel. All of this and a bucket of patience has been getting me back on the road and last night I ran my first 30 min run for a good few months. Way back in February, I did something reckless I ran a Marathon in Antarctica. At the time I knew I was pushing it too far. Several weeks before the event I had noticed I wasn't recovering from my long runs. I knew I could finish the distance but I also knew there would be a price to pay. I remember being at a cross-roads. I could continue running at the volume I was comfortable or push it to get to Marathon volume. I did the latter and the price has been paid by no running for the last 6 months. Like all bad debts there has been interest and this has been the financial cost of the items in the photo. The good think is like most repayment plans the end is in sight and soon I should be debt free and able to enjoy the liberation of debt free running! At that point I can go buy my new all singing iphone4 and start all over again with a 24 month contract and a debt we are all more familiar with :-) What price do you pay for your running?
I had a few days off from any fittness training this week after a party last weekend where I got a little bit drunk and fell over and bashed my head. The reason I fell over was I was a) slightly tippsy and b) wearing flip flops.
The knock on was I felt all depressed this week because of it add to this I'am away from home and that I havent been running for a few weeks I decided to feel sorry for myself for a few days.
However every cloud has a silver lining as because I blamed the flip flops I didnt wear them all week, and my legs felt really good because of it. This made me realise that since arriving on Ascension Island its been about 30+ degrees every day so flip flops have been the only thing ive been wearing and now I realise this is why my knees have been bad. A week of not wearing them and my legs felt great...when I put them back on I noticed very quickly that the knee pain came back and because I hadnt been exercising it had to be the Havianas.
So happy days, armed with this knowledge i was able to knock out 34 mins todayon the tredmill and all though my knees feel a little bit sore they feel a hell of a lot better than they did. Going to rest tommorow and then see if I can do it again on Tuesday.
:-) Phil
Scorpions don't bite but they do have a sting in their tail...eek. The one in this video strolled onto our building site yesterday and we all rushed to see what it looked like, without fear of what would happen if it stung us... well actually with a lot of fear that's what made it so exciting!
Anyway we have since had a toolbox talk on the dangers of Scorpions and here's what you should do if you do ever get stung. 1. Wash the Scorpion sting with Soap and water.
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This audio isn't the podcast that I've been promising for as long as I can remember, instead its the "Backlog Audioblog"! Which I'am going to use as a cheat podcast to catch up on all the material that I would have put in a podcast if I had ever got round to doing a podcast! Haha yeah I now what your going to say I should really bite the bullet and say this is it..but where would the fun be in that!
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device
Photo: Georgetown Hospital, Ascension Island
I've got shingles!!! For the last two weeks I've been plagued by a patch of blisters that I had thought were bites. (You may have seen my previous posts!) However thank to the power of Posterous the photos of my rash where sent to all my different outlets and deposit areas of the web, and my incorrect diagnosis was quickly corrected. Before long I had a stack of comments all supporting the diagnosis and comparing symptoms. Advice was aplenty, almost overflowing and most of it was advising me to get to the doctors and hence how I was persuaded to go to Georgetown Hospital. When I got there apart from being impressed by its colonial look I was also taken back by how quickly the doctor knew what it was....if only I had been quicker to go get my "Bites" checked out sooner....I may have had some better nights of sleep in the last few weeks. So I guess the lesson I've learnt is that the power of a social network goes beyond all that we already think we know!... the more ways we find to interact, the more we give up to it... the more it reveals and teaches us and gives back in return. As I get better, I want to thanks those who took the time to offer their opinions and help point me in the right direction... Thank You :-)
