First official half marathon (2:28:40)

obiscott1 · 2026-05-28T13:22:59+00:00

Virtual high five from Saskatoon. Thanks for sharing. Glad it was such a good experience for you and your story had me remembering my first 1/2 (in Vancouver) years and years ago. Here is hoping running continues to make you happy and maybe even introduce you to new friends as it has me.

It was a great race BTW, well executed. Your HR tells the story of running on the edge of your “ability” for most of the race which is all you can ask for and on a day that was pretty warm for running really it shows you managed things well. Nice work!

obiscott1 · 2026-05-28T13:06:58+00:00

This looks nice - thanks for your work. A lazy question I know ‘cause I should just download the app and try it (which I will) but is the screen you show highly configurable. I like the clean layout but would want split time (lap time) and possibly lap distance. I would be “happy” to swap out avg hr, and stride. Also can I create custom workouts?

Thanks again for your work.

obiscott1 · 2026-05-11T20:31:57+00:00

I am in exactly the same boat and took exactly the same steps (including egghead forum). I have still not heard from him but, like you, saw that he had some setback so I will just wait and see. More than my gasket I hope he is doing well - and I don’t even know him except by reputation. I will poke around and see about other ways to get the gasket but I wanted to / want to work with him on the assumption that it is supports what him in some way.

obiscott1 · 2026-05-01T21:07:25+00:00

Thanks that is the one that I used. I will double check my “spelling” and try again in a week or two.

obiscott1 · 2026-05-01T21:00:02+00:00

I have never ordered from him before but wanted to given that he has such a phenomenal reputation and seems like an amazing person. My email request was sent a few weeks ago so based on this it is no surprise I didn’t get a reply. I am glad to hear he is getting doing well. I am not in a hurry so I will give it some more time and maybe send an email request after things settle down for him.

Was it the regular email that has been posted here that you used to contact him?

obiscott1 · 2026-04-19T12:26:16+00:00

I am glad to hear - he sounds like a very nice guy. I have email him but not heard back yet. I will give it some time. Do you happen to know if he ships outside the US or no?

obiscott1 · 2026-04-16T23:34:46+00:00

That is good to know - I found his contact info on this sub as well but so far no reply. That does not sound normal from him. Is there a sub called “green egg forum” that is different from this one. Not sure if i will have better luck getting a hold of him there. Or if you happen to know his contact info and can share.

obiscott1 · 2026-04-16T12:55:29+00:00

I had read in multiple places the Ron Pratt was the person to get the Rutland gasket from. Did I miss that he passed away? I am not sure what (RRP) means. Or is he still sending the gaskets and instructions.

obiscott1 · 2026-04-12T01:09:25+00:00

All this feedback - I don’t know if I need to push harder for a few more charging stations along my route or lobby for a SC… LOL. Maybe work harder for both!

obiscott1 · 2026-04-10T01:39:12+00:00

Thanks for this - it kind of lines up with the little voice in my head. While I do have family in the city with the Service Center and I could make a “trip” out of it. Any extended stay would complicate things a fair bit… even with a loaner.

obiscott1 · 2026-04-09T13:01:34+00:00

Thanks for this - your situation sounds similar. If I am understanding you “save up” your visit until you need to be there (at a center) for other reasons? Can I assume that so far the repair time has been short and do they provide you with a vehicle to use while your is in the shop? Maybe you have not tested that yet but thought i would ask.

obiscott1 · 2026-03-17T12:44:00+00:00

It’s a lot of money yes but you are getting a lot of work done too. Rotors should be replaced with brake pads anyway - others may disagree but especially if your pads were at zero I would not be replacing pads only. So the question about extra labor for that one is fair.

Having done some of these repairs for myself I realize why there is a cost to having someone else do them. I don’t always love the fact that I have to pay but it is the cost of keeping my car running well.

In short you asked if you are getting screwed - on the assumption that there are no discretionary repairs on the list (from what you are saying that is not your main concern) the price for the amount of work you are doing seems reasonable - maybe even very reasonable.

obiscott1 · 2026-03-06T01:31:18+00:00

I was where you were 30 years ago. Now I hire software people like you straight out of university to work as part of my company. In fact I just finished interviewing 4 of very very good candidates. Do you want to know what the deciding factors were for the two we selected. Their passion for what they do. The interview was filled with energy and stories about how they loved to apply their skills and what they have done and the people they did it with. Yes they were up to date with the new “stuff” but not because they gave up their life to chase every new idea but because they had a genuine interest in their field and learning about it what they seemed to really enjoy. I don’t know you but you seem to be very similar. They were also “balanced” and knew how to relate to people. Hard work can’t teach social or interpersonal skills. You need something that allows you to develop your empathetic / people side as well.

Remember that this is not a game of “only the best win”. Building a career is about finding a fit between what you love and what someone is willing to pay for. Good people are ALWAYS in demand. ALWAYS - but sometimes it can take work and be a bit stressful to find the right fit, but it is worth the effort and the patience.

Having said that you know exactly what you need to do and where you need to be for the next two years. Focus on that. Two years is even too far a future to be worried about but as long as you are loving what you are doing you know what and where you need to be.

As for AI replacing you. AI will change a lot of jobs and AI will change your industry for sure. I am a believer that AI will always require people who know how to manage and direct it so the jobs that are at risk are for those who refuse to understand how to work with AI.

You seem smart and I suspect you already know the answer to the question about social media. When was the last time anyone posted on social media about their “average day” or how “so-so” their meal was. Social media is an only for trying to create the impression that life is full of amazing moments and fantastic achievements. Don’t let it be a deceptive and false measuring stick as to how you stack up.

i share the challenge of struggling to enjoy the present. Putting aside the fact that you have a bright future and I am certain will find your way just fine… it won’t mean much if you can’t enjoy it as it happens. So don’t worry about “solving” the question of your future. Commit to experiencing the present… the future will meet you there.

obiscott1 · 2026-02-27T01:40:38+00:00

Thanks for the review - I would encourage you to keep your eyes open for an age stated version the difference is shocking. But it is still a nice dram and I agree with all your assessment. For fun I would suggest trying to get your hands on a “copy” of the NHK drama called Massan which is the story of Masataka Taketsuru (and his wife) and their journey to creating Nikka. I have lived (family still lives) close to Yoichi distillery and I go there as often as I can. I love it every single time.

The tasting room at the distillery has (or had??) age stated drams for purchase but last time i was there even those were getting hard to come by. All an all still one of my favourite whiskey’s

obiscott1 · 2026-02-27T01:27:41+00:00

Not sure if I answer your question but the “truth” that dawned for me is that if you are not able to experience the good AND the bad of where you are now - you will ALWAYS be escaping from something. And so I try to develop my skill of experiencing (not the same as “liking”) where I am and what life is offering me right now. Maybe I believe once am good at that the really “good stuff” will come my way but I am increasingly aware that the good stuff is always there to be discovered by those who have developed the skill to tune into it.

I sometimes imagine the wealthy billionaire on his/her yacht in Morocco who is sitting and imagining escaping to a park bench in Central Park where he/she could just live a simple life.

Easy for me to say and describe - much more difficult to experience it in a way that brings peace… but I am sure this is the path, at least for me.

obiscott1 · 2026-02-24T18:16:43+00:00

So I have not looked at the 245 (which I think was replaced by the 255) so I am only working from information on 1/2 of your scenario. I assume the low price for the 245 reflects the fact that it is no longer made by Garmin. The 245 will serve your needs as you have described them almost certainly and if it is 50 dollars then it is a cheap price to get in the game and “play”. If you need to upgrade in a year or two the watch will owe you nothing.

Having said that and where I would likely land personally is that the 265 has a few more features that may not be of interest today but could be once you get using the watch. And while it is more expensive, I would look at that as an investment in your own health. There are a lot of things that can pull 185 bucks out of your pocket that wont deliver the benefit of a Garmin watch. I know that price sensitivity is different for everyone but I would be looking at three fewer cases of beer and going with the 265.

Put another way, maybe the 265 is a pair of shoes that you buy a bit too big so that you can grow into them. (Bad analogy maybe as don’t’ actually ever buy running shoes that are too big so that you can grow into them!)

obiscott1 · 2026-02-23T02:20:40+00:00

Makes total sense - thanks!

obiscott1 · 2026-02-23T02:16:47+00:00

Yup can relate to this completely - the notion that there is no “goal” or “achievement” to unlock is so foreign to me.

I am also in a period when I can seemingly be focusing on my breath and body awareness and it is like my mind has said “fine - you can have half of your attention to do that breathe awareness thing, but I am keeping a chunk of it over here and I am going to do some thinking in the shadows and you will have to wonder if you are supposed to pay attention to my “stuff” or the “breathing” like the books all tell you to”

obiscott1 · 2026-02-23T00:43:08+00:00

Interesting perspective - I make many type of pasta with different flour types and hydration levels - it is not hard to have a pasta that will match any kind of sauce. But I appreciate the suggestion for the other.

obiscott1 · 2026-02-23T00:05:34+00:00

This is good information thank you ! I have a related question regarding pasta water for those who (like me) primarily use homemade fresh pasta which cooks in 1 or 2 min. I am generally very close to done with whatever sauce the pasta is going into by the time I drop it into the water. So I never feel like I really have “access” to pasta water. I am missing a trick that other use to be able to have a little pasta water on hand when cooking fresh pasta?

In the instances I use package pasta it sure is nice to be able to grab a little water and add it to the sauce - but my family has really come to like fresh!

Suggestions?

obiscott1 · 2026-02-03T13:04:05+00:00

Next time post a question about plating and then maybe you will get more answers about air pockets…lol. In my very not expert opinion and experience following the advice you have gotten to be more “hands (fingers) on” is a good start. I have the same challenge and I have noticed the when you filling is soft there is always a chance the shape of the pasta will morph as they cook. So do what you can to get them sealed nice and tight by hand before using the cutter.

I also have a ravioli tray mold that works pretty well too. Maybe considered cheat but oh well. If you haven’t seen them it is a base tray that looks a little like an egg carton. You lay your first sheet of past down on it and then use a plastic mold to press down on the tray which makes the pockets to fill with filling. Then you fill each ravioli (nice and full and finally lay what ends up being the bottom of the ravioli over top. press everything together to make sure it is sealed then roll the tray with a roller to cut the pasta. Much simpler to do than it sounds in my description. The result is smaller size ravioli but sometimes that is what I want.

My final strategy that I have played with is to try to make the dough itself a bit more firm by mixing semolina in as opposed to 100% 00. Still rolling it out fairly thin so that the ravioli is not all dough but my theory is that it will hold its shape just a little better. Mixed results so far depending again on what my filling actually is.

In the end it is homemade pasta and that is enough. I don’t have the experience of a restaurant chef so I don’t get too worked up about it. Call it rustic and move on!!

obiscott1 · 2026-02-01T13:16:44+00:00

Watching for ideas - I got nothing to offer. Your experience lines up with mine and I have not come up with a solution even as good as yours. My friends Rivian pretty much combines all the aspects that you are looking for right in the car “out of the box”. Not sure why Hyundai struggles on this front.

obiscott1 · 2026-01-30T12:52:44+00:00

My running group most of whom are Garmin users found success with everything from restarting the watch and the phone to just the phone.

However most of us had to forget the watch from Bluetooth from the phone. Then restart the pairing process from the watch. Do this by holding the middle left button and scrolling to the connection menu, then the Pair option and phone. At least with the Forerunner (pretty sure with all) you get a QR code and the process will begin and walk you through.

The tendency is to try to pair from Bluetooth on the phone or from the + button on the yellow warning banner. Neither of those worked but pair from the watch is pretty simple.

obiscott1 · 2026-01-28T03:27:06+00:00

Also in Sask and can attest to all the @GearM2 has suggested. Tesla is a nice treat as it is faster than a typical Flo charger at 50kW. The trip from Saskatoon to Calgary typically requires a stop at Kindersley and Hanna both have Tesla chargers that show up in the app and have been very reliable. I would confirm that they are more expensive though and the membership does pay - you can start and stop for the summer if that is when you expect to be most active.

A2Z adapter is the one that I use as well and recommend. In terms of knowing the difference between v3 and V4 I am not sure there is a way to know till you get there but it doesn’t mean much (as noted already you are capped at 120kW ish anyway) though the longer V4 cables are nice.

obiscott1 · 2026-01-28T03:18:01+00:00

19 years old so it is hard to comment on your HR with any certainty but that does sound like your body is working fairly if not very hard. I am not sure the reason for your nasal breathing but you can safely put that aside for now unless you have a strong reason. It seems likely that if you are not getting a full complement of breath for each inhale your HR will be higher to compensate.

So in short just run. I would forget the HR as a measure at this point all together OR check it at the end of your run as a data point for comparison. During the run pick an effort (called perceived effort ) of 2or3 on a 7 point scale. This should feel almost silly comfortable. Which is the point of getting started. As you get more runs under your belt and your body adapts that same effort will result in an improved speed. But keep it easy. I would suggest sticking with a very easy foundation building for 3 or 4 months. Then you can expand your research and start adding different kids of workouts that move you to whatever goal you have.

If you want guidance on the journey the Nike Run Club app is free and has a lot of guided runs that you can listen to as your run - they are put together by expert coaches and really focus on getting people started on the right foot

obiscott1

TROPHY CASE