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Dear Friend …

This is my blog to document my preparations and experiences in Polar Race www.PolarRace.com, the 350-mile foot-race to the Magnetic North Pole, in -40 degree temperatures, hauling a sled with all my provisions weighing 150 pounds. The race is April 2007. This is my tenth blog posting. You can read them all by scrolling down.

FEET HEALED

It has been a long journey of a year of pain in both heels called Plantar Fasciitis. Not only did it really hurt, but I was worried about how that may hinder my race. I have tried …
…wrapping my foot
…magnetic inserts in shoes
…deep tissue massage by a chiropractor (this really really hurts)
…stretching
…icing
… a special stretch recommended by my friend Lon Rosen (hold my toes back, then thumb-press really hard in the insole)
…chiropractic adjustments
… rolling a golf ball on my insole
… new customized orthotics

The most unusual technique is a weird procedure, administered by a specialized chiropractor, whereby he essentially hammers the sorest part of my insole and heel with a hammer– 2000 times in each treatment. It really hurts and even worse it sounds ridiculous. But, it helped a lot.

My partner Roddy and also the Race Organizer Sir Jock sent me literature about laser treatments. After studying this modality, I realized that it seemed to be similar in impact to the hammering modality I was already using.

And, the most recent treatment I tried was recommend by my older daughter Juli-Ann –thanking my feet for carrying me so successfully for so long. It seemed a tad flakey, but I needed to try everything.

I have no idea which technique actually worked — or maybe all of them combined with enough time. But, within days of thanking my feet, my heel presents no pain whatsoever for the first time in a year and I do not limp and have no discomfort or dysfunction of any kind. Thank you, Juli-Ann, and everyone else who helped me.

Just for fun, here is a photo of my wrapped foot. Yes, I do the wrapping myself.

FATE

The Universe seems bent on assuring itself that I am truly truly dedicated to this Polar Race. The obstacles put in my way include not only the persistent Plantar Fasciitis, but also Shin Splints and a year ago an accident with a wave in Maui which cost me a wrenched back, a dislocated shoulder and two cracked ribs. There is also the high cost of this race — about US$45,000 in total. There is the significant issue of taking a month off work and turning down lucrative speaking engagements in April. In addition, well-intentioned friends and staff, sincerely worried about me, have subtly cautioned me to rethink the adventure. I love that they are concerned yet it nevertheless sends the wrong message to my brain. There are other issues like my business duties of decision-making and travel which sometimes get in the way of exercising. Finally, at age 62, I am the oldest competitor. But, Mr. Fate, I’m getting to the Start Line and my partner Roddy and I are getting to the Finish Point. No matter what. In excellent health and excitement. With the Northern Lights dancing in celebration of our success. No matter what. Hear that, Mr. Fate. Thank you for the long list of obstacles to test my resolve; and I am going.

FIRST AID

The Race Organizer requires each team member to accept primary responsibilities for certain duties (cook, gun, GPS, etc.). One of the duties I accepted was First Aid. This week, I took a Red Cross First Add course. I now know some First Aid and I know a list of “common sense” ideas which, in the heat of an emergency, would definitely NOT be common sense. For example, if I saw a person lying on the ground, my instinct before the course would be to run up to the body to see what I could learn and to find out how to help. That is deemed wrong by Red Cross. Why? Because there is a reason the person is unconscious on the floor, and maybe that reason is still around. Maybe some things have fallen from the ceiling. Maybe there is a slippery solution on the floor and I might fall victim to the same slip. Maybe there are bad people in the vicinity. So, the proper approach is to look around first to determine safety. Then, I should rush up to the victim. No. Why? He may wake up with me right over him. At that point, in fright, he may punch me. So, the proper way is to stamp my feet and yell to determine if he is conscious or if I can wake him by my sounds and vibrations. If not, I race up to him, NO. Then, I lie down and reach out to pinch him on the upper arm and the ear. If he still does not rise, then it’s OK to go up to him and prepare to do CPR. That’s just one interesting series of lessons I learned, along with many others.

NEW NAME

The original name of our team was POLE DANCERS. But, my partner Roddy has chosen a new name that he likes better and I find it very powerful. Our new name is “II Magnetic”. It’s the roman numeral for 2 and the word “magnetic”. The roman numeral “2″ has the double meaning of “two” racers and also “to” the North Magnetic Pole. So, we are now II Magnetic. Watch for us. The race is in April.

Love,

Raymond

“Bite off more than you can chew, then chew like crazy !”

You may make whatever comments you wish by simply clicking on the “comments” link below.

You may make whatever comments you wish by simply clicking on the “comments” link below.

Dear Friend …

This is my blog to document my preparations and experiences in Polar Race www.PolarRace.com, the 350-mile foot-race to the Magnetic North Pole, in -40 degree temperatures, hauling a sled with all my provisions weighing 150 pounds. The race is April 2007. This is my new blog posting. You can read them all by scrolling down.

DEEP FREEZER

To get experience in the extreme cold, Sir Jock, the Race Organizer, suggested that we get permission to sit in an industrial deep freezer. Well, I did. Butcher John, at a huge supermarket, is the husband of one of my staff, Toni Perri. That supermarket has a huge freezer kept at -35˚. All day long, supermarket staff enter this freezer to grab boxes of frozen food to restock the shelves. But, the staff that takes stuff from the freezer leaves at 5pm and the supermarket closes at 8pm. The freezer itself is restocked in the morning. So, from 5pm till 8pm, the freezer is at its emptiest and quietest (and coldest because no one is opening the door). I have gained permission to live in the freezer for those final three hours one weekday. I plan to pitch and tear down my tent — over and over again — until I can do it competently, by myself, and quickly in the severe cold. I also plan to do other tasks, like changing some of my clothes in the cold, lifting, replacing gloves, opening and closing my pack with my huge gloves on, etc. just to become familiarized with operating in extreme cold conditions. I plan to take pictures in the freezer and show them in my next blog posting. I am even considering bringing a large fan to simulate wind chill conditions.

THIS RACE COSTS ME US$45,000 !!

The cost to enter the race is £19,000, which is approximately US$40,000. In addition, I had to
… fly to England for training on two occasions
… employ many cures to heal my Plantar Fasciitis (which may not have afflicted me if I were not pushing my body so hard)
… have chiropractic adjustments to keep me in alignment (more adjustments than I would have required in my ‘normal’ life)
… hire a fitness trainer once to three times a week for two yeas

In total, my cost will likely be about US$45,000. I am requesting that my friends and colleagues support me in this venture and I am keen to reciprocate and give you more than your money’s worth back.

SPONSORSHIPS

Sponsorships are now beginning to arrive. You can sponsor me if you wish. There are three levels of Sponsorship, and each has its own different benefit to you:

As a Bronze Sponsor, you receive a letter from me to you, dated after the Polar Race, worded as you wish so that it helps you most in your marketing efforts. Think of ways that a letter from someone who has been to the North Pole would help you. The cost is £200 (British Pounds). I will issue you an invoice from my company which you can use as a legitimate business marketing expense. Or, you can just send me £200 asking for nothing in exchange, just to support me in this crazy adventure. Equivalent amounts are £200 = US$380 = Cdn$430.

As a Silver Sponsor, you receive a photograph, designed by you, taken at the North Pole. This includes my taking something of yours to the North Pole to be in the photograph. I could bring something that represents your company and take a picture of me and your item at the North Pole. One sponsor, let’s call him XYZ Corporation, has asked me to hold up a sign saying “I’d walk to the ends of the earth for XYZ Corporation”. I will also sow your company emblem on my parka to be seen in all photos. Think of ways that a photograph taken at the North Pole would help you. The cost is £2000 (British Pounds). I will issue you an invoice from my company which you can use as a legitimate business marketing expense. Equivalent amounts are £2000 = US$3800 = Cdn$4300.

As a GOLD Sponsor, you get the letter and the photograph and the emblem on my parka of the Bronze and Silver levels, plus I will deliver a powerful motivational PowerPoint-based speech to an audience of your choice including lots of photographs and videos. The speech will include the thrill of the adventure but it will be customized to translate the lessons I learned so as to support your audience in achieving their goals. Think of ways that a motivational speech will help you. The cost is £7,500 (British Pounds). I will issue you an invoice from my company which you can use as a legitimate business marketing expense. Equivalent amounts are £7500 = US$14,300 = Cdn$16,100.

Simply email my Executive Assistant Denise at dharcourt@aaron.com for sponsorship details and to tell me which one of the three levels of sponsorship works best for you and what you want me to do for you. I look forward to hearing from you.

AMAZING STATISTICS

I presented this statistic in Blog #1, but there are so many more subscribers now that I thought I’d repeat this fascinating fact. I hope you enjoy it. Though I will be going to the North Pole, there is a wonderful stat that relates to the other side of the world …
… More people have actually stood on the moon than have even attempted to traverse Antarctica.
… 1,600 people have stood atop Mt. Everest.
… Thousands of people have broken the 4-minute mile.
… Amazingly, over 100 people have rowed an Ocean in a rowboat.
… But, fewer than 100 people have ever reached a Pole, either Pole, under their own steam. I intend to be one of those few.

Love,

Raymond

“Bite off more than you can chew, then chew like crazy !”

You may make whatever comments you wish by simply clicking on the “comments” link below.