To Emerson Drive fans, he's the fiddler with the cowboy hat. To his bandmates, he's the tech-geek of the group. A couple years back, Dave Pichette became a friend of mine, as we shared stories and experiences throughout our lives in the entertainment industry. Like we've seen in past Mike on a Monday episodes, all the guys lead different lives behind the scenes. Dave is no exception. On this week's episode, get to know David, including his life off the road, and his incredible "non-music" career - one which is taking off in a big way! To listen to the podcast by FREE DIRECT DOWNLOAD, CLICK HERE for the mp3 file! There have been some reported issues with it, but you are also welcome to try the embedded flash player below:
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Don't let a the scary face fool ya - Mukai Maromo is as much a nice guy as he is a fierce competitor in the world of Mixed Martial Arts. Add to that a fascinating upbringing, and you have all the parts for a great Imagine living in a country where everything you're used to - customs, social structures, and even sports and entertainment are completely different. How does a man who comes from a country where there's no such thing as a "professional athlete" make the adaptation to living in North America, making his living as a professional fighter? The path for Mukai Maromo is a tremendously interesting one, and destroys a lot of stigmas. Enjoy this fun conversation between Mike and Mukai, including some impromptu "Old-School WWF Trivia"! If the embedded player below isn't working properly, CLICK HERE AND DOWNLOAD THE FREE mp3 FILE! Let's start on a high note. I'd like to thank past Mike McGuire Podcast guest Ken Franczek for kicking in $1,000 for my "10 Marathons for $10,000" goal. If you don't know, the Running the BMO Full on May 5th will be my 10th endurance event, so I'm trying to help out the charity that got me started in my running journey, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada. Please consider sponsoring me, as I'm giving it all I got. That said, I didn't have much this morning. Running a radio station about to launch is tremendously rewarding. The schedule is highly demanding, and often the only chances I've had to get out there and do my runs are with the team. On my way to train with my team, I was thinking of my flight to Vancouver. I'm a window-seat guy, especially with this flight. The vast mountain expanses, the deep caverns... the view truly is the hi-light of the flight. Nature can be a wondrous, magnificent display. It can also be a real pain in the... Okay, so maybe the whole mountain thing was a dumb joke, but I learned today that the hazards are still quite real. Temperatures have been going up and down around the zero mark for the last few weeks, making for some very treacherous roadways and parking lots. I've talked before about the ice and the decision to go without cleats this year, and at this point, most of the roads and sidewalks are starting to clear up. Still, there is a stretch of Hawrelak Park where avoiding the ice isn't the easiest. Believe it or not, despite all the challenges I've faced through my 3 years as a runner, one thing I've never encountered is a training injury... until today. We were barely 100M out of the gate, and I was chatting about stuff with my teammate/friend Chris Hayden when BAM! My foot hit an awkward chunk of ice and rolled my ankle something fierce. So, while it's a minor setback, I'm icing and elevating... it's been a few hours now and it's still tender. I suppose the point of writing so much about something as minuscule as a rolled ankle is to serve as a reminder to take it easy and give an injury a chance to mend itself. Even this afternoon, I've been contemplating heading back out there and trying to get my run in. I've never been very good at sittin' around doing nothing, but the only thing keeping me from getting back out there right away is the thought of doing something to make the injury worse - potentially costing me the opportunity to participate in the marathon. In the meantime, I'll take it easy... Hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to crank out some kilometers... Before we get rolling on this week's entry, allow me to make a cheap plug for the most recent episode of The Mike McGuire Podcast, featuring an inspiring conversation with the Founder of The Running Room, and a huge supporter of the BMO Vancouver Marathon, my friend JOHN STANTON! The "live player" kinda stinks, so click on the "audio mp3" button on the podcast page and download it to your mp3 player that way - John's conversation about both his journey as a runner and his evolution into Canada's authority on running is full of fun and some great information! La-Cross Training? One of the things on my weekly training schedule is "cross training". Intended to be something like swimming, cycling, yoga, etc, lately, cross training days for me have been my side-gig as the in-game host for The Edmonton Rush. It wouldn't seem like much to be the guy on the big screen crackin' jokes and hosting contests, but moving around Rexall Place from section to section amid stairs, fans and even mascots (yes, that's actually a job hazard lol!), it's a pretty solid little workout by the end of the night. The battle against my schedule is one I'm happy to say I'm winning. It's a good thing too, because as the days count down, the distance of the runs the next morning become longer and longer. A Saturday Long Slow Run - 15K for 2h20min As such, it becomes a little less exciting to see the same old trails along the river valley here in Edmonton. Hailed as the most beautiful part of our city, too much of a good thing can still be too much. I'm sure even those who live in Vancouver can say that running the same old spots can begin to grind on a runner's interest level. Normally we stay relegated to the areas within the trails and off the main streets. A couple weeks back, Coach Julia, my pal Jeff and I decided to embark in a different direction. Secretly, I was hoping we could do something crazy like run to Sherwood Park (which we probably will end up doing by the time training is over), but instead, we decided to enjoy one of Edmonton's most famous spots. Whyte Avenue is arguably the hotspot in Edmonton. The daytime offers trendy shopping, great restaurants and everything vintage from clothing to theatres. A hipster's haven, Whyte ave is also one of those areas that is a must-see whether you are into vintage neighborhood. It's also near the University of Alberta's main campus which has undergone some MAJOR overhauls over the past couple of years. Following that run, we've ventured out in a few different directions, and it's helping me keep my interest in getting "out there" alive and well. Now that we're finally getting some warmer weather, it's also easier to look out the window and want to actually be out there for longer than absolutely necessary. If you remember me talking about the ice a few posts back and how there is a benefit to running on it out here, that became apparent this week. There is nothing more rewarding than having a nice stretch of clear concrete to see the improvements that come with speed and hill training. Even though I still have my struggles, there are times where I can really open it up and get a great pace going. As the countdown to May 5 continues, I'm reminded that changes in training can be both frustrating and rewarding at the same time. What are some struggles you've managed to overcome this training season? Leave your comments below! Thanks! |