Aggressive Dogs

There’s a 13.7 mile stretch of two lane highway that extends from the edge of León, Nicaragua to the Pacific coast to the beaches of Las Penitas and Poneloya. I travel this road frequently via bus but never on foot. The locals assured me it was a safe route….. but none of them mentioned – the dogs.

An unexpected encounter with an overly aggressive dog a few miles west of Sutiava, a neighborhood of León, Nicaragua, cut my scheduled training run of 8 miles down to 5 when a very fast and angry dog hurled itself at me from an intersecting dirt road.

It was 7 AM and the temperature had crept upwards of 90 degrees. I assumed the heat with occasional lewd cat calls from men were going to be the toughest obstacles for this route not overly aggressive four legged animals.

I left the house at 6:45 AM with a light backpack, 32 ounce camelback, and my keys to enjoy the city streets before they became crowded. By mile four I was already struggling. I was hot, thirsty, and slow but I as a rounded the corner it was a downhill stretch lifting my spirits.  Suddenly a furry mass entered my peripheral vision and was coming straight towards me – it was a dog that had emerged from an intersecting street . My brain frantically began cycling through options in conjunction with random thoughts – What do I do? Look the dog in the eye? Don’t look? Run? Stop? Walk? Crawl? Throw rocks? Scream? Why didn’t I bring something with me for protection? Why is this road so isolated this morning? What am I doing in Nicaragua? Why didn’t I stay in bed this morning?

The highway between Leòn and Las Penitas.

Roaming dogs are common in Nicaragua

I slowed to a walk and held my breath, hoping the dog did not sense my fear. He continued to bark savagely. He was close enough that I could feel his hot breath and spittle on my knees. I wanted to run but instinctively knew that probably was not the best thing to do. Suddenly he stopped and loped away. What just happened? Was he distracted? Who cares what happened – he’s gone. Yay!  The moment of relief was short lived as I crossed to the other side of the street. He was coming back for round two and he had brought a friend. Oh no. One mad dog is scary but having them multiply is absolutely frightening. Luckily, they only followed me for 100 feet or so and then trotted away just as quickly as they appeared.

At this point I opted to return towards my apartment in a barrio of León, at a moderate walking pace. It’s better to abandon a run than end up mauled by a dog or if you’re unlucky – a pack.

I am learning more about Nicaragua every day. There are many unexpected surprises I have experienced while living in this developing nation. Living conditions and cultural differences are abundant. While doing some research I found some disturbing articles about dog attacks including one about a jogger mauled by pit bulls in California.

Defense sprays are illegal in Nicaragua, therefore, making protection a bit more challenging. I asked a local man how he handles unwanted attention from stray dogs. His response, “A backpack that has a brick stuffed inside”. I prefer something that will put a some distance between myself and the canine or whatever else I may encounter and have decided to make my own defense spray and found this video helpful and simple Homemade Pepper Spray.

I should consider myself lucky for all the miles logged and for the dogs that have not given me a second glance. Most lie down due to heat and hunger but there are more aggressive dogs here than I originally thought. Here are some dog Prevention Tips to help keep you safe. If you have had animal encounters or would like to share some suggestions, please leave a comment!

ALPA Runucate Article

Our Stories: Back to School

CommutAir Pilot Teaches English to Create Job Opportunities

By: John Perkinson, Senior Staff Writer

A chance vacation several years ago motivated Capt. Courtney Schoch (CommutAir), a Dash-8 pilot based in Newark, N.J., to make a major life change—and in doing so help enrich the lives of others. 

“In 2013, some girlfriends and I decided to take a vacation to Nicaragua,” said Schoch, noting that the pristine beaches along the northwestern coast offer excellent conditions for surfing. Intrigued by what she saw during her stay, she moved to Managua, the nation’s capital, a year later and immersed herself in the local culture. She now spends a large portion of her time in the Central American country helping locals improve their employment skills. 

The cultural and climate differences between Managua and Cleveland, Ohio, where Schoch maintains a second residence, are—as you can imagine—quite significant. It’s common to see oxcarts and horse-drawn buggies among the taxis and motorcycles on nearby streets, she said. “And it’s hot. There are daily electrical outages, and many locations don’t have indoor plumbing,” Schoch explained. “Where I initially lived, I often had howler monkeys swing down into the open kitchen area where I hung clothes to dry.” 

A large portion of Nicaragua’s population is poverty-stricken, a reality that confronted Schoch on a daily basis. However, the economy has been growing thanks in large part to a burgeoning tourism industry. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, more than 84,000 residents are employed in travel-related jobs, and tourism contributes significantly to the country’s gross domestic product. 

Habla Ingles?

Schoch began to realize that those in Nicaragua who can speak both Spanish and English tend to get better-paying jobs. She noted that a woman she met who was earning approximately $150 a month would be able to virtually triple her income by learning English—so as a former flight instructor, Schoch had been applying her teaching skills helping area children with their English. 

One day, the CommutAir captain ventured to nearby León, the second-largest Nicaraguan city and the country’s educational center, where she met an American couple who run the International TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) Academy. Schoch decided to volunteer at the school and use it as an opportunity to brush up on her Spanish. During her initial days in Nicaragua, she would tell locals that she was “embarazada,” thinking that she was expressing embarrassment about her limited Spanish skills. She soon learned that “embarazada” actually means “pregnant,” and had to explain to those she had spoken with that she was not really “expecting.”

By January 2016, Schoch had earned her official certification to teach. Every month she tries to spend at least a week at the school, depending upon what her flight schedule allows. “I continue to build ties and cultivate relationships,” she added, observing that the climate is very political and that local leaders are initially suspicious of foreigners who move to the community. 

Runucate

Schoch recently established a charitable program to help pay for supplies at the academy. Through Runucate—think “run” plus “educate”—she raises funds through pledges she receives for participating in various running competitions around the world. Following a diagnosis of skin cancer several years ago, Schoch decided to take better care of herself and now runs recreationally. “I participate in marathons and half marathons, posting information about these competitions on my website,” she said. In time, she hopes to also sponsor running events as another means of raising funds. 

Looking forward, Schoch readily admits that the León academy is a steppingstone and that she one day hopes to open her own independent school to provide affordable English-learning courses and assist with job placement. She particularly wants to help those in isolated, rural areas. Schoch’s philanthropic nature suggests that, whatever she chooses to do, she’ll continue to apply her knowledge and experience to help better the lives of others.

Source ALPA Magazine

The Protein Question

But……WHERE do you get your protein? HOW do you have the energy to run? WHAT do you eat?

These are a few of the commonly asked questions of vegetarian and vegan athletes. I’ve been a vegetarian for five years and a vegan for almost two and have lost count as to how many times I’ve been on the receiving end of a dietary interrogation administered by perplexed friends, strangers, family, and acquaintances.  Such questions have prompted a search of reliable information validating vegetarian/vegan eating habits to meat eaters.

“Adequate protein intake is needed for the maintenance and growth of cells, organs, muscles, and for the immune system. An inadequate intake of protein can cause fatigue and loss of muscle mass. Protein requirements for the vegetarian athlete range from 1.3-1.7g/kg, a level that is quite achievable from a plant-based diet. For a 180-pound male, this would be in the range of 105-125g of protein/day”, wrote Charlotte Furhaman from the University of Washington addressing the diety needs of vegan/vegetarian athletes. She further went on to give an explanation of functionality – “proteins are made of chains of amino acids, and in addition to meeting overall protein needs, it is also important to have adequate intake of the individual essential amino acids. Soy (tofu, tempeh, edamame), seitan, lentils, and other legumes all provide good sources of the amino acid lysine, which is generally low in other plant food”.

Image courtesy of jk1991 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

It is not difficult to find protein to meet recommendations and it is and studies are being conducted supporting the idea perhaps we consume too much protein in our modern eating habits. The article Too Much Protein details  results. A diet consisting of whole foods primarily – legumes, leafy greens, seasonable fruits, nuts, and seeds should be more than adequate for a non meat eater. Soy products are commonly consumed by vegetarians; however, I do not  consume soy products.

Image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

B-12 deficiency is a very real issue and one I have recently struggled.  Mysterious ailments that had manifested over the last several months often prevented me from completing training runs. Severe muscle fatigue, nerve twitches, vertigo, mental foggines, and tiredness often kept me indoors causing contributing to a regression in my running progress. In addition, a veil of depression due to an inability to adhere to a schedule lingered for several months. The culprit – low levels of B12 due to inadequate supplementation. I have turned to injections weekly to get my levels within a healthy range.

Being a healthy, strong vegetarian/vegan athlete is possible with proper meal planning and supplementation. I highly suggest blood lab tests by a qualified facility be performed at least once a year to make sure all nutritional needs are being met.

Do you have nutrition suggestions or comments you’d like to share?

The Big Five Marathon - South Africa

The Big Five Marathon in South Africa is held among the wildlife of the African savannah. Runners from all over the world will meet in one of the most spectacular “Big Five” game reserves in Africa.

In these magnificent surroundings,  exciting game drives with a challenging marathon route go right through the habitat of the most famous African game: Elephant, Rhino, Buffalo, Lion and Leopard.
No fences, no rivers, nothing at all separates the runners from the African wildlife.
– See more at: http://big-five-marathon.com/#sthash.IySZEKul.dpuf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysejLvD0PN0

Finding Time

Finding time to train for marathons as a regional pilot is challenging at best. The schedule is hectic and unpredictable with flight delays a common occurrence due to unpredictable maintenance issues, weather conditions, and staffing snafus. Pilots have the ability to request work trips, commonly known as ‘bidding’, that suit individual lifestyle needs. However, mix in the previous uncontrollable factors and the assigned trips look much better on a printed schedule than when they are actually flown.

As I look at my schedule for the remainder of March and April, there are many days I have to commute into work from from Cleveland, Ohio or Managua, Nicaragua to Newark, New Jersey.  Newark airport is where I start and finish my work trips. Crew members are allowed to live anywhere in the world with one catch – they must find their own ride to get to their assigned domicile.

Typical work days for a regional pilots average 14 hours based on a FAA algorithm set forth to ensure pilots get required sleep. That usually leaves 10 hours to hustle through the airport to the hotel shuttle, check in, eat, sleep, and hurry back to the airport to start another 14 hour work day. This does not leave much time to for recreational activities. For me that down time would include training for my Awareness Runs.

How do I find the time? The honest answer is – sometimes I don’t and a run will have to be substituted for a yoga session, run the hotel stairwell, or  jump rope. My training calendar is amended on a weekly basis. Not all hotels have a wonderful trail nearby, are located in safe neighborhoods, or have pedestrian friendly streets. What about the treadmill? I rarely use the treadmill because of numerous calf injuries incurred previously while running long distances on them. I prefer running outside regardless of rain, snow, gusty winds, cold, and heat.

The one common denominator with runners – novice, recreational, professional – is the mental muscle we must build in order to overcome obstacles in our training regime. Nearly every training day is a struggle with environmental and physical limitations but mentally as well. Being a fairly new runner with high demand training is teaching me not only have to train my body but how to train my mind as well.