My Running Crew

Navin, Larry, Chris, Dan

4 guys who met through Reggae Marathon make up my running crew.  Only two of us live in the same city and none of us run together except when we meet up in Negril, Jamaica on the first Saturday of December every year to run in Reggae Marathon.  But on all my runs my crew is with me stride-for-stride.

The Instigator:  Navin.  I thought he was a stalker at first when we met in Negril.  He's a really good runner who gets caught up in extremes...don't all runners exhibit extreme behaviour?  He connected with me via his blog and we met briefly in Negril that first year.  One year he ran the full Reggae Marathon on Saturday, flew to Florida to run a full marathon on Sunday! Navin started it all.

The Comedian:  Larry.  His comical side masks the fact that he's a really good runner as well.  He keeps it light though...that is always appreciated!  Larry has on more than one occasion helped me through tough slogging at Reggae Marathon even slogging stride-for-stride me for a little while sacrificing his time in his event.  

The Writer:  Dan.  This runner can write!  He's a history buff who tracks and reports on 'really serious' running.  Dan knows how to find your finish time from some long ago and vaguely remembered event.  He is our timer and every year runs the Reggae Marathon Challenge where he distance compensates and age grades us in a friendly competition.  I think he knows Voodoo too his methods make sense but I'll be dammed if I can figure them out.

We don't physically run together during the year but there isn't a run I go on where one or all of my running crew aren't along for the ride.

Until next time...
ThatRunninGuy

Cracking the Code of the Online Buying Journey

"Gain insight into your customer's experience at each touch point to improve their satisfaction with the whole journey".  This may just be the 'Silver Bullet' in cracking the code in online marketing

Chris M Morales

chris.morales@bell.net
@ChrisMoralesTO

647 393 3855

The opinions expressed on this blog are my own and are not associated with any other group or organization

The Winter Blahs

This time of year sucks for running outside in Toronto.  It's grey and overcast most mornings;  the snow is dirty if we have any at all;  the ground is bare and barren;  there are no leaves on the trees...even the evergreens seem to droop with the weight of mid-winter   No, it's no fun running outside in the depths of the winter blahs.

On the bright side:  We're more than half way through winter.  Despite the warmer-than-average seasonal temperatures we're expecting in the Greater Toronto Area this week, Spring isn't quite in the air yet.  But it's just over a month to go till the official start of Spring.  The mornings will get brighter, the air will get sweeter, the runs will seems lighter.  Yes...I'm ready to beat the winter blahs.

I may have the winter blahs but I'm still going running!

Until next time...
ThatRunninGuy

The Best of the Toronto Auto Show 2017

Lincoln Navigator Concept

The Toronto Auto Show, or Canadian International Auto Show by it's official name, didn't disappoint on opening night last Thursday. Within 30 minutes of arriving I'd already spent $1 Million. On 3 cars! But they were very nice cars! I'll have to get rid of a couple of my current vehicles to make space for these 3 but it's a sacrifice I'm OK with. 

That's the allure the Auto Show has for me, a die-hard 'gearhead'. Yes, the auto business is alive and well. Car manufacturers are back on track with their marketing efforts and the Auto Show is an even more important way to show new vehicles and get potential customers behind the wheel.

Musings and Observations:

• Electric vehicles and self-driving cars are in the news. Hybrids that combine gas engines with electric motors and battery storage seem more effective to me and I prefer to drive myself thank you very much. Although I do like and appreciate the safety features now coming to mainstream vehicles to help avoid crashes.  

• Connectivity is also a major topic in the Auto industry.  Most new vehicles can now be controlled via Smartphones and there are now modules that can be plugged into older vehicles that provide new vehicle-control.  

• Trucks continue to be a big deal at least for Ford, GM and Dodge.  I get the functionality of a full-size pickup for work and play but using one as a primary vehicle in the city just doesn't make sense to me.  Yet their torrid sales pace continues.  New hybrid engines help a lot with fuel economy but at over $/litre for gas they sure put a dent on the pocket book at full-up time.

• One box vehicles.  Or SUV's or CUV's or Tall Wagons.  Call them what you will but these vehicles are the death of sedans.  Read recently that this segment finally outsold sedans.  I like sedans but I understand the functionality of a one box vehicle. Especially one where you just slide in behind the wheel...must have something to do with my age and stage.

The build and design quality of all manufacturers is almost at parity, at least from my vantage point; there really aren't any real stinkers any more.  There were some highlights though...

• The Lincoln Concept in the photo above.  The side profile looks great too (see below).  I hope they make it.

• The BMW 5 M.  Amazing seats!  Fit like a glove!  Ridiculous power and thirsty but what a vehicle.

• Mercedes E AMG.  Bad Ass!  If you want to kick butt in style this is the vehicle for you.  Get it in Matte Black.

• Mustang GT 350 Cobra.  Enough said. Bad to the bone and completely unapologetic in both performance and looks.  I'd like a semi-automatic paddle shif though...not fond of the manual stick.

• Volvo XC 70.  Whoa...this beauty is really well done.  Lovely, powerful engines though in a great looking package.  The centre stack will take some getting used to though...I still favour the waterfall styling.

Here's another look at the Lincoln Navigator Concept that grabbed my attention:

Chris M Morales

chris.morales@bell.net
@ChrisMoralesTO

647 393 3855

The opinions expressed on this blog are my own and are not associated with any other group or organization

.

Top 10 Health Benefits of Running

It's still early enough in the new year to revel in top 10 lists.  As a runner, here are the Top 10 health benefits of running.  Number 2 and Number 5 are the top health benefits for me.

Get up off that counch and get running!

Until next time...
ThatRunninGuy

What an Entrepreneur Looks Like

'Entrepreneur".  A word used so commonly now that it has almost lost meaning.  In the workplace, 'Entrepreneural Thinker" is an cliche...dare I say oxymoron:  Companies way they want their employees to solve problems but really don't want 'free thinkers' who don't follow procedures.

"Startups" are started up by Entrepreneurs.  Most don't make it for one reason:  They don't clearly have a scalable venture that solves a real customer problem.  Or they run out of capital.

So what does an Entrepreneur look like?  The best picture of an Entrepreneur is of the young person hustling from a young age...they are unafraid of failure, in fact learn from it...to provide solutions to problems:

Chris M Morales

chris.morales@bell.net
@ChrisMoralesTO

647 393 3855

The opinions expressed on this blog are my own and are not associated with any other group or organization

Stuck in Third Gear

I feel like I'm stuck in third gear.  My gearhead friends, you understand that: The engine is over-revving and refuses to shift into fourth gear or overdrive.  That's how it's been with my running for the past few months and it's taken a toll on my runing enjoyment.

Honestly, running is not natural for me.  I didn't run in in either grade school or high school...cross-country a couple of times at Clarkson Secondary really doesn't count.  I did my best not to run and did I ever look the part of a non-runner.  'Molasses' was my non-endearing nickname and it wasn't just a play on my last name!

I came to running as an adult wanting to lose weight while managing a family history of high blood pressure without drugs.  For 30 years now I've done that and I love it! I have slightly below average blood pressure, no cholesteral and great heart rate all as a result of  running.  All without prescription drugs!  But since last summer my running engine just does not want to shift into overdrive.

I've been into the 'Shop' a number of times for multiple diagnostic tests yet the source of the problem remains a mystery.  Another shop visit next week should complete the assessment and I'm looking forward the diagnosis.  In the meantime I'm chugging along hoping for that momemt with the transmission shifts from third...

Until next time...
ThatRunninGuy

Ranking in Google World

Disney World is it's own ecosystem.  Without a guide it's possible to stumble around their vast interconnected world and find what your're looking for.  So it is with Google World when it comes to getting your target customers to find your website:  They may find you eventually. With the proper guide...Search Engine Optimization - SEO...they'll find you more readily.

A lot's been written about SEO and the underlying Google Page Rank Algorithms.  As a Math lover, the technical side is interesting.  As a Marketer, how to optimize a website's page ranking is key!  Here's how I explain Search Engine Optimization to my Clients:

Chris M Morales

chris.morales@bell.net
@ChrisMoralesTO

647 393 3855

The opinions expressed on this blog are my own and are not associated with any other group or organization