📈 Q1 2023 Wrap Report 📉

SPONSORED BY: THE BEN POBJOY NEWSLETTER

Hello Adventurous Investors, 

Welcome to the first and last 'Marathon Earth Challenge - Q1 2023 Wrap Report'. Why? Well, firstly because this project is only a year in duration (if longer, my missus would divorce me), and secondly, because business-y newsletters are all the rage these days, even dentistry ones. As such, I'm aping the format like a stupid chimp to give you the worst business advice and/or the realest rundown on how this project performed (or underperformed?) in the first quarter of 2023. Basically, I hope the results — and my insights —  as well as some never-before-seen photographs herein convince you to remain invested as subscribers in Q2 2023!

Not only is this quarterly report timely...due to the month of March's too-lazy-to-keep-grinding death (RIP you beta quitter!) but it's pertinent this April...because I have more quarters than dollar bills in my pocket right now. And this is precisely why I sold out, and got a paid title sponsor for this issue (it's not Partake Brewing...look at the header text above the header image, bb)...so be advised that this 'by-me-for-me-paid-for-by-me' issue is totally shameless, biased, advertorial, branded content attempting to sell you something effing fun but a total financial farce: my Marathon Earth Challenge.

But first, let's get into some business that concerns you:

• Vicki, David, Kyle, Beth, and Paul: congrats...you are the five random-draw winners of the 'Simply the GOODZ' prize pack giveaway (I'll contact you shortly to get your mailing addresses). For the rest of you, click this hyperlink to get a 15% discount on 'Simply the GOODZ' that is valid until April 15th 2023. This is not an affiliate marketing link / I don't make any money from any transaction / Rather, this is Jaclyn and Sarah from Simply the GOODZ being cool as hell.

• My super thoughtful friend Sara (aka Ross aka Roscoe aka Ricky Rosé aka Sauce Boss aka Sawse) kindly sent me a coupla' cases of delicious Partake Brewing beer so I could celebrate the milestone kilometrestone of hitting 25% of the marathon world record at the tail(gate) end of Q1 2023. While friends and family occasionally see me drink booze because I'm a peer-pressured pushover (I'm looking directly at you Antonio with your goddamn port, LOL), I'm actually really allergic to alcohol (i.e. beer gives me hives and big red tannins give me menopausal hot flashes) so I legit love Partake Brewing's non-alcoholic brews since they don't physically destroy me, and because I'm a balding person in their forties (and hangovers — at this age — feel like you've been run over by a drunk driver 5-7 times). Anyhoo, should you want to join in on the celebration, use the 'EARTH15' discount code at check-out to get 15% off of a beer purchase on the Partake Brewing website. Once again, this is not an affiliate marketing link / I don't make any money from any transaction / Ross is rad, and hooking up readers is radder / Faux influencer imagery was made in jest...and it is a jab at me for being a non-commercialized joke.

• I'm trying to make one other / last giveaway happen before I leave...so keep an eye on your inbox 'cause something additional may be inbound.

In closing, I did a few marathons around Southern Ontario this past week (as I feverishly booked flights...more on that soon), but this issue focuses on where I've been, what I've used, and what I learnt in Q1 2023...to hopefully inspire you to move through — and go marvel at — our wicked-ass world (in a more informed and better prepared way).

- Ben Pobjoy, Chief Marathon Officer & Sole Employee @ Killometres International Inc.

P.S. The 'February Batch' of Pobjoy Postcards from Mexico City are allegedly starting to arrive to subscribers in Toronto...so they should start arriving to people elsewhere soon. And LULZ, the newsletter platform analytics revealed that MANY of you fell for my Rickroll April Fool's prank in the last issue! And no, I don't have an Only Fans account...but yes, people did legit message me asking for foot photos (totally not kidding, and totally never-ever gonna happen).

2023 TREK TRACKER

Where in the world...record am I?

• Countries visited: 16

• Flights taken: 25

• Kilometres flown: 37,227

• Marathons completed: 63

• Kilometres trekked by foot: 2,974.6

• Total kilometres trekked since 2015: 66,066 (hail seitan)

THE LAST QUARTER: IN REVIEW

Stats and anecdotes from Q1 2023

For all intents and purposes, I'm sorta surprised to report that my harebrained experiment is going to plan: within the first 91 days of 2023, I physically completed 60 marathons across 16 countries...which is 25% of the world record for most marathons in most countries in a calendar year. Basically, at this rate I'm on track for success by year's end. And creatively, I was consistent in Q1 2023: I posted about each marathon on social media, and never missed a week with regards to issuing this newsletter. And financially, I stuck to my $10,000 USD quarterly budget for flights, accommodations, food, airport taxis, and whatever else. That said, I did create a Q1 2023 schedule in December 2022, and my papered ambition was to do 66 marathons in that same timeframe.

So did I fail myself? Technically, I did...but in reality, I didn't. Huh...what? Well, I knew I was overpromising on the targeted number, but I nevertheless wanted to set a high-bar to give myself something very challenging to strive / stride towards (the 'ideal' being to go above-and-beyond numbers-wise to get some excess marathons in the bank to draw upon as insurance in the next quarter should I need to...like if I were to become injured or kidnapped). That said, my overall logic was as follows: overpromise...but likely deliver on the minimum versus design to deliver on the minimum...but possibly risk underdelivering.

So what went wrong? Well, nothing really...I'm unfortunately still alive (although I lost 15 pounds), I'm feeling really good in mind and spirit, I'm miraculously injury-free (just sorta stiff), and I did complete 60 marathons. IMO, this feels like a huge success because my initial plan was a best-guess / best-case-scenario for something I had never done before...and well, reality taught me some really important lessons (I knew it would), and the IRL experience provided me with some key learnings for how to better operate in — and optimize — my plans and performance in the proceeding quarters.

From marathons past, I knew South America, Central America, and the Caribbean would pose some physical challenges due to: the incredibly high altitude (in some places), some serious elevation climbs (see the stat in the graphic above...I nearly summited the equivalent of Mount Everest four times in Q1 2023), the prevalence of air pollution in parts, and the battered state and/or non-existence of sidewalks. 

And, unsurprisingly, all of the aforementioned were present in Q1 2023 (duh Pobjoy). This necessitated some unplanned load management as well as having to cautiously stay indoors in some places when they got dodgy at nightfall. Furthermore, I was really sick for the first few weeks of January (with some sort of lung infection), and then I met up with family in Mexico City in February for my brother's destination wedding there...and took more 'time off' than I planned to...because it felt asshole-ish to neglect my wife, my friends, and my family (all of whom had travelled far for the wedding, and whom I hadn't seen for six weeks at that point). And nothing in this paragraph is an excuse. Rather, they're choices I made — and choices I stand by —  that kept me healthy and ensured that my inner circle remained happy (which is of paramount importance to me in a year where I'm asking A LOT from them in terms of grace, patience, and understanding).

Nevertheless, this is what I'm doing differently moving forward:

• I'm taking Fridays off (to work). Prior to Q1 2023, I had never made a newsletter before...and while I really enjoy doing it...it takes a lot of work. Yes, I'm taking photos and notes on every marathon...but it then takes approximately 20 hours to sequence, write, and assemble each issue of the newsletter (and I learnt it was easier to do this in one full-day sprint rather than trying to chip away at it daily, and struggle with getting back into the creative headspace when I was braindead post-marathon)

• When I'm marathoning abroad, I'm solo: there's no fixers, no support crew, no producers, no nada. And when I got to new countries in Q1 2023, I learnt that it takes me hours to get through immigration / get to accommodations, get local currency, plan my marathon routes, and get groceries (so I'm set-up for success on the proceeding days). As such, I'm no longer doing late morning / early afternoon flights...when I did them in Q1 2023, I'd land thinking I could do a marathon, but instead had to do a bunch of prep work and/or administrative work, and occasionally lost a day of potential marathoning.

• Ahead, I'm only doing ridiculously early AM flights and/or red-eye flights because in Q1 2023 I learnt that I can only marathon in broad daylight. Such proved to be way safer, and because I occasionally erred: like, I planned to marathon into nightfall in some places in Q1 2023, but some of those places got dodgy in the dark, and I couldn't safely marathon (and that affected the overall count).

• I'm making every attempt to not book 'connecting flights'. I had some close calls in Q1 2023, and I just can't afford to get stuck in an airport / lose precious time that's better spent marathoning

• I'm bringing two smartphones with me for the rest of the year. One is loaded with an international plan, and the other is plan-less (it's just back-up hardware that could be 'plan activated' if needed). I am super reliant on my smartphone, so if it were lost, broken or stolen...I'd be screwed. They're hard to replace in some parts of the world, and I can't believe I was so dumb to only have one on this project so far.

And an overall note about finances:

• This whole project is self-funded. Partially, because I'm a big believer in doing things just to do them (i.e. DIY and punk), but mostly because I've always had success betting on myself and my creativity. As such, I approached this year with a 'sunk cost' mentality; front the money, be myself, flex my abilities, and parlay the latter into bigger opportunities doing it and/or on the back-end (to get the bag or a new career or maybe even both). Anyway, I'm happy to report that some cool things are starting to materialize. I don't mention this to boast (especially because nothing on my end is final), but to just give you something to ponder: if we don't occasionally take big swings and bet on ourselves...then how can we ever expect others to bet on us?

• And don't get me wrong, I reached out to a load of brands last year looking for loot (there's never any harm in shaking fruit trees). That said, I knew it was a long shot...so it wasn't unsurprising that it wasn't fruitful. And I think this may have been a blessing in disguise? Firstly, I don't have to alter my personality / temper my style to fit into a brand's tone, and I'm not beholden to external funders (i.e. corporate sponsors) who could've dumped me if their business objectives changed (which could've ended the project if it was fully reliant on their money). Secondly, I came out of the gates being me...toeing no line other than my own honest thang in my own stupid style...and I'm honestly shocked by the cool AF brands and playmakers it is bringing into my orbit. I mention this just to be real: nothing is easy and few things are an overnight success. Rather, most things are like a marathon; they're a long slog...where each step forward advances the possibility of a new reality. So ponder this: if we're standing still, how can we expect to move closer to the results we want?

• Lastly, I'm not a huge lover of money (like, I obvs need it to exist in this puzzling 'monopoly board game' world / life...but it's not a huge motivator for me). That said, I've learnt that it eventually cums if you figuratively put your back into it and keep grinding.

RAPID QUARTERLY RECAP

A speedy synopsis of Q1 2023 for time-crunched readers

• The Wildest Thing: According to some websites, I went to some 'dangerous' places in Q1 2023...but 'Toronto the Good' was the only place where I got physically assaulted on a marathon. I take travel warnings seriously...but seriously, anything can happen to anyone when you step outside anywhere...and that's a wild thing🤕

• The Biggest Obstacle: It's me, hi, I'm the problem, it's me...because my natural tendency is to go HAM and hammer all marathons with a FIDLAR acronym mindset. But I'm playing a long game this year, and I'm finding that I'm regularly having to check myself...before I wreck myself...and that is the big obstacle😤

• The Lesson Learned: I'm more into boxing than marital arts (ask my wife), but I've been thinking lots about that iconic Bruce Lee 'water' quote this quarter. Why? Well, because I physically — and mentally — know that I have what it takes to set a new world record this year...but I'm coming to accept that the outcome of this project rests in the hands of the world and its inhabitants (and how both treat me in return). Said another way, I'm learning that I'm ultimately at the mercy of fate...so all I can do is trek and trickle, and just sorta flow over and around obstacles like waiter serving diners water at dinner service😇

FIELD NOTES: TORONTO, CANADA

Public Service Announcement

If you live in Toronto, you know that the Art Gallery of Ontario and the Royal Ontario Museum are two of the more dominant cultural players in town. They got the legacies, the benefactors, the splashy architecture, and the big budgets to offer pop culture programming with the mainstream reach, and the latter towers over what is offered by the city's small fry institutions. And I got no desire to dim the giants' shine, but...

I want to shine a light on The Image Centre...which is sorta recessed in the shadows of the grounds of the Toronto Metropolitan University. I've hit it on loads of marathons over the years — as well as on a recent marathon to see the seminal Ward 81 in the flesh — and the Image Centre is a total beacon of expert curation and legit consistency...that doesn't get its due.

How do I know? Well, every time I go...I have the whole gallery space to myself, and it is insane because I have seen exhibitions there by Weegee, Gordon Parks, and most recently Mary Ellen Mark (on a late March marathon, the exhibition is pictured below). And all of those shooters are some of the most important photographers to have ever lived, AND THE EXHIBITIONS AT THE IMAGE CENTRE ARE ALWAYS FREE!!! 

And look, I've been in the art game for decades: I co-founded a gallery in a former life, have curated 30+ exhibitions, have exhibited my photography on three different continents, have written about the arts, and even wrote a foreword to an art book. And I've been to the most reputable galleries and museums around the world, many of the the big art fairs, and I've been invited into artist studios around the world to offer my critiques. I only mention this to add gravitas to my vouching for — and of — Toronto's Image Centre; it is world class, and too many people sleep on it 'cause they don't even know it exists...be they locals or tourists! 

Many cultural institutions have turned artist retrospectives of substance into dumbo selfie spectacles for our digital-ding-dong age, and this would surely make the artists kill themselves if they weren't already dead. But not the Image Centre...the work is always smartly sequenced and always paired with thoughtful text, and it's a remarkable space to soak up the exquisite offerings.

So do yourself a (free) favour and dip in. It ain't flashy, and you can't take flash photos inside...but the Image Centre sparkles without having to rely on the sucker shimmer of gong-show gimmicks. And this is probably why it's empty, and also why it's the best place to contemplate real art in the city.

BEST LOCAL THING-Y

If you're a recent subscriber to this newsletter, you're absolutely justified in your absolute confusion about the counter-intuitive junk food I've been profiling in recent issues (TBH, it's just fun to photograph). The short of it is, I lost a fuck-tonne of weight doing 60 marathons in Q1 2023. And while I'm eating good and whole and fresh and balanced and science-y right now (because I have access to a kitchen, and because of how much I ask of my body)...I'm also trying to consume as many calories as I can — currently about 5,000 - 7,000 calories a day — to put as much fat on my frame as I can before I go wither away on months of overseas marathons in a coupla' weeks. So I'm eating 'empty calorie crap' here and there because there's only so much kale and hemp seeds and avocado and legumes and tempeh one can eat before possibly crapping one's self. Could I get there another way? Sure, but life's too painstakingly long to shortchange your mouth on some tasty-but-expensive treats.

Anyhoo, the other day I swung through Burlington, Canada on a marathon of Hamilton, Canada and got the Chocolate Chip Sandwich from Kelly's Bake Shoppe. While I hate when 'shop' is spelled like 'shoppe' because it then phonetically reads like 'shop-y' to me (and it just seems as pointless as existence itself), I did love this cookie because of how completely aggressive and ridiculous it was. The damn thing must be like 1,000 calories due to the inch of prettily piped vanilla icing in-between two half-inch high chocolate cookies that are the size of pancakes...but it was super fun and messy to eat, and the coffee from the same joint was fucking excellent too.

TOP FIVE: DOUBLING DOWN ON SOME GEAR

This stuff ain't necessarily pretty...but it proved to be pretty crucial in Q1 2023

In the inaugural issue of this newsletter, I did a big brain dump on the gear I use on my global marathon adventures as a resource for you. And after Q1 2023, not only am I still physically standing...but I still stand by the recommendations I made last year as well as the original rationale I offered.

However, I wanted to double down on some key pieces because of some new learnings:

10 Litre Dry Bag for Laptop (left): Historically, I put my laptop in this yellow thing then put it in my backpack. However, in Q1 2023 I flew a lot, and it was a pain in the ass to keep pulling out my laptop at airport security scans (because my backpack was crammed full of so much crap, and repacking it was a nightmare). But then it occurred to me that I could just carry my laptop in the yellow dry bag as hand luggage, and it was a game changer...making the airport security scan process much faster and way easier. And because you can roll the neck down to collect air inside the dry bag, you can turn the bag into an air-filled, waterproof laptop protector that doubles as a de facto pillow for flights (like if one had a window seat).

Utility Pouch (centre top): I randomly bought this sorta Pop Tart-sized thing from the OG Supreme Lafayette store in LES years ago, and it's proving to be the best $40 USD I've ever spent. I legit bought it on a whim, and didn't know what I'd use it for...but now I always wear the pouch around my neck in airports to hold my passports, boarding passes, pens for immigration forms, COVID-19 masks, headphones, etc. For me, it's a fail-proof system for always knowing where my passport is, and has totally removed the stomach-sinking panic of thinking you've lost your passport...when in reality it's just hiding in one of the thousand pockets of your pants or coat or hoodie or whatever. And because it's on my neck on a plane, it's easy to pull things out of when I land elsewhere and have to pass through immigration. The pouch makes me look like a bit of a gomer (i.e. like those weird AF control-freak dads that insist on carrying the family's passports), but the pouch makes travel less stressful, so I'd encourage you to get an equivalent one, and join me in the nerd club.

Ever-Ready Camera Case (centre middle): I almost left this clunky 'case-screwed-to-camera-and-with-removable-lens-flap' thing-y at home to reduce weight, but I'm so glad I brought it: beyond protecting my camera from drops and dings, it kept dirt, dust, sweat, blood, suntan lotion, and whatever other nastiness off of my camera (likely extending its overall life). I also frequently had it in my backpack under condensation-dripping bottles of cold water, and the case was an effective barrier of defence. Basically, I'll never raw dog a camera again; it's protective case or bust...and/or busted camera.

Fanny Pack (centre bottom): Fuck, it really pains me to include this item because fanny packs are such a fashion faux pas as well as peak gomer vibes...but this thing is remarkably functional on marathons for conveniently and discretely holding and hiding my satellite communicator as well as my smartphone. And in airports, I use it to hold my laptop charger, my smartphone charger, and a universal power adaptor. Anyway, I've developed a good little system with the fanny pack, and I'm so fucking embarrassed by this admission (and still wouldn't be caught dead wearing this thing when I'm home).

Waterproof Submersible Backpack (right): These things objectively suck to wear on a marathon because they're a rubber-like material...and therefore really hot on your back. And while I didn't get caught in many downpours in Q1 2023 (phew), the high IPX rating / construction / next-level sealing zipper of this pack were clutch for keeping South America's gnarly dust and air pollution out of my backpack (and therefore off of my electronics and/or food). Take Medellín for example, it's a valley-sunken city with some of the dirtiest air I've ever inhaled...and after marathons there, I'd whip this backpack into the shower, and couldn't believe the black grime that washed off of it. I wouldn't want that airborne grime entering my pack, and I definitely wouldn't want to a wear a more fibrous pack that collected that sort of chemical-y concoction. But if you rinse and repeat...then these waterproof packs are the cat's (clean) ass.

And for transparency: I have no financial relations or professional association with any of the above brands or products...I bought all this crap myself.

MARATHON MUSINGS

A worldly rundown of hits and misses from Q1 2023

One of the missions of this newsletter is to provide readers with unconventional travel and sightseeing recommendations from the field via my Marathon Earth Challenge. And given subscribers sign up in waves over weeks and weeks, I wanted to do a recap of what slapped and what stunk in the 16 different countries I marathoned in Q1 2023.  

My hope is it functions as a bit of a resource for you to consider or consult when planning your next trip. And anything that's hyperlinked below takes you to old issues of the newsletter...which go way deeper on 'place', and provide exact locations of sights and attractions.

THE HITS

Chillest city for tourists who suffer from anxiety: Montevideo. Look, South America is generally loud and busy, and not for everyone...but Montevideo is a peaceful place for those who have panic attacks elsewhere. The city is small in size and population, the rhythm is relaxed, the people are nice, the Rambla is meditative, and there's some decent restaurants and attractions that aren't rammed. 

Funnest, tastiest, and most vibrant city: Mexico City. It's cultured, culinary, colourful and crafty...and you just can't go wrong with CDMX. And yo, I've been robbed there twice by the cops on two different marathons on two different trips...and I'll continue to go back because it's just that awesome of a place.

Best place to go decamp for an extended leave of absence: Buenos Aires. I am deeply in love with this city, its people, its neighbourhoods, its beauty, and its overall appreciation for good living. I find it to be a deep, cerebral place...and if I ever get a book deal, I'm going there for a coupla' months to bang-out the manuscript.

Biggest punch for being so piddly: San Juan. I regret that it took me so long to get there...and I'm bummed that I had so little time there...but it left me wanting to return, and I think that's a huge compliment. Good public art, some nice beaches, a great historic area...all within a few kilometres of one another combine to make this city in Puerto Rico a pretty turnkey place for short getaways.

Most surprising place: Lima. I knew jack shit about it before visiting, and it really impressed me: it's an ocean-side city on a cliff, it has some rad markets, there's a neat surf scene, lots of beautiful flower-y parks, ancient pyramids in the middle of town, and some arid hills to hike on the outskirts. It sorta has sumthin' for everyone, and it just totally surprised me with the range it offered.

Best sunset and/or place to re-ignite your crappy relationship: Cartagena. Look, we've all been there...one's relationship is sorta stalled and stuck, and you need to do some kind of intervention to jumpstart the juices. It's a hard place to be...but there's an easy place to go: Cartagena. So go there and give the relationship one last shot. The Walled City of Old Cartagena is good for some hand-holding strolls, and if you can't hash it out while watching a sunset over the ocean from atop said walls, you'll know in your heart that you honestly gave it one last go...before the state of the relationship revealed itself to be a no-go forward heartbreaker.

Best place to sink or swim: Florianópolis. I like my beaches like I like my women: naturally beautiful, unpredictable, good vibes...and something that'll kill me if I act too stupid. Here, the waters are too rough for kids and bad swimmers...but the beaches — as well as the local 'every body type warmly welcomed' beach culture — are a thing of beauty. Bisous!

Best variety of wildlife that you can stupidly get up-close to before it almost eats your face off: The Galápagos. Real talk...it was the privilege of a lifetime to go marathon the Galápagos...because it felt like I was living in the living pages of National Geographic magazine...since I was surrounded by sea lions and tortoises and crabs and lizards and so much else. I really wish everyone could visit this place once...because I think it'd make people care way more about our crazy beautiful planet and environmentalism in general.

Single best trail for the 'hardcore weighted vest weirdo' and/or those who hate hiking and/or have such shit health they fear having a heart attack: Devil's Cupper. It's short, scenic, and simple to traverse. Killers can zip it a few times and get up in the rocky parts with the iguanas...whereas normies don't have to fear any crazy ascents / descents, and can stop to soak in a naturally forming 'pool' in a rocky enclave in the ocean.

Where photographers — be they male, female and anything in-between or outside of that — will get the biggest boners: Panama City. It's not that beautiful and sorta busted and dystopian in parts...but it's just so damn textured and visually interesting that it's really, really enjoyable to photograph.

Total fascinating mindfuck: La Paz. Insane altitude, ascents seemingly in every direction, and vertically stacked roads under cable cars that are atop bridges...it's brain-melting to navigate. Plus, it's heartwarmingly colourful with heartbreaking poverty. This place isn't for everyone, but it is very interesting, and inspires a lot of thought and reflection.

A country that flies under the radar: Ecuador. I didn't get a full handle on the country, but what I saw commanded my full attention. Quito had lots of hidden gems, Guayaquil was super quirky, and the Galápagos were a natural paradise. Ecuador is sorta quiet on marketing its tourism, so don't let neighbouring loudmouths overly sway you elsewhere.

THE MISSES

Most overrated country: Colombia. Everyone hyped it to me, and I hit four different cities there...and it was pretty 'meh' (given what neighbouring countries in the region have to offer). That said, it has the biggest variety of the tastiest bananas I've ever eaten.

Biggest vibe killer: Santiago. Dispirited populace pissing everywhere in broad daylight.  As 'place', it encapsulates that Sunday night feeling of knowing you gotta go to the job you fucking hate on Monday morning...but in a vacation spot.

Biggest heartbreaker: Brasília. Incredible Niemeyer architecture plonked in the worst pro-car / anti-pedestrian urban design I've ever trekked through.

Fuck my finances: The Lesser Antilles. I cannot believe how expensive parts of the Caribbean are (excluding Puerto Rico). Like, I did 'em on the super cheap in terms of accommodations (staying in objective shitholes)...but the sticker shock on things like bottled water and canned beans from the grocery stores where locals shop is real. Honestly, just stick to coastal places in Central America and South America; they're way cheaper with equally great beaches.

Never again: Anguilla. It's beautiful in parts, but very boring overall. Yes, it's fine for blobbing out and vegging out...but so are a million other better places.

Hellish humidity: Asunción. I personally love heat and humidity because it makes me feel like a loose goose pamplemousse...but the stickiness of Paraguay in January is no joke. If you hate the feeling of full body sweats within minutes of being outside / don't want to inadvertently participate in a wet t-shirt contest...then stay clear of this sauna.

Have any questions about the content of this newsletter? Reply to it, and I'll try and answer you when it's safe to do so!