This past week has been busy, but one of best of this year. FDIC is just over a month away, so I psyched about that obviously. I got to tour the plant where PBI material is manufactured, and I PR'ed my marathon with a time 20 minutes better than my last.
Starting with the PBI tour, it was incredible. I know some of you fire service legends (probably not reading this) have seen the TPP test and THL test that our gear is put through. I also felt more comfort in wearing PBI material when I watched just the outershell go through some tests side by side with a full Nomex blend. I learned so much that day it is nearly impossible to put into one post, but needless to say it was informative. I know now why our gear is 60% Kevlar, 40% PBI. It is done this way because PBI is very succeptable to tearing when placed in a 100% blend. Our outer shell would tear and not last without the Kevlar blend that the PBI is stitched together with.
I also learned that there are many materials that are out there that claim to protect firefighters the best, but truly to me Nomex and PBI are the only ones I would trust. There are even some materials on the market the conduct heat at such a high rate, they absorb heat better than steel. Sounds like a great wearing coat huh?
This tour was a very informative event for me and the others who came with me. I look forward to working with Bryan and all the folks at PBI in the future and of course talking up their product when someone asks. The people at that plant and company care about us, and they all realize what the product they make does, take us home everyday. All of their sales folks have put on gear and been in heat, in fact Bryan will be at Gaston College for Breathing equipment school later this week.
Now on to the Marathon......I know how is running 26 miles exciting? I can't answer that run a marathon and you'll find out. Running a marathon is a challenge like no other, a mixture of mind games and physical challenge. This was my first marathon since the birth of my son, so training was harder to squeeze in, long runs were harder on my wife and life got in the way alot. But after 3:54:20 it was all worth it to know I had broken 4 hours and that my son was proud of me, even though he is seemingly too young to understand.
I started out through Mile 20 with the 3:45 pace group, I had to fall back at this point to keep my goal in reach. With 2 miles to go I had 29 minutes to beat 4 hours, so I knew I could do it. Well, when I crossed the line, I knew that all of that training, time away, and sacrifice by both me and my family was worth it. Even my wife seemed happy that I had done so well. I then had the best celebration ever, taking my son to the Zoo for the first time.
I'm not saying everyone in the fire service should run a marathon, but everyone should be doing something to better themselves every shift. Last week alone I did more to better myself as a firefighter than I have done in a while. Its always good to get back in the game, so to speak, to do things that benefit you at work. I know now I can do anything I put my mind to, and that the gear I wear has certain limitations. What have you learned this week? 37 more days until FDIC (Thanks to AVG. Jake for the Countdown). If you aren't going, what will you be doing to make yourself a better firefighter that week?
As always thanks for reading, and until the next time, stay safe and stay trained.
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