2016 Winter OR Diaries: Fear and Loathing on the Curling Ice, by Larry Eder

This is my first column on the Winter Outdoor Retailer, which, I believe, is entirely too early in 2016. I have not really recovered from the holidays, and normally, I am in Las Vegas, enjoying French food with my sister and French brother-in-law, visiting CES and watching TV 4 France via satellite.

C’est la vie.

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FOR SHOE GEEKS ONLY: Don’t Fear the Matumbo! NIKE’s Track and Field Offerings for Tokyo Revealed! Interview with NIKE’s Patrick Richie and Natalie Kile

For Shoe Geeks Only (Clip): A Look at the NIKE DragonFly XC 3, #JourneytoCompete

My out of focus selfie, no medicinals were used in taking this picture.

Yes, I am of that age now that talks of the good old days in trade shows.

I can tell of seeing Technotronic at a Reebok party, then RUNDMC at, I believe an adidas event. One party night after another at the old Super show in Atlanta. After a week of that, I needed to go to rehab. I do remember one night, having Turkish coffee for the first time, and not being able to sleep, and cleaning up the three room suite we had in Atlanta. Then, there was the nigth at the Cafe Intermezzo, where, about two in the morning, a loud explosion woke us from our slumber, just outside the restaurant in Buckhead. Mick Jagger and Emilio Estevez were filming a movie. We just thought it was an LA Gear party out of control.

Truth is, I love the Outdoor Retailer. When I first came to OR, I would wear a suit. Not anymore.

Now, jeans, a flannel shirt and boots are de rigeur.

I have to admit that I did try to curl, as in the ancient sport of curling. Did you know that the stones, all 44 pounds each, are made in the same quarry in Scotland. Did you know that the same aforementioned quarry is actually for sale (my son and I discussed having such a business this morning).

I did try to throw the stones, which I attempted four times. I believe I got it fifteen feet, and my body went twenty feet.

I do have a new awareness of the sport and will watch curling with enthusiasm from now on. I do not believe, however, I will ever curl properly. Much like my ill fated attempt to run a steeplechase in 1976 (barrier rotten, I ran the 10,000m instead).

ArticGrip, on Saucony for September 2016

The goal of the Curling evening sponsored by Vibram and Wolverine was to show us Artic Grip a new product that will be used exclusively on outsoles in Wolverine products, including Saucony, starting in Fall 2016.

I tried the ArticGrip and am quite impressed with it. On wet ice, where one gets quite nervous, it is a winner like nothing I have ever seen.

And the Italian appetizers, were, well, wonderful.

Author

Larry Eder

Larry Eder has had a 52-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys.

Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."

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