The Renovation That Broke Me

Alex spent an entire week off work trying to build a deck. What he found underground nearly sent him over the edge. Buried rocks the size of a coffin, mystery pipes, failed inspections, and a $1,200 hole-digging bill with almost nothing to show for it. This is the most honest renovation meltdown you'll ever hear.

In this episode:
- The full deck disaster saga, from Kanga loaders to jackhammers to total surrender
- Troy's post-race comedown and what it feels like when the cheering stops
- Why running in the rain alone after a big race is where the real work begins
- The official launch of the Pulling Threads Book Club and the first book pick
- Top 3 best smells of all time, including one that will divide every listener
- The evolutionary reason your armpits stink and whether clipping them actually helps
- Why one night camping fixed more stress than a week of grinding ever could

Timestamps:
(00:14) Welcome back and Troy's post-race comedown
(01:01) The emotional low after finishing your first ultra
(03:18) Ultra runner status and run inflation
(05:06) Alex's week of severe unhappiness begins
(06:46) The deck project prep, pallets of concrete and $6K of composite decking
(10:39) First hole hits a massive buried rock
(17:09) Digging out a mystery rock the size of a 12-year-old's burial plot
(21:06) Second row of holes hits a steel pipe underground
(25:25) $1,200 in Kanga hire and almost no holes to show for it
(28:49) Calling off the deck and reverse logistics nightmare
(33:27) Launching the Pulling Threads Book Club
(38:10) What makes a book worth reading on the pod
(42:59) Top 3 best smells, KFC outside the building
(47:37) The smell of rain and the science of petrichor
(50:00) Petrol at the go-kart track
(51:31) Troy's final pick and the evolutionary purpose of armpit hair

Full episode out now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Follow the pod on Instagram: @pullingthreads

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