World Tour - stop 1: Germany

Lost Luggage and Weihnachts Markt (Frankfurt, Koln, Euskirchen, Swisttal)

The trip started on an ominous note when my suitcase did not arrive in Frankfurt, and (more concerning) they had no record of the bag! Not the best way to start a 2 week long trip around the world! I left my information and headed to the train station to take the high speed rail (German ICE). As always, a nice train ride… got some work done while enjoying espresso and watching the Germany countryside fly by at 300km/h (186mph). My driver (Frau Riesner) was waiting for me at the station to take me to the office and pick up my car. I arrived at the office at 9:30am Monday morning and worked straight through until 5pm. I uncovered and worked out some significant problems there with inventory control that "they would have not figured out without me". :) I'm just glad we got it sorted out before it was reported to the CEO, or else I think he would have told me just to move out there for good!

Left for the Hotel Weidenbruck (my home away from home in Germany). They had my favorite dinner waiting for me – the Ratsherrenteller plate (pork tenderloin, spaetzel and mushrooms in a delicious béarnaise sauce, of course, washed down with a few glasses of the local Kolsch beer. To my surprise, just as I was about to head upstairs for bed, a coworker from the US and one from France arrived from India, and we had a nightcap together and exchanged stories. Much to my relief, my suitcase arrived to the hotel around 9:30pm.

Weihnachs Markt (Christmas Market) – Koln (Cologne), Germany

What a truly Germany Christmas experience this was! After a long day at the office, I drove to Koln, which I had last visited in May. The DOM cathedral is one of the world famous for its beauty and history. The Weihnachts Markt occurs at the base of the cathedral and spills into the square and streets surrounding it. Huge Christmas tree, lights everywhere and packed with happy people to shop and eat and see the sights. Nice night, too – cold and dry. I wandered the market for a couple of hours. Found some good bratwurst and potato pancakes… washed down with a mug of gluwein (warm, spiced wine) mmmmm… I found some nice wooden carvings and Christmas ornaments to bring back for the family. Such a warm, cheery, authentic feeling Christmas celebration there... you could not ask for a more picturesque scene!

This was a special night!

Turns out, the artist who had the big display there (Kathe Wohlfahrt), apparently also made some of Amy's Grandma's things in her house (music box, other things) that Amy instantly remembered when I gave her the ornament I brought home, and some other carvings. Amy's Grandma passed one year ago, at 93, and was born and lived in Germany before coming to the USA.


On Wednesday, I worked half a day at the office, then my driver picked me up to return to the high-speed rail station, to head back to Frankfurt, and fly to Spain - for stop #2 on the world tour.

Trip Around the World in 13 days...

December 6 - 18th


This special trip literally had me circle the globe (heading east) in two weeks:
Cleveland, OH --> Germany --> Spain --> Germany --> China --> Korea --> China --> Cleveland, OH

It was quite an experience to say the least. Logistically, it went rather smoothly. At times, it was tiring because of all of the travel / flights involved (10 flights total, plus 3 train rides). Amazingly I never had a problem with jet lag! My first day in Germany I worked a full day after 14 hours of travel, and stayed up past dinner to get on schedule and it worked. I slept surprisingly well on my flights to/from China (11 and 14 hours respectively), so they weren’t so bad. I found that doing a hard run before the flight and avoiding any alcohol before flying until a glass of wine during the early part of the flight did the trick! In the past, if I got 2 hours on my 8 hour flight to Germany, it was a lot.

Culturally, it was amazing and almost overwhelming to move between such different cultures one, after another! The independent Basques in Spain and their special language... the proud and spotless Germans, the energetic Chinese undergoing their rapid socio-economic change, and the Koreans who want to party all night by the beach. I had the benefit of meeting and working with some great people along the way, and staying in some very nice places, so I could see some amazing sights!!!

I worked hard to “experience” each region. “When in Rome…” was the theme, which at times had to be firmly evoked when my hosts would want to offer me Americanized food. I wanted to experience the specialties of each region, even if they didn’t sound good (the 100 year egg in China, for example). My stomach cooperated very well as I took in schnitzel in Germany, tapas in Spain, cuttlefish and congee with fermented tofu in China, and kimchee and spicy hot pot cooking in Korea in a little 3 table restaurant. Washing it all down with local beers and specialty drinks (Kolsch in Germany, Basque wine in Spain, tea and Tsing Tao in China, and soju in Korea. Safe drinking water was in short supply, so I really had to plan carefully for my running (I ran in every country, every day). Zero… repeat… zero stomach distress or digestive problems the whole trip! Very relieved about that! (India will test that in the next couple of months, I am sure!)

I had some special contact with local people that truly enriched my experience. The most memorable is the man in Shanghai who started running next to me one morning in downtown Shanghai, trying to talk to me in English. Saying “we are friends with the Americans”. He ran with me for blocks just to chat with me (wearing a suit, carrying his lunch bag and tennis racquet). Out of necessity, I had to conduct important business only in Spanish, with no translator available. It was great how well the Spaniards embraced me, and even taught me how to do the work my company is famous for! My Spanish is pretty good, my German is functional, and my Chinese is just getting started. I tried every chance I could to speak the language... but after two full days of almost all Spanish, I had trouble transitioning back to German.

My "sight running" trips were amazing. I would pick a route that was up to 24km (15mi) long to run, and bring my camera. Run hard, stop and take pictures, run hard, take pictures. I ran through downtown Bilbao during the sunset as it lit up the Guggenheim... and again at sunrise through the Casco Viejo... In Shanghai, I was weaving through the parks that line the busy streets going to downtown Shanghai - the zenlike experience seeing the old people practice their Tai Chi in total silence and concentration, while thousands of bikes, scooters, cars and pedestrians passed by. In Busan, Korea - my hotel was on the beach, so I got to run up and down the beautiful coastline, to the rocky cliffs where an amazing network of wooden walkways, bridges and steps allowed breathtaking views.

I rode the Mag Lev train in Shanghai for the first time. 431km/hr = 268mph!! The power and speed as the train banked through the turns was amazing! I always ride the German ICE (high speed rail)... not quite as fast as the Mag Lev at 300km/hr (186mph), but is the ultimate in luxury, comfort and engineering precision (it is SILENT). The cab rides in Shanghai between my hotel and the office in the Free Trade Zone were frightening to say the least. Traffic signals and lines are just suggestions to these people. Bikes/scooters/people/cars all merging into one big stew! Never been so sure about getting into an accident, and one not occurring.

IRONMAN LAKE PLACID - 2009 Race Report (Finally)

IRONMAN = 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run = 140.6 miles... 11Hrs 45Min including a pretty bad bike crash early into the race!

I had a fine swim (but people were really physical on both laps, it was non-stop boxing for the full 2.4 miles!!). First lap was quick, second lap, the people I was with slowed down, unbeknownst to me.

I got 0.5 miles into the bike and had a pretty bad crash. It rained before the race and hard during the swim. Roads were wet and quite slipper in sections – I was going about 25mph down a hill in a bunch heading out of town from transition – didn’t see a weird bump coming – and before I knew what happened – BOOM – down I went – HARD! Huge deep bruise on my left hip (impact point I think), then road rash across my back to my right lower leg which got scalped! OUCH! Plus my front wheel was jammed bad and I thought my race was over because my bike was broken! Luckily, I was able to get everything sorted out – and got going again. :(

That crash freaked me out a little for the descent down the mountain into Keene (6 miles of steep road where you can average 50mph if you want to) – so I really rode the brakes.

But, on the rest of the bike course I TORE IT UP!

The wind really, really picked up and the sun came out making it quite warm. The wind was tailwind on the downhill leg (so no help since I’m already riding the brakes) and serious headwind on the big uphill leg from Wilmington to Lake Placid. That destroyed a lot of people – especially on loop #2! I kept going really strong (too hard?) and even with the direct and indirect time lost from the crash, did 5:48, which was about top 15% overall on the bike!

I was very much on top of my nutrition during the bike, but my stomach was bloating badly on the 2nd loop – and my pee was very dark (dehydration for sure). I kept taking fluids in, but it just sat in my belly and didn’t move into my intestines apparently. I looked 4 months pregnant starting the marathon and about 6 months pregnant by mile 3 on the run. I avg. about 8:30/mi the first 2.5 miles, until I knew I would have to do some walking to get the fluids moving – or else my race would be a DNF!

I was really dehydrated (but ironically so full of fluids that weren't leaving my stomache, I couldn’t drink anymore!). Walk/run during miles 3-7 and found a friend who blew up badly (Jonathan Hoag – stellar athlete from Toledo area). We walked about 2-3 miles together and I started feeling better. I was kicking myself for wasting my family’s time before and during the race by blowing up, but knew if I could get nutrition back on track, I could hang on and finish. These were very low times, physically and emotionally (which is what Ironman racing is really about – overcoming these horrible patches and rebounding strong).

Coming back into town – there was no way I would be walking with all the spectators and family to see me. I somehow mustered a run again – and started to feel better. These were still slow miles (about 10:00/mi), but it was better than walking! Though town I saw the family and stopped for a minute to talk – tell them what happened (crash) and that I thought I was toast. When Amy asked when I might finish – I started doing the math and said if I did – it would be like 12:30. I couldn’t believe those words coming out of my mouth! I got really embarrassed and pissed that this could be my slowest of 4 Ironman races. NO WAY! I worked too hard for this, to have a crash ruin it all.

I started with setting goals... Finish... then I set my sights to keep it under 12H18M (my first IM time). Then was running 9:30miles... Then I thought, maybe I can break 12H00M… now I'm running 9:00 miles… maybe I can break my past course record here of 11H50M… now I'm running 8:30 miles now… maybe – just maybe – I can still set a PR! Push! Push! Push!

Came back into town and ran my fastest mile on the big UPHILL into town. Feeling really good now (finally) and the feedback from the spectators to see such a running pace and my big smile this far into the pack got them going, which got me going! PUSH!! PUSH!! 8:10-8:15 miles now… last 2 miles! Hold this pace and you can PR!

So hard to do, but I gritted through it, and finished in 11:45 (was 11:46 in IM Louisville on a hotter, but much easier course). So, with a crash (lost time), rainy wet roads (lost time), serious headwind (pushed hard) and a major gut problem – all overcame to set a PR! I was ecstatic!!! And frankly, quite a bit emotional! I had decided earlier during the marathon – just getting by battered, dehydrated body to the finish would make this race the one I was most proud of already – to overcome such pain and agony. To do all that and set a personal best – ICING ON THE CAKE!

That is what Ironman racing is all about! Hitting the lows, and figuring out how to handle them and get through them. Gives you real strength in sports, as well as in life.


The week before and the week after were just wonderful for me and the family too! Fantastic house right on Mirror Lake… great weather! Did EVERYTHING you can do in the region (except fit in the bobsled run). It was simply a fantastic trip!

3 Countries Marathon - Germany, Austria, Switzerland in one day!

This is one of the coolest venues and unique race experiences you can hope for! Marathon starts on the little resort island of Lindau, Germany. It is situated on Lake Constance at the south-western part of Germany… beautiful lake with the Swiss Alps towering in the background. Quaint and beautiful town. We stayed in a cool little hotel on the Isle of Lindau, where the marathon start was.

The race was really just for fun, with no significant distance training since early July. The race left Germany into Austria… through the town of Bregenz, where the 10km mark was and the scene was crazy! Thousands of people watching, really cool scenery, then into the forests and country on the way to Switzerland. We were right at the feet of the Alps, but the race director was kind and didn’t run us up and down too much.

Switzerland… home of the true cowbell! There were cattle everywhere cheering us on! Plus people with cowbells too! One old man had a HUGE bell – nearly as big as he was. Using his whole body to swing it slowly back and forth… I’ll always remember that guy! “Hopp Hopp”, “Zuper”, “Schnell” were the cheers I recognized from the crowds… plus many more things said that I simply didn’t understand.

Eventually, back into Austria toward the finish line in the stadium of Bregenz. There were times I honestly didn’t know what country I was in… 3 unmarked border crossings… so you didn’t really know when Austria stopped and Switzerland started, etc. I ran the first 1/3 of the race at a planned 7:30/mi pace and held that till about the halfway mark. Then my lack of endurance training – coupled with a nice little bout of the squirts (2 times before race, once during… ugh) caused me to back off the pace. This race was for fun and the experience… so I didn’t really bring the mental intensity to push hard or through a lot of pain… a nice catered training run of 42.2km (26.2 miles) at 8:05/mi pace. (I have a hilarious but disgusting story for those who want to hear it!! JUST ASK!)

At the finish in Bregenz, Austria… there was a great finish line and after party. Good food and free, cold Erdinger Weissbier! I really appreciated John Holmes coming along on this trip too. He was great company before and after the race… and provided great support during the race! Great pictures, cheered me on, there at the finish, and was good enough to drive both ways. When we returned to his apartment in Stuttgart, Germany, he cooked fillet mignon on the grill, and we watched the Cincy Bengals / Cleve Browns game on skype! What a great way to finish the weekend! I drove another 4 hours from Stuttgart to Swisttal, Germany where my hotel was waiting for me… or so I thought…

Sleeping in my car - in Germany... UGH!

Sleeping in my car… Swisttal, Germany: After running a marathon, 8 hours driving back from the race, dinner, and watching a football game, all I wanted to do was crawl into my familiar bed at Hotel Weidenbruck in Swisttal. After getting settled in around 1am, I ran out to my car to grab my glasses and contact case. “CLICK” went the outside hotel door, and I immediately knew what I had done… left my room key in my room… and now I’m outside the hotel in the cold (8C/46F) with no way back in.

This is a small, family run hotel in a little German town. At 1am on a Monday morning… I am the only person awake. The hotel buzzer was met with no response… all doors / windows locked… all I can do is laugh (to avoid crying or getting stressed about my fait accompli) and set up camp in my VW Passat. My body was tired and getting stiff from a marathon run that day… mind exhausted from being up for nearly 20 hours…

I tried to sleep in the car, keeping warm with some dirty clothes from the weekend. Five long hours passed until someone from the hotel staff arrived to open the restaurant for breakfast. I sheepishly asked to be let in at 6:30am… and crawled into a wonderful, soft, warm bed for about 1 hour of real sleep before heading in to the office. LOL – my kids are telling everyone who will listen back home that their dad slept in his car in Germany… oh… what they must think!

I'll never forget the feeling of "oh crap" when I heard that door click. There was no hesitation... I knew I was screwed and would probably be sleeping in my car... I was right! : (

ALL I WANTED TO DO WAS GO TO SLEEP IN MY "OWN BED" AFTER RUNNING A MARATHON AND BEING IN 3 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES IN THE SAME DAY!!

Highlights from Germany trip / Oktoberfest

Highlights: Oktoberfest, Running 3 Countries Marathon (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), Mercedes Museum, weekend in Stuttgart with John Holmes (high school friend), process improvements and understanding with Europe Logistics/Purchasing team, and a real Dutch windmill! Oh – and sleeping in my car one night because I locked myself out of the Hotel at 1am!!

Oktoberfest / Stuttgart Volksfest with John Holmes (Lakota ’90). Biggest bunch of happy beer drinkers I have been around!! What a fun time! Drinking beer by the liter in huge glass steins (your arms get a real workout!)… fantastic chicken dinner… great music (live band – German classics and 80s music from America)… wonderful people! Despite all the beer consumed… no fights... no arguments… no mean looks… no sloppy drunks… nothing of the sort! Amazing! After shutting down the tent… we took the U-Bahn to another part of the city to an Irish Pub in Stuttgart. Awesome cider and more fun. Some delicious shawarma and a taxi back to John’s apartment safe and sound.

Mercedes Museum – Stuttgart, Germany = WOW!

What an impressive museum! 100+ years of automotive history, beautifully wrapped in a building that rivals the Guggenheim. Millions of dollars of incredible machinery and historic equipment alike. For any car enthusiast, this is a must… for non-car enthusiasts, this is still an amazing place to visit! Adjacent to the breathtaking museum, is the Stuttgart Mercedes Showroom / Dealership. Good thing I have to fly home, because I’d have been seriously tempted! These cars there were the ONLY thing I found in Europe that cost less than they do in the US!

I could go on for hours and pages about the museum... I'll attach the link to their website, and direct you to my pictures of the Museum on my Facebook page!

http://www.mercedes-benz-classic.com/content/classic/mpc/mpc_classic_website/en/mpc_home/mbc/home/museum/overview_museum.html

Process Improvements and Understanding

Process Improvements and Understanding of Europe Logistics / Distribution / Purchasing:

The purpose of the trip, of course, was work.

To continue the training, understanding and improvement of the inventory control processes and systems for European region. The team is coming together well, and making progress in understanding the processes that aren’t effective, and making improvements to them. They are good people, who care a lot and work hard. The language barrier in the office isn’t to bad. English is the second language for these people, but they are fluent, which helps a lot.

My lean / six sigma / process improvement background from manufacturing is translating well into business processes. I am driving a deeper understanding of the systems we have at our disposal. It is challenging, to get the team to take the leap of faith and get rid of the “security blanket” currently where the system allows inventory to become negative (meaning there is a problem with the transaction). We also seem to have a problem with the team in Spain, which may require a stop there on my next trip.

Hey everybody… I’m in Holland… isn’t dat Veird??

My first real trip into the Netherlands (Holland) - besides driving through to another destination. The trip landed me in Bergen op Zoom and Tholen. I was there for a meeting with a key European Supplier, with whom our relationship started on what I took to be a rocky note. The Dutch are notoriously direct and blunt… a cultural nuance I didn’t understand until after my first encounter. I felt defensive and under attack during our first meeting in June, which I arranged primarily as a pleasantry to start the working relationship. I have since learned what to expect. This meeting was really very pleasant and constructive. We spent the first hour with light chit chat over a variety of pastries, brought in by one of the employees, whose father owns the local bakery. As the guest now, instead of the host like our first meeting, things were very different! A plant tour and some real business discussion about future plans, volume, etc. made for a good day. I had a few hours to walk around the quaint little fishing town of Tholen.

To my complete surprise, I came around a corner to find a huge, restored windmill from the 1870s. This was Don Quixote material!! It was just the nicest surprise! I wanted to see one in Holland when I was there, but didn’t know how to find one! Wandering the streets in little (and big) European towns is just the best way to find interesting things! I had to drive all over to find wooden shoes for the boys too. They are actually used/worn for gardening, apparently, because I had to find the Dutch equivalent of Lowes, where a wall of “Klompers” were found in the gardening section, by the fertilizer and live kipper (chickens)! I had a really cool apartment for the night in Bergen op Zoom, and had dinner outside in the Grote Markt square. Very European to say the least! Loved it!

Missing the family while in Europe…

I love Amy and my boys and routine. These trips to Europe are an amazing experience – I could not be more thankful that this is my destination, instead of some “crummy, boring town”. It is broadening my horizons in terms of culture, language (I spoke not a word of German before May of this year), how to manage a multi-site, multi-language, multi-currency, multi-national operation. And I get to stay in a “perfect” little German village, with enough time to go exploring and get to know Europe.

Having said all this, I miss my family a bunch! During this trip, Amy and I had our 14th wedding anniversary (October 7th). It was a little tough to be gone for that special day. We celebrated before I left town with a nice dinner out together without the kids (Nemo Grille)… and we’ll celebrate more when I get home this weekend. My boys are always fun to shop for… and are excited about everything I bring back – even the “neat” sugar packets! T-shirts from Germany, wooden shoes from Holland and chocolates from Switzerland. I found a beautiful gold/diamond ring for Amy in Euskirchen, Germany. I know she’ll love it, and it brings an interesting story (having come from Germany on our anniversary and all).

This was the first trip where Amy and I both had Skype accounts. We skyped about every day – which was nice. Fun way to keep the line open for a while – so I can hear the chaos that is our home… Murphy barking, kids running amuck, etc. So, I have lots of work and sightseeing that I do to stay busy… but when it gets quiet, I miss them an awful lot. I always want Amy to join me… so far, she hasn’t been up for the flight, etc. I think she’ll be convinced, and we’ll have a wonderful trip together! I offered a weekend in Paris on the last trip for our anniversary, but she was unwilling to fly and no one could watch the kids for two weeks, either. NEXT TIME!

Lake Placid Vacation Diary - pre race

Monday July 21st - last day of work. Such a crush to get everything done I wanted and needed to before leaving. It is unusual to have such a long vacation so soon after starting a new job (just coming on 4 months with Fosbel) - but this was set up a full year in advance. I trust the people I work with to do the right things while I am gone.

Tuesday July 21st - OFF WE GO! 6 hour drive to the Finger Lakes Region where we will spend the night in a bungalo. Turned out to be a very pleasant surprise there! Beautiful, clean, new stand-alone bungalo in Skanaeteles. Very cool little resort town. Had a great dinner at Pete's! Kids had a blast. Finger Lakes are beautiful. Wished we had more time - good place to go back to.


Wednesday July 22nd - 4 hour drive through the Adirondaks to Lake Placid. We arrive too early! House not ready - so we go out for pizza on a lakeside deck and then mill around town for a couple of hours until it is. Then we get to check in. WOW! Exceeds expectations! Simply fantastic - this is a once in a lifetime vacation for us to be sure!! :)



We spend the afternoon settling in and playing on our beach. Kids seem like they are going to LOVE it here. OK - the adults too!! I swim from our house to the Ironman swim course and do about 0.75 miles to get a feel for the lake. Dinner is take-out from our favorite place last time - Mykonos - Delicious Greek food!




Thursday July 23rd - Day starts with a 1.2 mile warm-up swim at the Ironman race course. I meet Brian Simpson (a Facebook friend) for the first time in person. Very nice guy. We swim the course and have a good visit. I bike the marathon course to check it out and remind myself of the nasty hills that we have to deal with at miles 10 and 23. It is a beautiful day! I also encounter some Olympic biathletes doing their road ski work along Riverside. Cool to know so many top caliber athletes live and train in this very town. What a lifestyle!



Family-wise - while I was doing Ironman stuff for the day - including registration - Amy and the kids walked into town.



Dinner was at the Lake Placid Brewery. WOW! Excellent BBQ - and Amy got SMASHED on their beers there... especially the UBU! We walked around town afterwards and enjoyed a very nice evening!





Friday - July 24th - lazy morning at the lake house. The off to do the 5 mile descent into Keene with a small group of others. Nice to practice that long and fast descent with others, and with drivers waiting at the bottom of the mountain pass to take us back up for another go! After 3 good runs down the hill - I drove the rest of the bike course to get reacquainted with it. Beautiful - and with a mean streak! What does downhill, must go up, and the last 6 miles of the bike loop are all uphill through the Whiteface notch to Lake Placid. Quite a lot of eleveation to gain over those miles. Long and grinding - this is the challenge of the race.



Amy and the kids went into town again this morning while I was preparing for the race. They did some shopping - and discovered the "Creperie" - a place that was visited not once, not twice, but THREE times that DAY! Good stuff!



Andy and I had a nice afternoon together while Amy and Tommy were napping. Took a nice walk and went into town together. A Luna Moth was found along the way to town... what a cool looking creature! Stayed there all day - apparently they only fly at night!



For dinner, we went to "The Cottage" for some killer Lakefront dinner. Then starte to walk around town when a downpour hit - we got totally soaked and laughed all the way! Our 3rd stop at the Creperie for the day - mmmmmm... Nutella - Banana crepe for desert! YUM!!

2009 Marathon Race Report

3H 13M 34S (7:24/mi avg) = personal best by over 7 minutes!
What a GREAT race that was for me, and I'm pleased to say, a very well executed race plan.


My only real blunder was before the race. Filled up my bladder too early... tried to pee before the start... lines were too long... too crowded to just pee somewhere... lost my seeding... and the gun fired with me stuck behind the 5 hour crowd. My fist 2 miles were super slow, weaving in and out of people to try to get some room to run. Mile 1 was 8:40! About a minute too slow... not the end of the world, but making up that time later would not be so easy.


Game plan was to go easy the first 8-10 miles... stay efficient, well fueled, and avoid any lactic acid build-up on the early hills. People were trying to launch up the hills... I refused to... I would catch up to them a little later in the race, I think (and I did). My goal was to be at mile 10 at 75 minutes. thanks to the starting fiasco, it was actually 76.5 minutes. No biggie though... I was feeling great, and passing people like crazy! Nutrition was good... so I was ready to really start the effort. (fun aside - Adam Bartel - one of my very first friends growing up in Wyoming was calling out the times at mile 10. We high-fived as I went by... we've been talking via Facebook... but this was the first time to see each other in person in about 30 years!! pretty cool, eh?)


At the 1/2 marathon point (13.1) - I was averaging 7:30/mi pace. A little slower of where i wanted to be (because of mile 1), but I was OK. I've really been practicing negative splits and building pace during my long runs and my 15k race. So I finally have the confidence not only that this strategy works, but that it is the BEST way to run a race.


As the miles ground on from 10 - 18, I was flying... right around 7:05 average... granted some of this was downhill... it was the plan and I was right on top of it.


for the last 8 miles... as things flattened out, and a few more smaller hills were encountered... I went right to my target pace of 7:16 and held it all the way through the rest of the race. That was a really, really big accomplishment for me. I didn't fade off. I kept passing people who were hurting... and I had a smile. This was a very good thing to keep picking off the people that went out to fast and hard and hurt - that used to be me!


The last 4 miles became an inner struggle. While I had done well on nutrition and pace... the intensity of the effort was taking its toll on me. I didn't know this until after the race (because I stopped looking at my heart rate the last 8 miles - at that point, there was no holding back - it was, what it was)... my HR was over 200bpm steady.


My body had exhausted much of its fuel reserves... not quite hitting the wall, but it was getting damn close... I was doing math in my head as I saw the various mile markers and time... I thought I was 6 minutes off the official start clock (chip time) - turns out it took me 8 minutes to cross the line... anyhow - I thought I was at a big risk of not making my goal of 3:13, or my goal of Boston Qualifying (3:15). I had to push it hard... and the body was starting to get tired.


The last 3 miles were incredibly difficult for me - mentally. Finding every way to push the body where it didn't want to go. by this time - my HR was 205 (a new max for me)... struggling to find and provide energy and oxygen to my tired muscles. The fatigue was real... people were dropping like flies around me... cramping, walking, stopping... that looked so good... but I was on a mission. I did not train all winter, come all this way, and have all these people coming to my race to see me fail to meet my goals.


Push on... push on...


I remembered reading a blog from Mark Durno last year... about a race situation for him... how in the home stretch - he kept telling himself "I can endure anything for 20 minutes...". Those words were now echoing in my head, over and over.

The pain and anguish was so great the last 3 miles... but I had a goal to achieve... and I wasn't letting the body off the hook until we made it. No disappointments... I can endure any pain for 20 minutes... tweaks of a cramp coming in my right calf... deep breaths... relaxed hands... hold your form and efficiency..

2 miles to go... look at the clock... at this point, my mind isn't doing math well... I think I'm off goal now... pushing harder... HR 206-208 now... this is hard... but I can endure any pain for 14 minutes... one more gel and salt pill just for insurance... probably won't matter, but I'll know I did everything I could have... push on... push on...

1 mile to go!! Starting to believe I'm going to hit my goals... but I feel horrible... there is a little hill coming... nothing huge - but could undo me if I'm not careful... build up the hill... conquer it - do NOT let it get to you... the city and finish line are close now... I want to stop... I want the pain to end... I just want to lie down right here... BULLSHIT! This is real - as real as it gets... keep moving dammit...800 meters to go now... every step is horrible pain and anguish... I don't want to go any further... this is my all... my everything!

1/4 mile to go... tunnel vision... heart is out of my chest... mind is a mess... 100% of my mental effort is focused on just getting one leg in front of the other at a 7:15 pace after 26 miles... this hurts so bad...
OH NO! a runner collapses right in front of me... he was running fine one second, then just crumbled to the ground, spun around and looked at me like "what just happened??" I will not let this happen to me... push on... push on... where are the crowds? where is the noise of the finish line?? where is it?? I want this to be over!!

YES - there it is! I can do this! What a lift to see the finish line and the people! look at the watch... this is going to happen! But I still want to stop... every fiber of my body is screaming! My mind is all over it... suppressing the urge to stop, to stretch... to lie down... 200m to go...

I know everyone I know is watching now... don't let them know you hurt... don't let them know how hard these last two miles have been... the demons... the pain... and for God's sake - don't collapse in front of them!

Finish line is coming now... marathon runners to the left... can someone tell me which way is left? I see the line... closer... please come closer...

YES!!! I DID IT!!! I'M DONE!!! Wait - 3:21 on the clock... oh no... did I not BQ? How slow was that last mile?? Oh shit! What happened?? I thought I was on track. (more on this in a second)

In the mean time - the mind told the body it was OK to stop now. The body obliged by buckling... need help - volunteers - please come here quickly... I'm not going to remain standing for long. Two nice people grabbed me and helped me to a wheelchair to sit down. I can finally say at the end of a race - that I had nothing left to give, but didn't let total exhaustion have a bad impact on my time (I've hit the wall and crashed and burned in a couple of marathons - like I did last year). This was the ultimate in good timing of burning up the last possible calorie right at the finish line.

Aaahhh...
that's better.

Now... let's look at the watch and see what's going on here... 3:13:33... YES! 3H 13M 33S!! YES!!
I am going to Boston!! I DID IT! I DID IT! My prior PR for the marathon was 3:20:54 in flatter Cleveland last year... this was a HUGE improvement of almost 7 1/2 minutes! and more than 9 minutes faster than I ran Cincinnati in 2006. This was a very good race! I'm happy! Tired... but happy!

I finished 126 out of 4,035 finishers in the marathon (top 3% overall). 17 out of 372 in my age group (top 5%)

A group of friends from high school secretly planned a big support for my race - they had T-shirts made up, signs and everything. God bless them! They gave me a real lift at mile 5 when I saw them for the first time... and were there at the finish to congratulate me afterwards. It was really great of them to get up at 6am to stand in the rain and wait to see me for 10 seconds!

My family and training partners this winter and spring deserve a lot of credit for this as well. It took lots of time, effort and a few early morning sessions at the track to make this possible! Thank you all for your support!!!

First trip to Germany

I truly enjoyed my first week in Germany. What an amazing trip!

Getting there was surprisingly easy - espeically considering the fact that Sunday morning I ran the Cincinnati Flying Pig marathon - set a personal best 3:13:34 and Boston Qualified. The notion of driving back to Cleveland that day to spend 14 hours traveling to Germany was daunting - but it worked out just fine, thankfully.

Flight from Cleveland to London was easy and Layover in London was short and sweet...

Arriving in Frankfurt airport was the first introduction to Germany. I have learned enough German to ask where the train station was, and could buy the right kind of ticket to Seigburg. That was cool. The train was AWESOME... high speed rail... 300km/hr+ (about 190mph) and you couldn't tell. It was whisper-quiet and smooth. Very, very comfortable. What a way to get around between cities!

I emerged from the train station to a beautiful, post-card view of Germany... and a nice little lady (Mrs Riesner) who was there to pick me up and drive me to my hotel.

Everyone at the Fosbel Eurpoean HQ was terriffic! Very friendly, good english (I need to work on my German to reciprocate this effort). I worked on this trip to set the tone of what my expectations are (the Purchasing and Warehouse/Distribution functions report to me). We also had an international summit there, so I worked with the sales team that covers the globe on the challenges and issues we need to work on together going forward. We accomplished a lot while I was there, and laid a great foundation for things going forward.

I interacted with people from: UK, US, Germany, India, South Africa, Netherlands, Mexico, Spain, Luxemborg, France... exposure to a few new cultures to say the least!

The scenery was out of a book or disneyland... if we weren't in the heart of the rural areas - away from the tourist-type areas... I would think it was done to create an illusion... but little town after quain little town... showed it is just how they live there. Beautiful, clean, neat, quaint.

The one day of "tourism" was spent in Koln (Cologne). Good sized city, and home of the DOM - 1000 year old HUGE cathedral that is simply breath-taking. Amazing how this huge marvel was designed and built before calculators, computers, modern engineering or equipment. Just minds, vision and a lot of hard work. To make a beautiful, detailed construction. Simply amazing! We drank Kolsch beer on an outdoor beergarden in the afternoon, and went out for an amazing dinner. Great night!

Really, every night we enjoyed fantastic food... from a huge lamb shank, to sauerbratten to "angusbeef" to sausage and weinerschnitzel... YUM!

I return there again in late June. Cannot wait!

My photos are up on my facebook page.

My first week as Global Purchasing & Logistics Director

Many have asked, so I thought I'd write some things up for everyone to get a sense of how the first week on the new job is!

All I can say is... "What's the catch?"
- Great business, great people, great position, great location (and some cool international travel), great compensation and what looks like a great work/life balance!

We are a global business that touches nearly every region of the world, and my team is responsible for procuring all of the equipment and materials and then getting them to all of the job sites on time and in the right condition. Our corporate HQ is in Brook Park (12 miles away), and right off my regular bike route in the Metroparks - so I can (and have already) ride to/from work for "bonus" workout time! :)

What is very exciting for me is that my prior experiences have really prepared me to do well in this role. My learning curve will be very quick... when I started with PCC, it was new position, new organization, new industry, new everything! My past jobs as Materials Manager and Operations there prepared me very well for the challenges of this position now.

It builds my confidence to have such a good Lean / Six Sigma / Theory of Constraints toolbox to draw upon, along with professional Supply Chain management skills. I'm developing the necessary tools to manage Fosbel better in days - instead of the months to develop while with PCC. Been there, done that, have the T-shirt... it is a good feeling, so that I can focus on the specific issues we face with the current business, instead of figuring out how to get tools in place.

I will still be very challged because I now have direct reports that are literally on the other side of the globe, so I must develop and hone some new management skills. The complexity of the various logistics movements / customs issues / etc. that are required for this particular business will also present a new and exciting set of challenges. The purchasing side will also be challenging as we look at how to leverage our supply base for needed improvements. This will be fun!

The prospect of global travel (usually a week at a time to Germany, China and other locations) is not a negative to me. I've only been to Japan - so these will be new and interesting worlds to encounter and cultures to learn about and adapt to. I very much look forward to my first trip to Europe at the end of April!

Sure, there will be frustrating days where work feels like work...

VDOT, RPE and Heart Rate relationship in run training

Some have asked me about using heart rate zones / rates versus VDOT training ranges. I was introduced to the Jack Daniels VDOT training method last spring by Coach Lloyd. It had a huge impact on my marathon and triathlon season last year.

Threshold run - VDOT pace and how it matched with RPE and Heart Rate Zones:
I did my first full-blown Lactate Threshold run set of the season Tuesday (3M w/u + 3 X 10min @ LT + 4M c/d). What I found was an excellent agreement between the prescribed VDOT pace for the workout, and my corresponding heart rate during the repeats. The majority of the time, my HR was right in Zone 4 like it should be for this kind of workout. Having the Garmin 305 to record it all and download into my PC to chart it out, has been a great tool, too.

What is interesting, is that if I did the workout only using HR feedback, I would have gone out too fast in the first repeat. I felt great (since, by design, this is slower pace than the 1200m and 800m intervals done in prior weeks) and my HR was below Zone 4 for the first few minutes of the first interval. It would be easy to mess up the workout just going by RPE and/or HR. Going out too fast is one of my challenges in both speed workouts and races.

Long runs VDOT/ HR / RPE
My long runs based only on HR and RPE were too slow in years past, and not as effective as they have been this year. Doing my easy runs this year nearly 1:00/mi faster than last year, with a HR that still was properly in Zone 3 - has been a big boost for me. I have re-adjusted my RPE for this pace, and now it feels "right" too, and I can do it by feel now - but that took lots of miles to adjust to.

In conclusion:
Having a set pace to hit for the intervals using VDOT, and monitoring RPE and HR to make sure my body is properly responding has been a great combination for me this season.

What a long, strage trip it's been... My next career step...

On Monday, 3.30.09, I will begin a new step in my career as the "Global Purchasing and Logistics Director" with a company called "Fosbel". I will be based in Brook Park (right next to Cleveland's airport), and be responsible for operation centers in Frankfurt Germany, Kobe Japan and Shanghi China. A global industrial service company, Fosbel has active projects in about 50 coutries at any one time... from glass plants, to power plants, to coke/steel plants to petro refiners... these guys are there for "hot furnace" repairs. My team will be responsible for purchasing and distributing all of the materials and equipment around the world to these jobs.

What happeend:
Many of you know by now that I left PCC Airfoils in October, after having my only option be to relocate to Grafton, Massachusettes (not even the cool part of Mass). I started a career search just as the economic engine for the world sputtered and came to a halt. Timing is everything! But, I was financially prepared... with plenty of cash set aside for a rainy day (or year).

This is a really good reminder of how important it is to protect your liquidity by having at least 6 months of cash in reserve. If you can't build up that reserve, you are spending too quickly, and at risk of a financial disaster if things go south. Having the financial stability and peace of mind, allowed me to conduct my search with the confidence needed to get the "right" thing, and not panic for "something".

I want to give a lot of credit to Amy and my family and friends through the process. We kept our calm, didn't fight or worry much about stuff at all. A lot of factors outside of our control - so no sense in fretting over them. What was in our control was how we reacted, how I drove my search, and how we dealt with each other. We actually had a lot of fun together, and I had a rare opportunity to bond with the boys in ways I wouldn't normally get to... taking them to school every day, special little adventures, and lots of good, quality time together. Wouldn't trade that for anything!


The search process...

The search started with some interesting leads from the get-go, including an offer about a month after the search started. That offer was well below my target range, and I viewed the company with somewhat of a risky eye as well. It was too early to pounce, in my opinion. It was difficult walking away from a "bird in the hand" - but I did. That's about the time the world economy stopped. (I later found out that the plant and most of its people were later idled / laid off! Whew!)

Between Thanksgiving and Christmas - there was little action expected or happening. A few calls, an interesting lead... but not much. Except for one small company with a good opportunity. 3 interviews later, I was with the CEO... in that interview, he said "you're expensive, aren't you?" I replied "yes, but I'm very good at what I do". Well... I also was too expensive for them. Literally 30 minutes after getting the call that they can't afford me, I got a call about a great position with L'Oreal USA manufacturing. Series of interviews, but I finished 2nd place to someone more from their industry. I hate being 2nd place. But that plant required a 50 minute commute, and possible relocation after 2 years.

The same week that one died, things really picked up. Suddenly I had 5 companies going at once! Two aerospace companies... PolyOne (very close to home), Philips Healthcare and Fosbel.

I got the call about Fosbel last Wednesday - for an interview on Thursday (24 hours to prepare - FUN!). A few days later, returned for 2nd and 3rd interviews. It was a "dead heat" between me and another candidate. We both arrived at the same time for the final interview showdown... got to meet each other, size the other up and make uncomfortable small talk until time to meet with the CEO. That was interesting!

Obviously, things went well... and this Saturday morning, I went in to meet with the recuiter to find out what the offer was. I was really nervous, because the marketplace has been a wreck and most everyone was getting low-balled, but happy to take it because it was a job. I figrued I had some difficult decisions and negotiations ahead... turns out, they offerred what I was making with PCC... which was above the acceptance level I told the recruiter before. Very nicely done on their part to say "we want you, we value you, we want you to stay", instead of low-ball me and have me feel frustrated until I found something better. Good start!!

So, I guess the bottom line is that I stuck to my value system (keep the family together at home in town and not just chase $$) and had the confidence in myself that I would find the right position, and shouldn't have to take a cut in pay to do so.

Training summary - week of 3.09.09 --> 3.15.09

Monday - easy 90min cycle to clear the legs from the race the day before. Felt pretty good overall.

Tuesday - Postponed the normal Tuesday speedwork till Wednesday b/c of the post-race recovery. I did another easy bike (1H) and run (5M @ 8:20/mi)... Everything feels fine - just making sure not to push too hard after the race.

Wednesday - time for the first track workout at the new VDOT level (51). 5 X 1200M at 6:04/mi pace. Met Mikey Donuts there. 3.5M warm up @ 8:15/mi... then the intervals with 400M recoveries (2:15 + 1:15 stand still = 3:30 rest). Did the first one way too fast (5:50/mi pace)... But felt pretty good overall. Another 3M cool down to make it 11M total distance.

Thursday - early in the day, 1H easy cycle... then time for the group bike workout at night.
--> This was a fun and tough session led by Andy. The workout was riding the Paris-Nice Stage 6 (which the tour was riding the following morning). It was a really challenging workout. Andy did a good job setting us up for it, chasing down attacks, pushing a hard pace, and doing some very serious mountain climbs. It was really a good workout. I left huge pools of salty sweat under my bike! "Salt Spray" is back, baby!!

We had a nice get together afterwards... a beer and some really good pierogies with friends was a perfrect finish to the night. Probably a dozen people stayed after to hang out and commiserate. Nice time.

Friday - rest day. Feeling OK, but I decided to be 100% sure after two hard days... and with my first 20 mile run on the season.

Saturday - up at 5:30am for my first 20 miler of the season. Goal pace = 8:24, actual pace = 8:23. :) Felt good and strong the whole time. But pushing this pace (8:23/mi this year vs running 9:40/mi for 20 miles last year)... definitely felt like work. Didn't let pace slip on the last few miles, despite being uphill. 8:35/mi was slowest mile. I'm very pleased with this effort!!

Left water bottles on the run course the night before... didn't realize it was going to be so cold. Found at the first one frozen at mile 7... threw it inside my jacket to try to thaw it out - luckily that worked pretty well. Next time, I'll put in my salt tablets night before - that should keep them thawed next time.

Sunday - Cycled for 1H and ran 5 miles @ 8:08/mi. Didn't feel too stiff / sore after pushing the pace on the 20 miler. Thigs are going well!!

Totals for the week:
140 miles (7 hours) cycling...
41.2 miles (~6 hours)...
10,700 calories burned. (= 5 days' worth of extra food)
Good week!

Life outside of training update...

Today was one of the best of my life! Filled with simple things...

Today I had the chance to be a "helper" in Tommy's pre-school class. It was just the BEST! There are 12 kids in the class with Tommy. A great bunch of happy little faces. I felt a little akward for the first 15 minutes or so - not sure what to do or how to act. Then things loosened up. When it was playtime, I was the star attraction... doing silly little magic tricks for the kids and just playing with them. Never had so many little smiling faces all wanting my attention (Me next, me next)! Then there was more learning to do, and finally time to read a book as a class before time to go home. About every kid in the class wanted to sit right next to me. So sweet! Tommy got to sit in my lap - so he was very happy too! It was a great experience - and I got a little more appreciation for what moms and teachers do everyday. So next time your wife is cranky - give her a hug and let it slide! Kids can definitely wear you out, even when they're good!

So then I took Tommy out for a little lunch treat afterwards. Just the two of us. As he grinned from behind his little hamburger, I asked him what he liked best about school today... he said "YOU!" and I actually got choked up. It meant a lot to him to have Dad there with him today, and it meant a lot to me too! We played around for a while at lunch... then finally made our way home.

With Tommy in bed for a deserved nap and Andy at school, Amy and I had some "quiet time" together. That was very nice... nothing special, but just the two of us in a quiet house, happy. I love this woman... after almost 17 years of being with her - I never tire of her! We've been through some real ups and downs with what life has tried to throw at us (4 years trying to have our first son, me getting laid off after turning down a relocation to Massachusetts) but we keep it in perspective, and know that getting frustrated or pissed won't change reality - so we have to do our best to roll with it, make the best, and know life isn't perfect! Works for us - really well!!

Late in the afternoon, it was time for my weekly track workout. Met Mike there. It was clear, sunny, but with a really strong wind - cold as hell! This was my first track workout since the race, where I determined my "VDOT" score to have moved up. Good news is that I'm getting fitter and faster... "bad" news is that my workout paces have to get faster now! I was running 1200M intervals in 4:36 (6:08/mi pace)... 5 of them today, with 400m recovery laps between. Ran a 3.5M warm up and a 3M cool down too... for about 11M total.

The Lake Ridge Acadamy track team was starting their workout on the track while we were there. They didn't mind us being on the track too. Plent of room for everyone. Mike ran by the group as the coach was explaining the workout to them... they were going to do 200s... (meaning 200 meters = 1/8 mile = 1/2 lap) a newbie in the group exclaimed "200 laps" and was about to quit!! Big laughter at his expense... rookies.

Mike and I each had good workouts and some good conversation before parting ways. Before he left - Mike gave me 17 BOXES of Cliff Bars from his nutrition store - that were now past date (but safe to eat - we think!). What a guy! THANKS MIKEY DONUTS!!

When I got home, the boys were goofing around, Amy was making her awesome meatballs for dinner... Murphy is back to his spunky self -and I actually was able to take him for a walk after dinner! Missed our walks at night. Was good to get him back out there!

Andy is the furthest along in "math facts" in his 2nd grade class. Finished all of addition and subtraction. His teacher asked us if it was OK to start him on multiplication. Of course we said "yes"... Andy, though, was weird about it, said he didn't want to, etc... But, he started Monday and has all the x2 mastered, and could handle any single digit multiplication problems i could throw at him - in his head tonight! I was just BLOWN AWAY! The kid's a freakin' calculator! It's great! His handwriting and grammar skills still need lots of work though... he's so much like his dad was at this age - it's spooky!

Night ended with Amy and I dipping Oreos into glasses of milk before bed...

Like I said - simple pleasures, but one of the happiest days of my life!

I am still searching for a new job - have had two "second round" interviews in the past week, with a first round scheduled for Thursday, and another to be scheduled. Got 5 calls for positions in the past 24 hours - after a week of silence! Go figure! It's a numbers game... as my friend Mike likes to remind me... and lately, thankfully, the numbers are really picking up!

2009 RACE SCHEDULE

May 3rd - Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon - "A" Race
Goal = Boston Qualify 3H 15M (7:27/mi avg)...
Stretch Goal = 3H 13M... (7:22/mi avg)...

June 7th - Deer Creek Olympic Triathlon - "C" race (optional)
Goal = get first multisport race under my belt.

June 21st - Maumee Bay Olympic Triathlon - "B" Race
Goal = beat prior PR of 2H 13M 28S
Stretch Goal = break 2H 10M barrier

July 26th - IRONMAN USA - Lake Placid, NY - "A" Race
Goal = break 11H 30M barrier
Stretch Goal = any time starting with 10H XXM XXS (i'll take 10:59:59!)

August 16th - Vermillion Olympic Distance Triathlon - "B" race
Goal = top 3 age group.

September 9th - Portage Lakes Olympic Distance Triathlon Championships - "B" race
Goal - combined with points races listed above - defend 2008 Series Champion Title
Goal - top 3 age group

15K Race Report

Great race today! Achieved what I wanted to, and had plenty left over! :)

Arrived at venue at 6:30am - 35F, raining, dark and foggy... ugh!
Ran a 3M warm up... 8:45/mi pace - with two 400m intervals at threshold pace (6:55/mi) to get the metabolism up and running. In the dark, in the woods... foggy and raining - really a special little warm-up!

Race plan (never ran the 15K distance before - so this was a little bit of an experiment):
First 1/3 (3.1Mi) - hold back (7:05 target), next 1/3 - hold pace (6:55 target), final 1/3 - see what I have left and go for it. Hoping to finish about 1H03M - 1H06M.

Actual race result: BINGO! First 1/3 - right at 7:05 as planned. Next 1/3 - slightly faster than target (6:51/mi)... and I had plenty for the last 3.1miles... averaged about 6:40/mi - last mile = 6:30 / mi. So every mile got faster today - perfect! Waiting for official time, but it was low 1H03M... 1st in my age group... and somewhere in the top 10 overall (5th or 6th I think).

There were a couple of times in the race for me to employ tactics... as I kept speeding up and passing people, there were a few that tried to "hang on" or "reverse the pass". I knew I was near the front of the race - and wanted to stay there. I was getting bunched up with a few runners between miles 4 and 5... waited for the section with lots of curves, to shoot ahead and get "out of sight, out of mind" from them and stay away. That part worked! Around mile 7... I had one runner (I think was in my age group) that I couldn't shake from my shoulder... he was creeping up on me again.... side by side... I waited for a little downhill/uphill to take off... and push it HARD to break his will... it finally worked... but then I couldn't relax - I could still see him 200yd back... hanging on - which kept the pressure on me to keep my pace - but he never closed the gap again! This added an exciting dimension to my race experience - besides finding out how I would race at this distance.

Finished feeling good, like I worked, but had plenty left to give - either more distance at that pace, or could have gone faster in the race. Liked that feeling a lot!

Did a 2M cool down afterwards... felt good.

So, I consider today, a great success! Got out of it what I wanted to. My VDOT score for the day is a 50... with the conditions, add another point... so I'm now at VDOT 51 (up one from January and up 3 points from this time last year! WOO HOO!

Winter training update... important pace lessons!

Well - I keep up with my Facebook account very well - this blog, not so much!

I've been working myself hard this season. Officially into both the Ironman program (IM USA - Lake Placid, NY - July 26th), as well as the program specific to the 2009 Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon (May 3rd).

Last year, my problem was that I was too slow during my long, slow distance workouts. A slave to my Heart Rate Monitor, I thought keeping to the low end of zone 3 was best. I was doing long runs at like 9:30/mi last year (about 1:00/mi too slow for my VDOT of 48)... until Coach Lloyd realized that I was going too slow for my easy runs (in March)... by then it was too late to build the true base that I needed to live up to my potential in the marathon. I was doing my interval and threshold work at the right VDOT paces, but not my medium and long runs. I faded in the last 3 miles of the marathon last year, but still posted a 9 minute improvement over prior year! From 3:29 to 3:20. I was pleased, but learned a very important lesson about intensity for ALL workouts.

This year - different story. My early 2M time trial put me at VDOT 49-50 to start the season. I have been right on 8:30/mi pace for all of my easy / long runs. And my HR is staying in zone 3, except for occasional drift out of the zone near the end of the really long runs (especially when I get my clothing choices wrong and overheat!).

So, my running is going beautifully! (except for the little 2 week calf tweak situation, that is well behind me).

Cycling - got a serious kick in the butt this winter when I hooked up with the Second Sole / Spin Multisport team workouts. 2 hours of killer intensity and cadence work. Love the group, the workouts and the intensity I bring out of myself while doing them Beauty is that everyone is together, on their own bikes/trainers, and can work as hard as they chose to, with great leadership up front.

Same story on easy / long intensity this year vs last year... my cycling (espeically on trainer) was too low last year (like zone 2 to a little of zone 3)... this year, well into zone 3... and more drills / specific pace / cadence work too!

Swimming feels great, but due to uncertainty regarding where my next job will be located, I've not committed to a gym yet full time... so I've been hopping around, pool to pool. But my workouts and paces are going well so far... dropped LSD / easy pace by nearly 15sec/100Y... and sprints / intervals are going well!

Well - that's all for now!