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