2 Weeks Till Tour de Palm Springs

Eddie is the kind of motivation we all need.

Dispatches From The Field 1-29-11

God looks after fools and little children...

5:45am - There is something about driving in the dark as you begin a journey. There were so many times growing up with my Dad where a trip started in the dark. It seemed like we always had to be somewhere in the pre-dawn hours for whatever reason. I still get excited when I witness the dark becoming the light. It always strikes me as a metaphor for things new.

This morning I am meeting Thomas for a run at Cottonwood Valley. As an accomplished ultra runner, Thomas has to hold back for me to keep up and I love him for it. The opportunity to train with someone who is better than you allows you to reach new levels. I not sure if its a good or bad thing, but I always seem to find an extra gear when I'm up against superior competition.

I meet Thomas in a gas station parking lot like some clandestine drug meeting. He jumps in my car and we head up the road to the trail head. My goal is to be on the trail at 6:00am, but we wait in the car for a little bit to allow enough light so we can see the trail.

This is my invite, so I am in the lead. Thomas has been dealing with an over use injury from treadmill work. I listen to his breathing...he sounds a little ragged. I always sound that way. I'll mentally check back at a mile and see how we sound.

Once the light breaks the darkness, it comes quickly in the desert. The air smells clean and dry. The air is crisp, even a little cold against my skin. This is really the best part of the day.

Checking back, Thomas' breathing is smooth, he is definitely good to go. We clear the first two miles and reach the map posted by the Forest Service. The trail splits in several directions here and I point them out, giving Thomas the option. (I notice he does not look at the map for a You Are Here sticker). He opts for the trail I took yesterday.

God looks after fools and little children...

We reach the two black bushes where I turned around yesterday, if we turnaround here I will have the seven miles in that I am supposed to run today. I pause briefly and point out this is where I turned around. We both are working under the assumption that this trail will loop around the back side of the hill and comeback into the valley on the other side. Thomas suggests we push on and I agree. The thought of trail that is new is exciting.

It's another mile in that it begins to dawn on me that this is not going to work out the way we anticipated. I can't see Thomas behind me but I can almost feel that he is thinking the same thing. This trail is not going to move around the hill and back into the valley from where we came. We are leaving the plan.

Highway 159 is on our left, I can't really see it but I know that it is there. The trail is not really moving up against the slope the way that it should. We should be cutting to the right, instead we are moving down the watershed. I realize what's happening right before I crest the last hill. We are going to end up in Blue Diamond.

We saw burros on the way in and on the second hill.

As I see the physical truth of the buildings, I begin mentally working on an exit strategy. If we keep going, it's about 3 miles down 159 to the gas station where I picked up Thomas this morning. I ask Thomas if he has the keys to his car. 

"No."

That means that if we run down to the gas station and then up to the trail head, the run is going to stretch to 14-16 miles total. Not impossible, but I am not eager to share that Garmin download with my Coach. I'm already going to go over my scheduled run. It's now about damage limitation.

Ok, plan "C". We can push over the hill behind Blue Diamond and get ourselves back into the valley. We run to the town market for directions.

I have to say that the Clerk at the store does not inspire confidence. He's a nice guy, but his initial suggestion is that we go back to the trail that we just came down. When we explain that fact, he advises us to follow the road from the market to the left and head to the trail next to the house that looks like Taco Bell. I didn't realize that Taco Bell architecture is American iconic.

This brings back some memories...

We find it (Taco Bell is a stretch, but I get the idea) and head for the town water tower. We reach the tower and look over the crest...to another hill. I'm now on Plan "D". While being a quiet and patient man, Thomas is in no way weak. He takes the lead.

I urge him to go high. He does, but we end up at the base of the two hills anyway. I see a gash in the rocks at the top of the second hill and we agree to head for it. This is where size, conditioning and experience all matter. Thomas is not going fast, but he is dusting me up the hill. We crest the second hill, see the valley we are looking for and begin to head down. Thomas beats me down by an even larger margin than on the way up. I'm a little embarrased that he has to wait for me.

The trail at the bottom of the hill is well worn and we are back in business. I take the lead again and begin following the trail to the middle of the valley where the fire road would be. It seems to take forever. I am getting tired.

I begin to tease Thomas that whenever we run together, I end up running 10 miles. He said it would probably be more like 9.5 miles. I appreciate the humor.

We find the fire road, find our tracks and head for home. It turned out to be a wonderful adventure. I will be back.

2:06:01 / 9.60 miles

The Scale 1-29-11

THE NUMBER = 254.8 (-0.6 from last week)

MEASUREMENTS
Waist = 42" (-1.0")
Chest = 46.5" (-0.5")
Calves = 18.5" (Unchanged)
Neck = 17" (Unchanged)
Upper Arms = 15.5" (Unchanged)
Thighs = 25.5" (-0.5")

 

Dispatches From The Field 1-28-11

What a beautiful day to go out and explore! The weather was a comfortable 57 degrees without a cloud in the sky and no wind. The only bummer was that I was on a bit of a time crunch, so I had to get it done today.

My initial plan was to run the area of test drills above Fort Apache that I wrote about before. That's six miles, out and back, which is exactly what I needed today. I really had an urge to get out and try something different - time to explore.

The Cottonwood Trail system is at the base of Mt. Potosi and is a favorite of local mountain bike riders. Horseback riders use this area as well. As a result, the trails are well marked and the single track is great. There is also a nice mix of footing here with some moderately technical sections.

It's like being at Joshua Tree on my right...

...and Zion on my left.

It sure felt that way. There is a fire road that runs through the middle of the valley with single track coming into the road from either direction. I could be busy here for quite some time...

The road feels good and keeps going into the distance. I crest a small hill a couple miles in and there is a map that has been placed there by the Forest Service. Looking ahead, there is a cluster of buildings that might be Bonnie Springs. Doesn't seem right though, Bonnie Springs should be further out. I look at the map desperate for a You Are Here sticker...nothing. I envision a ranger in his Smokey Bear hat with a maniacal laugh talking to his buddy, "So they said I had to post the map, but they didn't tell me to put the sticker on..."

The things that pop into my head.

The Garmin is reporting 3.5ish miles, I turn around and head back. I'll be texting a friend about coming out here tomorrow. There is a wealth to explore out here. I'll be busy.

The trail head is on the back left of the third peak from the left.

1:22:03 / 7.01 miles

Dispatches From The Field 01-24-11

Each week, I post a cut-down version of what I have coming up for the week. The workouts that Coach Cyndee gives me are much more specific however. I thought it might be of interest to post my complete workout for today just to give people the flavor.

Training is six days a week. I currently ask for Thursdays off because I have a fairly intense study group for work (I am currently studying for the Master Diploma Exam with the Court of Master Sommeliers). Most days, I train in two disciplines or have a long workout. Today was just a swim as I had a long bike ride yesterday (see post).

Here is today's workout as I get it (with my notes in yellow):

Warm up with the following
100 easy
Felt tight in my shoulders. Not quite sure why as I actually missed my last scheduled swim workout.
4x25 build speed on each 25 rest 10 sec
Loosened up completely on the second 25.
4x25 fast rest 10
Gassed at this point.
4x200 broken 1st pull, 2nd fast, 3rd pull, 4th fast rest 20 after each
Felt stronger as I progressed through these 200s. I was secretly racing the guy in the lane next to me. I think he was doing the same thing. We were pretty equal, which made it a lot of fun.
1x800 continuous timed effort
19:17. I told you I'm not fast yet, but I am determined.
1x100 easy swim
Praise the Lord.
4x100 build speed by 50 for each finish fast. rest 20
Tired again at the end of these. Coach Cyndee is sneaky that way...
100 easy
2500


(c) Andreas NG


I threw in an extra 500 in at the end of this workout to try and make amends for missing the previous swim. It didn't make me feel a whole lot better. It's funny, I was the world's biggest couch potato and now, I miss a workout and my entire being goes into a funk.

1:20:58 / 3000m


Weekly Schedule 1/24/11 - 1/30/11

MONDAY
Swim - 1:00/2500m - 800s & 200s
    
TUESDAY
Brick - 2:00/28 miles - 25 mile Bike, 3 mile Run

WEDNESDAY
Strength Train - 60 min
Bike - 80 min/25 miles - Base Building

THURSDAY
Off Day

FRIDAY
Run - 105 min/9 miles - Long Hilly Run

SATURDAY
Swim - 80 min/3300m - Broken 150s/300s
Run - 35min/3 miles - Tempo

SUNDAY
Bike - 285 min /75 miles - Base Building On Rolling Hills


PREVIOUS WEEK
Swim (Projected/Actual)
Time - 2:20:00/1:06:23     Distance - 5700/2400
Bike (Projected/Actual)
Time - 7:20:00/7:31:34     Distance - 100/116.58
Run (Projected/Actual)
Time - 2:50:00/2:43:45     Distance - 12/15.25
Strength (Projected/Actual)
Time - 1:00:00/1:04:00
TOTAL (Projected/Actual)
Time - 13:30:00/12:25:41

Dispatches From The Field 01-23-11

The Tour de Palm Springs is approaching and the long rides are becoming a little more serious. Did 70 miles today for my long ride. Knees are sore. I'm hoping that my body will sort things out over the next two weeks.

Ended up oversleeping and didn't get started until about 7:20am. Thought about doing two loops of the River Mountain Trail Loop, but that would mean driving to the trail and the climbs and curves in the trail make it a little slower going. Needed to get home today for some face time with the family. So out the garage door and on the road seemed to be the ticket.

The ride was pretty uneventful. I came up from Highway 159, which doesn't see nearly as much traffic as the other direction off Charleston. Most people start at Desert Foothills and work their way out toward 160. I ended up seeing quite a few people after I got past Blue Diamond and played cat and mouse with a couple cyclists along the way. Wanted to get someone to pull with me but everyone just wants to be a wheel sucker. Come on people, we are recreational riders! Get up front for a pull!

I did have one section of interest today. I was cruising on the backstretch of 159 (downhill is the only place where chubby is good) when I passed this woman running toward me. She was seriously in the middle of nowhere. The only close place she could be running from was Blue Diamond. I yelled at her "how far" as we passed but she had an Ipod going and couldn't hear me. She flashed me a "hang loose" gesture with her right hand and just kept on trucking. I would have liked to know how far she was running - love an overachiever.

80 miles next week for the long ride. I'm thinking about doing an abbreviated RTC Century course. I'll have to get in some pictures.

Stats For Ride

The Scale 01-22-11

THE NUMBER = 255.4 (+3.0 from last week)

I don't know, stress maybe? I've had a lot of pressure this week at work. I didn't feel like I over ate or ate a lot of junk. I just have to get it back this week.

Dispatches From The Field 1-21-11

What an amazing day for a run. The weather was great, with the temperature comfortable and the skies clear. I had a 9 mile run scheduled for today. The instructions were for rolling hills and a moderate pace. Increase the pace in the last 2 miles. That sounded like a great excuse to get off road.

There is a small group of hills on the west side of town where a series of test holes were blasted for mining. Not sure what they were looking for, but its not far from my daughter's school and it's a fun little run. The blast line is only three miles long, so I did that out and back for the first six miles and then circled up the wash behind the hill for the other three.



Top of the hill on the way out.

If you haven't seen ultra runner Anton Krupicka's blog, Riding the Wind, you owe it to yourself to take a look. He regularly posts his weekly workouts which are just this side of superhuman. One of his regular runs is to the top of Green Mountain in the Boulder area and the pictures he takes of the mountain are amazing. There is a video of Tony running on Green at the bottom of this blog if you want to see him in action.

I bring up Tony's blog because I have a real envy of the trees. With the exception of a couple years, I have lived in the Las Vegas area for the majority of my life since 1986 and I have to say that if there is one thing that really bums me from time to time, it's the lack of big trees.

There is a beauty to the high desert too though. The open space, the quality of the sky when it's clear and you get away from the valley floor. It's very peaceful. Running today, it was just a sense of open space.


Looking out toward the Strip. The pyramid is the Luxor Hotel with
Mandalay Bay being the gold buildings to the right of the Luxor.

 I was reflecting today on what a wonderful place this is to train in for triathlon. There are some really good facilities here for swimming and Lake Mead is close enough that you can get out there and get some swim time in without it becoming an all-day adventure.

The bike riding here in the city can be a full-contact sport, but if you plan it out, you can ride away from traffic with some reasonable success and there are definitely places where you can get out and go for a while.

Finally, it is deceptively hilly here. As Frank Shorter once said, "hills are speed work in disguise". There is just not a whole lot that is flat here and I think (I hope) that fact lends to the creation of stronger, more fit athletes. After all, the full Silverman event here is supposed to be one of the toughest Ironman length events anywhere.

End of the road. The last test drill is behind me as I look back.

I'm rambling. The day was beautiful today and it just felt great to go run with the sun on my face. I hope you had fun today too.

1:44:23 - 9.02 miles

Weekly Schedule 01/17/11 - 01/23/11

MONDAY
Bike - 75 min, Intervals
    
TUESDAY
Run - 30 min, Recovery Pace
Swim - 60 min/3400m - 25s & 250s

WEDNESDAY
Strength Train - 60 min
Bike - 80 min/25 miles - Base Building

THURSDAY
Off Day

FRIDAY
Run - 105 min/9 miles - Long Hilly Run

SATURDAY
Swim - 80 min/3300m - Broken 150s/300s
Run - 35min/3 miles - Tempo

SUNDAY
Bike - 285 min /75 miles - Base Building On Rolling Hills


PREVIOUS WEEK
Swim (Projected/Actual)
Time - 1:55:00/2:16:25     Distance - 4700/4700
Bike (Projected/Actual)
Time - 6:15:00/5:41:47     Distance - 75/87.39
Run (Projected/Actual)
Time - 2:15:00/2:58:26     Distance - 11/14.01
Strength (Projected/Actual)
Time - 1:00:00/1:00:00
TOTAL (Projected/Actual)
Time - 10:30:00/12:00:36

My First Product Review

After testing the Cateye Cyclocomputer over the last four months and over 1,500 miles, I am ready to give my complete review of this product:

Cateye Strada

My Comment On Its Performance

The Replacement

The Scale 01-15-11

THE NUMBER = 252.4 (-3.8 from last week)

Solid. Did not get in all the workouts that I had missed when Lulu was in the hospital, but did get in everything that was scheduled this week and made up some as well. Left knee is sore and has been for about five days. Over training injury? I have been trying to watch it and how much stress I put on my legs. This is a build period, so I am hoping to carefully make it through to my next recovery week. I don't want to miss any mileage especially with Palm Springs coming up.

Backpack Program

Melissa has organized the restaurant she works at, rm Seafood, to participate in this program at Three Square. I went along last time and it was two very satisfying hours for me. Cost me nothing but a little bit of time. Volunteers are always needed and cherished for a great cause.

Thank you to my lovely wife, Chef Rick Moonen and his wonderful staff for giving back a little something.

My Running Stress Test

Coach Cyndee - "The Protagonist"

6:07am - Las Vegas Athletic Club (Flamingo)

I am a couple minutes late. This always stresses me out when it comes to appointments. I am not happy unless I am on time or early, but last night was rough. To go along with her dog bite, my daughter has apparently picked up a staph infection (found out via the pediatrician later today). Let me tell you; if your wife/husband/child is not happy, you are just not going to be happy. But I digress.

So I get there and of course everyone is on a treadmill. Seeing a free machine in the middle of the group, I dive on and try to pretend like I have been there the entire time. Coach Cyndee gives me a knowing smile. I start off at a slow pace to warm up for the first 10 minutes. While I have done this before, I can tell by the way Cyndee is talking to people that this is the first time for some. I feel for them.

On the other hand, ignorance is bliss. I have done this once before for Cyndee and as a result, have been dreading this for the three days that I have known that it is coming. I chide myself about being a baby and try to clear my mind.

So the drill is 40 minutes. The first 10 minutes is an easy warm up, the next 30 minutes is as fast as you can go, with the heart monitor on for the last 20 minutes. Cyndee asks me for my resting heart rate and then after this test, I will give her my average and max heart rates from my Garmin. Simple enough.

So what pace to run? I have been 9:15ish in the last couple Sprint Triathlons I have competed in (I never claimed to be a speed demon - just committed). Last year when I did this test, I ran a 9:15 pace. Coming up on my first 10 minutes, I decide on 8:20. I can do that. Me and Steve Majors. No problem.

Well there is a problem in the last 10 minutes of the test. My heart is telling me that if I don't knock this crap off, it will push its way through my chest and out of my body. Surely if I don't appreciate it, my heart can find a human being that will. I am about to become an organ donor in the middle of the gym.

I have a mad urge to turn down the treadmill. This is not sane. I have done enough. I will go read the Slow, Fat Triathlete and be content with my limitations. I don't really need to get better. I could limit myself to minimal effort - but of course, that is how I got here in the first place. I grit my teeth and try to focus on my breathing. Seven minutes to go (it feels like it was only 30 minutes ago that I had 10 minutes to go). I go for the personal Electra-shock therapy: if I slow down, Cyndee will just make me do it again next week. She won't let me quit.

Gentle reader, THIS is where the personal trainer is worth her weight in gold. The reality is that right now, with the way I feel, I WOULD quit. I would make up some excuse for myself as to why I could stop and I would. But having her here watching me forces me to continue. I won't disappoint my Coach with quitting. I won't spit on all the weeks of training plans that she has carefully written for me. I will make her proud and I will finish. I will stare at a TV for a long time and not look at the treadmill and I will finish.

I immediately look down - 5 minutes to go. It's hard to breathe. My heart seems to be on the phone dialing 911...

A phenomenon takes over my entire being at this point in the test. Actually the same thing happened the last time I did this test: I begin to curse at Cyndee in my head.

I have been on personal censorship for the last 4 years. If you have a small child in the house, you know what I am talking about: they repeat everything you don't want them to say. As a result, I have carefully screened myself and my behavior, but this is both primal and guttural. I am calling her names and coming up with curse words I didn't even know I had collected in my lifetime. I wax poetic in a way that would make the most talented sailor blush. (I told Cyndee about this the last time it happened and she thought it was funny).

Things are a little unfocused now. I can't tell if she is looking at me or not. I stop swearing in my head. I'm not going to make it. I'm sorry, I really tried to finish..

Time. Shut off the Garmin.

The Results:
Resting BPM = 62
Avg Test BPM (last 20 minutes) = 159
Max Test BPM (last 20 minutes) = 168

From Coach Cyndee:
Zone 1 - 99-127 easy
Zone 2 - 128/136 aerobic/endurance
Zone 3 - 137-143 tempo
Zone 4 - 144-149 sub threshold
Zone 5a - 150-153 threshold
Zone 5b - 154-158
Zone 5c - 159-166 max threshold
Run form looked good. The one thing you can do is bring [your] hips forward a little more and lean a little. You are very upright.
-Cyndee

I swear I would storm castles for that woman.

Weekly Schedule 1/10/11-1/16/11

MONDAY
Off Day
    
TUESDAY
Run - 40 min, Stress Test (Set new heart rate zones)
Swim - 60 min - Fast Pyramid - 2400m

WEDNESDAY
Strength Train - 60 min
Bike - Hill Repeats - 90 min

THURSDAY
Off Day

FRIDAY
Brick - 150 min - 30 mile Bike / 3 mile Run

SATURDAY
Bike - 105 min (2x 20min sets) - Tempo 

SUNDAY
Run - 65 min / 6 miles - Tempo
Swim - 60 min - 400s - 2300m


PREVIOUS WEEK
Swim (Projected/Actual)
Time - 1:55:00/0:34:12     Distance - 5550/1500
Bike (Projected/Actual)
Time - 6:15:00/8:36:18     Distance - 75/135.19
Run (Projected/Actual)
Time - 2:15:00/2:42:15     Distance - 11/15.50
Strength (Projected/Actual)
Time - 1:00:00/1:00:00
TOTAL (Projected/Actual)
Time - 11:30:00/12:52:45

Watch This If You Have a Newborn

Dispatches From The Field 1-9-11

8:00am - I feel a strong kick to the ribs. My personal alarm clock...
Somewhere in the night my daughter climbed into bed with Melissa and I; she moves around a lot as she sleeps and I usually get battle damage as a result if she has found her way into our room. I want to go back to sleep. This has been a really hard week and I have not been getting much sleep. Long ride today, I need to get up...five more minutes. Another kick, this time to the hip. Larger forces are speaking to me; I will get up.

It takes me awhile to get going. I'm not organized and Melissa has put my stuff away (which means I can't find it). In her defense, I have the unfortunate habit of leaving stuff out where she will trip over it (I'm going to use it later...). I don't get out until 9:30...need to get going.

60 miles today on the bike. Coach is taking some of her clients from the west side of town up to Red Rock. I was invited but declined because I was going to get out early and get things done. Ah, the best laid plans and all that...

I decide that I will set the goal of getting out there from the other side of town. I figure I have about two hours. If I am lucky, I can catch them on the way out at my turnaround; it will give me something to shoot for. The only challenge is that it is mostly uphill on the way out. Better start peddling.

I start out along my usual route for a 15-20 mile effort, but then kick through the Southern Highlands area and work my way back to Highway 160. Nice shoulder with a bike path all the way to Red Rocks. Then the junction to Highway 159 and around the backside to the Red Rock Visitor Center. Turn around and come home, leaving out Southern Highlands on the way back. The whole thing will take me a couple miles over my goal. Goal time for today is 3:45:00.

The weather has been improving over last week to a point where I am wearing a short sleeve jersey and bike shorts. Riding, I think I might be a little over ambitious. Some sleeves would be nice, but its not unbearable. Pace is decent, but everything hurts because I've been trying to do more this week to make up for lost time early in the week. I feel like I am pushing everything to the edge of a stress injury right now. It's a daily conversation with my body about maybe doing just a little more for me. If you promise not to break, I promise not to push any harder than this. Then I push just a little harder... my body seems to be grudgingly tolerant at the moment.

The day is simply beautiful. Crisp and clear, with winds being nothing to moderate. The usual headwind going up 160 is missing and only two cars have tried to decorate their front quarter panel with my left arm and handlebar. One of these was a lady in her Cadillac with her small dog in her lap, a big gulp in one hand and her phone texting in the other. I supposed she was steering with a knee. I was too terrified to be angry. I tried to catch her at the light to suggest that she move over to the passenger seat and let the dog drive...

160 is seductively uphill. You feel like it shouldn't be that bad and you go just a little harder than you should, but the constant grade just sucks the life out of your legs. I reach the 159 junction and realize that I may have pressed a little too hard. I look at my Garmin and see that she should be starting out from the other side. It becomes a race to see how far I can get before she catches me the other way. I get going.

I end up about 400 meters short of the Visitor Center when I see Cyndee. Not bad. She gives me a wave and I flip around to catch her for the first part of my trip back. The key now is to not get dropped on the couple hills on the way back. With my weight advantage, the downhills are no problem.

As I catch up and begin to ride alongside, she informs me that she is injured and thus dogging it. I am torn: my pride is wounded because I am struggling to keep up with her injured pace, on the other hand, at least I am keeping up. The time to her turnaround goes fast and she reminds me at the end that I have a stress test coming up in a couple of days. I cringe with the thought. Time to update heart rate zones.

Coming back the wind switches into my face as I head back down 160. I smile to myself. It's never free.

3:48:56 / 60.9 miles

The Scale 01-08-11

THE NUMBER = 256.2 (+3.4 from last week)

While disappointing, not unexpected. The time in the hospital with Lucia this week put Melissa and I off our schedule. Missed some training and sat around a lot. Will be back on track this week.

Weekly Schedule 1/3/11 - 1/9/11

MONDAY
Strength - 60 min
Swim - Drills & 200s, 2050m total
    
TUESDAY
Run - 30 min, recovery effort
Bike - 15 miles, hills

WEDNESDAY
Bike - 5x5 intervals, 90 min

THURSDAY
Swim - 25, 50, 75, 100s - 2000m total
Run - 4 miles, moderate effort

FRIDAY
Off Day

SATURDAY
Run - 7 mile tempo
Swim - 1500m moderate time trial

SUNDAY
Bike 60 miles, Ride for Mileage


PREVIOUS WEEK
Swim (Projected/Actual)
Time - 2:00:00/1:00:00     Distance - 4450/1750
Bike (Projected/Actual)
Time - 5:45:00/2:17:00     Distance - 75/38.63
Run (Projected/Actual)
Time - 3:45:00/4:41:37     Distance - 22.5/24.71
Strength (Projected/Actual)
Time - 1:00:00/1:00:00
TOTAL (Projected/Actual)
Time - 12:20:00/8:58:37

The Scale (01-01-11)

THE NUMBER = 252.8 (-4.6 from last week)

MEASUREMENTS
Waist = 43" (-0.5")
Chest = 47" (Unchanged)
Calves = 18.5" (+0.25")
Neck = 17" (Unchanged)
Upper Arms = 15.5" (+0.5")
Thighs = 26" (+1")

I have been delayed, but the numbers were taken at the proper time. I took measurements early, but took advantage of the New Year to get a clean number. This will allow me to take measurements at the end of each month. Really pleased with the number this week. Better discipline and a descent week of production.