no updates until further notice

folks,

professional and family life has caught up with me. no more updates until further notice on this blog.

China Blue

Today, in my  “Managing Global Production and Technology” class with Prof. Ellis, we watched parts of a PBS documentary named “China Blue“. This 80min film followed a second-born farmer’s girl that packed her things (duffel bag, green bucket, and 100 yuan) to go to the city and work as a thread cutter in a jeans factory.

The movie is very disturbing on different levels. The girl (Jasmine) and her co-workers, earn ridiculously low wages. At times the factory owner (a ex-policemen that loves to do calligraphy) defers salary payments for weeks and when asked how his management style works, he replies: “I like the relaxed management style, but you don’t want your workers to get out of hand.” Apart from the questionable living conditions, the young workers are forced to work long days (20hrs shifts) with no overtime pay, they get their eyes clipped open with clothes-pins, get their first months pay withheld as a “deposit”, and  get fired when they get pregnant (among other things).

I understand that the socioeconomic and cultural differences should force us to look at this problem through a different, open lens. Also, as a supporter of the free-market, I understand that the trend of Chinese low-wage labor is not reversible, and that it is in our and Chinas interest to have our stuff produced in the “third world”.

However, I did feel a little uneasy when some of my class mates referred to the girl as “happy”, and “fulfilling a live-long dream”. Some classmates scrambled to come up with comparisons to our world and were quick to find explanations for Jasmin’s situation.

“We have to work all day, too.” – “She chose to take on that job.” – “There is nothing we can do about that [problem].”

I believe that we have the choice, and privilege to make choices. Choices that Jasmin does not have. As a second-born child, she is unwanted by the government (One Child Policy), and the fact that she is a girl does not help the situation. Therefore, when we are made aware of obvious labor law violations, we should not hesitate to send a signal. We can do that by thinking twice when buying “Made in China”.

Tags: child, China, china blue, Ellis, jeans, labor, law, made in china, One child policy, PBS, U.S., work

One more old swimming video? YES!!

please click here:

Tags: 2003, glasgow, jem, Junior European Championships, swimming, Video

First Thoughts About My First Marathon

Holy Cow, did that hurt. I wasn’t sure what to expect, though I was sure it would cause some soreness, and maybe a few blisters; I didn’t not expect it to hurt that badly.

I started the Marathon off at 6:15 am with 18’000 fellow runners with the thought in mind to “take it easy at the beginning”. I therefore ignored the overly excited runners that zipped by me in the first few miles with the expectation that “I’ll definitely catch them on the homestretch”.

Passing the 5km mark at 27:02 gave me confidence that I was on track for a good time in the 3:30-3:40 range. Even when I passed the half-marathon mark (21km/13.1miles) with a time of 1:53 I was pretty certain I would at least break the 4 hour mark. Boy, was I wrong!

When I crossed the 30km/18mile, I felt like somebody pulled the plug out of my energy tank, and it all came draining out. My pace rapidly decreased and I got passed left and right by middle-aged men and women, and worst of all, 70+ year old Mr. Bilgutay. It was at that time that I realized that a sub 4hour time would be very hard to reach. So I adjusted my goal and swore that I would finish this darn race without stopping or walking, no matter how long it was going to take me. – I’m proud to say that I ran the whole thing, without stopping.

It took me 4 hours 8 minutes and 42 seconds to finish 42.195km / 26 miles and 385 yards. Here are some stats:

10k: 53:48 – 7:48 8:48 minutes /mile
30k: 2:49 – 9:06 minutes / mile

first half: 1:53 – 8:42 minutes / mile
second half: 2:15 – 10:18 minutes / mile

full: 4:08 – 9:30 minutes / mile

official time and splits here.

Tags: Marathon, Miami Marathon 2010, running, training

5…4…3…2…

Monday (108th day / 5 to go):
No running today.

Tuesday (109th day / 4 to go):
4.8km (3miles) easy pace… lots of stretching.

Wednesday (110th day / 3 to go):
No running today.

Thursday(111th day / 2 to go):
Another 4.8km (3miles). I’m ready.

Tags: Marathon, Miami Marathon 2010, running, training

Only 1 more week.

Monday (101st day / 12 to go):
Today was my last long run before tapering down. 22.5km (14miles)! It went great. at the 21.6km-mark (13.1miles) I had an exact time of 1:45.20, that’s exactly my marathon pace. I think I’m ready.

Tuesday (102nd day / 11 to go):
Rest today.

Wednesday (103rd day / 10 to go):
Resting today.

Thursday (104th day / 9 to go):
Aaah, tapering; I love it. 4.8km (3miles).

Friday (105th day / 8 to go):
Last “longer run” before the race: 11.2km (7miles).

Saturday (106th day / 7 to go):
Resting today.

Sunday (107th day / 6 to go):
Easy 3.2km (2miles).

Tags: Marathon, Miami Marathon 2010, running, training

2 more weeks

Monday (94th day / 19 to go):
I started this week with a easy 9.6km (6miles). I’ll start tapering soon!

Tuesday (95th day / 18 to go):
12.8km (8miles) today. This was one of the last fine tuning before the race in 18 days. I ran the 8miles in exactly 1hour and 1minute .

Wednesday (96th day / 17 to go):
No running today. I’m including more rest days and shorter runs, now that the big day gets closer.

Thursday (97th day / 16 to go):
9.6km (6miles) easy run on the treadmill today.

Friday (98th day / 15 to go):
I’m feeling good and my foot feels a lot better. 6.4km (4miles) today.

Saturday (99th day / 14 to go):
Instead of running today Rachel and I decided to do some community work. We put our hands on Overtown.

Sunday (100th day / 13 to go):
Only two weeks left until my race. I ran 3.2km (2miles) easy.

Tags: Marathon, Miami Marathon 2010, running, training

Swimming Nostalgia

With only a few days left until the Miami Marathon I am getting a very familiar feeling; the “getting-ready-to-race feeling”. During taper week, when I was still swimming, my stomach would tingle when envisioning myself competing. It brings a big smile on my face to think of the good ol’ times. Here are some of my great swimming moments:

• In 2002 I qualified for my first big international competition; the 2002 Junior European Championships in Linz:
  

  

  The picture was taken during warm-up in Linz.
• In 2003 I was able to qualify again for the Junior European Championships, this time in Glasgow:
  
• Got nominated for “two Basler Sport-Champions des Jahres” (2004/2005).
  
  (c) by Varadi: Taken at regional championships in Basel.

• 2005: Choice to continue swimming career in the U.S. led to the making of the following video:
• In 2006 I successfully competed at the NCAA Division II National Championships.
  
• 2007 was one of the more successful years in my career – I competed for the Swiss National Team at the University Games in Bangkok:
  
  Picture taken during opening ceremony.

Tags: Bangkok, glasgow, jem, linz, Nostalgia, swimming, swiss championships

Back to Miami in First Class!

Sunday (86th day / 27 to go):
It’s our last day in Texas before we head back to Miami. Since my ankle has been feeling better everyday I decided to go for a longer run today. I ran 13.5km (8.4miles) with my Father-in-law, a marathoner. This is the longest I’ve run in a month.

Monday (87th day / 26 to go):
We got bumped up to first class, because the announcer messed up and didn’t call out our plane and gave away our seats to stand-by fliers. No running today.

Tuesday (88th day / 25 to go):
The marathon is in less than 4 weeks, and since my ankle still aches a little bit I thought it’d be best if I rest it a little bit. Instead of running I sat on a bike for 30min.

Wednesday (89th day / 24 to go):
Miamians are experiencing one of the coldest “winters” in history, and I love it. The temperature is perfect to run. A crisp 9° Celsius (48°F) today, and 9.6km (6miles).

Thursday (90th day / 23 to go):
I like being back to a regular running schedule. Thursday = day off.

Friday (91st day / 22 to go):
School started on Monday, and I’m already swamped with school work. Time for a little mental break; 8km (5miles) at an easy pace.

Saturday (92nd day / 21 to go):
Due to Visa troubles in August I missed the first week of school and with it the orientation weekend. I’ll be in Duck Key today and tomorrow. No running today.

Sunday (93rd day / 20 to go):
I woke up at 6 am to go run. It was a windy, cold morning, but it was worth it; I got to see the sun rise! 8km (5miles) today.

Tags: duck key, father in law, first class, fiu, Florida, Marathon, marathoner, Miami, Miami Marathon 2010, mib, running, Texas, training

Happy New Year

Friday (84th day / 29 to go):
Today is the first day of the new year and my ankle feels  a lot better. Taking one week off was a good choice, though it made me nervous at times. – 6.1km (3.8miles) in 34minutes.

Saturday (85th day / 28 to go):
Yesterday’s run was great! I ran another 5km (3.2 miles) today. To spice it up a little bit I descended every 1.25km-round by 15 seconds.

Round 1 – 5:46
Round 2 – 5:30
Round 3 – 5: 19
Round 4 – 5:05
Total Time:  21:40

Tags: 2010, 5k, Marathon, Miami Marathon 2010, New Year, running, training