Being a Black Belt – What does that mean to me? It is difficult to explain to someone who has not practiced a martial art. Some of my family and friends will be with me at the dojo to support me during my test and I appreciate that a lot. They all know what the […]

As the New Year begins, I find myself reflecting on the past year and all that it has brought me. It’s been a long journey filled with hard work, dedication, and perseverance, but it has all been worth it. The past year has been filled with countless hours of training, sweat, sore muscles, and aching […]

The end of the year is always a busy time, especially if you work in logistics like I do. It’s physical inventory time, which means long days and long hours of counting, sorting, and organizing. And to make matters even more challenging, I have to spend a lot of time in the freezer (-20 Celsius!) […]

Unfortunately, I was hit with a sickness just before Christmas, which meant I had to power through at work and lost a few practice days at the dojo. However, now that Christmas has arrived, I’m looking forward to some downtime and the opportunity to catch up on my training. In fact, David san and I […]

I am excited that a new round of the Ultimate Black Belt Challenge is starting at the beginning of December. This time, we will be following the journey of Lucas san and Cooper san as they work towards achieving their black belt goals. David san and I will be on hand to provide tips and […]

This week we are celebrating Saint Nicolaus in Germany. This annual event, which takes place on December 6th, is a time for children to have some fun while also learning about the importance of being good and kind to others. The tradition of Nicolaus involves children cleaning their shoes and placing them outside their bedroom […]

As the winter season begins in Germany, the advent season is also upon us. This time of year is marked by four Sundays leading up to Christmas Eve, and it’s a time for quiet reflection and preparation for the holiday season. On each of the four Sundays yet another candle is being lit on the […]

Every year, the Sacramento International Marathon draws runners from all over the world to participate in the 26.2 mile race. It is  always a great opportunity to give back to the running community by volunteering as one of the water stations along the course. This year, Erik, Charly, Phoenix, Tavin, and I woke up bright […]

Thanksgiving is a time for giving thanks and coming together with loved ones, and one of the most popular traditions is the “Run to Feed the Hungry” event in Sacramento, California. Held on the day of Thanksgiving, this 10k run and 5k walk attracts thousands of participants every year and raises money for the Sacramento […]

As the autumn weather starts to set in, I’ve been trying to make the most of the last few sunny days by getting my miles in to meet my 1,000 mile goal. But as with any adventure, there have been a few bumps along the way. As I crashed my bike a few months ago, […]