Runner's Corner with Jeff

Disney Princess Weekend

My favorite race so far was the Disney races at the end of February. I ran in the family 5k with my two sons Jeffry and Brent & my granddaughter Jordan. We were supposed to be in the stroller division but my granddaughter insisted on running the whole race. To our surprise she did... She refused to stop for water or pictures because she said, "Papa I have to win." All the photographers insisted she was the youngest one out there but that didn't stop her motivation. My son Brent finished the race in 24:00 and Jeffry, Jordan and I finished in minutes 40 minutes. Great job Jordan, we are so proud of you!

Then the next day ran the Princess half with my Daughter-in-law and Marketing Director Jenny Schwenneker. After a long day of racing the day before we had to be at Disney by 4:00am and in our corral by 5:00am. We made our corral just as the gun went off. It was very crowded and we spent most of our energy weaving in and out of the crowds trying to find our pace. We really pushed each other and were able to PR. I finished with a time of: 1:58:52 and Jenny finished with a time of: 1:59:47

Now we are looking forward to the 10k on March 24th.  Track Shack is hosting the 35th Annual Winter Park Road Race presented by Florida Hospital. Our whole office is joining so please let us know if you want to race with team Schwenn. Email Jenny at jennifer@schwennservices.com for more details. We would love to see you there! Click here for more Details.

Runner's Corner with Jeff

Marathon Complete

Well, I did it... The Marathon Run is in the history books. What a rewarding accomplishment. I flew out on a Saturday morning arrived midafternoon in time to pick up running packets and visit the run expo. Of course in Vegas everything is big. There were 44,000 runners in town to run so you could imagine the buzz that was in the city. So all of the training is finally over. My body is fueled properly and time for the sneakers to hit the road.

Race morning we headed for Mandalay Bay for the start of the race. We were in Corral B, all the rock and roll bands were playing and when the starter gun went off so did the fireworks and 44,000 runners. The first part of the marathon was done in the dessert district which was less to be desired. I even saw my business competition if I ever decide to go to Vegas and open a branch. At the half way point we were back at Mandalay bay and headed down the Vegas strip. It was amazing the amount of fans cheering us on to the finish. They were the very best ever.

There are times when you think you can't go anymore and you see a sign one of our fans are holding that says “ You know why your feet hurt so bad because you are kicking everyone’s butt!” There is no better feeling than to look up at mille 22 and see the finish line 4.2 miles away and you can't feel your feet, your legs, and your arms are tired, your back hurts, and your hands are freezing oh did I say it was 41 degrees at the finish line. But the 18 weeks of training kept us pushing to the end. There was no better feeling than to enter the finishing line area and know that we made it to the finish!!

Moving forward to 2012 I have already completed the Disney Half Marathon in 2:02, and the Seasons 52 5K in Winter Park. I also finished the St. Pete Half Marathon with my best time ever: 1:59:58... Finally under 2 hours.

2012 1st Quarter Employee Spot Light

"THE MAN"

This quarter’s employee spotlight is on Reggie Pomerleau. Reggie is the Vice President of Schwenn Services’ Piping Division. Reggie has brought a wealth of knowledge, a work ethic that is unmatched, and a passion for his job and his customers that is unequaled to the Schwenn Team. The Schwenn Team’s core values are Quality Work and Great Customer Service, and Reggie certainly exemplifies both of those values. Reggie’s dedication to customer service, his level of quality that he provides, and his desire to be successful are one of the primary factors in Schwenn Services’ growth over the past several years. There are very few craftsmen left in the world, and Reggie is certainly one of them.

Food Critique w/ Jeffry

Restaurant of Choice this Quarter

This quarter’s restaurant of choice is Thai House of Orlando. If you are looking for affordable, great tasting food, this is the place. Rated 88% favorable on Urban Spoon, the food is downright delicious. The dishes range from soups and salads to noodle and rice dishes. The sauces are not too heavy and the size of the meals are such that you are full, but not to the point of needing a nap.

If you want a quiet, light lunch, go for the Wonton Soup and steamed Chicken Dumplings. For a heartier meal, try the Pad Thai or Chili Jam is rice. At Thai House, the secret is the spices. When you place your order, tell the server is you want Regular Hot, Medium Hot, or for you brave souls, Thai Hot. For dessert, finish your meal off with a bowl of fried ice cream with chocolate sauce and coconut ice cream. Thai House is a great local establishment that serves great tasting food quickly, and at an affordable price.

Thai House of Orlando - thaihouseoforlando.net/