Getting the monkey off my back

This past weekend, I ran my 2^nd open half marathon of 2012, and it was just what I needed to gain confidence for my upcoming tri season. This race wasn’t originally on the schedule, but after my less than stellar performance at the Hyannis half marathon, even though I did set a new PR, I left the race a bit disappointed, hungry, and wanting more. I knew that even though I had left absolutely every ounce of my energy out on that windy Hyannis course (I may have quietly sworn to myself that I quite possibly don’t EVER to want to run another ½ marathon again), I was hungry for more. I knew that I didn’t quite run to my potential, and I simply just needed to get that sub 7 min pace monkey off my back!

After a quick consult with my coach, we both signed up for the Great Bay half marathon. (less than 24 hours after Hyannis – funny how quickly things change) Easy training run for him, not so EZ run or “chase” for me! The website called the course challenging with roller coaster hills, spectacular back roads, and a great downtown finish. It all sounded fun to me. I czeched out the course profile and it looked just fine. My goal time of breaking 1:30 was engraved in my mind, and I was going to chase my coach to my new PR.

Fast forward to a week before the race, when I decided since I don’t live too far away from the course to actually do my last long run at race pace there. I ran most of the course, and finally realized what “challenging with roller coaster hills” actually meant. My race pace that day was nowhere near the race pace I was planning for. It also made me understand why the back of the race shirt I picked up said: “These legs conquered the hills of the Great Bay Half Marathon”. The course was exactly as described, and just like a roller coaster – either going up, or down! The scenery was beautiful, and the 3 mile dirt road section didn’t disappoint. I don’t usually stop on my long runs to take pictures, but the surroundings were so beautiful I just had to this time. We’ll just blame the scenery as the reason for stopping instead of my screaming legs, and soaring heart rate.  

 I quickly made assumptions based on how I felt on this run, and texted my coach to let him know this course was a beast! In all honesty, the original goal of 1:30 seemed impossible, and I started to even doubt beating my Hyannis time from a month ago (1:33:46). 

My next thought went something like this - maybe I should just turn this into a training run, there is no way I’ll be holding sub 7s on this roller coaster ride when I could barely hold on to those paces on my longer training runs. And then there was the thought of Jorge jogging along side of me or rather in front of me screaming his head off for me to pick up the pace, as I was barely holding on frantically searching for the next gear, and not finding it. (I am laughing just thinking about that). My head definitely wasn’t where it needed to be, and I knew if I didn’t change my attitude, I had no chances of reaching my goal. That brain is such a powerful thing!

Few more days went by and I worked really hard on trying to believe that I can do it. Come on brain - you can do it! Just believe :). 

Jorge certainly believed in me but that wasn’t enough, I needed to believe myself if this was going to happen. I had to believe I can run sub 7’s and I can pace this race right so that I don’t die of slow death like I did at Hyannis. I really didn’t want to be counting down miles from mile 5, and wondering how I will make it through the next 8 miles again! Been there, done that just a few short weeks ago. Few days before the race, I also found out Jorge wasn’t able to run with me, which meant I really was going to have to pace myself rather than pace off of him. As you have probably put together by now, pacing especially in running is not my strong suit. I can do it just fine on the bike, but with running, I tend lean towards banking time! (bad bad bad idea) But why not just run a bit faster when the first 4 miles are slightly downhill and the uphills are coming up next, right? Why not bank some time now when I feel good? Doesn’t it sound awesome to put some time away in your little personal bank account and use it when you need it the most? (on the hills towards the end of the race?). This concept of saving is great for money, but not for running! Of course why would I listen to my coach - that would be too easy. I had to learn the hard way, and that feeling of struggling for 8 out of the 13 miles was fresh on my mind. 

Race morning arrived, and I was nervous like a little girl. I made it through 1.5 of my bagel with pbj, and a banana and that was all that my stomach was going to take. With revenge on my mind, I lined up at the front of the field, ready to go. The gun went off, and I just tried to stay relaxed, and comfortable. I was really trying to avoid going out too fast. I did let bunch of girls pass me, but I knew I was going to see them later. I wanted to run my own race, and avoid the mistakes I made at Hyannis. It didn’t take long before we were greeted by the first hill and it just never stopped from there. I kept the pace steady. I thought about 3 things the entire race. 1 – relaxing the shoulders, 2 – being pulled up by the hips on the uphills and not hunching over, 3 – letting the legs go on the downhills and just letting my body go instead of leaning back and trying to slow down. It worked like a charm! Before I knew it, I was done with the tough 3 mile section, and the miles just kept ticking off.

Miles 1 through 6 included couple of steep hills, and a 3 mile dirt road stretch. My paces were: 6:52, 7:06, 6:54, 7:08, 6:57, and 6:52. I was also able to reel in couple of girls that passed me in the first couple of miles of the race, and I was feeling good! This was also right around the time when I fell apart at Hyannis few weeks ago, but this time I actually felt good. Though this course was a lot tougher, my legs were feeling good and I was under control. Miles 7, 8, 9 again super rolling, but back on the road which made it a bit easier, but I was starting to work a bit more. I was glad to see sub 7s showing up on my watch – 6:50, 6:53, and 6:58. I took in a gel at mile 9, and passed another girl! Bonus! J The course opened up a bit more, and the wind picked up. Of course it was a headwind! Combine that with the worst hills on the course, and tired legs, and I was awarded with the slowest mile of the race – mile 10 – 7:14. L I didn’t hang my head! I wasn’t about to throw away the solid 9 miles I just went through.  Knowing I only had 3 miles left, and probably the flattest portion of the race coming up, I started to pick the pace back up.  Mile 11 – 6:47 and the slowest mile was followed by the fastest mile of the race J. Mile 12 and more headwind slowed me down to 7:05 though my effort was definitely higher than that. Mile 13 was tough, and I was starting to run out of energy. The roller coaster ride couldn’t end on a flat note, so we were greeted one last time by a short but very steep uphill. I may have or may not have used a profanity as I rounded the corner and looked this beast in the face. I somehow shuffled my way up the hill and saw mile 13 tick of at 6:55. I was finally running through downtown Newmarket which was lined with a very descent crowd, and sprinted my way through the finish line in the final time of 1:31:12, new PR, and 5^th overall female! (Almost 3 minutes faster than at Hyannis on a much flatter course)

I may have not broken 1:30, but I was super happy with my time, and actually smiled my way through the finish line.

I finally broke the sub 7 min pace, and got that huge monkey off my back. My avg. pace was 6:57, but more importantly I gained a lot of confidence in myself and in my running! I now know that that sub 1:30 is within my reach, and I can’t wait to try again. Only this time, it will be after swimming 1.2 miles, and biking 56. Tri season is around the corner and I can’t wait to kick it off with a Quassy 70.3 on the beginning of June.

Amazing Race and Escape Routes

My favorite reality TV show is Amazing Race. For those of you that have never seen it, it’s pretty much a race around the world, where teams of 2 compete for a prize of $1,000,000. Teams are provided clues along the way to get from point A to point B, and must complete challenges along the way. Whichever team arrives at a designated “pit stop” last gets eliminated until there is only 1 team standing! You don’t even have to be the last team standing to win! The winners of each individual leg can win some sort of a prize, whether it be vacation trips, new cars, and/or just decent amount of $$$! Your team just has to finish first on that particular day. Definitely a little extra motivation to race fast, and come in 1^st every time!  In a perfect world, one could win 11 individual prizes as there usually are 11 legs of the race plus the $1 mil in the end! Why not strive for perfection!  I mean, I go into every triathlon race with the mindset of winning, don’t you? Whatever winning means to you – whether it means coming 1^st overall, 1^st in your AG, finishing that swim leg in a certain time, or simply just finishing the race – it’s winning, and only YOU know what “winning” means for you! 

It seriously sounds like sooooo much fun, and it really is the only reality TV show that I would ever want to go on.  I mean, wouldn’t you want to travel the world and potentially win prizes along the way? What’s also great is that every stop made on this journey, means a different country, and usually a challenge that is true to the country’s culture and heritage! What better to learn about the world than competing in a challenge or solving a puzzle? Having fun and learning! What a combination J

So where am I going with this?

Amazing Race was holding their auditions in Boston a few weeks ago. But guess what … as a non U.S citizen, I was not allowed to participate.  So very sad, and I am going to leave it at that. My buddy Briana however, got to audition, and is now waiting to hear the outcome. Since I don’t have the chance to compete, the next closest I could be to winning, is by following her journey.  

The Amazing Race Auditions are done, but she still needs your help!

She was also able to enter into another very similar series called Escape Routes.  

Again a team of two , where the winning team  receives a brand new 2013 Ford Escape, and considering she is driving a car from 1990, she sounds like a great candidate and a winner to me! In order to get on the show she needs your help. If you are reading this, please click on the link below, and vote for her video on WHY Briana and Jason should be part of this show. They really are a great team. Czech it out for yourself by clicking the link below and voting for them.

https://escaperoutes.com/video/briana-cash-jason-chrisos-the-quantum-dots

Thanks for reading, watching the video and clicking “I like the video”.  Every vote counts!  One per IP address, so using your phone 3G/4G counts too! Thanks for the support! :)

Now I better get my butt to … you got it … THE POOL! 

Letting Go and Believing

Here we are in the middle of the offseason, and with that comes time to work on your “favorite” or perhaps “least favorite” discipline.  If you have ever read my blog, or followed my race results, it’s no surprise that for me that means a lot of time spent in the pool! Even Santa somehow knew! A few new suits, swimmers shampoo/conditioner, much needed face/body lotion, and super duper travel size hair dryer! It’s a bit chilly now to walk around with wet hair all day!

Merry Christmas to me! J

I took a nice long break after the 70.3 Worlds in Vegas, and made sure I got out of shape. There were at least 4 or more of weeks of no swimming, biking, or running, and the month of October really consisted of bunch of EZ running since I spent most of it travelling for work. So when I got in the pool for the first time again in November it was ugly! Really, really, really ugly!  5-6 times a week in the pool, week after week, and after 2 months, I am finally starting to see some progress. I swear my body just refuses to grasp the proper technique of freestyle, but the time spent with my new friend that comes along to every swim session is starting to pay off.  Meet Mr. Torture a.k.a the ankle lock.

My a$% is now floating, and I can swim longer than 25 yards before my feet drag on the bottom of the pool. I am now at the point when I actually time myself, and can swim 100 or 200 yards with it at a time. For me that is progress.

PB for 100 with ankle lock – 1:47

PB for 200 with ankle lock – 2:52

I know that really doesn’t mean much for OWS, but it gives me hope that there is the light at the end of the tunnel, and that maybe one day, I will actually swim fast or at least faster.

So in the month of November, I swam a total of 40,300 yards essentially in 3 weeks. I spent one week travelling the “world” a.k.a my little European getaway. Don’t be jealous – it was more like a sprint or Amazing Race through Europe. 6 countries in 6 days – France, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Slovakia, and Czech Republic. Lots of time spent on the planes, in hockey stores or in the car flying down the highway in Germany. And I mean literally flying – gotta love no speed limit!  Highlight of the trip was a quick meet up with my mom and cousin in Prague. We exchanged some Christmas presents and the trip went on. I really wish I could have stayed longer, but work didn’t allow it this time.

Only in Europe will you see a billboard like this:

December was  a bit more quiet on the work front, but of course I had to come down with a cold, which meant no swimming for another week L There went my hope of putting in at least 50,000 yards. As we are here today, it looks like I’ll put in a bit over 40,000 yards again. I know that’s nothing for you swimmers out there, but it’s progress for me. With a bit of technique, and volume, I have finally experienced a bit of an “aha” moment and hopefully unlocked one key to some more speed in the months to come.

But back to the title of this post of “Letting Go”.  All this additional swimming means that something else has to give. Unfortunately it’s not less hours spent at work, or less sleep, it’s less time spent on the bike. So much less that Mr. Fireball is looking a bit sad, and when I do get to ride, it really shows me who the boss is. And no, it’s not me. I find myself contemplating almost every day, if all this time in the pool will pay off. Pay off in a way that’s bigger than if I spent my extra time on the bike. Will all the time spent in the pool get me to come out of water at least 5+ minutes earlier than I have been?  Will my biking and my power get up to the same or better level at which I ended my season in Vegas in September come race season?  All these questions are popping up in my head every single day, and as much as I understand that offseason is the perfect time to work on your weaknesses, I find it extremely difficult of “Letting Go” of the strengths.  Do you?

Even though I am seeing time gains in the pool, I can’t help but feel oh so slow all the way around.  My power in comparison to last season seems to be a bit “non-existent”, and the thought of Time Trialing is making me sick. The 250 Watts that I was able to put out last summer during my CP testing seems SO far away. Right now, all I can do is believe! Believe in the master plan that my coach put together, believe in myself, stay consistent, and see where the journey will take me.

To  quote my coach:

“ We want to be fast come our big races and not as much during training; in other words, while certainly in training you will push your body out of its comfort zone, the majority of the efforts will be part of a bigger plan that will culminate on your respective A races. So, keep that mind, don’t lose sight of the ultimate goal and whether you have an easy short run or an intense bike session, take one day at a time and conquer each session.”

I have some big goals for 2012, and I can’t wait for the tri season to begin. What about you?

Missing in Action

I have lately been MIA from the blog world, yet I have many thoughts/topics running through my head each and every day that I would want to put down on paper or the computer screen.  There are so many that every time I sit down and want to blog, my brain stops working and the words stop flowing. And that my friends is why my last blog post was way back in July!

It’s really hard to believe that summer is winding down. September is here, kids are back in school, and that means more traffic, cooler/dark mornings, and cooler/darker nights.  The sweater weather is here! L. It also means labor day weekend is upon us, and with that lots of SALES! J Shopping anyone?  I have a list that goes on for miles, and there are always new tri toys that are needed or maybe just wanted? J Or perhaps there are some companies, that would just want me a.k.a  the czechchick wear/use their stuff?  Anyone want to sponsor me or be my agent? J

So  what have I been up to since mid July and my last race – Providence 70.3? Most of you can probably guess it, but besides work (and quite a bit of that), I have been trying to get ready as best as I can for the Las Vegas 70.3 Championships in Henderson, NV.  Since it’s no surprise that my swimming is by far my weakest link, I have spent quite a bit of time in the pool and open water. There are days when I feel really good and like a fish, and then there are days when I feel I am going backwards and feel like a sinking brick! Some quality time has been devoted to swimming with my new friend – Mr. Ankle Lock, and even though my legs float – YES FLOAT – a lot better than couple of months ago, I am still far away from where I would like to be. Swimming is absolutely testing my patience day in and day out, but all I can do is believe that one of these days, I will become faster. It’s just a matter of time!

Throw in a bunch of running, which includes weekly trips to the track, some biking, and there you have it. I did go away for one of the weekends last month and did some riding in the White Mountains with the E3 bunch, which included lots of saddle time, lots of climbing, and pretty much no cars/traffic to worry about.  Now that’s my kind of riding! The climb up Kancamagus Hwy. is so much fun!

Day 1: With the coach

Day 2: Waiting for the gang

I was a bit bummed t his year that I didn’t race Timberman 70.3 due to the close proximity of the Vegas race, so I decided to race the Cranberry Olympic distance triathlon instead. However,  “Irene” had different plans. Good thing is I didn’t taper for the race as it was only going to be a “training” race, but I was anxious and excited to see what sort of short course speed I had since this year has really been all about 70.3s. As much as I am bummed the race never happened, I am happy to report that damage to the area where I live was non-existent, and “Irene” was simply nothing more than a tropical storm.  

Now that we are 9 days away from the true A race of my season this year, I am getting super excited. My mega legs don’t feel so mega right now, but I know they will next weekend! JThe course in terms of terrain suits me a lot better than Clearwater (minus the non wetsuit swim), but the bike and run should be fun!  I say should be because I have absolutely no idea how I will deal with the 100+ degree weather. One thing I know is that hydration/nutrition will be KEY, and my face is pretty much guaranteed to look like a red lobster for a few hours post race.  Then I'll figure out what to do for the rest of the year and next season ... maybe another 70.3 on October 2^nd in the Pocono Mountains?  ... The IM bug keeps hanging around too so you'll have to czech back in with me l8r to see what I decide ....  J

From my coaches perspective - Part 2 & 3

I know I am a bit behind, but if you read Part 1, and didn't end up reading Parts 2 & 3 on my coaches blog, czech them out! Definitely some useful info for those looking for some advice for your next races.

Part 2:
http://coachjorgem.blogspot.com/2011/07/janas-rev3-race-report-coach.html

Part 3:
http://coachjorgem.blogspot.com/2011/07/janas-rev3-race-report-coach_14.html

And if you like what you read, are looking for coaching advice, don't forget to czech out E3 Training Solutions at www.e3ts.com ... There are various types of programs out there that I can guarantee will fit your needs. Plus you get to be on the same team as me! :)

Providence 70.3 and Ticket to Vegas

It has now been almost couple of weeks and I have had some time to reflect on the race. The race, that granted me the spot in this years World Championships in Vegas. I must admit I was quite nervous in the days leading up to the race, as this was the one and only qualifying race on my schedule this year. Last year, I qualified for the Worlds at Mooseman, which was my first half ironman ever. Back then, I had no expectations but to have a blast, and see what I can do at that distance.  I qualified on my first try, and raced at Clearwater last year. This year was different minus the blast part. If you don't have FUN racing, don't do it!  I had high expectations of myself, and made Vegas my goal from the beginning of the season. All my preparation, the American Zofingen Duathlon, the Quassy 70.3, and the numerous weeks of hard work were towards this race and ultimately Worlds in Vegas.  

Since the  Providence course has been changed from previous year, I didn’t know much about it. I knew it was going to be “easier” than Zofingen or Quassy, but the bike included bunch of rolling hills, which suit me well. I got a super duper race plan from my coach few days before the race, and I couldn’t wait to get the show started.

I drove to Providence on Saturday morning the day before the race. I registered, got my calves taped up so they didn't feel like BRICKS again, got all my stuff ready, and headed out to set up my transitions.

Me and Hana (Also from Czech) at the expo on Saturday:

The awesome tape job! It really works!

Since this was a point to point race the logistics of this race were a bit more difficult than usual. I dropped my bike off, and drove the bike course. I always like to either ride the bike course few weeks before the race or at least drive it the day before so I have an idea if what I am going into, any uphills and downhills, sharp turns, potholes etc. Knowing the course makes me ride that much more aggressive and comfortable without really playing any guessing games. Knowing there isn’t a sharp 90 degree turn at the bottom of the long downhill, makes me not so “afraid” of hitting 50mph on my “Fireball”!

By the time, we finished driving the bike course, it was time for dinner. Bri was my Sherpa for the weekend, and drove me around all day! Thank you! We met up with another czech chick currently living in NYC, her friend Sam, and ran into another friend of ours for dinner. We had a blast and before I knew it, it was time for bed.

Dinner with everyone:

The race started super early so I had to be up by 3 am to eat my pre-race breakfast, and catch the 4:15 shuttle bus to transition. The $8 shuttle bus to transition I must add! I think we all paid almost a $1 for every minute on that bus! The rest of the pre race morning was quite uneventful; until it was almost go time and I found out I couldn’t wear my blueseventy skinsuit courtesy of my coach. Apparently the $200+ suit he bought 2 years ago isn’t legal anymore! That was a huge bummer, but I didn’t have a choice! Of to the water pre race warm up I was in my tri shorts and top.

THE SWIM

I found out the day before the race, the water was way too warm, so this was going to be a non wetsuit swim, in a bacteria infested lake! The lake was closed for at least a week due to high level of bacteria that were all of a sudden brought down to normal the day before the race. Hard to believe, but it was what it was! Without going into too much detail (you can see a detailed race report at the following link: http://beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=261638  the swim was what it was. I have been swimming quite a bit this year, but my OWS times have yet to translate that. I am starting to sound like a broken record, but I have every intentions of changing that! I did pretty well during the first half of the swim, but when we started swimming into the sun, I had issues sighting and found myself all over the place. I couldn’t wait to get out of that water!

I really shouldn't be looking at that watch!

T1:

Fairly long run up to transition, but I was in and out of there pretty fast. As fast as one can put on a pair of bike shoes, put race belt on and nutrition into shirt pockets!

BIKE:

Knowing the course from the day before, made me a bit more comfortable about making up all the lost time out of the water! What didn’t make me all that comfortable was the fact I couldn’t keep any nutrition down for the first 45 min of the bike, but my legs were still moving! The bike course consisted of lots of rolling hills for the first 48 miles followed by a horrendous 10 mile stretch to get back into downtown Providence. Just to give you an idea, I avg. 190 Watts for the first 48 miles, and only around 150 Watts or so for the last 8 -10 miles ending the bike ride at an avg. of 185 Watts, which is still the highest it has ever been in a race, and actually right on target that my coach had given me, but it could have and should have been higher! My power dropped so much due to the conditions of the roads rather than my legs. Between all the potholes, scary twists and turns through ghetto Providence, 3 sets of railroad tracks, I was willing to give away a bit of power and get to the run in one piece rather than losing the race in the last 10 miles due to a mechanical or a crash. Needless to say I biked my way from 36^th in my AG after the swim to 2^nd place, posting the fastest bike split in my age group by 4 minutes, and posting the 4^th fastest overall bike split including pro’s. Thank you “fireball” for getting me back into the race! I continue to wonder where my bike would be, if I actually made that my priority! I tell my coach all the time that we should just try to making me an even faster rider, but he is quick to assure me he will turn me into a swimmer! Scary thing is that I have honestly only biked half as much as I have last year, but yet I am considerably faster!

Details of my ride can again be found here: http://beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=261638

The "Fireball" that got me back into the race:

T2:

Thanks to yellow ribbon I tied to my transition bag, I saved the day by not running right by my running shoes! The rack was essentially empty so I knew I was doing good. I was in and out as fast as I could!

Now you know why my yellow ribbon was essential!

THE RUN:

It was getting quite hot out there, and I didn’t know much about this course besides that it was a 2 loop course, and it had some sort of a hill in it. I took off on a mission to secure my Vegas ticket, and not be a one loop hero! It was getting quite hot, and the run course offered absolutely no shade, so I made sure to grab 2 sponges at every aid station and stick one in my bra, and the other behind my neck. Water, coke, and 2 powerbar gels did the trick to keep me cool and get me through this run. Again, without going into too much detail that you can read on my BT post at the same link as mentioned above, I was passed by 3 girls in my AG on the first loop, and they all flu by me pretty fast. I didn’t like it, but I also didn’t have the speed to keep up with them at that point in the time. Come the 2^nd loop, I ended up seeing the 2 out of the 3 girls, and was able to pass them in the last 2 miles of the race. The last girl I passed with about .5 mile left, when she went to grab some water/coke at the last water station. When I saw that, the “Macca” Kona move popped up in my head, and as much as I wanted 2 more cold sponges, water, and coke, I picked up the pace and never looked back. My finishing sprint was nonexistent because I had absolutely NOTHING left in my legs, and my finishing picture wasn’t very cool either because I was just trying not to die. I don’t know how the pros do it, looking so fresh when going across the line!

I am very happy with this race. I had put a lot of pressure on myself, and was able to deliver. I PR’d the run, that’s getting better with each race, and for the first time in any race, I was able to re-pass girls on the run, and in the closing miles of the race. For the first time I was really able to make myself speed up when I was hurting the most and turn my coaches favorite sentence “It’s going to hurt, but when it hurts, just pick it up and run faster” into reality. I ended up finishing 3^rd in my age group, with a fellow Czech chick coming in 1^st so it was quite the Czech podium. We’ll both be representing our tiny little country at the World Championships in Nevada on September 11^th.

Top 5:

Top 3:

Again THANKS to ALL of you who make my dreams possible, and allow me to race to the best of my abilities. You all know who you are. I even had my own sign! :)

Now if any of you out there want to “sponsor” me, message me! J My next purchase and already on its way is the TYR speed suit, I could always use another bike – FELT preferable as my Felt DA repeatedly carries me to a top bike split in any race, race wheels – whether it be HED wheels or Zipps, Louis Garneau aero helmet (I love the way it fits, and my coach won't let me borrow his forever), and of course PowerBar goodies that get me through each and every race. Without PowerBar I would be visiting Bonk Central in no time!

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more! Vegas is just around the corner! 

Detailed Race Report can be found here: 

http://beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=261638

From my coaches perspective - Part 1

Below is a write up about my young triathlon journey that my coach - Jorge (www.e3ts.com) put together in hopes of helping ALL OF YOU to illustrate some of the preparation considered for each of E3 athletes, present you some of the many features E3 programs include and teach you some of the things each of you should consider for your next race.

http://coachjorgem.blogspot.com/2011/06/janas-rev3-race-report-coach.html

If you want to learn more about E3, please go to: www.e3ts.com