To: Anne Bailey

Yo Anne,
I absolutely love being at the finish line to cheer other teammates in – until I get so chilled I have to shower and find dry clothes!
Ride On is Right
KT
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To: Stacey Hustler

Dear Stacey,
I would like it if everyone says where they are from, that makes it even more fun.
Congrats on finishing the Route, and starting again!. I have had 5 good days of healthy eating in a row, after my disastrous week on the road. Today I finally made the move back one more belt hole.
Good luck!
KT
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To: Debbie Smith

Dear Debbie,
I hope your cut has healed! I am glad I got to meet a bunch of spouses at the Family Festival for Team Evergreen in Tacoma – it makes the Village idea come even more true. Congrats on your 10th Anniversary, we are all growing together.
KT
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To: Dara Jezierny

Dear Dara,
It was funny how the rain made things so much tougher – but then at the end of the day it also made the feeling of personal fulfillment and positive energy all the more intense and wonderful. Thanks for riding, next year the 100 !!!
KT
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To: Amy Hoffman

Yo Amy,
I hear you. The Spirit of the Ride is not something that can only happen on a bike ride. We are all on life’s ride together, if we decide to be. Those are the happiest centers and teams, the ones where people have decided to help each other, to watch out for each other, and to work hard together towards common goals. So simple, but so magical. Thanks for sharing.
KT
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To: Denise Turnbull

Dear Denise,
What is cardio-tennis? We have had some rain at each tour, but this was the first time we had a lot. It turns out while you are biking your body stays warm, and when you stop you need to hustle into the showers and you feel warm and toasty again. I think most people were amazed at how far they rode in the rain, and how you get kind of used to it. Kind of! But it also makes it so glorious!
KT
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To: Amy Burdan

Dear Amy,
Whoa, you are really taking your game to a high level! I did my first 5k run in years at the Denver Kat Walk – and it was kind of fun. So I got new orthotics today, and new running shoes, and am going to try to do a bit more of it, even though I am a little light on cartilage in my left knee because of a surgery a couple years ago. Hopefully by the time I use it up there will be stem cells that stimulate cartilage growth!
KT
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To: Georgia Blanchard

Dear Georgia,
I am thrilled that your surgery has been such a success! If only your mother had been able to do the same thing. We are blessed by the many medical advances in the last 10 years … and foolish if we rely totally on them of course. Thanks for sharing your dramatic progress, we are in this together.
KT
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To: Pamela Brule

Dear Pamela,
Greetings, trusted co-leader!
Now you don’t really think you can call it real football when it is played inside, do you? Perhaps those victories should only count as one half.
Just kidding of course (well, not really), and I do hope that Brett retires after a positive season, not pushing it too far and ending up with a disappointing end.
Take Care,
KT

Good Evening DaVita,

Kt here on Monday night, about 10:30 pm. I am in Denver, and my thoughts turn to Match the Mayor, our special Village-wide, Country-wide campaign for healthier lives.

Sunday was strong for this little boy. A 2.5 INTENSE mountain biking ride, lots of vertical, with 2 guys who are both better than me. But I shaved 5 minutes off my climb of Mount Falcon (from 52 to 47 minutes), and 16 minutes off my total loop time (from 2 hours 45, to 2 hours 29). So I was elated. And tired. And a couple hours later, sore. But still elated!

So Sunday minutes, with some stretching, was 158 minutes.

Then I had to get all cleaned up, because 3 United States Senators were coming over to our house for a little reception. Senator’s Bennett, Warner, and Harkin. Not often you see 3 of them in the same house outside of Washington DC. This was a great event for putting DaVita on the map with these important officials, and 2 of them have pretty safe seats.

Today has been a normal workday, lots and lots of meetings. I held my workout until tonight, and did 32 solid minutes on the bike, plus a little muscle work and stretching. Total of 41 minutes.

Now I actually have 3 consecutive days in the Casa Nueva in Denver! Hopefully I will get great exercise and do healthier eating and sleeping than I do on those city-hopping business trips (although now that I read what I just typed I realize that should be no excuse—more disciplined scheduling and executing can overcome those travel barriers, I was just too weak for a week).

I look forward to reading the next batch of notes – Let’s Do It! Take care, and hang in there.

KT

One person with Courage makes a majority (Andrew Jackson)

Yo DaVitans,

This boy is back on the MM III trail with the rest of you 1169 stalwarts!

The keynote speech before about 250 young leaders in Nashville went well. I wish you all could have been there to hear your DaVita journey described, and the lessons we have developed around leadership and community caring.

I then did a fun town hall with the Team Music City team, that is the DaVita neighborhood in Nashville, about 400 teammates. Also a couple meetings with other companies.

My plane landed in Denver about 4:30. I scooted home and headed straight into the basement room with my stuff. I did 22 medium minutes on the bike, and 4 minutes of stretching. Not good in the normal sense, but given how tired I was and that this was my 6th city in 6 days, including 2 funerals, a speech and a Board of Directors meeting, I am not embarrassed.

This morning, Saturday, was GREAT, however. Both physically and spiritually.

First thing I did 20 INTENSE minutes on the bike, no more of that medium stuff. I also did 1 set of push-ups (25 on the bozu ball), 1 set of crunches (75 fast ones), and 4 minutes of stretching. Then I was off to the DaVita Kidney Awareness Walk/Run, with my wife Denise.

We had over 500 people there! We raised over $20,000 for The Kidney Trust! We had teammates, non-teammates (over half of the participants were non-davitans), grandparents, lots of kids, 5 elected officials. In particular we walked/ran in honor of a DaVita Team Colorado teammate who tied of kidney problems just a few months ago. Her husband and young kids were at the event as well, that was pretty emotional.

It was GLORIOUS to see all these citizens of the world out on the path, moving to raise $ for a good cause, and encouraging each other just like Match the Mayor.

I also ran the 5k, which is a tad over 3 miles. It took 27 minutes, so my total today was a strong 55 minutes, and I am back on track with the rest of our Match the Mayor team. By the way I also had my kidney checked by the Kidney Trust tent – and my kidneys were pronounced to be just fine. Please make sure you do the same.

One for All & All for One,

KT

Speak with your life, not just your words. Thich Nat Han, Buddhist monk

Dear DaVita,

Well I am bummed and embarrassed. I had to work until 1 am on Tuesday because the only time the CEO of Fresenius and I could meet started at 10 pm. Therefore I did not get in exercise in the am before my first meeting on Wednesday morning. I did get in 27 medium-intensity minutes at lunch, with 22 on the bike plus a little stretching and one set of push-ups. My left shoulder is giving me a lot of pain so the push-ups are a bit of a hassle.

Wednesday and Thursday were consumed by the quarterly Board of Directors meeting. Once again work went until midnight and I did not get to bed until a bit after 1 am. Since the Board meeting started at 7 am, once again it was a no exercise morning. Since I had meetings all day long, and then a reception/town hall with 20 of our physicians at 6:30 pm, and then a plane flight to Nashville which I am now on, and then a late working dinner in Nashville, this will be a late night again, and the rare and dreaded no exercise day.

To top all that off, I did not eat healthfully these past 3 days. All in all I am feeling pretty disappointed in my management of this week. Not to mention a bit tired.

I am doing a keynote speech at a Healthcare Conference tomorrow morning, so we will be living our vision of “Sending forth ripples of Citizen Leadership.” That will be fulfilling as I get to talk about the special village you have created in so many places out there, and the industry-leading care you take of our patients.

But my cup is a bit low. Tomorrow I must get back on track. I hope all of you had a better week, and I am eager to rejoin your ranks as a solid MM contributor!

KT