The Capital 10-Miler – a Run for the Arts is one of my favorite races. Often called a rite of Spring by runners in this area, the race is in it’s 14th year. I’ve directed six of them and have run it a number of times. The timing on the calendar is great as it’s perfect as a tune-up two or three weeks before Boston and a number of other marathons scheduled in mid to late April. There is always something new with the race and this year it was the addition of a labeled brew for the Capital 10-Miler. Courtesy of ZeroDay Brewing, the can was designed by Sprocket. Runners of legal age received a ca ..read more

I couldn’t let February end without a race. For the third time in the 40 year history of this race, I lined up for the 7 a.m. start of the Great Aloha Run, ready to make my way from the Aloha Tower to Aloha Stadium. The Aloha Run is not a typical distance, measuring out at 8.2 miles. I used it as a 10-miler in my marathon training schedule and added a mile warmup before the race and a slightly shorter distance for my cooldown. Around 12,000 people including military contingents participated. This year, the Skyline was open and began running to Aloha Stadium at 3:30 a.m. Conveniently, shuttle ..read more

My January streak of solo runs broke on O’ahu last week. I joined runners who gather on Tuesday evening at running store Runner’s Hi in Aiea. Runners meet at the store at 5:30 and run to and around Ford Island in Pearl Harbor on O’ahu. I was beat from an earlier long run, so when someone said they were walking, I decided to join them. Ford Island is an active duty military base located within Pearl Harbor. To get on the island you must have identification and unless you are military or retired military you must be accompanied by someone who is. So with my driver’s license tucked in my shorts ..read more

After a couple of months of full-on hiking, I wasn’t trained to run the Harrisburg Marathon. What to do but join this group of guys running the marathon relay in an over-age 70 team. Meet ‘That 70’s Show” Relay Team- Frank, Mary Lou (aka stillarunner), Tony, our organizer/manager Brad, and Gregg. We did a post-run/breakfast photo day before the marathon, knowing we would not all be in the same place at the same time race day. Yes, I know, none us looks a day over 69. I’ve done training runs and races with these guys for more than twenty years and most of them have far more running experien ..read more

In this final post on my travels in Croatia, I recommend, if you do anything in Dubrovnik, take the opportunity to spend a day with Green Sea Safari. You will enjoy the interesting and fun crew and probably visit islands where none of your friends have been. There is no charge, but donations are welcome if you are so inclined. I sat in on an environmental program at the Friendship Force World Conference, where Marlena Cukteras, a founder of the Green Sea Safari, spoke about the project. She is a vibrant young physicist, turned environmental activist, dedicated to the sea safari mission. As an ..read more

Having begun our hiking journey in Split at the nothern Adriatic coast, leaving our final stop in Korcula, we continue to travel south to Dubrovnik. On arrival, we bused to the Old City where we had an outstanding guided tour and lecture. The history of this UNESCO site is so incredibly long and complex, this blog would not do even a summary justice. Over the millenium up to recent years, Dubrovnik has experienced many tragic events including fires, earthquakes, war and invasion. Still, its beauty and charm persists. Although there are numerous books on its history, if you are looking for an o ..read more

We’re off today via catamaran to our third island, Korcula. The highlight for me personally, was walking through the small villages and getting a sense of the vibe of life here, knowing that these villages had been home for families for generations and in some cases multiple centuries. The other highlight is arriving on the island where Marco Polo, sometimes called the world’s first tourist, was supposedly born. Who would have thought this Venitien began his adventurous life on this coast of the Adriatic. We will leave that explorer for now and do our own exploring as we step off the boat to ..read more

Today, we are hiking the highest mountain of the Adriatic Islands, Vidova Gora. What a challenge. Vidova Gora has a variety of terrain and as we pursued the summit, we found open areas, pine forests, rocks and roots, everything you could want on a hike. As we passed by this disrupted patch of earth, our guide Ivan explained it is the work of wild pigs. These pigs are known to swim from island to island and are thankfully seldom visible to hikers passing through. If you see this red and white circular image, it is the symbol for designated trails in Europe. So, follow the circles – you ma ..read more

Our series of hikes with Gate 1 began as we departed Split by ferry destined for Brac Island, and from the upper deck enjoyed the view of the coastline and the sparkling water of the Adriatic. Our first stop on the island is the small village of Skrip, primarily an ancient farming area. Our 5-mile hike takes us down roads between slope and fields of olive and fig trees. Today’s hikes were described as ‘moderate’ in difficulty. I would agree, but I was unaccustomed to the hard pack surface for several miles with much of it downhill. I would have better chosen a softer shoe than my hiking boots ..read more

Sooner or later, I will get back to running, but not quite yet. An opportunity to hike a few of the Croatian Islands arose when scheduling coincided with the Friendship Force World Conference in Dubrovnik. My journey in Croatia ended in Dubrovnik, but began 230 kilometers north in the City of Split, both cities located on the Dalmatian Coast of the Adriatic Sea. From my balcony at the Cvita, my first view of the Adriatic Arriving a day early and on a rainy evening, the sun shone bright in the morning and perfect temperatures and sunshine continued through my 10-day stay. The Hotel Cvita offere ..read more