WHY?

I am often asked why I do marathons. Besides the obvious benefits to health from being fit, there is a great pleasure in being able to race walk 26 miles 385 yards basically whenever I want. It is a feat that only some of the population can accomplish.
I get to travel a lot which is something I also enjoy tremendously. Since 2001 I have finished 46 marathons in 15 different states plus Washington DC. I went to Portland, Oregon; Phoenix and Apache Junction, Arizona; Dallas, Texas; Mount Rushmore, South Dakota; Little Rock, Arkansas; New Orleans, Louisiana; Knoxville, Tennessee; Indianapolis, Indiana; Cincinnati, Ohio; Knoxville, Tennessee; Tybee, Georgia; Kiawah Island and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Outer Banks, North Carolina; Virginia Beach three times and Richmond, Virginia; Washington DC twice; and many cities in Florida the rest of the times. In each place in addition to doing the marathon, I got to tour the sights.
Along the way I take many pictures which I share with my friends and students. In this way my students get to mentally travel with me and enjoy many sights about which they my have only heard. For many it is the first time that they have ever seen images of many of the sights and it awakens a spirit of adventure to want to see it first hand. The images of Mount Rushmore, the Crazy Horse Monument, the Wright Brothers Monument, the Washington DC Monuments, the Fall Colors in the northern climates, the Arizona Desert, and the various mountains. In addition to the scenes, there are many images of animals: mountain goats, pronghorn antelope, bison, wild burros, big horn sheep, mule deer, white tail deer, prairie dogs, alligators, and squirrels. Also there are many kinds of birds, including: bald eagles, Canadian geese, white herons, blue herons, egrets, pelicans, ducks, and various wading birds. In the cities I photograph houses and buildings as wells as scenery.
At the marathons I meet many people from different places. I enjoy talking with them and sharing experiences. I have joined the “Marathon Maniacs” and the “50 States and DC Marathon Club”. The other members travel around participating in marathons much as I do; in fact, I often see and socialize with many of the same members at the different events. Most of the marathons have celebrity speakers and famous elite athletes. I have personally met Frank Shorter, Bill Rogers, Hal Higdon, John Bingham, Deena Kastor, Jeff Galloway, Bart Yasso, Amby Burfort, and two astronauts whose names I cannot remember. Dean Karnazes, who ran 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days was doing the Marine Corps Marathon when I was there. Two-time Olympic gold medalist Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia shattered the world record in the half marathon with a time of 58 minutes, 55 seconds at the Phoenix Rock and Roll Marathon when I was there. I nice to know that I am in the same race a many world class athletes.
My marathons have been very rewarding!!!!!

Kennedy Space Center, Florida Part 3

Kennedy Space Center, Florida Part 2

Kennedy Space Center, Florida Part 1

Cocoa, Florida Squirrels

Cocoa, Florida Scenes Part 2

Cocoa, Florida Scenes Part 1

Cocoa Beach, Florida, Atlantic Ocean Scenes

Cape Canaveral, Florida Birds

Cape Canaveral, Florida Alligators

Cape Canaveral, Florida Scene

Surfing at Cocoa Beach, Florida

Ron Jon Surf Shop, Cocoa Beach, Florida

Space Coast Marathon
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Cocoa, Florida

I race walked the Space Coast Marathon. It was a beautiful day--sunny and warm with enough wind to stop me from getting too hot. It was a small event with 200 in the marathon and 400 in the half marathon; however, it was well run with plenty of support. The course was a double out and back along the Indian River. This was the fourth year in a row that I did this event.
The event started Saturday in Port Canaveral with a pasta dinner that was included in the entry fee. The guest speaker was Bart Yasso of Runner's World. He showed pictures and told stories of marathons and ultra marathons that he has run throughout the world, which included Antarctica, Mount Everest, Badwater, and East Africa. Most of his runs occurred several years ago. He was very entertaining. They also had a former astronaut speak. He was a comander of one of the space shuttle missions. I don't remember his name.
I addition to doing the race, I was able to tour the Kennedy Space Center, the old village of Cocoa, and the beach area of Cocoa Beach. I took a lot of pictures which will be displayed in later postings.

Wright Brothers Memorial, Kill Devil Hills, Outer Banks, North Carolina