Wood Stork in the Everglades National Park in Florida

Wood Stork in the Everglades National Park in Florida

White Pelicans in the Everglades National Park in Florida

White Pelicans in the Everglades National Park in Florida

White Heron in the Everglades National Park in Florida

White Heron in the Everglades National Park in Florida

Black Vulture in the Everglades National Park in Florida

Black Vulture in the Everglades National Park in Florida

Rosetta Spoonbill in the Everglades National Park in Florida

Osprey in the Everglades National Park in Florida

Lesser Heron in the Everglades National Park in Florida

Lesser Heron in the Everglades National Park in Florida

Ibis in the Everglades National Park in Florida

Hawk in the Everglades National Park in Florida

Green Heron in the Everglades National Park in Florida

Road kill snake in the Everglades National Park in Florida

Cormorant in the Everglades National Park in Florida

Blue Heron in the Everglades National Park in Florida

Alligator in the Everglades National Park in Florida

Total Lunar Eclipse, seen from Key West, Florida, December 21, 2010

Gerda Kalb, Chester Kalb, Harry Hoffman Jr, Giles Williams at the Jacksonville Bank Half Marathon in Jacksonville, Florida. Photo by Dave Mari

Daytona Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida

Jacksonville Bank Half Marathon
Jacksonville, Florida
Sunday, December 19, 2010

I race walked the Jacksonville Bank Half Marathon in Jacksonville, Florida on Sunday, December 19, 2010. The temperature remained near 50 degrees for the event with 8 mph winds and overcast skies. A light misty fog was present for the entire event. Water/Gatorade stations were located from 1.5 to 2 miles and were manned by plenty of enthusiastic volunteers. The course, which was almost completely flat with no noticeable hills, utilized roads which had lanes dedicated to the race and had plenty of police to ensure the safety of the participants. A small number of spectators were located intermittently throughout the course. As usual the event was well organized and fun to do. I have done this event in each of the last eight years, 6 marathons followed by 2 half marathons.

Here I am at the finish of the Amica Insurance Half Marathon in Charlotte, North Carolina.

My wife, Gerda, at the finish of the Amica Insurance Half Marathon in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Amica Insurance Half Marathon
Charlotte, North Carolina
Saturday, December 11, 2010

The temperature was 27 degrees as began the Amica Insurance Half Marathon in Charlotte, North Carolina on Saturday, December 11, 2010. I was cold! There was a gentle wind and a partly cloudy sky. The course was completely on roads closed to traffic with one to four police officers at each major intersection controlling the traffic who despite the cold were very cheerful. A big thank you goes to all the volunteers who also braved the cold and manned the water/Gatorade stations which were located every 1.5 miles. There was much up and down along the race route; however, none of the hills were very steep or challenging. The finish was located at the Nascar Hall of Fame in downtown Charlotte. The race was very well organized and fun to do even though the temperature only reached around 40 degrees by the time I finished. On the way home at the Charlotte airport I got a chance to talk to Kevin Hanson who along with his brother own a chain of shoe stores in Michigan and started along with the Brooks Shoe Company the Hanson-Brooks Project to sponsor elite distance runners after their collegiate careers has ended so that the USA can once again become competitive in distance events internationally. The program has been very successful and has been written about in Runner’s World. I have seen and talked with many of their athletes at events throughout the country, including Brian Sells who represented the USA in the Olympic Marathon in 2008.

Palm Beach scene #5

Palm Beach scene #4

Palm Beach scene #3

Palm Beach scene #2

Palm Beach scene #1

West Palm Beach scene #6

West Palm Beach scene #5

West Palm Beach scene #4

West Palm Beach scene #3

West Palm Beach scene #2

West Palm Beach scene #1

Bill Rogers who won both the Boston and New York Marathons four times with Gerda and me at the Half Marathon of the Palm Beaches

Half Marathon of the Palm Beaches
West Palm Beach, Florida
Sunday, December 5, 2010

Sunday, December 5, 2010 was a near perfect day to race walk the Half Marathon of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach, Florida. The temperature ranged from 55 to 65 degrees with a gentle breeze and clear skies. The race was very well organized as usual with water/Powerade stations located every 1.5 miles, manned by plenty of enthusiastic volunteers. The course was flat on paved roads that were completely closed to traffic and was mostly located along the Intracoastal Waterway. Plenty of police controlled the intersections. There were many cheering spectators at the finish line and a few enthusiastic spectators elsewhere. Bill Rogers who is a famous marathoner from the past ran the half marathon and was also at the race exposition. This is the seventh year that the event has been held and I have enjoyed doing the Marathon 5 of those years and the half marathon the other 2. It is one of my favorite events.