Runner

 I pIcked up the piano again during the pandemic and thanks to motivation from coach Andrew Snow greatly upped the running volume and quality. From 2020 through 2024 ran 10,359 miles which averages out to over 40 miles a week. April 2020 took part in a mileage accumulation event during which ran and walked 229 miles over 19 days and was second place out of 94 particiants, mostly marines. November 2000 did a month long accumulation event during which ran 252 miles and walked an additional 50. Got a ribbon for first place age group and was second out of 62 overall. Did five pandemic virtual marathons, two that covered 50K, and an in person 5k with and son in laws Ray and Albert. First mile was 13 minutes second mile plus .10 took eleven and final mile when the guys told me to take the lead was 7:55. First place for age group. The pandemic mileage was boosted by one 52 period during which ran at least 2650 miles. Averaged 10 and a half running hours per week during that stretch. I consider it my best running achievement.

September 13 2025 turned a scheduled long training run into yet another virtual and met a personal goal of being able to do a marathon the same year as the April 7th operaion.

5k finish with son in laws Albert and Ray

As a kid we would have neighborhood races. Then in sixth grade there was a field day where I anchored the winning team. I loved the sensation going as fast as could go. Ran for fun during Army down time along the railroad tracks at Fort Polk. 1977 began a consistent running routine which has continued to this day. Did the first marathon that Honolulu December just a shade under 4 hours, and 3 years later personal best 3 hours 35 minutes. Early 1980’s did a 4 miler in 27 minutes, and 1988 another Honolulu marathon at 4 hours 8 minutes. I was gunning for 3:25 but had a bad cold which forced to walk a bit, and a homeowner near triangle park give me a budweiser which downed going up the last hill.

That personal best marathon trained some with Toby a consistent sub 3 hour marathoner and first place age group finisher. He thought I could have done better, but had a groin strain for which Betty gave me some sort of Asian creme to apply. Time got to the end of Kapiolani Park that region was burning so had to run off course a good distance to an enclosed rest room where could rub the blasted stuff off. Unfortunately after returned friend Carlos and his younger brother Adrian who had come from the continent to run the race with me were not in sight. We had a good time afterwards though with Pizza hut pitchers.

Did New York City 2015. Niece Katie and Breen, brother Paul and Susie plus Jennifer and Lani and Phil were all there to cheer me along with two million other people. It was the best race for someone like me who enjoys being applauded. Katie even jumped in and ran with a few times. Did Phoenix when 69 and a half years old. Cramped up badly after waiting 10 minutes for a porta potty at the 5 mile mark. Ran every step the whole way as figured if started walking would never finish.

10 k with Ray 2018 2nd place age division there were only 3 of us

ready to pass of baton 4 mile relay

end of Phoenx Marathon 2019

NYC photo break with Jennifer and Katie actually jumped in and ran with me twice. have video of that but no picture dang it!

chart shows did 302 miles August 2020 with an age rank of 100%!

Results of a three week accumulation even March 2020

1977 I was living at Kapahulu’s Lincoln Avenue less than a mile from Kapiolani park’s running routes. Made it easy to get out and run by the ocean and fresh breezes. Here are some paragraphs about that historic area of Honolulu.

My fav Prez as is most peoples is the same one invariably rated tops by Presidential historians that being the one in the title of this post - Mr. Abraham. Second up for me and in the top 10 when combining partisan red and blue record keepers is the islands own Barack. Sure he made mistakes but he done good too.

Whatever this part is not about Presidents (is not about running either but after a few paragraphs the main focus returns to running) at all, but it is about Honolulu’s Lincoln Avenue. Located in the Kapahulu area just a tad mauka and diamond head of Leonard’s- it consists of a short sans sidewalk stretch running perpendicular from Kapahulu up to Sixth Avenue. The name is a give away that the homes there are old as all residential streets since Statehood are mandated by law to have Hawaiian names. I lived there at 3149 B from the spring of 1976 to 1979 in a small duplex cottage in back of a single-family home. You could hear the resident on the other side of my cabin but fortunately for me, she was an elderly woman who didn’t make noise and wasn’t there too long after I moved in. Her successor was a cop but he when not banging away usually lived elsewhere. Probably did that to avoid the landlord who came around often trying to collect due rent. One day Mister moneybags got so ticked off he entered the cops abode and threw all his clothes and belongings out on our postage stamp size lawn. Good grief!

While walking on Lincoln I thought of those days as a single person living on my own. Hiking with the Sierra Club and making friends with yet to be Haleakala ranger Ron Nagata whose home was just makai of mine. The get to gethers with Ken and Clyde and Kay and Wes and Grace. Visitors Cousin Gail, Steve and Barb, Chaiyutha, Mikey, and my brothers were fun. The first six months of married life with Betty were spent there which brought to mind midday lunch breaks, and the infamous addition of two cups of sugar to spaghetti sauce. Pat Martin, the pastor’s wife told me after we were married that the first year is the hardest. She was right and in her wisdom, she left it to me to figure out that it is also if not number one certainly in the top three of the best years.

Neighbor diamond head side Mr. Nakayama’s home was about three feet from the space next to the cottage steps where parked the five-speed on the floor throwaway engine vega gt. He was always friendly and took me on a tour of his bomb shelter with its six months worth of canned goods supplies. The shelter was a concrete bunker under the ground and plenty Kaimuki people in those days had em. The family streetside of me I never got to know other than to wave hello. The patriarch was always in the yard tending to the garden and extraditing weed seedlings before such could take root. He seemed pleasant enough, just never cared to talk.

As Lincoln is not a thoroughfare to anywhere I had only driven by two or three times in the past 40 years. This week though arrived a half hour early for an appointment at nearby Olu street so decided to take a stroll in the old neighborhood. The yards what there are of them are now as they were back then - immaculate. Most of the homes have been either rebuilt with the original first floor going on top of a new dwelling, or replaced completely. That’s what Mr.Nakayama did. My cottage was gone too. In its place stood a two-story unrecognizable structure. My mailbox was 3149 B but only A remains now.

Apparently, the new structure took the place of B and I stared at it from the street awhile and then as passing the house that was in front of our cottage, peered through the mango and plumeria trees to notice an elderly man weeding or possibly tending his flower garden. I looked at him a few seconds and then blurted out a hello. He didn’t seem to react so I repeated the greeting and then he turned around and I waved at him. He came over to the front of his yard and warily asked “May I help you?” Understand, I had on a good size loaded hiking pack and a three-week beard which makes me look interchangeable with those wearing cardboard signs so he had good cause to be cautious.

Excitedly I exclaimed, “I lived behind your house for three years a very long time ago.”

He looked me up and down displaying the biggest open jaw smile I ever saw while his bright brown eyes lit up with recognition.

“I met my wife here!”

He smiled again then turned around and went back to his weeding.

Betty told me that evening no way that could be the same man when we were there as he was old back then even. But in those days everyone over 35 seemed ancient. For my money am positive he is the same gentleman and is more than likely in his 90’s now. I never knew his name when lived there and don’t know it now but walking on Lincoln Avenue and that encounter sure made my day.

A photo of the gardener’s house can be found on google maps when search for 3149 Lincoln Honolulu. No pictures of the cottage were located. The Chevy Vega was notable for its aluminum engine of which the mechanic told me was lucky got the 50,000 miles out of it that did.

Now, all these years later and almost 76 years old am still running 30 to 40 miles a week and able to do 5k pace for 4×4 minute work outs and 10 k pace can do for well over an hour. That said 2025 has been a somewhat difficult year due to a totally detached posterior tendon and February and March when ran regular workouts with an indwelling catheter in place. Now don’t need the tubes anymore but tendon still an issue. Ortho surgeon said my age forget surgery just go run and when you hurt too much stop. So that is what been doing. Find that foot hurts less when walk and run a good deal as compared to when do nothing. I did though have laparoscopic total prostatectomy surgery April 7, 2025. Was able to run up to the day before and then followed Doc’s orders to not run again till May 18. The six weeks off did not set me back much.

Ba ba the flying tiger started running after he retired. He would go out most every day at 3 am and do laps around nearby Taipei main police station square block. For our visits I wanted to join him but never got up in time to do so until the year he reached 97 years old. By then his running was on the roof top of their condo building. I stayed awake most of one night and was ready when he went out the door. We did a half hour circling plants and hanging laundry. At the end he stopped, sat down on a bench and wiped his brow with a slight nod and smile towards me. It was the best run I ever did.

Running is more than a hobby which on most days provides the same sense of anticipation and satisfaction that get prior to, and after a wilderness trek. Although have rarely entered races, it is a feel good sensation whenever I run when both feet are off the ground. And at times, at times am flying.

update: 10/25//2025

That sub 8 minute mile I did at the end of the 5/2/23 5k is on the border line of meeting sub elite status via age graded standard for someone my age at the time.

Have just finished an 18 week self made marathon plan. Eight of the last 10 weeks covered between 50 and 64 miles. There were six long runs which ranged from 3:02 to 4:46 hours. Three of thosse covered 20 + miles. Two virtual marathons each of which walking a mile before and two to four after running 4 hours in order to get to the 26.2 mile mark These were not official virtuals just lng runs where kept going to see if could do it. The second virtual on 10/19 consisted of the first two hours at 10k pace and the third close to such. By t he four hour mark had covered 23 miles. Two days later ran 11 miles with four half mile 5k to mile pace sets. The day after tht ran another 10 miles so delayed muscle onset currently is a non issue. At 76 years of age have never recovered from challenging long runs as well as am doing right now.

Next up I want to do a marathon with son Joshua in the northwest summer 2026.