Not only are the Kings San Juan Island Marathon and Half Marathon open for registration, but event directors have added a 10 kilometer race to this year's event. All events take place on Sunday, June 5 beginning at 8:30 a.m.

Why a 10K? "My brother in Portland is working with a group of people looking to do this distance race. He asked if Clark and I would add it and we thought why not," said Paul Hopkins, event co-director. "The 10K is often the "gateway drug" to longer distances, like the half and the full. We figure people will want to come back for additional challenges."

The course will most likely follow the final portion of the full marathon, which includes the Pear Point/Turn Point loop. Race Directors will finalize and publish the exact course in the next couple of months. The 10K registration will include a t-shirt, aid stations, porta-potties and post race nourishment.

San Juan Island Fitness, a major sponsor of the event, will provide written training programs for those interested in any of the events.

Click HERE to register.

Here it is May 3 and Race Day is just a month away, well and a couple of days. Are you ready? We are. New things are in store for the 2011 event. The biggest is the addition of the 10K race, which will follow the last six miles of the marathon course. Which also means the last few gnarly hills of the marathon. But that's a good thing.

Also new for this year is available camping at the Fairgrounds for the weekend or just the Saturday night before Race Day. Camping at the Fairground is a totally logical thought. Just a 15 minute walk from the race weekend busy downtown Friday Harbor, with great places to eat and, perhaps, have a beer. On Race morning, all you need to do is crawl out of one's sleeping bag and you will be a few hundred feet from the starting line. How cool is that? Pretty.

If you haven't registered for this years races, you but do so. Registrations this year are being handle by Active.com. No race day entries. Visit REGISTRATION now!

Keep checking this web site for all the haps of the San Juan Island Race Events!

New for this year, camping (either by tent or RV) will be available at the San Juan County Fairgrounds, which happens to be the place where it all happens on Race Day. For more information please visit http://www.co.san-juan.wa.us/Parks/sanjuan.aspx

The results are up. Click on BuDu for the download.

Thanks everyone for being there!


Clark

With the holidays upon us, I think about all the crazy and useless gifts that I have been given over the years by very well meaning friends and family. Some functional gifts and some not. So, I thought I would present five gifts ideas that would really benefit the runner in your life.

Gift Number 1. A hand held water bottle with holder. From my experience a runner can’t have too many water bottles. Sometimes, on a really long run or race, it’s even nice to have two. Really. When you go shopping, make sure the bottle and holder feels comfortable in your hand and has some type of little pouch that your favorite runner can stash money, debit card or car keys. There are a few brands that are selling a really nice bottle. Add some icing on the cake by putting five or ten dollars in the pouch before you wrap it.

Gift Number 2. A box of small, round Band-Aids for your runner’s nipples. Yes, for their nibbles. I find on my long runs, the friction of the shirt irritates me. Sometimes to the point of bleeding. Not a good thing. Especially when one, afterwards, steps into a really hot shower. Ouch. Not only is this gift functional, it is also a kind gift as it will save your runner friend pain and the embarrassment that comes from a bloody shirt

Gift Number 3. A Gift Certificate to your runner's favorite running store. Doesn't need to be a huge amount of money, though I suppose that wouldn't be such a bad idea. Running shoes, short, tops, nutritional supplements, socks and rain gear. The opportunities for delight are many. Not only will your runner be grateful for the gift, they will be able to purchase the type of gear that benefits and helps them the most.

Gift Number 4. Race Entry. Present your runner with a coupon for the race of their choice. That type of gift would be really cool. Not only will your gift save your runner some dollars, but will also provide them a new level of motivation to get out the door and run. This type of gift would help your runner accomplish some worthy goals.

Gift Number 5. Road ID. Road ID is a personal identification band that contains both contact phone numbers and medical information, while being a lifesaving piece of equipment, if by chance it would needed. Very inexpensive, but yet invaluable. Check out www.roadid.com for ordering information.

Well, there you go. That's Santa Clark's list for this Holiday Season.

Local interest is building for the first race series of 2010, the Nookachamps Winter Runs on January 16. The Winter Runs consists of a half marathon, 10K and a 5K. Starting time is 10 am, which makes it really easy for local runners who need to take the ferry.

The semi-flat course, combined with views of fields full of visiting Trumpeter Swans makes this a positive experience.

For more information, check out http://nookachamps.com/

2/27/09

I am taking a break from blogging.

See you when I get back.

Tuesday, 2/24, 6:00 am, meet at fitness club for a 10 mile loop around the point.

Wednesday, 2/25, 6:00 pm, meet at Sunken Park, 4 to 7 miles of pure evening running, with some daylight!

Thursday, Track Night.  6:00 pm, meet at the track.

Warm-ups
4 x 400 Strides
1 x 200 with 200 recovery
1 x 400 with 400 recovery
3 x 800 with 400 recovery
1 x 400 with 200 recovery
1 x 200
Cool-down

Friday, 7:00 am, meet at fitness club for 4 - 5 miles easy running in daylight.

Sunday, 7:00 am, 20 miles.  Meet at fitness club.  We will end up at Roche Harbor for doughnuts
             8:15 am, 11 miles.  Meet at fitness club.  8:15 runners will hook up with the 7:00 am runners and continue out to Roche Harbor for doughnuts.

Remember, if this was easy, everyone would be doing it.

Run On,

Clark

Saturday, September 12, I started, along with about 140 other marathoners on a scenic journey through the geologic history of ...   more »

I finished the Skagit Flats Marathon, yesterday the 7th, over in Burlington in 4:00:15.  This out and back course was ...   more »

To keep me going and to add some zest to this late arriving summer, I have developed a challenge.  The 5 Marathons in 6 Weeks Challenge.

Here is the plan.  I will run these events:

Sept   7:  Skagit Flats Marathon in Burlington
Sept 13:  Little Grand Canyon Marathon in Utah
Sept 20:  Chelan Parks Shore to Shore Marathon in Chelan
Sept 28:  Bellingham Bay Marathon in Bellingham
Oct    5:  Taking this week off
Oct  12:  Royal Victoria Marathon in Victoria, BC

Want to join the challenge?  Send me a email:  clark@runninginthesanjuans.com

It seems like much of my life goes like this.  Wake-up.  Get out of bed and maybe go for a early morning run.  Off to work for the day and then back home for a run, even if I ran in the morning.  Eat dinner, chill out and in bed.  Working and running seem to take up most of my day.

On July 9th, I ran my 400th consecutive day and am keeping the streak alive and well.  A few weeks ago I announced that I was in training for "Clark's Fall Challenge" which is five marathons in six weeks, starting on September 7 with the Skagit Flats Marathon and ending on October 12 at the Royal Victoria Marathon. Actually, I am pretty excited about this challenge, should be both fun and very interesting.  Keep tuned in, as they say.

Today I have run 365 consecutive days of running.  Wow, I can't really believe it.  I have been asked if I am going to stop and my answer is "no, I am keeping on going".  Why, I feel really good.  I mean, I feel really, really good - much liked I felt when I was in my 30's.  I going to see how far I can keep this up.  Maybe 400 days, maybe more.  The one thing that I know is my body is performing and recovering as I did some 20 years ago.  I can't complain about that.  A couple of weeks ago we ran 20 miles in 3:05 and when I was in my 30's I ran a 20 mile, flat course in 3:00 and felt good about it.

I have run 3,324.5 miles, though I didn't start recording miles until the end of July.  My body continues to amaze me in how it can run, daily, recover on my slow days and keep on going.  A year ago I was happy to run 11:30 to 12:00 minute miles, to today I often run between 8:30 and 8:00 minutes per mile.  My weight, a year ago, was 230 lbs - which was the motivation to start the streak - and today I am 184 lbs.  Some 46 pounds.  I am very happy about that.

This past year I have run in the heat, the wind, the snow and, more rain than I care to see.  Running in the winter darkness, day after day, almost got to me, but the winter daylight seem to pass quickly.  That passing was received by much gratitude by me.  I have also ran many miles with very dear friends.  Knowing they were going to meet me at a particular time helped me get my butt out the door on those days when I didn't want to run, which, odds as it may seem, didn't happen all that much.

For the past year my body has continue to amaze me in what limits it can achieve.  Oh, I have had some aches and pains, but they were all minor, nothing major.  Some days I ran slow and short, always ensuring to meet my minimum time to run, which was 20 minutes, to days where I logged 30 miles in a single event - The Chuckanut, which kicked my butt in a big way and motivated me to continue my commitment to lose my excess weight.  Though I have lost a total of 46 lbs, I must continue to lose another 20 lbs and get my body to a very healthy weight.  What a journey this has been.

What is next?  More miles and more training.  My plan is to run a fast marathon this fall, maybe in Victoria.  My goal is to quality for the the Boston Marathon this year and I am planning on doing it this fall.  My long term goal is to quality for the Boston Marathon each year.  Pretty cool and a worthy goal.

See you on the roads.  Run safe,

Clark

A couple of weeks ago I had a most wonderful opportunity to watch Finn for a few hours while Angela ...   more »

I realize that time has flown by since my last posting. I suppose I could rely on the old excuse of “I have been busy”, which would be true, but would also be just an excuse.   more »

When I was young, like in early elementary school, I had this belief about dying men in the movies.  I ...   more »

Last night, while running with the Wednesday Night Head Lampers Running Group, I logged my 200th day of consecutive running.  ...   more »

My motivation to run is having some serious issues lately.  Well, at least the last couple of weeks.  I find ...   more »

Well almost.

Monday, November 12th, the Islands felt the effect of the first winter storm with winds blowing out of ...   more »

Today, November 11th, is my 162nd consecutive day of running.  My body continues to work the way it should.  No pain.  Both my energy and spirit seem good.  I am running each mile faster and I am feeling continual changes to my body - in a very positive sense.  I grow younger with each step and then some days I grow older with each step.

I started logging my miles on July 16 and for the past 17 weeks I have logged 49.3 miles per week for a total of 838.5 miles.  I have gone through two pair of shoes, all Asics.

Since June 4th, the start of my running streak, I have ran a total of 180 hours and 24 minute, including my 2 hours I ran today.

I have now committed my streak running through June 2, which will be, due to an extra leap year day, my 365th day of continual running.  This is also the running of the San Juan Island Marathon and Half Marathon.   Seems fitting.

This is a story I wrote after attending and observing the 25th Annual Ironman Canada.


   more »

November 5, 2007

Now that autumn is upon us, with its gloomy skies and reduced daily sunlight, those of us ...   more »

Ammon dressed as Freddy Kruger and Finn as a Turtle.

Yesterday, October 30, I ran my 150th day of continual running.  A seven mile run around Turn Point - Pear ...   more »

Here are some pictures of Finn and family.


Finn on the morning of October 11.


The new papa, Ammon and Finn.


Ammon, Finn and me.


Ammon, Angela and Finn, minutes after the birth.


Finn and his Grandpa Clark



Jen and Finn

For more pictures visit:  www.babygilbert.org

Finn Thomas Gilbert is here.  Arriving at 7:30 pm, he was meet by family and friends.  His birth weight is 8 lbs, 10 oz., and he is 20 inches long.  And Beautiful!!!


I will have pictures posted later today.

Last night after a 12 mile run, with 4 x 800's with recoveries on the track, I logged my 123rd ...   more »

We are now just a couple of weeks from Finn's arrival date, but he might want to come early.  I ...   more »

Last night I ran my 115th day of continual running.  My body is holding up really well, which I continue to find very interesting.  Here are some status:

 - For the past 10 weeks I have averaged 51.7 miles per week or for a total of 517 miles.
 - Since the beginning of the Running Streak I have ran a total of 127 and half hours.
 - Lost over 20 pounds

We continue our wait for the arrival of Baby Finn, who should be here very soon - like withing the next couple of weeks.  I am so excited!!!  Visit www.babygilbert.org.

Run On!

Yesterday, 9/11, I ran my 100th consecutive day of running.  To help me celebrate the occasion, three of my good ...   more »

Here it is 9:11 pm on 9/11 - the day of my 100th continuous days of running is over.  Brian, Paul and Jane met me at 5:30 this evening for a 10.7 mile run, which we did in 1:45.  It was fun celebrating 100 days of running with some great running buddies.  Below is the map from which we ran.  After the run we ate pizza, potatoes made by Rachel, veggies from Jane, beer and wine from my running buddy, Stan.

I have been asked if the streak will continue and my answer is "yes".  Running for 100 continual days was a great excuse for a party and I think 200 continual days would make for a bigger party.  Run on.