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.


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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.

On September 11, I will be running my 100th day of continual running.  I will be running 100 minutes to celebrate and below is a map of the course.  Want to run?  Give me a call and I will tell you where I am starting from.  Time:  5:30 p.m.

Sunday, the 2nd, was my 91st day of continual running.  Sam, Jen and I went over to Victoria on the early morning ferry and spent the day.  They wanted Sushi and I wanted to run.  On past trips to Victoria I have made the time to go running and since I want to run the Victoria Marathon in October of 2008 I thought this would be a good way to spend a day trip.  Total miles ran was 15 in about 2:25 - give or take a minute.  I started from the Runner's Room running store on Douglas and followed the roadway down around the harbor and along the beach front all the way to Oak Bay, and then came back the, mostly, same way.  See map below.

Oak Bay is a cute little village with some really nice old houses.  The views over the water are of the Olympic Peninsula with some great views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca.  From Beach Road I could really see Trial Island.  The sky was cloudy and the temperatures were really nice.

I did run through both Beacon Hill  and Clover Point Park and I learned something.  Do not run through the "Dog Friendly" section where dogs can run free on a nice Sunday afternoon.  You know the dog motto:  "If it runs, chase it".

I had forgotten what it is like to run in a city.  Cement sidewalks, curbs, cutters, people walking three abreast.  Stuff like that.  The first couple of miles was a stop and go through the busy tourist center of Victoria.  Once on the water side things calmed down some, except for the dogs. I really don't like running on the unforgiving cement, but when in the Cement Jungle what does one do?

My body is holding up really well with all this running.  I thought it would.  My weight has stayed the same for the last three weeks.  Time to pay more attention to what I am eating and not eating, like green salads.

Here is a map of most of the route - minus the trail running and the dogs.

Last night I ran my 72nd consecutive day of running.  My training plan for yesterday was to run 12 miles around the Egg Lake Loop, but a cramp in my right calf caused me to cut the run short at 8 miles and walk the reminder miles home.  I was running with my friend Stan, who went ahead and finished, then drove out and gave me a ride home.

I was disappointed that I cramped.  I was happy that I finished my 72nd day.  I am proud of this accomplishment.  This goal of Streak Running has give me some purpose.

The other day I read about a woman, Roz Savage, who is solo rowing a small boat from San Francisco to Australia.  Before this adventure she had rowed across the Atlantic Ocean.  Amazing.  Talk abut an accomplishment.

Check out her web site at:  http://www.rozsavage.com/

And watch this video clip.

• Running helps me to feel good about myself by giving me goals and objectives that only I can accomplish. 
• Running helps ...   more »

On the evening of July 24, I ran with Jane and Laura out in the DNR/Roche Harbor Watershed for 1 hour, 37 minutes.  This was my 51st day of continual running.

The run was great with sunshine, warm temperatures and great trails.  The company of Jane and Laura was pretty nice as well.

Back on June 4th, the day after the San Juan Island Marathon that I direct, I started a Running Streak - which is basically how many days in a row that I can continue running.

Why a Running Streak?  In a nutshell, motivation.  Knowing that I had made a commitment to determine how many days I could run without stopping has gotten by butt out the door and down the road.  My definition of a running day is a day where I went outside and spent more than 20 minutes running. 

Yesterday I logged my forty-one day of continual running.  Thus far, no aches or pains.  My longest run as been 1 hour, 50 minutes and my shortest has been 20 minutes.  I have also dropped 16 pounds.

I have not determined when I will end the streak, but for now I am really enjoying it.

See you on the roads.

From Ammon and Angela from their recent visit to Hawaii.

This is so totally cool or rad, or whatever is the hottest thing to say.

Each year, in May or June, I travel down to the Seattle area to purchase a new pair of Reef flip-flops.  I was introduced to wearing flip-flops by my son Ammon and his friend, Nick.  Were were in Seattle looking for flip-flops that would be used in Ammon and Angela's wedding some time later in the year.  For whatever reason I never really looked in to wearing flip-flops, thinking they would not be good enough support for my most wonderful feet.  Boy was I wrong.

I purchased a pair of Reef's Flex Sandals and feel in love with them.  I wore them all the time.  To work, around town, wherever.  They were the most comfortable shoe I have worn!  My feet grew stronger and, most importantly, happy.

This past week weekend I was very happy to learn that San Juan Surf Shop, located at the Cannery Landing here in wonderful Friday Harbor, carried Reef Sandals or Flip-flops.  I purchased are really nice, comfortable pair - green, at prices lower than the mainland.  How cool is that.

If you need a pair of sumer flops, San Juan Surf will do your right!!


This the pair I just purchased.

I love summer.  Long days, warm and sunny - well at least for the most part, make this time of year here in the islands really enjoyable.  This morning Stan and I were running around Pear Point, starting at 8:00.  During the run the sun felt warm on my back as we ran around one of the most beautifulest roads here on island.  The sensation of having the sun warm me so early in the day was really nice.

Here in the islands the temperatures rarely reach above 80 degrees, so the warm days are not really hot days that I was used to by living in California, Montana and Wyoming - where hot meant 90 degrees or hotter.  In Helena, Montana, where I lived for some time, we would often go run in 100+ temperatures during the summer months.  The sweat would run off our bodies like torrents. 

Lately, I have been running early in the day, often on the road by 6:30.  The early morning temperatures are still chilly and often I need a long sleeve shirt to keep my arms warm, but by the time I run for 40 minutes I wish that I had short shirt sleeves on.  My friend Stan, when he runs in the morning, is still wearing gloves to keep his hand warm.

A sad point of this summer is I am boat less.  I sold my boat, SloPoke, over a year ago.  Not having a boat makes my heart long for a time that we can get on the water.  Motoring up to Stuart Island and running out to the lighthouse on Turn Point would be idea.  Turn Point is the farthest distance in the N.W. one can go in the United States.  I have run that distance before and it is a blast.

Last night we ate our dinner out on the deck, and, actually, I am writing this posting outside as well, which makes a great indicator for summer time.  I love eating out doors during the summer.  Takes me back to my childhood days when we ate outside on our patio much of the summer.  Nice hot summer days and cool summer nights.  Yum.

Last Tuesday Mike, Jan, Sam and I rode over to Lopez on Mike and Jan's boat, and ate a bunch of fried foods as we watched the sun dip down.  What a great evening.  Great people and good food.  Great weather as well.

Here is wishing everyone a fun filled, safe and exciting summer.

My son, Ammon and my dad, Ralph.

Last Sunday, June 3, was the 5th Annual San Juan Island Marathon and Half-Marathon.  I have been organizing this event with Paul Hopkins for all five of those years.  Along with Lynne Rodgers and Hedda King we brought the idea of having a local marathon and half-marathon to reality.

The races take a high amount of planning, organizing, marketing that begins in July and ends the following June on race day.  There is so much that needs to be done and much of that happens in the final weeks before Race Day.  Besides our efforts we utilize close to 100 volunteers who do every thing from manning Ham Radios for course information to filling water cups for both runners and walkers.  With out these wonderful people this race would not happen.


Frank and Wayne, local Ham Radio Operators who volunteered on Race Day

Besides doing such things as ordering T-shirts, medals, drinks, supplies, there is permits that need to be arranged for, insurance to purchase, law enforcement to coordinate - a ton of stuff to do.  On Race Day we start at 4:30 and often don't finish until 7 or 8 that night! 

Now that the Race is over, I have the rest of my summer to go and have some serious fun.

Here are some pictures from the day.


Ammon placing the 26th Miler marker.


Bill with bike - Half Marathon Escort


Runners at the Start Line


The Start!





Participants of the Kids Race which started right after the Marathon


Paul reading the names of top finishers.



Hedda King, who was awarded the Lynne Rodgers Award, enjoying the Awards Ceremony.

A big THANK YOU for all who helped.

For More Articles about the Race, check out:

Results:  http://www.perfecttimeevents.com/results/event/1853/results.php
Official Photographer:   http://www.brunkphoto.com/
San Juan Update:  http://www.san-juan.net/marathon07/

My buddy, Paul, who has a small tent business just expanded with the recent addition of a 3500 square foot ...   more »