FROM ZERO TO HALF MARATHON IN 10 WEEKS

Distance running: I've done it, on and off, my whole life. From marathons to Ironman World Championship where you swim 2.4 miles, Bike 112 miles then, after all that, You run a marathon (26.2 miles) all in the same day.

So, let me just put it out there for everyone to read: In the next 10 weeks (basically over the summer) I'm going to go from zero running to 13.1 miles (a half marathon) distance. AND within another 4 weeks after that I'll be able to race at that distance.

The past two years is the longest break I've had from running since 2006 when we moved to the Big Island.

Yeah, it's a lofty goal for someone in their late 50s who hasn't run much for the past couple of years.

In the past 9 years I've competed in two Ironman World Championship triathlons and several half Ironmans and numerous other triathlons, marathons and other distance running events. but for the past two years I've reverted back to a couch potato.

Now I want to change that and get back into Ironman shape. Well, at least marathon shape.

All I can do is either succeed or fail. And you can follow along, either on this blog or on my YouTube channel, to see which I do and to hold me accountable for training and sticking with it. I will need your support, encouragement and advice along the way so please subscribe to either or better yet, both, and comment on each of my training videos. I'm lazy and can't do this on my own.

You can watch a video on our YouTube channel where I talk about this 10-week challenge of getting off the couch and running a half marathon here: https://youtu.be/2paSWjyCDuA

ABOUT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: Adventure Road Travel Sketchers
you can find it here: https://www.youtube.com/user/rdubinhawaii

Our channel is evolving as our lives are evolving.

Our channel started out while we lived in Hawaii and I was competing in Ironman triathlons. That's why the first few videos are about running and Ironman competition. Since we have moved back to the mainland and I became interested in sketching I switched it up to producing sketching videos, sketchbook tours, reviews, and how to sketch videos.

Recently our lives have taken a new direction. We moved out of our three bedroom house with a double car garage and moved into a 264-square-foot fifth wheel RV. We plan to begin traveling the country as soon as possible and sketch the places and people we visit and meet along the way. We plan on sticking to the rural areas as much as possible -- the roots of America.

We also plan on interviewing some of the people we meet and discover what makes their town and neighborhoods special to them.

We will be producing content about sketching, RV life, which includes repairs, coping with small spaces and the pros and cons of full-time RV living. Our daughter, Rebecca is disabled and is wheelchair bound so we will also be talking about how we manage all the work arounds in a world made for people who walk, including how accessible places are for disabled people.

I've changed the name of this channel (for now) to Adventure Road Travel Sketchers (ARTS for short) and my wife Karen, daughter Rebecca, 4-year-old twin grandsons Leo and Desmond and our 6-year-old grandson NJ, will be contributing content as well.

Thanks and please subscribe (it's absolutely free) and it would mean the world to us.

ADVENTURE ROAD TRAVEL SKETCHERS — A YouTube Channel

The artwork for my YouTube channel — Adventure Road Travel Sketcherss (ARTS).

You may not know this, but I have a YouTube channel. I've actually have had it for 9 or 10 years — way before it was cool to have one.

I posted a spoof video of a Zoot commercial starring an aquaintence from Hawaii. (secretly hoping Zoot would sponsor me ...) I still have those Zoots by the way. See the video on the rail of this blog or go here to watch it: ZOOT commercial spoof

I've also posted a couple of Ironman World Championship videos and a running in Hawaii in Vibrams video.

A video of when I was featured on NBC Sports for competing in the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii.

Most recently (since we moved into a fifth wheel RV) I've changed the name of my channel to Adventure Road Travel Sketchers (ARTS for short) and began posting sketching videos. I plan on producing RV-related videos as well and anytime I can combine RVing, sketching and running/swimming/biking I'll post  those too.

By the way, the official name is RDub in Hawaii. the official web address is https://www.youtube.com/user/rdubinhawaii

Here's the link to my YouTube Channel: ARTS 

I haven't decided if I'll keep the sketching separate from the RV related videos by starting another channel specifically for RVing. I plan on combining the two by doing a lot of RV lifestyle sketching and once we are able to begin traveling the country those two subjects will be intertwined.

I'm also taking courses on creating a YouTube channel and making my videos more interesting, which all the videos posted before June 5, 2018, were created before I took the class so I hope you will begin to see a difference in the quality of the content and the story telling as I progress from this point on.

Please check out my channel and Please subscribe (it's free) and it helps my channel rank higher on YouTube. Also if you want to help support my channel and blog for free you can click on any of the Amazon links or ads (on my blog) and if you purchase anything -- even if it's not what you clicked on -- Amazon will pay me a small commission that costs  you nothing.

Some of the videos on sketching and running I've created and uploaded to my YouTube Channel here'.

Here's a tag line I place on all my videos that explains what my channel is about:

ABOUT THIS CHANNEL:
Our channel is evolving as our lives are evolving.

This channel started out while we lived in Hawaii  and I was competing in Ironman triathlons. That's why the first few videos are about running and Ironman competition. Since we have moved back to the mainland and I became interested in sketching I switched it up to producing sketching videos, sketchbook tours, reviews, and how to sketch videos.

Recently our lives have taken a new direction. We moved out of our three bedroom house with a double car garage and moved into a 264-square-foot fifth wheel RV. We plan to begin traveling the country as soon as possible and sketch the places and people we visit and meet along the way. We plan on sticking to the rural areas as much as possible -- the roots of America.

We also plan on interviewing some of the people we meet and discover what makes their town and neighborhoods special to them.

We will be producing content about sketching, RV life which includes repairs, coping with small spaces and the pros and cons of full-time RV living. Our daughter, Rebecca is disabled and is wheelchair bound so we will also be talking about how we manage all the work arounds in a world made for people who walk, including how accessible places are for disabled people.

I've changed the name of this channel (for now) to Adventure Road Travel Sketchers (ARTS for short) and my wife Karen, daughter Rebecca, 4-year-old twin grandsons Leo and Desmond and sometimes our 5-year-old grandson NJ, will be contributing content as well.

Thanks and please subscribe (it's absolutely free) and it would mean the world to us if you would comment and subscribe.

HELP SUPPORT OUR CHANNEL FOR FREE: I am part of the Amazon Affiliate program which means if you click on one of the links and purchase anything I get a small commission paid by amazon and costs you nothing more. It's a way for you to help support our channel for free. 

We are currently taking courses to improve my channel and content so please be patient, subscribe and keep checking back. I promise my videos will get better. Thank you.

I am part of the Amazon Affiliate program which means if you click on one of the links below and purchase anything I get a small commission paid by amazon and costs you nothing more. It's a way for you to help support my growing channel for free.

OUR BLOG: THE KONA LIFE
You can check out my blog at http://amilucid.blogspot.com/ where I talk all things sketching, triathlon and RV life in general.

Below are a few Amazon links for some of the art supplies I use. (I'm an Amazon Affiliate)

Platinum Desk Fountain Pen: http://amzn.to/2CVwbIc

Platinum carbon ink bottle ink black 60cc: http://amzn.to/2D1xFCA

Stillman & Birn Beta Series sketchbook: http://amzn.to/2CLMTer 

M. Graham watercolor tubes: http://amzn.to/2ByAnRB

Winsor & Newton watercolors (the link is for a Cotman beginner set): http://amzn.to/2k7ct5Q

Da Vinci Kolinsky red sable travel brushes No. 10, 6 & 4 round
(This is a great deal for real red sable. Three brush set): http://amzn.to/2BCb55r

Sakura Pigma Micron pens: http://amzn.to/2CMkipa

Lamy Safari fountain pen extra fine nib: http://amzn.to/2k7PQOV

Pentel Aquash water brush: http://amzn.to/2kEqrLV

My palette: Prima Marketing Watercolor Confections: The Classics (I took out the Prima paints and replaced them with half pans of M. Grahams tube paints): http://amzn.to/2k60ghO

GoPro Hero 2:  http://amzn.to/2m1LQzC

Apple Pencil: http://amzn.to/2DodFwt

iPad Pro 12.9-inch: http://amzn.to/2DhWfOI

RERUN ON RUNNING

I guess I just need more to do or something, but I watched my Youtube video on running in Vibram Five Fingers shoes and decided it needed some editing and music.

I first posted the video of Karen and I running in Kona in 2012, shortly after purchasing our Vibrams. The video was taken using a GoPro Hero 2 and running around the perimeter of Old A's soccer fields and on the Jurassic Trail (at least that is what we call it) off Koloko Drive.

You can watch the re-posted version here: Vibram Five-Fingers review

We still have those same Vibrams believe it or not. I use mine mostly for running on the treadmill these days.

Below are  some Amazon links for the Vibrams and the Go Pro if you are interested in them.

I'm an Amazon associate so I get a small commission if you click on any of the links and buy anything, but Amazon pays it so it costs you nothing extra.

Thanks and if you are interested in running, Ironman triathlon or sketching and drawing, please subscribe to my blog and YouTube channel.

Vibram Men's Bikila EVO on Amazon:  https://goo.gl/ZvBLkV

Vibram Fivefingers Womens Bikila on Amazon: https://goo.gl/wmTgej

Video was photographed with a GoPro Hero: https://goo.gl/49pb9B

CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN ZOMBIES AHEAD ...

It's slow going but I'm up to 12 miles on my long runs and 10k (6.2 miles) on my other running days. I still need to add one more day of running to get it up to 4 days but I just don't know where I'll get the time, especially with winter coming on.

This Sunday I should be up to half marathon distance (13.1 miles). I can't wait to get up to three hour runs but by then it'll be cold and dark and rainy here. I know, I'm a wimp, but after training for years in Hawaii it's hard to get motivated in poor weather.

Karen and I, NJ and the twins are planning on racing zombies on the 25th in Albany. My guess is we'll not make it too far before we are "bitten." But it should be fun anyhow. I've always wanted "The Walking Dead" to do a show on zombie babies, especially zombie twin babies.

Oh, since Ironman World Championship is this Saturday, here's a video of my first world championship finish shot by my friend Giovanni.

This is from 2009. Back then 13 miles seemed like nothing. In fact I remember racing a half marathon a few weeks before where I went out and ran 3 miles as a warm up then ran my fastest half to date just so I could get in my 16 mile run for the day. Dang I miss in that kind of shape.

A QUICK CHECK-IN

It's been a busy time since we left Hawaii just over a year ago. We've lived in three different time zones and have driven across the U.S. four times. We have seen Yellowstone, the Atlantic Ocean and had a few tornado scares. Three grandsons have been born in the past few months, including twins, (giving us 6 grandkids total) and so much more has been going on that it has been hard to catch my breath.

I've barely had time to do any running or biking over the past year. I've only been swimming twice since leaving Hawaii, which is really sad. I love swimming. Now we live just 2 miles from a swimming facility so hopefully once we get settled in our new location - Oregon, by the way - I'm hoping to get back into the water.

This blog has slowly transformed from a triathlete's journey off the couch to more of a family focused blog, but I'm hoping as we get settled in the Northwest I'll get back into training and find some interesting experiences to write about such as how hard it's going to be to "learn to swim" again. Or how to get and stay motivated in a cold, rainy climate. 

I've always marveled at how mainlanders could stay motivated to train for a triathlon all winter long compared to how easy it is to those of us in Hawaii who always have great weather and a beautiful ocean to swim in. Now I'm about to find out.

Anyhow, this is just to revisit "The Kona Life" and say what's happening. I should change the name of this place but I think I will keep it. After all, The Kona Life is a state of mind more than a place where I lived. 

Take care and I'll hopefully be writing again soon.

ROAD TRIP

Athens, Alabama ... That's where we are tonight. Karen, Rebecca and I are traveling cross country from Idaho to North Carolina for our son, Daniel's wedding next Saturday.

We left Monday morning around 5 a.m. and made it to York, Nebraska by about 10 p.m. One of my goals is to stop in each state we travel through and run just enough to say I ran in that state. Its been fun. So far I've run in Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, and Kentucky. I missed Tennessee just because it was dark and frankly I was tired. I'll catch it on our way back. 

As I said we are in Alabama tonight (Tuesday) and I plan on running here in the morning. Tomorrow we head down to Tuscaloosa where we are stopping by to say hi to a friend from Hawaii who lives there now, then we are off to Georgia to see our daughter Rachael and our two granddaughters. 

The next day we head off to the East Coast and North Carolina to See Daniel and his bride-to-be, Dawn and attend their wedding Saturday. 

Come Sunday we do it all again and drive three days back to Idaho and running in whatever states we go through that I haven't run in yet. 

Running in Iowa at Sunrise. 

Running in Utah on Monday just after sunrise.

So there you have it. This is a first for me. I've never been to most of these states and running in them is a blast and makes for some interesting conversations. It's mostly been cold however. That's why I'm wearing jeans in the Utah photo. I don't have any cold-weather clothes since this is my first fall/winter

on the mainland since we moved from Hawaii. hmmm ... maybe I can get some clothing and shoe sponsors out of this ... lol 

See you out there.

BACK ON THE MAINLAND

(Derkes Lake around sunset)

Just a note to say we arrived safe and sound in Twin Falls, Idaho. Actually, we landed here about three weeks ago. However, our stuff ... all of our household items, including my computer just arrived. So we are officially moved off the island and on the mainland.

It's been a rough transition over the past three weeks. But what should I expect? Over the past 7 years I have only been out of Hawaii for 1 week. So there is going to be an adjustment period I suppose.

Anyhow, we made it. Our possessions arrived pretty much all intact and we have a roof over our heads. I have plenty of photos to post and maybe even a story or two to tell once things calm down and I actually get a chance to relax.

(Shoshone Falls)

(SNAKE RIVER CANYON)

Thanks for all your notes of encouragement and support, I'll post again soon.

MY 7-YEAR SUMMER IS ENDING

My perpetual summer has come to an end.

As of May 24th my family and I are moving back to the mainland. I got a new job and a new adventure awaiting me in Twin Falls, Idaho.

I've learned so many things while living here it doesn't seem real that it is all coming to an end. My greatest fear is that I will become that couch potato I once was. Hawaii is so much a part of who I am now that I can't imagine myself anywhere else. I have met so many wonderful people here. Made so many great friends. But it's time to move on. Since three of our kids and two grandkids live on the mainland, it's for the best. We'll be able to see them more often.

I can honestly say I am a different person now than when I arrived in the Aloha state 7 years ago. I guess the true test of character comes from challenges, and moving to a completely different climate, culture and economy will certainly be challenging for me.

I have always felt that Kona made me special, at least, made me feel special. It taught me how to swim, how to bike and how to run. It  taught me how to be strong, how to be encouraged by encouraging others. To be inspired by inspiring others. Without it, without being here, seems like I just might be leaving my identity behind. The person I have learned to become.

I've never swum anywhere but here - the ocean and the Kona pool. I've never done a triathlon anywhere but here. I've trained with some of the best athletes in the world here (I wonder how often Lance makes it to Idaho?). I've trained with some of the best people in the world here - Kona People.

But, just like moving here was scary and exciting and a giant mystery of what to expect, moving to a place I've never been is just another step on this adventure I'm on.

I don't know much about Twin Falls other than that it's on the Snake River Canyon. The pictures look pretty. There is no Masters swimming there, which is very disappointing to me. Hopefully there will be lots of good running trails and biking routes. Whatever the negatives are, the positives will outweigh them. Our son, Jon, lives in Portland (about 9 hours away) so we will be able to see him a lot. Rachael is in Georgia and Daniel is in North Carolina so it won't cost nearly as much to see them as it does now.

So, here's to a new adventure. Scary, exciting, mysterious! Just like doing my first Ironman.

I'd like to leave you with this song by Loudon Wainwright. It characterizes my 7-year summer more than anything I could ever say.

Oh no, I just realized I'll have to change the name of this blog next month. Maybe I can call it "The Spud Life," or "Beets Me." (They grow sugarbeets there).

Thanks so much for following "The Kona Life" all these years. I'll start posting my new adventure once I get settled and come up with a new blog name. Take care my friends, Randy

THE TRUTH ABOUT DOGS, AGAIN ...

I was re-reading some of my old posts and came across this one. It still makes me laugh. I posted this in May 2009.

Before rumors fly rampant I thought I would give the real story.
A few days ago I went on a bike ride with professional triathlete Bree Wee.

Wee and I rode about 50 miles, mostly uphill it seemed. We were climbing the last 5 miles or so before we reached the turn around to head back. We were moving at a pretty good pace when we simultaneously decided to have a sprint race uphill. The extremely large sounding dog in the driveway we had just pedaled past had no influence whatsoever on this decision. I promise.

I think Wee just wanted to run me into the ground, but to her surprise I flew by her and left her at the mercy of the beast quickly gaining on us. We were easily hitting 30 miles per hour (well I was, Wee was struggling to keep up), uphill on one of the toughest parts of the Ironman course.

After all was said and done I can say I out sprinted a pro triathlete up hill on the bike. Well, that's my version and I'm sticking to it.

Now the rumor going around about our "sprint" goes like this ....

Bree and I were biking along at a pretty good clip when we passed a driveway on our side of the road. We heard a large dog begin to bark. No biggie, we were moving too fast for a dog to catch us. But to my surprise that barking (a large pitbull by the sound of it) was getting closer.

I picked up the pace a little but the barking got even closer. My heart began to race, not from the pace but because I was sure I could feel the breath from that vicious, cyclist-eating pitbull on my ankle. The barking was so close now I new I was going to feel its teeth sink into my flesh at any moment.

I was pounding the pedals so hard that I left Wee to fend for herself. See ya! I have this terrifying fear of barking dogs that overrides all sanity.

Closer and closer the barking got. Suddenly, a pickup truck pulls up beside me and slowly begins to pass by. The dog's barking is in my ear now. "OMG! It's a giant pitbull!" was my first thought. And then I see it. A border collie in the back of the pickup happily barking at the funny bikers.

Relieved and embarrassed, I sit up and slow down to let Bree catch up.

Both of us laughing, I weakly muttered "Boy, that was a good opportunity to sprint. I thought that dog was chasing us."

Bree: "So did I until I looked back and saw it was in the back of that pickup."

Me: "You know, dogs are excellent sprinters." Still trying to cover my tracks.

A little while later on our way back I was riding out on the road (that's what I like about riding to Hawi, not much traffic so you can ride on the road some) and Bree was riding on the shoulder when she looked over at me and said, "not taking any chances with this dog, huh?"
I said, "What do you mean?"

She points a little ahead of us at a little rat-looking dog running along the side of the road ignoring us.

SUM, SUM, SUMMAH TIME IN HAWAII

Wow, it's been a month since I've posted anything here. That's the longest I've gone since I started this blog about 3 years ago. Well, here's a quick update on what's been happening on our tiny big island.

Rebecca had a great 5k race at the Kona Marathon last month. She beat her best time by about 10 minutes.

Rebecca working her way up Alii Drive during the race. She did a great job. Alii isn't flat at all and has a severe slope which makes doing a race in a wheelchair even harder.

Even though I'm still unable to run or bike too much I managed to do two ocean swim races in the past two weeks. The Hapuna Roughwater Swim and the King's Swim. As out of shape (and overweight) that I am these days I was pleasantly surprised at my time for the Hapuna swim, which is 1 mile. I did it in 26 minutes. The King's swim is 1.2 miles which I did last year in 31:36 and placed about 7th in my age group. This year the ocean was pretty rough with huge swells and a pretty strong current. I swam it in 33 minutes this year and placed 2nd in my age group. That's my 2nd-ever swimming award.

That's me coming out of the water and running to the finish line at the King's Swim last weekend. Thanks Carl Koomoa for the photo. That swim skin I'm wearing belonged to World Champion Ironman triathlete Chris McCormack and is the one he wore last year when he won the Ironman World Championship here in Kona. Karen won it from him in a contest he had while he was here. I thought I would see if it would help me swim faster -- no such luck, though.

Oh, the week before we were swimming this same course (Kailua Bay) for Masters and ran into three sharks. there's been quiet a few shark sightings here lately.

Not much else going on. I've been running a little but Monday I tweaked my knee some how and now I can barely walk. Old age sucks ...

On a sad note, our dog, Bear, who we have had for about 14 years (we got him when he was only 6 weeks old) has gone completely blind - old age sucks. We've been trying to help him adapt but it's been a struggle for him. He's learning to walk next to walls and feel his way around through the house. We're learning not to leave things where he can trip over them and not to leave doors open to bedrooms and bathrooms where he can get stuck and disoriented.


Bear in his younger days. Actually, this was taken just a couple of years ago.