Hollywood Nights: 2007

Monday, October 29, 2007

So good

ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. _ A fall trip home to Michigan would not be complete without fresh Michigan apple cider. It's my favorite drink of all time. Sorry Slurpee Gods.

MUSKEGON, Mich. _ It isn't often when I can look around the room and realize that I'm a part of something great. But with my friends from my working era at The State News, this has become a common occurrence. I used to believe our work putting out the paper each day and that magic feeling it gave us is what made us great. But this weekend as 25 of us gathered from a dozen states, I realized it is much more. Each one of us is so diverse, so deep and so inspiring. To be part of a community is such an amazing feeling. This weekend I headed to Muskegon for the great Donica wedding. Don and Jessica, two college friends, flew in from Florida to tie the knot. The weekend ended up being one of the most memorable times I've had.

Monday, October 22, 2007

Wichita Marathon

WICHITA, Kan. _ Saturday I took another 26.2-mile trot. My fourth. While I had lofty time goals for the race, I fell short. My knee became sore at 15 mile and once I fell off pace, the race was pretty much over. But I still hung in there and finished in 4:03. Next up, the Gobbler Grind half marathon in Overland Park. Blas finished his first marathon and after his pain went away, he said he'd try it again, someday. For more pictures: http://msu.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2363312&l=7a147&id=2311281

Monday, October 15, 2007

On the last leg

KANSAS CITY, Mo. _ In just days I'll be taking part in the Wichita Marathon. This journey to again race the 26.2-mile distance started last October when I moved to the island of Oahu. There I met an amazing group of marathon maniacs. While their savage behavior and craving for up to 10 marathons a year didn't rub off immediately, I knew I wanted to race the distance once again. When I moved to Kansas City, I found more running groups with runners who had their hopes set on the marathon.

My first three marathons didn't go as I had hoped. In each I fell apart in the ladder stages of the race and my time suffered. After the 2004 Chicago Marathon, I stepped back and just ran shorter races.

For the past year, I've maintained 30-50 mile weeks. I improved my diet. I lifted more weights than I ever have. And I maintained interval training and ran the long runs.

And so the goal: to run 3:25, nearly 20 minutes faster than my PR of 3:42.

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Island jumping

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

I just called to say....

Susie! Answer!

The fork in our road

The trail

The crew

This is us before the hike.

Haleakala National Park

This weekend I joined Renee and Sean in Maui to hike and camp at Haleakala National Park. We cruised up the volcano crater, nearly 10,000 feet above sea level with our packs strapped to back. At the summit, where the thick clouds lingered around the crater, we could see for miles. Barren volcanic dust, lush green valleys, the bluest of skies and desert tundra - all in the same place. Horay bats kept us awake at night. We hiked for seven miles on Saturday, camped and then continued up the mountain. After our nearly 3,000-foot climb, we headed to the beach.

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Where am I?

If you have failed in your attempt to contact me, don't worry. My phone has been turned off/not working. This is due to the unfriendly fellows who shattered my car window, stole my wallet and cell phone. I'll be back soon. Until then I can be contacted at charlton.brian@gmail.com

My daring rope swing jump

It goes by quick so watch closely. I swing over the slippery rocks, and into the freezing mountain water. What a rush!

Check out Web album from hike

Peekabo! I put up a Web album after I hiked, along with Randy and Kiff, the Jackass Ginger trail. This short valley loop wandered through the thick Nuuanu forest and eventually passed one of the coolest swimholes on Oahu: Jackass Ginger. We passed stands of swamp mahogany, bamboo, and guava and later climbed the beautiful Nuuanu Trail. At the waterfall, we dared to swing from the rope, over the slippery rocks (I know cause I fell) and into the freezing cold mountain water. So CLICK HERE

My work uniform

On a reporting trip to Kauai to cover the fallout of a tour helicopter crash, I stopped at a scenic point overlooking the rush green mountains and Hawaiian fishing pools. This island is one of the most beautiful spots on earth. The white sandy shores, majestic waterfalls, endless mountains and low-key lifestyle made for a long day of work.

Kona sunset

From the shores of Kona, the sun dips into the ocean each night. Pure beauty.

Monday, March 19, 2007

My AFI quest: 16. All About Eve

My latest quest is to watch all of the movies ranked by AFI's top 100 list. The greatest American films are on that list and my goal is to view as many as possible before June. My roommate has a collection of thousands of DVDs, so this is my chance.

This weekend I saw All About Eve, a 1950 drama staring Anne Baxter as Eve and Bette Davis as Margo Channing. Davis is one of the biggest female stars of all time and she was powerful here. This movie, while terribly slow at parts, had amazing writing. "Bill Sampson: We have to go to City Hall for the marriage license and blood test.
Margo Channing: I'd marry you if it turned out you had no blood at all."

This was my 20th movie from the list. Others include: 2. Casablanca; 6. Wizard of Oz; 7. The Graduate; 9. Schindler's List; 10. Singin' in the Rain; 11. It's a Wonderful Life; 12. Sunset Boulevard; 14. Some Like it Hot; 15. Star Wars; 20. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest; 25. E.T.; 29. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington; 49. Snow White; 58. Fantasia; 60. Raiders of the Lost Ark; 71. Forrest Gump; 76. City Lights; 77. American Graffiti; 84. Fargo; 95. Pulp Fiction.

Pearl Harbor 10K

I've spent most of this tropical winter trying to get back in shape here in Honolulu. I've decided to share my weekly racing adventures as I compete in the local road race scene. On Saturday, I woke at 6 a.m to drive to Pearl Harbor to compete in my second 10K in two weeks. The visitor center at Pearl Harbor was quiet when I got there with only a few runners milling around. I would soon find out that the race was one of the least organized events I've ever participated in. Examples: No mile markers, fewer than 100 people, different starts for some runners and T-shirts from the concession stand. The course was brutal. It ran through a grassy area, over the hilly bridge and onto the Ford Island where we ran along long, unshaded runways. I could feel the sun melting me. But I still got a sense of pride as I ran on the same ground where American soldiers were once attacked. I finished the race in a slow 44:37, 7:12 pace. Next week: A 5K on the other side of the island.

Hollywood Nights