Journeys of The Key West Southernmost Walker: January 2012

My fellow Marathon Maniac, Harry Hoffman and myself, Chester "Southernmost Walker" Kalb before the ING Miami Half Marathon

Myself, Chester "Southernmost Walker" Kalb and fellow Half Fanatic, Tracy Goggin before the ING Miami Half Marathon

My self, Chester "Southernmost Walker" Kalb
Dane Rauschenberg
My wife, Gerda Kalb
at the Exposition for the ING Miami Marathon and Half Marathon

Olympic Marathoner, Ryan Hall, speaking at Exposition for the ING Miami Marathon and Half Marathon.

ING Miami Tropical Half Marathon
Miami, Florida
Sunday, January 29, 2012

I race walked the ING Miami Tropical Half Marathon on Sunday, January 29, 2012 in Miami, Florida. The temperature was in the lower 70’s with cloudy skies and a slight breeze. It got a little warm during the last half of the event. Starting at mile 3 water/Gatorade stations were located every mile and were manned by plenty of enthusiastic volunteers who tended to the needs of the nearly 25000 participants in the half and full marathon. One to four police officers were located at every intersection and kept the course completely closed to traffic. Most of the course was relatively flat with two bridges that became hills, one nearly 75 feet tall and the other around 30 feet tall. Some of the course roadways were only one lane wide and became somewhat crowded due to the large number of participants. Overall the participants had enough space most of the time. The event was extremely well organized and fun as always. This was the tenth year for the event and I have done it every year. There were 203 participants like me who have participated every year and we all received a very nice warm-up jacket worth over $100. I really appreciated the special recognition and present. The Exposition before the event featured Olympic marathoner, Ryan Hall, who spoke and signed autographs. My friend and fellow Marathon Maniac, Dane Rauschenberg, was also at the Exposition selling his book. This event will be the last event I do before my left knee replacement surgery on February 20, 2012. If all goes well, my surgeon says that I will probably be able to continue my race walking after my recovery. I hope so!!!!

Mile 0, the beginning of North bound US 1 on Whitehead Street in Key West, Florida and ending in Fort Kent, Maine.

Southernmost Point at the corner of Whitehead and South Streets in Key West, Florida.

Light House on Whitehead Street in Key West, Florida.

Little White House in Truman Annex in Key West, Florida.

Ernest Hemmingway's House on Whitehead Street in Key West, Florida.

Sloppy Joe's Bar on Duval Street in Key West, Florida.

Jimmy Buffet's Original Margaritaville on Duval Street in Key West, Florida.

Southernmost House on South Street in Key West, Florida.

Captain Tony's Saloon on Green Street in Key West, Florida.

Custom House on Front Street in Key West, Florida.

The Green Parrot Bar on Whitehead Street in Key West, Florida.

The Bull, The Whistle Bar, and The Garden of Eden on Duval Street in Key West, Florida.

Church on Duval Street in Key West, Florida.

La Concha Hotel on Duval Street in Key West, Florida.

The Mel Fisher Museum on Whitehead Street in Key West, Florida.

Audubon House on Whitehead Street in Key West, Florida.

Old City Hall in Key West, Florida.

San Carlos on Duval Street in Key West, Florida.

801 Burbon Bar on Duval Street in Key West, Florida.

Turtle Kraals Restaurant and Bar on the harbor of Key West, Florida.

Old bank building, now occupied by Wells Fargo, at the corner of Front and Duval Streets in Key West, Florida.

Key West Aquarium, the first tourist attraction in Key West, Florida.

Shell Warehouse on Mallory Square in Key West, Florida.

Wrecker's Museum on Mallory Square in Key West, Florida.

Tropic Cinema with Seward Johnson's statue of Marilyn Monroe in Key West, Florida.

Old Strand Theater which is now a Walgreens on Duval Street in Key West, Florida.

Conch Shell Statue at Key West High School in Key West, Florida.

Aids Memorial in Key West, Florida.

Henry Flagler Statue who built the railroad along the East Coast of Florida to Key West. January 22, 2012 was the centennial celebration of the first train to arrive in Key West on January 22, 1912.

Seaman Memorial in Key West, Florida.

Fort Zachary Taylor in Key West, Florida.

Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas 70 miles west of Key West, Florida.

Seward Johnson's statues at the Airport welcoming everyone to Key West, Florida.

Key West Half Marathon
Key West, Florida
Sunday, January 22, 2012

I stayed in Key West, Florida and race walked the Half Marathon on Sunday, January 22, 2012. The weather was normal for Key West at this time of year as the temperature varied from 69 to 75 degrees with mostly sunny skies and a little breeze. Water/Gatorade stations were located every 2 miles until mile 8 after which they were located every mile. There were plenty of enthusiastic volunteers at each station. The course which used 10 miles of bike paths as well as 3 miles of roadways is very flat; however, there is one small climb over a bridge having an elevation near 25 feet. Traffic was controlled by plenty of friendly police at all major intersections and a very large number of cheerful volunteers controlling the course everywhere else. The race is very well organized and fun to do. Once again I had a brace on my left knee which allowed me to participate. My knee replacement surgery on February 20, 2012 is quickly approaching.