Category Archives: OBX

Life in board shorts: Creating my own triathlon

For all of the runners, cyclists, swimmers, and triathletes out there, if you’ve been missing race days, you’re not alone. The camaraderie at the start and finish line, the competition on the course, and the milestones we accomplish, have all been set aside for a while.

I missed my summer sprint triathlon’s so much, I decided to make my own course, get out there, and get it done. In this blog, I’ll explain how I planned my courses and a few tips to make the most of my effort as I share my story with you.

Continue reading →

Life in board shorts: Sailfish citations

Catch of the day

The family was stoked to go offshore fishing with Captain Rom Whitaker and first mate Andy Trant on The Release. It was a windy and sometimes rainy Wednesday out of Hatteras Harbour and we had an amazing time. When all was all said and done, we caught 5 Sailfish and some Yellowfin Tuna. It was a long day, but we had fresh fish for dinner!

Continue reading →

My last spring running season before 40

Leave a reply

I ran four half marathons over the last six weeks. That wasn’t the plan, but that’s how it panned out. After a pretty rough winter in North Carolina, where Raleigh set a new record with 158 consecutive hours below freezing, I’m surprised I got the training time and miles in to accomplish this.

I distinctly remember having to do one of my longer runs (7 miles) in early January where the high was 27° F, and there was snow on the ground. The weather this winter and spring has been about as up and down as the hills I train on, which would play out during the spring race season. Continue reading →

Lacing up the 2017 running season

Leave a reply

After three half marathons in the spring (Wilmington, Raleigh, OBX) and my first two Sprint Triathlons in the summer, I was excited for the fall race season this November and December. After miles of training in September and October (~150 miles) with warmer days leading to cooler mornings, November was a great month to run in North Carolina and enjoy all my races. Continue reading →

Winter surf on the Outer Banks

Leave a reply

20160110_155002El niño is creating some crazy weather in North Carolina. On Christmas Day, we were on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, it was 70°, the ocean temperatures were in the 60’s, and there was waist high surf. (Apparently, we were a day late for the real swell.) Fast forward to the second weekend in January 2016, and another swell was hitting the OBX. With a sub-topical storm system north of Bermuda and a strong weather system moving through the region, the surf was cranking in Kill Devil Hills. Continue reading →

Achievement Unlocked: 2015 Holiday Half Marathon Challenge

Leave a reply

20151216_105124On a hilly course and unusually humid day in Durham, NC, I completed a holiday half marathon challenge that included finishing three races starting in early November and concluding in mid-December. While my times may not have have been stellar, the goal was to finish and get that new shiny medal that I saw in an email a few weeks ago. Continue reading →

Half way through the 2015 fall race season

Leave a reply

The fall race season started on November 1 with a warm weekend in Raleigh after ending Daylight Savings. Which meant most people got an extra hour of sleep, but that meant I had an extra hour of anxiety before race time.

City of Oaks and a new course

jhibbets_city_oaks_2015The first race of the season was the City of Oaks half marathon. This is a hilly course with multiple races happening at once. This year, there was a 10k, half marathon, half marathon relay, full marathon, and full marathon relay. The weather was a little on the mild-to-warm side, but humid. Rain was on the way and it was hard to breathe. Continue reading →

OBX Labor Day Weekend

Leave a reply

obx_labor_day_2014_22We were ready for a long weekend on the Outer Banks, but first, Merri Beth and I had few errands to run in Raleigh. Sunsets and long walks on the beach were on hold for a few short hours.

We’d missed back to school shopping earlier in the month, which for us, includes a new pair of running shoes.We went to Fleet Feet on Wade Avenue to get fitted and score some new running kicks. After that, a quick lunch at Whole Foods (to-go) and we were off to get the kids from school. Continue reading →