It is that time of year again for me to start my 8 Question series. I have 8 questions on "Island Fitness" for Bill Buley. With the weather turning cold and many of us missing Bill's smiling face, what a great way to start this year's 8 questions. Many of you know Bill through his well written articles here at the Coeur d'Alene Press. A number of months ago Bill moved to Hawaii and started a new career with a local newspaper there.

OK here we go.

Q. What was the hardest part in transitioning from North Idaho to Hawaii when it came to your workouts?

A. One word: Humidity. It's overwhelming at times. It wasn't so bad in April and May when it was cooler, but when the temperatures climbed into the 80s throughout the summer, the humidity and heat just wore me out. It made it almost unbearable to run in the afternoon. You've got to get out early and I'm not really an early morning runner. So, as much as I love running, there were days I didn't enjoy being out there. Just a few miles in and some days I felt like I was about to boil over, and when I'd get home, the sweat was literally dripping off me. I mean, I'd stand there outside the front door soaked. It was like I went swimming.

Q. What was the biggest mistake you made within your first few weeks of running on the Islands?

A. Going for a long run with no water. On Kauai, with this heat and humidity, big mistake. I weaved my way through streets to find a mountain trail for a planned 14 miler. By the time I got through climbing the trails and down the other side, I still had five miles to home, it was 85 degrees, I was drained and had nothing to drink. I had to run along a road with a small shoulder and no shade. I was muttering the entire time, cars whipping by me. I'm sure someone called the

see JONES, D2

from D1

cops on a crazy, shirtless man, talking to himself while running along the road trying to get himself killed.

Q. Have you taken up any new island related sports like surfing or other activity?

A. I considered surfing. I thought, might as well give it a shot. I'm in Hawaii. Catch some waves, dude. Hang 10. But I asked a local pastor, who is also a surfer and about my age, about surfing. He told me not to do it. Years ago, sure. Not now. Too old. Surfing beats you up too much when you start out. You'd be crashing all the time, going under. Who knows what else. At our age, it's too hard, and dangerous. Don't do it. I took him at his word. Instead, I've adopted snorkeling. It's easy, fun and you get to hang out at the beach. You put on your swim mask, the snorkel, some fins and you're off. Kee Beach, Tunnels Beach, are amazing places to see all kinds of fish, sea turtles, even monk seals. Last time I was at Kee Beach, I was out early in the morning, alone and saw this dark shape moving through the water. It was the biggest, coolest turtle ever. I followed him for a few minutes before he disappeared over a reef. Who knew turtles were so incredibly graceful as they glide with the current?

Q. When it comes to running races, how does the island competition compare to your North Idaho competitors?

A. There are some outstanding runners here, but the running crowd isn't as deep as North Idaho. Since I arrived, I've competed in an 8 miler, 10 miler, half marathon and a marathon and this Saturday is a 3-mile Color Run, where they toss colored corn starch in your face. Sounds silly, but I'll be there. I was eighth overall in the half marathon last Saturday and was second among Kauai runners in the marathon last September. I've collected three medals! There are some great runners here. Check out a kid named Pierce Murphy, a graduate of Island School who is running at the University of Colorado. Insanely fit and fast. Top runners and triathletes include Mary Castelanelli and Joe Callie. Both did well at Ironman championships in Kona this year, and both whipped me at the Koloa half marathon.

Q. What do you miss most about running in North Idaho?

A. Everything. The scenery. The Centennial Trail. Tubbs Hill. Lake Coeur d'Alene. The Boardwalk. The people. I miss seeing folks out running like Bill and Carol Travis, Shaun and Suzanne Endsley, Tom Lamphier, even you, Judd! I miss those Saturday long runs with my buddy Keith Erickson. I miss running down Front Street and stopping at The Resort to visit my son Nick and nephew Daniel. I miss running with my old dog, Beethoven. He was crazy, but he could run! I miss racing the 7 miles from my house to my daughter's and son-in-law's home as fast as I could (I still hold the course record, sorry Nick). I miss the runs on those clear nights when there are a billion stars (night running here is a bit dangerous). And I'll really miss the winter runs to the top of Tubbs at night when it's snowing, or heading to Higgens Point and having bald eagles fly overhead.

Q. Do you have any plans to compete in any island triathlons?

A. As far as I know, Kauai doesn't have any triathlons. There are a few swimming races and a bike race, but no tris. I've only biked and swam a few times since I've been here. Funny. You would think living on an island I'd be swimming all the time, but I'm paranoid of sharks. You won't catch me swimming out in the deep. I couldn't survive a triathlon now.

But I still plan to train again, as eventually I want one more Ironman. I do plan to run the Kalalau Trail on the Na Pali Coast, in one day, 22-miles round trip. I'm told there are sections of the trail you can die if you fall. It's dangerous. People are always falling and getting hurt there. Hopefully, you won't end up reading a news story about me dying out there.

Q. Have you noticed if island life has improved your 10K time?

A. Surprisingly, after all my complaining about running in the humidity, yes, I've gotten faster. I can hold 7 minute pace for 10 miles again. At the half marathon Saturday, I ripped out the first 5 miles over some hills at close to 6:50 pace and it seemed easy - but I paid for it later and crawled home the final four miles. Overall, I'm feeling stronger. My right knee is 100 percent. My lower back is solid. My weight dropped to about 150 when I first moved here because I was living off pork and beans and beer, and later, just beer. Sadly, I've gained weight since my wife moved here because now I'm eating meals. But I am confident I can get faster. I've actually given up beer again because honest to God, despite running every day, I'm getting a beer belly.

Q. What is one thing you would like all of us back here in Coeur d'Alene to know about your new island experience?

A. Well, I hated to leave Coeur d'Alene because of all the friends and family there, but I was looking to try something new while I was still young and fit enough to enjoy it. The opportunity to be the editor of a newspaper on an island comes along once in a lifetime and I was fortunate to land it. One of the reasons they hired me was I led an active lifestyle. I ran, biked and swam. They liked that. They figured I would stay busy and not want to go back to Idaho.

Funny, though. As confident as I was in the move, I wasn't prepared for mover's remorse. Once that plane touches down, reality hits that you're 3,000 miles out in the middle of an ocean. Nights are tough because the darkness just seems to swallow everything up. Island fever is real. Folks told me if I could make it through the first six months, I'd probably be OK, and they were right. I've made new friends (well, three). My kids have visited, and there's FaceTime. My wife and I have been able to enjoy some adventures and dinners. We found a great church and have a cool little two-bedroom cottage we rent. It has a quiet, peaceful yard and the birds are singing every morning.

OK, I'm rambling now, but let me end with this. Not far from my house is a red dirt road that leads to the Ninini Lighthouse, a point that looks out on the ocean, right next to the Lihue Airport. I run there almost daily. It's there that planes fly almost right overhead as they're coming in to land, and every time, I wave, just in case the pilot or a passenger might actually see me. I figure it's a nice way to welcome people. So if anyone out there visits Kauai, when your plane is landing, if you look out the window and see a shirtless man running down a dirt road and waving, he's not crazy. It's just me.

Thank you Bill for your great answers - we all miss you too! Stay fit and healthy...

Judd Jones is a director for the Hagadone Corporation.