Escalating gas prices have popularized alternative modes of transportation, but
Vince Monaco is ahead of the trend. For the past decade – before we needed
mortgages to fund fuel for our cars – Monaco has been walking and running
to and from work. “It’s just something I wanted to do,” he says.
“I find it a very efficient and different way of getting around.”
Every morning, Monaco spends an hour walking from his Manoa home near the University
of Hawai‘i to his Downtown Honolulu office. In the afternoon, he runs home.
The circuit is about six miles long, and there’s a reason for his walk-run
schedule.
“I walk to work so I don’t get as sweaty and then run home because it
doesn’t matter then,” says Monaco, 35. But sometimes, the weather makes
staying dry impossible. “On a rainy day, there’s nothing you can do,”
he says. “You have to resign yourself to getting wet and just towel off when
you get to work.”
Tropical downpours notwithstanding, Monaco says there are many health benefits from
walking and running. “It’s my workout for the day,” he says. “When
I started, we just had a kid and I didn’t have the time that I needed to stay
in shape. You have to do what you can, so I tried to integrate my exercise into
my day.”
While he does own a car, running helps Monaco stay fit and lets him connect with
the world around him. During his commute, he sometimes pauses to chat with people
he sees. “It’s a very intimate experience with your surroundings,”
he says. “You’re not in this cage of a car, barely seen by other drivers
on the road. You’re out there, and it’s easy to stop and talk.”
Monaco played a variety of sports in high school, including volleyball, soccer and
track. In college, he played volleyball. After college, he paddled canoe and kayaked.
His work commute is an extension of his active lifestyle.
Monaco’s decision to make fitness a part of his daily routine hasn’t
gone unnoticed. “I went to the Manoa pool with my kids,” he says, “and
a lady recognized me. She came over and said, ‘I see you walking to work and
it inspired me to try it, because there’s no reason why I can’t do it.’”
While Monaco says that inspiring others is not his intention, hearing how he influenced
someone’s life made him feel happy. “I told her, ‘That’s
great!’” he says. “After she talked to me, I was on cloud nine
for the rest of the day. It’s awesome that I inspired someone.”
Monaco’s walking and running aren’t just reserved for workdays. Even
on the weekends, he likes to use his own two legs to get around. He’s often
not alone. “I like to take my kids,” he says. “We can go anywhere,
from Waikiki to the Children’s Discovery Center. All these things are within
range by car, but it’s an adventure if you do it by bike! They love it.”
Anyone can integrate physical fitness into their daily routine, and it can quickly
become more than just exercise. “The one thing that I discovered through this
is that adventure is at your backdoor,” says Monaco. Trips to the grocery
store, post office, or your job – a little extra planning can turn a boring commute
into a great walking or running adventure.
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