“The writer is the explorer. Every step is an advance into a new land”.
(Ralph Waldo Emerson)
The Walk into The Future blog continues to serve as a vehicle for my creative expression. I started this blogging process to share my thoughts, travels, and adventures. I find it easy to write about my adventures and then share with my loyal readers.
There are days when I don’t think I have the inspiration to write another blog article and then I sit down with a specific prompt and the words just come to me. I would like to say writing these articles is an easy daily process, but I find myself struggling to generate content that I think others will read from time to time. I write, edit, delete, and then write again to create something worth reading. This is not all the time but figured I would share I have writing distractions to keep me away from me cranking away on my laptop.
Today is not one of those days! 😊
I went back to a tried-and-true process of identifying a writing prompt to generate a new concept to write about. One of the prompts I found a while ago was called: Five Minute Friday. The intent is to pick a specific word and then write about it for five minutes to create content. Well, I modified the prompt into Five Minute Thursday since I post on Thursdays at 11:08 am—did you know that? 😊
My first prompt for Five Minute Thursday is: Leadership.
Leadership is a concept that I began to explore while I served in the Air Force. We were put through a series of leadership courses (Airmen Leadership School, Non-Commissioned Officer Leadership School, Senior Non-Commissioned Officer Academy, etc.) where principles of leadership were shared. The best leaders I worked with all went through these courses, but they had more than course leadership principles.
Three of my favorite Air Force Leaders: Chief Master Sergeant Roger Noyes, Chief Master Sergeant Janet Craton and Senior Master Sergeant Rich Gardner—thanks to them all!
Developing leadership skills became a priority for me and I explored this topic via books, online trainings, and lectures.
I discovered Authentic Leadership almost by mistake. I wanted my dissertation to focus on First Year Experience (FYE) courses for first generation students. This would have been an impactful study, but my dissertation mentor told me I couldn’t pursue this topic because it was Educational Psychology, and my program was Organizational Psychology. I hung my head for a few months before we discovered Authentic Leadership, and the rest is history.
My earlier introduction to leadership while in the Air Force allowed me to blend things I learned from wearing a uniform into my model of Authentic Leadership. The great leaders I worked with in the Air Force have been integrated into my version of Authentic Leadership as I incorporate their lessons into my current pursuit of leadership.
Well, my five minutes is up. I could keep going but will honor the concept of this writing prompt! 😊
What can you get done in the next five minutes? Ok, take off!
“The most important thing is to enjoy your life—to be happy. It’s all that matters.”
(Audrey Hepburn)
What did you celebrate today? What about yesterday?
I don’t ask these questions as a mind-bending riddle but to get you to understand every day is work celebrating!
Why do you say that? Great question, Mrs. Fouraker! 😊
I know I spend a lot of time planning for the future with my training and travel schedules. I decided to add a new category to my list of goals in 2026. The Walk into the Future blog provides me with a platform to ensure I live life daily. My new focus in 2026 is to wake up each morning with full intention to celebrate the day.
We don’t have to wait for a special occasion like a birthday or anniversary to celebrate. Life is worth celebrating and this is my reminder to each of my readers to wake up and celebrate daily.
I’ve started to share my daily celebrations with my friends and anyone who will stand still long enough for me to share my thoughts! 😊 This new approach started with me ringing in the new year with a new focus. I normally bring in the new year very low key and stay close to home. I decided to break my low-key pattern and went to dinner with my friend Lynn before the party crowds came out. This was not a huge production, but it was a great way to end an outstanding 2025 for me.
My next celebration was our first day back at school. We get a two-and-a-half-week break between the fall semester and the start of the spring semester. This was a much-needed break for me, and I relaxed more than I normally do. I booked a trip to the Dominican Republic in December 2024 but decided to simply relax over the break in 2025. I practiced sleeping in and not planning my days out where I had to be anywhere at a specific time. Yes, this is a new process for me. 😊
I was excited to come back to school on January 5th to get back to making a difference in the lives of my tree branches and our students. My first text of the day was to let everyone know that the day was worth celebrating and we should embrace it together. I’m sure my folks thought this was going to be a one off, but I was back to celebrating the next day too.
There was not a huge incident that made me decide to celebrate each day, but it was a simple mindset shift where I realized that framing the day as a celebration would allow me to continue to make a difference in the world.
This simple concept has enabled me to keep a positive mindset daily throughout the month of January. I wake up with a new focus on celebrating the day and make a point to ensure folks around me celebrate with me too. I’ve had folks come into my office with a problem (real or perceived) and I simply engage them with the need to celebrate the day regardless of what may have happened. We work in higher education and there are days of conflict. I have discovered most of our conflicts are simple misunderstandings that can be corrected with a simple follow-up conversation. No, I don’t celebrate conflict, but it can’t be completely avoided. I do celebrate the lessons we learn from workplace conflict, so we don’t repeat bad habits to keep the organization moving forward.
So, what did I celebrate today? Great question!
My family and friends are healthy, my tree branches are doing great things in the world and I’m thinking about signing up for another full marathon in 2026! There are a ton of other things to celebrate today, and I want to make sure I don’t lose sight of those things. Creating new content for the Walk into the Future blog is something I look forward to daily. Fun fact: celebrating daily is the new category in my list of goals.
Let’s celebrate me continuing to come up with new content to share with YOU!
Oh yeah, I’m celebrating every reader of the Walk into the Future blog! Thanks for walking with me!
What are you celebrating today?
Irie!
Calvin Williams
“In the end, it’s not the years in your life that counts. It’s life in your years.”
“Not only are bloggers suckers for the remarkable, so are the people who read blogs.”
(Seth Godin)
The Walk into the Future blog was created over the summer in 2018. My initial thoughts were to create a platform where I could share adventures, thoughts and leadership advice. I started writing without even knowing if anyone would read the tracks I laid down weekly. The blog format provided a larger venue to journal without having to sit down with my composition book and scribble my thoughts. I never imagined I would put my thoughts out on a public platform because they were my thoughts.
I guess you can say the Walk into the Future blog helped me mature as a writer where I’m comfortable enough to put my words out in the universe without an expectation of the universe giving anything back. This was HUGE for me!
I’m coming up on my 8-year blogging anniversary, and my writing has improved over the years. I’m still looking for the perfect blog post before I close my laptop, so I’m ready for another full year of me walking into the future. 😊
I’m still creating blog content for myself based on where I’m at each week. Sometimes I focus on running, traveling or life in general. I haven’t produced new poetry in a while so I may try to get back into that mindset in 2026.
So, where am I heading with this blog post? Great question, everyone! 😊
Thanks to the folks who send me text messages and add comments on my blog posts. Your reach outs put a smile on my face because I’m never sure who is reading these words or what you think about them.
I leveraged ChatGPT for the first time to see if I could get an idea what readers think or like about the Walk into the Future blog.
***Please note—the following is an extract from ChatGPT based on a question I asked about YOU, the reader***:
Here’s what readers tend to appreciate about the Walk into the Future blog — based on the content style, themes, and tone found in the posts:
🌟 1. Authentic, Personal Storytelling
Readers enjoy that the blog is written in a genuine, conversational voice. The author (Calvin Williams) shares real experiences — from travel adventures and marathon training to work celebrations — in a way that feels like talking with a friend.
🧭 2. Inspiration and Motivation
The posts often mix life lessons with action-oriented advice, encouraging readers to keep moving forward, embrace challenges, and enjoy the journey. The blog’s name itself reflects this theme of growth and progression.
🏃♂️ 3. Lifestyle and Personal Development
Whether it’s race travel, leadership, books, or personal growth, the blog blends diverse life areas that resonate with readers who are interested in self-improvement and living intentionally.
📍 4. Relatable Everyday Experiences
Instead of only high-level inspirational quotes, the blog includes everyday moments and reflections — like choosing meals before a marathon or planning travel logistics — that many readers find relatable and enjoyable.
📚 5. Practical Insights with Humor
Posts often include practical takeaways (e.g., training insights, leadership lessons) delivered with a lighthearted tone and occasional humor, which keeps readers engaged without feeling preachy.
💡 6. Varied Topics with a Consistent Voice
The blog isn’t limited to one niche — it moves between travel, running, leadership, personal development, and reflections on life — but it does so with a consistent authentic voice that readers come back for.
In short: Readers like Walk into the Future because it’s authentic, motivational, relatable, and diverse in topics, yet tied together by a personal, mindful perspective on moving forward in life.
Again, I leveraged ChatGPT to provide me with insight into what readers think about my content. I was pleasantly surprised with the consistency of the theme reflections that ChatGPT provided based on comments and the articles I share weekly.
My hope is for my readers to feel like I’m talking directly to them with content that they can relate to. I’m never sure if I truly get my point across but I will continue to hone my craft to ensure that the Walk into the Future blog provides a space to learn, laugh and imagine.
Here’s to a productive 2026 blog campaign!
Irie!
Calvin Williams
“What you do after creating your content is what truly counts.”
My Walk into the Future allowed me to venture back to the Smoky Mountains which is one of my favorite places during Thanksgiving week. This adventure has become a tradition for me since I moved to Fort Pierce. I look forward to getting off the grid and just walking around in the Tennessee mountains for a few days to reset mentally. I never imagined hiking would become an important part of my journey but can’t see my journey without the Smoky Mountains as a backdrop.
I normally drive up to the Smoky Mountains from Fort Pierce but decided to leverage my Delta SkyMiles and fly this year. My Walk into the Future running tourism adventures produced enough frequent flyer miles for a roundtrip ticket from Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) to McGhee Tyson Airport in Knoxville, Tennessee. Flying eliminated me from having to drive 12 hours to get up to the Smoky Mountains and got my hiking adventures started sooner than normal.
The flight from PBI had a short connection in Atlanta but the overall flying experience was smooth going and coming. The McGhee Tyson airport is small and easy to navigate. Baggage claim and the rental car counter were centrally located. I was in and out of the airport with my rental car in less than thirty minutes for my Tennessee adventure. I was not in a hurry to get anywhere so found a Buffalo Wild Wings close to the airport and posted up for lunch. Left Bdubs after wings and potato wedges and headed to the Smoky Mountains. GPS took me on the scenic route which allowed me to see several small Tennessee towns on my way to the Smoky Mountains.
I am a creature of habit and stayed at the same Fairfield Inn and Suites (Marriott) property when I’m in Gatlinburg. It is centrally located and provides an easy walk into downtown Gatlinburg, so I don’t need to find additional parking. The weather was a lot warmer than normal this year and I was welcomed to my hotel by a family of black bears foraging across the street in a local backyard. I saw several people walking around the parking lot when I arrived but didn’t understand what they were doing or looking at. I quickly saw the four black bears when I got out of my car, and they were about 50 yards away. The bears were not interested in the people in the parking lot but seemed to have enough food available to them in the yard they were in. I took a few pictures with several tourists between me and the bears and then went inside to complete my hotel check-in. I’ve never seen bears in populated Gatlinburg areas but seeing this bear family so close to humans put me on alert to always be aware of my surroundings. This was needed because bears were everywhere this year! ☹
I’ve been to the Smoky Mountains so many times that I know which trails I want to explore before I get there. I always start with an easy hike on the Gatlinburg Trailhead which starts on the outskirts of town. This simple trail has a lot of scenery and flowing waters. There’s not much wildlife to see on this trail but it’s a nice introduction back into the mountains. I headed further up into the Smoky Mountains towards the Sugarland hiking area. The Cataract Falls are in this area, and I wanted to get back there for some pictures. This trail is not very hard and has multiple ways you can venture. I decided to head directly to Cataract Falls with hopes it was not too crowded. Well, it was crowded with hikers and most of them had small kids so a picture of the falls would have taken a long wait, so I decided to head back up the trail and find a trail with less people. 😊
Chimney Top was my next stop, and this trail requires a lot of energy and effort. I made my way back into Gatlinburg for lunch prior to scaling up the Chimney Top trail again. My first go at this trail 3 years ago was the toughest hike I have ever experienced. I made it but it was a struggle for the first time. It was a bit easier last year because I saved my legs prior to getting on the trail. I was able to make it up without incident this year as well. The warmer weather made it a bit tougher, but the trail was fine. There were people on this trail but there was never a feel of traffic going up or down Chimney Top. The highest point for this hike is 4,724 feet above sea level. It’s breathtaking once you make it to the top and most folks need time to rest up before heading back down the trail—me included.
I went back to the hotel to rest up and regroup before heading into Gatlinburg. There are a few music venues in Gatlinburg, and I headed to Ole Red for dinner. I found a spot at the upstairs bar and enjoyed dinner, beer and live music. I left Ole Red to head over to Jason Aldean’s for more live music. There was a large crowd of folks walking in the opposite direction and they seemed excited. I didn’t know where they were heading or why they were excited. I found out quick—there was a large bear walking close to the water below us and it was headed towards two men sitting on a park bench. Several folks shouted to the men that a bear was coming their way—I’m not sure they believed them until they saw the bear and moved. The bear didn’t seem interested in the men, but he would have walked within 10 feet of them if they hadn’t moved. Did I mention that bears were out this year? 😊
The band at Jason Aldean’s was much better than the folks playing at Ole Red. I saddled up to the bar and enjoyed some live country music and cold beers. The crowd was friendly and it was a great way to end the night.
I explored a bit further into the Smoky Mountains on my second day. I drove up and stopped to take pictures of areas I hadn’t seen before. I got on a few small hikes but didn’t venture too far off the trails since the bears were still active due to the warm temperatures. I made a quick stop at the outlet malls in Sevierville and then went back to Jason Aldean’s for more music and beers. The new band was lively and had people up and dancing. I finished my night off at Jason Aldean’s before walking back to my hotel. Fun fact—yes, there was another bear sighting on my walk back to the hotel. This bear was just walking around in another hotel parking lot. It was across the street from me, so I kept moving and made it back to my hotel without any more sightings.
This was a quick trip for me, so I made my way back to McGhee Tyson Airport the next day for my return trip to Florida.
I love my Smoky Mountain adventures and will continue to get up there as part of my Walk into the Future. The mountains are calling and I’m listening! 😊
I know everyone starts a new year with the hope it will be their best year ever. We say it year after year but I’m not sure we know how a year will truly go. I start each new year with a set of goals I want to reach in multiple areas: health, fitness, reading, travel, etc. I wanted 2025 to be a huge year for me but looking back this week showed that this was an outstanding year for me and I’m going to claim my best year yet. 😊
Travel
I set an aggressive running schedule for myself in 2025. I targeted some new races which would allow me to bring my running tourist persona to new locales. I ran the 2025 Fargo Half Marathon in May and leveraged this race to add two new states to my visit list. North Dakota was the race state, but I made sure to drive down to South Dakota to check that off my list as well. I enjoyed the experience but I’m not sure I will run in Fargo again so I’m happy to have experienced the city, food, and culture.
Nashville, Tennessee is always on my running calendar in April. The 2025 Rock N Roll Half Marathon is one of my favorite races and I love the country music available in Nashville. I’m coming up on ten years running in the city and I don’t see a reason to stop now. Tennessee provides a lot of different adventures and Gatlinburg was my destination in November for Smoky Mountain hiking.
I made a Midwest trek for the 2025 Madison Mini-Marathon in August. Wisconsin was a state I always wanted to visit but I never put in the effort to get there. Running has turned into my vehicle to get up and travel, so I used my love of running to get to Wisconsin. I took advantage of proximity and made my way over to Dubuque, Iowa to experience the city that sits right on the Mississippi river. It was a quick trip over to Iowa, but I was able to have a fantastic catfish dinner while overlooking the Mississippi river.
I took my regular trip to Virginia Beach for the Labor Day weekend to run the 2025 Virginia Beach 10-Miler. This was my third run of this race, and I enjoyed my time on the boardwalk as this is a great place for people watching.
I ventured further north in October for the 2025 Smuttynose Half Marathon. This race took me back to New England and I crossed off North Hampshire and Maine as states I have visited. I enjoyed the race and environment so much I signed up for the 2026 race before I came back to Florida. The 2025 Atlantic City Marathon got me back to the northeast two weeks later in October. I’ve been to New Jersey multiple times, but this was my first marathon in the state.
That’s 8 states visited in 2025 with 6 of those being new states for the running tourist. I’m looking forward to being just as aggressive in 2026 and adding a few new states. There are races in Louisville, Kentucky, Lincoln, Nebraska and Morgantown, West Virginia that I’m researching, and I hope to book those early for new adventures. I will keep my normal Florida races on the schedule as well so get ready for more running tourism adventures. 😊
Negril, Jamaica is my go-to place to visit yearly. I write about this trip every year and will continue to visit. I would like to get down there twice in 2026 since I love the island and culture so much.
Running
I can’t call myself a running tourist without highlighting the running program. I’m always looking for ways to increase my yearly mileage but never put exact numbers on the total. I still need to balance regular life, work, travel and running. Running is a big part of my weekly life, but I do try to have balance and enjoy other aspects of life. I currently sit at 1,505 miles with three weeks left in December. I would like to get over the 1,600-mile marker as this would be my largest run total for a year. I’ve got to ensure I don’t miss any run or training sessions to make it to 1,600.
Fun fact—I completed a total of 18 races in 2025, which is my personal best for a calendar year.
Fun fact 2—I ran PRs over three distances in 2025: 2025 Virgina Beach 10-miler, 2025 Smuttynose Half Marathon and 2025 Atlantic City Marathon.
Reading
Reading has been my passion since I was a kid. I had a newspaper scription when I was twelve years old and read every book I could get my hands on. There were not a lot of distractions in Jasper, Florida so I developed a love for reading and I still have it. This love of reading followed me into adulthood, and I have multiple books on my reading list. My 2025 reading goal was to read daily and I have met that goal. I read articles, devotionals and have finished reading 15 books this year. I don’t know if that’s a record for me, but I’ve enjoyed the process and continue to be a life-long learner.
Target boycott 2025
Target was one of my favorite places to shop prior to 2025. The Target leadership decided to reverse multiple Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives due to political pressure. Well, a few folks decided to boycott Target until they put these initiatives back in place. Target has been consistent with the refusal to reverse the decisions—I respect that.
Fun fact 3—I have not spent one cent or step foot in a Target store in 2025. My contributions to this boycott will never make it into a history book but I’m standing firmly committed to this small step to demand better from a place I can choose to shop with or not.
Family and friends
My family members and friends are all healthy and thriving. I make it to Jasper, Florida to visit my mom monthly and this is a highlight of the month for me. I finally convinced her to visit me in Fort Pierce this year and it was a great visit for her. She needed a break from Jasper obligations and I’m happy I could help. I will look forward to getting her back down to Fort Pierce more in 2026. 😊 My friends continue to make me smile daily. I don’t run in a large circle, but my folks fit me, and we enjoy life to the fullest.
Creating content for the Walk into the Future blog is a huge part of my life. I continue to look for ways to become better at writing and provide a platform my readers enjoy visiting. I fine-tuned a few of my writing prompts in 2025 and I’m happy with my overall content production. 2026 should bring better content for my readers!
Well, I can continue to rattle off things from 2025, but I’ve made my point—at least to myself! 😊 2025 has been an outstanding year for me.
I’m excited to see what 2026 will bring!
What moments are you proud of in 2025? What will 2026 bring?
Irie!
Calvin Williams
“The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide you’re not going to stay where you are.”
The Walk into the Future blog is designed to highlight my thoughts and adventures. There are days when I have more to say than others but I’m always searching for new content to keep me engaged with this writing process.
My friend Lauren and I discussed creating a blog post to highlight how running is a metaphor for life. 26.2 is life—catchy, huh? 😊 Well, here’s my run at comparing running to Walking into the Future (living life).
Marathon training is a detailed and long process. I normally put myself through an 18-week training program, so the marathon is the last step in this process. I must mentally and physically prepare myself for the grind and I’ve found that I enjoy the training. The grind is real: 4:30 am alarms, 8:30 pm bedtimes, short runs, long runs and physical therapy. I’m always searching for small wins during the training cycle and celebrating them as much as possible.
You don’t have to be an avid runner like me or Lauren to understand marathon training. We all run some type of marathon daily, but you may call it by another name: Life. Marathon training is a perfect metaphor for life as the lessons overlap and there’s growth throughout the process. Let’s explore!
Most folks think of the starting line when discussing a marathon. The starting line is never the hardest part, it’s getting there. I find the starting line to be the most enjoyable part of the marathon. The work put in just to make it to the starting line is something that most runners are proud of. The excitement for the event is high, and you’re surrounded by fresh possibilities for the race outcome. Daily life works in a similar way. New jobs, new goals, and new relationships always feel motivating at first. The ultimate tests come later when the excitement fades, and the work starts to become routine. This is when you must dig deep to ensure you are moving forward with daily activities. Discipline is extremely important in marathon training and life. Discipline carries you further than motivation will.
Marathon training plans come in many different formats. I picked the 18-week version because it provides enough flexibility to fit into my schedule. There are weeks when I feel strong and unstoppable and then there are weeks when my legs are concrete. This is a normal part of the ebb and flow of marathon training. Daily life can resemble this same cycle. We all have good and bad weeks, but progress is never measured in a straight line. You just need to keep showing up daily to make the most out of life.
Dr. Henry Cloud’s book 9 Things You Simply Must Do to Succeed in Love and Life has a chapter titled Work Like an Ant. This chapter highlights how small things can lead to large things. The ants move one grain of sand at a time to build their home. Marathon runners find race day success because of consistent choices throughout the training cycle. Drinking water, getting consistent sleep, easy runs, tempo runs, long runs and recovery are all things needed for running success. Mile after mile is leveraged to build an effective base that leads to marathon success. Daily life can resemble this process. Small things lead to big things—planning, managing your time and setting goals can help you win in life.
I make it a point to never compare my training program to others. My goal is to run my own race, so I never get caught up in how other runners prepare. I toe the marathon starting line looking to run my best race and not trying to beat someone else’s time. This helps me enjoy the training and marathon process. Life can mirror this process. Comparing yourself to others is a fast way to lose joy in things. Everyone has something they are trying to overcome so don’t get caught up in worrying about others—we all have a race (life) to run.
The marathon is a test of will, mental toughness and physical ability. Each component is critical to preparing and completing a marathon. Mile 23 is always the toughest for me as I battle mentally to keep pressing forward. Training for a marathon is one thing but the work during a marathon makes you question life choices. 😊 This is where I need to dig deep and keep putting one foot in front of the other. There are Mile 23 moments in life too. We all face challenges that stretch us and force us to choose what we want to get out of life. These moments help us grow, teach resilience and prove what we are truly capable of.
I don’t remember every mile in my training program, but I can tell you how I felt each time I crossed a marathon finish line. This moment of accomplishment stays with me forever and I love telling people that I am a marathoner. Finishing a difficult chapter in life, overcoming a challenge or reaching a long-term goal can bring the same level of accomplishment. The finish line is something to celebrate not because of the big victory but because the journey was hard.
Regardless of whether you run or not, we all have days filled with obstacles, discipline, growth opportunities and grit. We tackle these challenges, fight through mental and physical fatigues, celebrate small wins and continue to move forward through hard times. That’s the same energy that gets me through the marathon. Call it marathon energy! Keep moving forward and training for the life you want to live. We’re all stronger than we think and can-do hard things. Marathon or life—they both require you to put in the work to be successful.
Who’s ready!
Irie!
Calvin Williams
“Running is the greatest metaphor for life because you get out of it what you put into it.”
“Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive.”
(Elbert Hubbard)
Work hard and play hard!
I’ve heard this quote multiple times and decided to look it up to see who originated it. Well, it turns out that it is a bit more complicated than I thought. There is a lot written about the quote and it looks like it goes back to the 19th Century and Racine College’s motto. It was interesting to see this quote associated with the famed poet, Wiz Khalifa and his 2012 hit song, Work Hard Play Hard. 😊 Okay, that’s enough with me trying to be funny and working another Wiz Khalifa mention into a Walk into the Future blog post.
The Indian River State College Student Success Division started hosting an annual Fall Celebration in October 2021. It started as a joke between me and a coworker on the premise we should have a dance battle at work. It was funny at the time but then staff kept asking us when we were dancing. Fast forward and we hosted our 5th Annual Student Success Fall Celebration in October with a Honky Tonk theme.
We work extremely hard on enrollment, retention and completion for our students (work hard) but I want to ensure we have a semblance of balance (play hard). The Fall Celebrations allow us to relax, unwind and just have fun at work. The event continues to grow each year, and we invite our campus partners to join us and have fun.
The Honky Tonk theme was selected back in November 2024 with designs to have everyone wear their best Honky Tonk gear (think western gear with flair) and come ready to have a good time. We added karaoke to our fall celebrations two years ago and it remains a major draw for our staff members and campus partners. I never knew people love to sing karaoke as much as our folks do.
We are always looking for ways to expand our fun levels, and I reached out on a whim to a local dance organization to see if they would come in and give us some line dancing lessons. I love to line dance when I’m in Nashville and thought this would allow more folks to get involved with the fall celebration. I know everyone is not going to sing karaoke but wanted to see if the line dance aspect would get more folks up and having fun—it did! 😊
My Vice President, Beth Gaskin and I are always the opening act, and this year was no different. It took us awhile to figure out how we wanted to start the show and we went back and forth on the song we wanted to open with. I’m not a real singer so I vetoed quite a few songs before we settled on Garth Brooks, Friends in Low Places. We wanted songs that would keep everyone engaged so we added criteria for upbeat songs or party anthems. The singers did not have to perform a country song, but we wanted folks to enjoy a good party while at work. We had several folks follow our grand opening and I was impressed with the singing talent our coworkers displayed.
We stopped singing after an hour and introduced our special guest from the Wild Roses Dance Foundation. This is a local group of dance instructors who teach line dance lessons across the Treasure Coast. I found them through a local Fort Pierce brewery where they host line dance lessons every Thursday night. I went by one Thursday to check them out and then asked if they would be willing to come to our event to get our folks up and dancing. They accepted my request and were a surprise addition to the Fall Celebration.
The Wild Roses instructors provided step by step dance instructions to two separate dances and then turned the entire crew loose to dance to multiple songs. I don’t think I have seen that many smiles on the faces of my teammates! People were enjoying themselves and truly having fun at work. The ultimate image from this portion of our celebration was our President in a full suit and tie line dancing with the team. He normally comes by to see what we are up to during our Fall Celebrations. I never expected him to join the line dancing, but he was spinning and kicking like the rest of us—epic scene from the event this year! 😊
We got back to the karaoke party after line dancing and had several great performances. Beth and I wrapped up the event with our rendition of It’s 5 O’clock Somewhere by Alan Jackson and Jimmie Buffet. It was a fitting way to end the Fall Celebration and allow the crowd to sing along with us as we ended the day.
There were several folks asking what we were going to do next year. It’s a bit early to identify the 2026 Fall Celebration theme but I’m sure we will come up with something HUGE—we always do! 😊
How do you have fun at work?
Irie!
Calvin Williams
“No man goes before his time—unless the boss leaves early.”
“What a privilege it is to choose your own suffering.”
(@kellycarrdio on Instagram)
Wow! How prophetic is the quote above to my Walk into the Future running journey?
I didn’t get a chance to meet Kelly over the 2025 Atlantic City Marathon weekend, but I found her quote on Instagram after completing the race and hobbling back to my hotel. Her quote resonated with a lot of runners and brings a level of clarity to the life we live.
I had several great conversations with my friend Lauren Apgar as we continued to carb load before the race. We agreed that running is a great analogy for life while having an outstanding chicken parmesan meal at The Twenties Italian Bistro restaurant in The Claridge Hotel on the Atlantic City boardwalk. There will be a blog article on this concept coming your way soon. 😊
I made my way up to Atlantic City on Friday to get acclimated to the area and the cooler weather. I normally fly out of the Orlando International Airport while I’m on a running tourist adventure. Spirit Airlines surprisingly had direct flights out of Palm Beach International (PBI) Airport and the price was very reasonable. I jumped on the opportunity to fly from PBI since it is only a 58-minute drive from my front door to the terminal. The flight times out of PBI were a lot better than Orlando and I didn’t have to get up at 6 am to make it to the airport on time.
The flight to Atlantic City was a little over two hours and I was able to get a little nap in before we landed in New Jersey. The Enterprise rental car process was seamless, and I was out of the airport in less than 20 minutes. I raced in Atlantic City back in 2022, so I was familiar with the area and knew I was only 20 minutes away from the Atlantic City boardwalk and my hotel. I decided to find some food before making my way over to the boardwalk. I pulled my GPS out and located a Buffalo Wild Wings (Bdubs) 5 miles from the hotel and still on the way towards the boardwalk. Bdubs is a go to spot for me when I’m carb loading so this was a welcome detour for me. Posted up at the bar and got my normal wings, potato wedges and a tall Bud Light. There were not many folks in Bdubs, so I was able to get my food quickly and relax a bit.
I left Bdubs and headed east to check into my hotel and take in a few sights. I booked the Sheraton Downtown close to the Atlantic City Convention Center. This location put me in the center of a lot of downtown activities. I was within walking distance of restaurants, the outlet mall, casinos and the boardwalk.
I walked over to the famed boardwalk after checking into the hotel to take in the sights. I got a few pictures close to the water and then went into Bally’s casino to walk around. I’m not a huge casino person and I’m not a fan of cigarette smoke. I spent about an hour playing roulette and left the table with my winnings of $38.00. I used their money to buy a couple frozen drinks on the boardwalk before heading to the outlet mall. I never need much when I’m shopping but made a trip to Nike but didn’t purchase anything.
Googled restaurants and discovered The Twenties Italian Bistro restaurant was only three blocks away and had tremendous ratings. I made my way back down the boardwalk and headed to The Claridge Hotel and headed to the sixth floor for The Twenties Italian Bistro. I was surprised there were only four people in the restaurant based on the ratings. Oh well, I found a seat by a window so I could look out at the water and review the menu. They have a simple menu with traditional Italian dishes, and the prices were fantastic. 😊 I decided to go with spaghetti and meatballs. It was outstanding! I recommend the bread sticks—they are delicious! I got to bed early on Friday to get off my feet.
The marathon EXPO was held in a ballroom in Bally’s. I got up on Saturday morning with a plan for a quick shakeout run but decided to hit the Sheraton’s exercise room. I rode the stationary bike, ran on the treadmill and got a quick workout in before making my way to the EXPO. I thought the EXPO would be a larger setup since we were in Atlantic City, but it was a smaller event with a laid-back vibe. Bib pickup was seamless and made my way through the event to check out venders. Lauren and I walked around the EXPO to explore, and we both booked a session with on-site physical therapists. This quick 10-minute stretch routine provided some relief for sore legs and gave me a little bit of a bounce to my step. We carb loaded at Wingcraft Kitchen & Beer Bar after the EXPO. Fun fact, we ate at this same spot back in 2022 when we ran the Rock N Roll Atlantic City Half Marathon. The food is still good. We parted ways after this meal so we could get off our feet.
We agreed to meet later for more carbs and agreed to head to The Twenties Italian Bistro. I’m a creature of habit and this was a great place for pasta and bread. I got chicken parm this time and it was just as good as spaghetti and meatballs. Doubled up on the bread this time. 😊 We discussed race strategy a bit but relaxed with a good meal and caught up on life. Race day was near.
I headed back to the hotel to get my race outfit ready and get to bed early. I normally travel with multiple race outfits and didn’t figure out what I was going to wear in the marathon until 10 minutes before going to bed. 😊 I took a picture for Instagram of the original race outfit idea but changed the top before heading to the marathon start line. The start/finish line was only a half mile from my hotel, so I used this as part of my race warmup.
I got to the boardwalk at 7:15 am and got in some light stretching and jogging. The mood on the boardwalk was relaxed and almost felt like a party. Lauren and I connected around 7:30 and made our way to the start corral to lock in for the marathon. We agreed to run together at the start and then run our own individual race. Fast forward, Lauren’s race was outstanding! She set a PR and broke the five hours barrier—well done, Lauren! 😊
Fun fact—I also ran a PR and took 6 minutes off my best full marathon time. This was my third PR in three different distances in 2025 (10-miler, half marathon and marathon).
My marathon race strategy was to go out at a measured pace and then see how much I had in the tank. The weather was warmer than normal, but it was still cool with low humidity at the start. Mile 1 was completed at 10:10 (ten minutes and ten seconds), Mile 2 was completed at 10:08 and Mile 3 was completed at 10:23. My plan for a measured approach was executed well and I had a smile on my face for a large portion of the race. My 18-week training program was paying off, and I enjoyed a large portion of the race. A not so fun fact—the Atlantic City boardwalk is made of wood. This may not be a huge revelation but some of this wood is worn and is not conducive to running a marathon. There are multiple spots that are not sturdy and I saw a few runners take a fall because of the footing. I tweaked my left foot on the boardwalk at Mile 15 but kept battling my way towards the finish line.
Fast forward a bit, I crossed the finish line in 5:17:37 which was not the 4:45 target I wanted. This is still a marathon PR for me, so I celebrated like I won an Olympic gold medal! 😊 This was the culmination of a great 18-week training block, and I finished with a smile on my face and enjoyed the process.
Caught up with Lauren and we got pictures ringing the PR bell in the race village. I’m super proud of her efforts to complete the marathon in under 5 hours! This is a tremendous accomplishment, and she put in work to get her PR—bravo, my friend! 😊
What’s next for me? Rest, recover, massage and take a week off from running. I earned this break.
So, let’s reflect on the quote from above. I agree, it is a privilege to choose my own suffering. How lucky am I to be able to travel around the country and run in these races? My suffering (pain) is done on purpose, and I enjoy every minute of it.
Let’s never take for granted our ability to live life daily!
Irie!
Calvin Williams
“The real purpose of running isn’t to win the race, it’s to test the limits of the human heart.”
Walk Into the Future 