Walk Into the Future

Category: America

  • NACE24

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    “Succeeding in business is all about making connections”.

    (Richard Branson)

    The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) annual conference was held in Phoenix, Arizona this year.  Last year was a defacto home conference since it was on the Disney properties in Orlando, Florida.  Loved the ease of travel last year but NACE24 was one of the best conferences I have attended.

    Why?  It’s all about location and opportunities.  I’m not a huge Disney fan and felt trapped to the property the way the conference was setup.  Also, there’s not a ton of afterhours entertainment for non-Disney fans. 

    Phoenix?  Tons of local entertainment, sports and food are available within a two-block radius.

    Flew out of Orlando airport directly to the Phoenix Sky Harbor airport.  I’ve been to Phoenix multiple times, but it was exciting to venture out west again.  Decided I didn’t need a car so booked the Super Shuttle service to get me to and from my hotel.  I’m a huge Marriott traveler so booked my hotel downtown Phoenix which was only two blocks from the Phoenix Convention Center which is where NACE24 was held.

    Did some exploring on my first day in town and walked around the city to take in the sights.  There were multiple police officers in front of the Footprint Center which is where the Phoenix Suns (NBA) and Phoenix Mercury (WNBA) basketball teams play.  I’ve never been to a WNBA game and was excited the Phoenix Mercury were in town and hosting a home game.  Made my way to the ticket counter and purchased a $20 general admission ticket.  Wanted to experience the environment but not spend a ton of money just to say I was there. 😊  The arena was packed, and the crowd was energized and helped the home team win in a blowout (15 points).

    Left the ball game and headed out to get some food. Found a funky spot called Copper Blues. It’s a restaurant with live music and free comedy shows on Sunday nights.  This was a perfect spot to post up at the bar and take in the culture.  Spent about 3 hours in Copper Blues before heading back to my hotel which was half a block over—things in Phoenix are close.

    NACE24 started on Monday with some preconference sessions and attendee check-in.  No need to rush over but didn’t want to spend a ton of time in the check-in line.  The keynote on Day 1 was Soledad O’Brien formerly of CNN.  She spoke at NACE in Chicago a few years ago and did a fantastic job.  Wanted to attend her session to learn more about her current media role and the value she places on education.

    NACE is all about networking and I was able to catch up with colleagues from all over the country.  Ran into my friend Sean Collins who currently works at FAMU in Tallahassee but used to work for me at Florida State University back in the day.  Connected with NACE Board members—the current CEO, Chair and incoming Chair are all friends of mine.  It was great running into them and planning some future projects together.  The NACE community is a tight knit group, and the incoming Chair has already reached out to me to lead the Sourcing and Nomination Committee—this group is charged with selecting new board members.  It will give me insight on the process and help my efforts for a future NACE board seat—fingers crossed! 😊

    The next two days were filled with networking, checking out vendors and attending after-work parties.  There’s a lot of food, drink and fun at NACE and Phoenix provided a nice backdrop for all these things.

    The final party was held at The Duce in the warehouse district.  One of the vendors reserved the venue and provided food, drinks and live music for NACE attendees.  It was great seeing my colleagues in a different light, and everyone was having a fantastic time.

    NACE25 will be in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania next year.  I will get a chance to see my friend, Lauren Apgar again when I get up there.  Excited for NACE25 and seeing my homey! 😊

    Irie!

  • 2024 Rhode Island Half Marathon

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    “Rhode Island is the smallest state, but it has the biggest heart”.

    (Gina Raimondo)

    My Walk into the Future took me back to Providence, Rhode Island for the 2024 Rhode Island Half Marathon.  This was the inaugural running of this race and was advertised as a scenic route through East Providence neighborhoods.  The race was also advertised as completely flat—I’m guessing folks in Rhode Island do not comprehend the term ‘flat’ like we do in Florida. 😊

    I ventured over to Providence when I visited New England back in October 2023.  I flew up on Breeze Airways to explore Hartford, Connecticut and made stops in Springfield, Massachusetts and Providence.  Providence seemed to have a lot to offer so decided to head back there directly since Breeze Airways added direct flights from Vero Beach to Providence/Boston.

    I wanted to explore as a running tourist so looked for half marathons in the local area.  I booked flight and hotel accommodations once I discovered the 2024 Rhode Island Half marathon.  I’ve never run in New England but felt the weather would be good in mid-May and would get me out of the Florida humidity.  Most of my training and road races are in the south and I’m always trying to balance weather, humidity and course conditions.  Rhode Island seemed the perfect getaway to explore and experience good weather.  Check and check on both items.

    Flew out of Vero Beach on a Friday morning so I would not have to rush to attend packet pickup.  Arriving on a Friday also provided additional time to explore the local area and find local food spots.  My hotel was only 9 miles from the airport and in the heart of downtown Providence.  Decided to walk and explore a bit after I checked into the hotel.  The folks at the valet stand were very helpful identifying local eateries they recommended.  Set out for The District because of the variety on the menu and it was less than two blocks away.

    Made my way over with designs to sit at the bar and watch NBA playoff basketball.  The District is a smaller venue and every sit at the bar was taken by locals—guess this is their Friday night hangout spot.  No worries—got a seat at a high top in the bar area and tried one of the local light beers.  Turns out my waitress was running her first half marathon (Rhode Island) on Sunday, and we bonded over talking about training and projected times.  Didn’t feel too adventurous on my food selection so went with wings, fries and multiple beers to help with my carb loading process. 

    Packet pickup was scheduled for Saturday at the local run shop, Marathon Sports.  This shop is in Providence Place, which is a fancy name for a multi-level mall.  Marathon Sports was a short walk from my hotel so decided to use the walk on Saturday to stretch my legs.  Also, wanted to get acclimated to the weather since the temperature was in the low 50s.  Race day weather was projected to be just as cool so wanted to experience the cooler temperatures to ensure I knew how to dress on race day.  Packet pickup was uneventful—wanted to buy some new gear but Marathon Sports did not offer many things I would buy and/or wear.  Got my customary photo during packet pickup and headed off to find more carbs.

    https://www.marathonsports.com/

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    Harvard

    My next adventure was to head north to Cambridge, Massachusetts.  Always wanted to walk around Harvard and this was my opportunity to visit the famed campus and do a walk-about.  Cambridge was an hour drive from Providence so headed that way once I got back from Marathon Sports. The weather was still cool, and it started to rain a bit but not enough to keep me from making my way to Harvard.  The drive up was not bad—no big traffic issues on the way up.

    Traffic around Harvard was thick with cars and pedestrians—looked like others had the same idea as me to visit and explore the campus.  Found parking about two blocks from campus and made my way over to Harvard.  Made a trip to the famed bookstore to pick up some mementos and then did a walking tour to soak in the history of the campus.  Felt great being there and experiencing the atmosphere of the Harvard campus and local community.  Felt like I was in a movie. 😊

    Race

    Got to bed early so I could make my way to the race start line with plenty of time to warm up.  The race start and finish lines were both at Pierce Memorial Stadium.  Not use to starting or finishing a half marathon in a high school football stadium but there was plenty parking so that helped.

    I had to adjust my race outfit to include a long sleeve dri-fit shirt since the temperature was 51 degrees.  Thought I could get away with just an Orlando Track Shack tank top but needed something more on my arms.  My color coordination was off for this race to accommodate the long sleeve shirt and to keep warm.

    The race had a strict runner limit of 2,000 runners.  Not sure we got to that number but there were a lot of runners ready to toe the line.  There were not enough runners for corrals, so everyone just lined up regardless of projected completion times.  I made my way towards the back of the pack so I could gauge the pace of others and avoid congestion during the first few miles.

    I did not have a set finish time in mind but wanted to run faster than my last half marathon in Nashville back in April 2024—mission accomplished!

    I ran consistent mile splits (9:26 – 10:30) for the first 10 miles and slowed a bit after that.  It was not a hot day, but the non-flat portion of the race jumped up after mile 10 and I slowed a bit making my way up the hill.  Still, I had a bit of a kick at the end and crossed the finish line with a smile on my face and a time of 2:16:42—4 minutes faster than the last go in Nashville.  I’m happy to see an improvement and can use this effort to gauge my training for the Chicago Marathon in October.

    Marathon training starts next month.  Excited to begin the journey again towards another full marathon finish.

    I’m sure I will chronicle my training program throughout the summer.  Who’s ready to follow my training program?  😊

    Irie!

  • Make Every Second Count

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    Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

    “Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence”.

    (Vince Lombardi)

    This is a simple mantra but has a profound impact for me moving forward.

    I was looking for a cutting-edge angle to address over 80 staff members to launch our office retreat and emphasize the importance of the services we provide to students, parents, community members and our teammates.

    Yes, everyone knows our clients are the life blood of what we do daily. My goal was to provide a blueprint the collective group could use and implement.

    I’m a huge fan of Jocko Willink and have read multiple books he has written. I also leverage his YouTube channel to learn new things quickly.  His GOOD video is my favorite:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdTMDpizis8

    My immediate team has seen the GOOD video multiple times, so I didn’t want to use that one again.  Went back to the Jocko library and watched videos to find something new and fresh for the retreat.  I needed something direct, short, and impactful.

    The Make Every Second Count video is short, but it packs a powerful message.

    https://bit.ly/3Khg4Kc

    We waste time on a lot of things daily but if we focus on the little things then big things happen.  Each second we work with clients is important.  How do we maximize our impact?  One second at a time.  How do we ensure our clients get what they need?  One second at a time. How do we get better daily?  One second at a time.

    One of my favorite authors is Dr. Henry Cloud. His book 9 Things You Simply Must Do to Succeed in Love and Life was introduced to me as part of my graduate program.  This was a required textbook in a Career Development course I took through Liberty University.  It was the first college textbook that I kept for my personal library.  Fun fact, I carry this book with me daily and refer to it on a regular basis.

    Chapter 7 is his Principle 5:  Act Like an Ant highlights this simple concept as a way to make incremental progress.  How do ants build an ant hill?  One grain of sand at a time.  This is very similar to Jockos’ Make Every Second Count concept.  Positive things happen when you stack small incremental steps together over an extended period.  We routinely look towards a finished project but can’t get there without the small steps (grain of sand / seconds) needed to complete the project.

    Not a huge rocket science statement but one that needs to be reinforced daily to ensure everyone understands the importance of steps (seconds) in setting and accomplishing a goal.

    I used Dr. Cloud’s words to change the way I approached my PhD program.  I was always looking towards the end goal but didn’t fully engage in the grains of sand in front of me.  My grains of sand were:  one read page at a time, one chapter at a time, one course at a time.  This mindset adjustment created a better learning experience for me and helped guide me towards my goal of becoming Dr. Calvin Williams.

    I look forward to combining both concepts:  Make Every Second Count and Work Like an Ant to inspire my teams through the rest of 2024.

    What’s your favorite inspiration hack to move forward daily?

    Irie!

  • 2024 Nashville Rock N Roll Half Marathon

    “Nashville, man. That’s the place to be”.

    (Willie Geist)

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    This quote really hits home for me!

    My Walk into the Future leads me back to Tennessee multiple times each year.  April is a trip to Nashville for the Rock N Roll Half marathon and November has me hiking in the Smoky Mountains.

    Not sure when I fell in love with Tennessee, but I’ve got it bad.  I looked at moving to Nashville back in 2017 but never pursued the career opportunity.  My first visit to Nashville came back in 2006 when I attended a Florida Gators versus Vanderbilt Commadores football game.  Got my first experience with Broadway and the Wild Horse Saloon and the rest is history.

    I ran my first Nashville Rock N Roll half marathon back in 2017.  I’ve been back yearly since then—I missed 2020 because the race was cancelled due to Covid-19 and 2021 because the race was changed from April to November as a reschedule due to Covid-19 concerns.  I decided to head to the Smoky mountains as planned instead of running in Nashville in November.

    Fast forward to this year and the return to Nashville was an anticipated adventure for me.  I love the city, the food, the music, and the people.  Broadway is an outstanding place to watch people and hear fantastic live music.  Check, check and check.

    I didn’t enter the race this year with a set time goal in mind.  Just wanted to enjoy the environment, the people and after race party.

    I’m a creature of habit so stayed in the same hotel for the past three years.  It is in the West End and a short walk to the Broadway music scene.  I normally eat in the same places (Midtown Café, Rippy’s Honky Tonk and ACME Feed and Seed).  The Wildhorse Saloon closed in January and is under renovation to become Luke Comb’s new venture.  No line dancing this trip since my favorite spot shut down. ☹

    The weather was forecasted to be warmer than normal—the race normally happens earlier in April but was pushed back a week this year.  FYI—it was not Florida warm but not as cool as I would like considering the hilly Nashville course.

    Toed the line with 23,000+ other runners to test my mental and physical fitness while taking in all the site and sounds of Nashville.  Did I mention I love this place?! 😊

    Finished a bit slower than last year but felt good throughout.  The hills were a bit tougher with warmer temperatures but powered through until the finish line.  Proud of my 2:20:34 finish time. 

    Already planning my return trip next April for another run in Nashville.

    Here’s my trip in pictures:

    (EXPO)

    (Broadway)

    (Race day)

     

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    Next stop the Rhode Island Half Marathon:  https://runrhody.com/event/rihalfmarathon/

    Irie!

  • 2024 Town of Celebration Half Marathon

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    “No matter how slow you go you are still lapping everyone on the couch”.

    (Unknown)

    The Walk into the Future blog made it back over to Celebration, Florida for the 2024 Town of Celebration Half Marathon.  I ran this race for the first time in 2023 and vowed to make this an annual visit because of the course, community involvement and the outstanding post-race party.

    Celebration, Florida may be the friendliest place I have ever visited for a race weekend.  The downtown area reminds me of a movie set but it’s 100% real.  The town rolls out the red carpet for runners over multiple days and it feels like returning home.  Most races put on a good face to attract runners but don’t have a welcoming vibe.  Well, Celebration, Florida welcomes runners with open arms and then invites us to hang out with them at the post-race party.

    I was able to clock a surprising 2:09:16 in 2023 because of the flat course and cool weather.  Didn’t think I would break 2:10 again a month after running my first full marathon but I felt great the entire race and kept moving forward.  Told my friend Lauren my goal time was 2:08 but didn’t fully believe I could get close to that time.  Funny what happens with a great course and weather conditions. 😊

    I entered the 2024 half marathon coming off a 2:15 finish during the 2024 Vero Beach Half Marathon.  Not my fastest or slowest time but a steady effort to get up and over the bridges twice.  Viewed the Vero Beach Half as a good barometer of fitness and my overall training program.  Wanted it to be a springboard for a fast 2024.

    The weather at the 2024 Town of Celebration Half Marathon was surprisingly warmer this year.  I watched the weather the entire week and race day was projected to be the warmest day of the week with humidity.  Most folks know how I feel about humidity on race day but trusted my training would carry me on the course and it did.

    I arrived at the race start line about 40 minutes before the race started.  This gave me enough time to stretch, get a quick run in and visit the bathroom before toeing the line.

    Found a spot towards the middle of the pack with intent to let the fast runners get out.  I should have made my way closer to the start line since there were a ton of walkers in front of me.  Never understand why walkers and/or slower runners make it to the front for race starts.  It is dangerous for them and other runners who must maneuver around them to avoid a crash.  This extra traffic takes a lot of energy to get around, but we all have to run our own race.

    The course is completely flat, which makes this an ideal place to run a half marathon.

    I couldn’t go out too fast due to the extra traffic in front of me.  Decided to find a comfortable pace and enjoy the experience.

    I was surprisingly consistent throughout the race—each mile split started with a 10.  My fastest mile split was 10:05 (Miles 3, 4, 6) and my slowest mile split was 10:52 (Mile 13).  Never could find another gear during this race because of the humidity but I am proud of the consistent effort throughout.  Crossed the finish line at 2:18 but felt good and smiled as I finished with a kick.

    Made my way to the race after party to get my beer, breakfast, and mimosas.  Yes, runners drink beer at 9 am and we don’t blink an eye.  The local restaurants had tables and gave out food samples to runners and family members.  These were small portions, but you can go back as many times as you like.  Spent two hours sampling food and drinking beer this year.  Already looking forward to the 2025 Town of Celebration Half Marathon.  I’m sure the after-party will be epic again next year.

    “When your legs get tired, run with your heart”.

    (Unknown)

  • Negril Jamaica 2024 (In Pictures)

    “Wah gwaan!”

    Wah gwaan (what’s up?) is a friendly way to greet people while in Negril.  The common saying is an easy way to integrate within the Jamaican way of life and make instant friends.

    Mi deh yah (I’m doing well) is the most common way to respond to Wah gwaan.

    Made my annual trek back down to Negril over spring break for some sun, fun, rum, and reggae.  This year I went down for complete relaxation and to enjoy the Irie vibes.

    I hit my normal food and music spots to maximize my time in Jamaica but made sure I finished reading the two books I had in my book bag.

    Love Negril, irie vibes, reggae, and great food when I’m there.

    Here are some pictures from my latest visit:

    Day 1

     

    Day 2

    Day 3

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    Where are you planning to visit this year?

    Irie!

  • 2023 OUC Half Marathon

    OUC Track Shack

    “Don’t dream of winning, train for it”.

    (Mo Farah)

    My Walk into the Future continues to seek out new opportunities and challenges to move me forward.

    Distance running and racing have become a huge part of this process.  2023 generated an aggressive running schedule that allowed me to run new half marathons to add to my medal rack.  The 2023 OUC Half Marathon was the 10th time I tackled this race.  I missed the 2018 race to run a smaller half marathon on Amelia Island.  The OUC Half Marathon was also my first half marathon so I guess you can say this race launched my distance running program.

    I love the races put on by Orlando Track Shack so expect to run this race annually until I can’t anymore.

    The 2023 OUC Half Marathon was scheduled 8 days before the 2023 Palm Beaches Marathon so viewed this edition as an extension of my marathon training.  My long training runs ended the week prior but never want to feel like I’m missing out on the great vibes at the OUC race.  My training plan called for me to taper my running since I was at the end of my training cycle but decided to toe the line at the OUC half anyway.  The course is flat and friendly so decided to have fun and enjoy the process of racing in downtown Orlando.

    I arrived early this year since I had trouble finding parking last year.  Didn’t want to feel rushed when I arrived so found parking in a downtown parking garage and made my way over to the race village.  I had time to stretch and socialize a bit prior to lining up for the start of the race.

    The temperature was in the low 70s at race time with equal humidity.  The forecast called for a gradual rise in morning temperatures so wanted to get moving to beat the heat.

    I decided to line up further back in the start corral and use that as part of my race strategy.  I tend to go out a lot faster when I’m close to the front so wanted to create a steady pace and stay measured throughout the race.  I didn’t have a set finish time in mind but wanted to test my fitness to gauge how ready I was for the 2023 Palm Beaches Marathon.

    Targeted the first 8 miles of the race as my strategic marker to see how long I can run without discomfort and determine my marathon pace for next week.  Eight miles seemed like an appropriate test—my plan was to pull back on the pace once I hit eight miles and then just take in the race day environment and the cheering crowds.

    I wanted to stay in the 9:50 per mile pace for this race to clock miles and work on strategy.  I had to keep reminding myself not to push too hard or fast since I had a full marathon coming up in 8 days.  My normal strategy is to push the pace for this race since the course is flat and I can normally get a fast time.  I set my personal record (PR) on this same course in 2019 and always think I can beat that time.  This was not the day to try for another PR.

    I hit the eight-mile marker without any pain or discomfort.  I was still running high 9-minute miles but decided to race smartly and began the process of pulling back to save my legs for the full marathon.  The rising temperatures and humidity made the decision to pull back a lot easier this year too. 😊

    Completed the race in 2:22 (two hours and 22 minutes) for a 10:50 per mile pace.  Very happy with this pace and effort considering the temperature, humidity and a pending full marathon coming up next week.

    Got a chance to catch up with some of my Orlando running friends at the race after party.  Nothing like a 13.1-mile race, donuts, and beer all before 10 am in Central Florida.

    Next stop?  The 2023 Palm Beaches Marathon!

    Irie!

    “I’ll be happy if running and I grow old together”.

    (Haruki Murakami)

  • New England Visit

    Breeze HOF

    “Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth”.

    (Henry David Thoreau)

    My Walk into the Future continues to expand with new adventures.  I would like to thank Breeze Airways for helping me find destinations to excite my journey.

    Not sure Breeze Airways was thinking about me when the airline began flying to Vero Beach.  The first flight arrived in February 2023 and Breeze adds new east coast destinations periodically.  They currently fly to White Plains, NY, Hartford, CT, Providence, RI, Long Island, NY and Durham, NC. The routes are adjusted to match the snowbird migrations south.  Breeze flies to Virginia Beach during summer months and I took my first Breeze flight for the Virginia Beach 10-Miler race back in September.

    I received an email from Breeze Airways to promote low fall airfares and the prices immediately caught my attention.  I love being a running tourist but have never ventured into New England states.  Never had a real reason to hit New England but wanted to cross off a few states I’ve never visited. I started looking for half marathon races I could sign up for to give me a real reason to fly up.  Discovered the Hartford Marathon and Half Marathon races were scheduled for early October and the entry fee was reasonable.  Breeze Airways has direct flights from Vero Beach to Hartford so decided I will head up and enjoy New England in the fall.

    My roundtrip flight including bag fees was $247.  I couldn’t ask for a better price so booked my flight with the intent of running the Hartford Half Marathon and then doing some sightseeing.  Well, it turns out my flight would not arrive in Hartford with enough time for me to make it to the race EXPO to pick up my race bib.  They did not have same day pickup so my thoughts of being a running tourist were eliminated.  No worries, I love adventures and going to Hartford, Connecticut would be an adventure without the need to run a race—what a concept, huh? LOL.

    My flight from Vero Beach to Hartford was…a breeze.  No issues checking in or on the flight up.

    Hartford

    Arrived in Hartford, Connecticut with the intention of sightseeing and making my way down to the race sight to watch the marathon and half marathon finish.  I discovered getting to the start/finish line was impossible since the race had already started, and streets were blocked.  I take this part of racing for granted since I’m normally running and never pay attention to which streets are blocked due to road races.  Met a super friendly police officer who gave me directions on activities he suggested I tackle since I was not going to be able to get downtown Hartford for a few hours.  I wrote the Basketball Hall of Fame as a possible destination and Officer Friendly recommended I head there and then come back downtown after touring the Hall of Fame.

    Springfield, Massachusetts

    The Basketball Hall of Fame is in Springfield, Massachusetts.  Turns out my hotel was only 25 miles south of the iconic venue.  Turned around and headed north with intent to visit the Basketball Hall of Fame and enjoy my first time in Massachusetts.  This was a bonus to my trip since I didn’t realize how close these cities are to each other.

    The Basketball Hall of Fame is a great place to embrace the basketball greats and their roles shaping the current basketball landscape.  I was impressed with the displays and how each era had a place within the Hall of Fame.  My favorite NBA player is Julius Erving (Dr. J) so was happy to see his display and read a bit about him during the tour.  There is a great display for Kobe Bryant within the Hall, and I came away with a new level of respect for the Black Mamba.

    Made my way down to the gym portion of the Hall to put up a few jumpers.  I have not played basketball in years and my jumper was beyond rusty—good news, I didn’t hurt myself or anyone else. LOL.

    Headed back south to Hartford to get some downtown sightseeing done.

    Return to Hartford

    The drive from Springfield to Hartford was uneventful but I was happy with my exploration so far.  Decided to hit a downtown park before trying to make it back to the race village.  I always heard about the fall foliage from friends and wanted to experience the leaf color changes.  Made my way to a lakeside park and walked around a bit just enjoying the cool weather and nature.  Got a few pictures by the lake and on a walking trail before it got too cold for me.

    Left the park and went downtown Hartford just to look around.  I had no idea there were still runners out on the course and watched the last marathoner cross the finish line.  Surprisingly there were still people there to cheer him on and he looked elated to complete the journey—good for him.

    Got a few pictures of downtown Harford before heading back to my hotel to warm up and map out my next adventures.

    Providence, Rhode Island

    Decided to maximize my time in New England and hit my third state in two days.  Providence was only an hour and a half away from Hartford, so I pointed the rental car east and made my way through the Connecticut countryside to Rhode Island.  The drive provided a scenic trip with a lot of fall foliage to admire.  Googled attractions in Providence and decided to make my way to Roger Williams Park so I could walk around and get some pictures in.  The park is huge and has multiple sections including a zoo and walking trails.  This was the perfect place to take in a bit of Rhode Island culture and scenery.

    Spent two hours in the park before heading back to Connecticut. 

    Thought about driving up to Boston to extend my tourist trek but decided I will wait to head back up and experience Boston as a separate trip.  Yes, Breeze flies to Boston from Vero Beach and I plan to head back up in the spring when it warms up a bit.

    My goal is to travel to all the Vero Beach Breeze Airline destinations before 2024 is over.  I will look for races as part of my travel plans but will not let that limit me from making my way back up to New England.  I still need to travel to Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire to complete my New England adventures.  I will turn my travel efforts out west to make sure I visit the Dakotas, Montana, and Wyoming.  Thinking of booking a dude ranch so I can live my cowboy dreams.  More to come. LOL.

    Where have you always wanted to travel?

    Irie!

  • 2023 Virginia Beach 10-Miler

    VB3

    “Either you love Virginia Beach, or you are wrong”.

    (Anonymous)

    My first Virginia Beach adventure was to tackle the 2021 Rock N Roll Half Marathon. 

    I always heard how great Virginia Beach was and wanted to experience it for myself.  I enjoyed the race, beach, board walk and the people.  The plan was for the running tourist to make this an annual trip to tackle the Rock N Roll Half Marathon.  Turns out the city of Virginia Beach did not enjoy the partnership with the Rock N Roll folks and decided to cancel the race—they didn’t want an outside organization shutting down the streets or boardwalk over a long holiday weekend.

    I continued to research Virginia Beach races with an eye to return to the area at some point.  Really enjoyed my initial experience and wanted to get back and explore a bit more.  I signed up for the 2023 Shamrock Half Marathon in March but decided not to run since it was the same week as my Negril, Jamaica trip.  That would have been too much travel for me in one week.  I love to see different sights but that was a bit much for the running tourist.  LOL.

    The city of Virginia Beach and J&A Racing partnered up to host the Chartway Virginia Beach 10 Miler over the Labor Day weekend.  Decided this would be a great race for my return to Virginia Beach especially since it was over a long weekend.  Never ran a 10-mile race but viewed this as a great training run and an easy way to set a personal record (PR).  This distance fit my training schedule and allowed me to see Virginia Beach from a different angle.

    Live, Love, Run

    Flew out of Vero Beach on Breeze Airways for the first time.  I normally drive over to Orlando for a Southwest flight, but Breeze is new to the area and had direct flights to Norfolk.  No extra driving and airport parking is free in Vero.

    Arrived in Norfolk without any delay and made my way to the Enterprise Holdings rental counter.  Norfolk is a smaller airport so getting out of the terminal and then the parking garage was an easy journey.  Made my way over to Virginia Beach and checked into my hotel.  Decided to book my hotel early this time and stayed directly on the famed boardwalk and beach.  Staying directly at the beach allowed me to just park my rental and walk everywhere I needed to go while in Virginia.  The beach, restaurants, and live music were easily accessible from my hotel.

    The race EXPO was held at the Virginia Beach Convention Center which was two miles from my hotel.  Decided to walk over to the EXPO to get my race bib and gear.  Used this walk to stretch my legs the day before the 10-mile race.  Made a quick stop at a local farmer’s market to check out the goods—didn’t buy anything but got a good vibe for the Virginia Beach farmer’s market scene.  Lots of vendors and friendly people out and about the day before the race. 

    The EXPO was small—just a few vendors available and only one spot to get my customary EXPO photo taken.  Picked up my race bib and made my way to check out the vendors.  Didn’t need anything but wanted to see if I could pick up another race shirt but the selection was not great.  One of the vendors sold race bib magnets—some runners use magnets to hold their race bibs instead of safety pins.  Decided it was time for me to step up my game and purchased a set of magnets to use during the 10-miler.  Small investment but I will get a ton of use out of these magnets.  Carb loaded a bit more after the EXPO and headed back to sit on the beach before going to bed early.

    The race start line was only two blocks from my hotel and the finish line was directly below my hotel room on the boardwalk.  Got up early on race day so I could stretch and mentally prepare for the race.  I didn’t have a set finish time planned but wanted to run as fast as possible to test my fitness over a longer distance.

    I was assigned to Corral #2 and made my way towards the front of the waiting runners.  This was an opportunity for most of us to continue to warm up and get a few selfies of ourselves standing around in a race line.  Made sure to give myself some room to maneuver in case runners around me were not paying attention—didn’t want to trip with so many people in the corral.

    I wanted to run a clean race where I could ensure my pace was consistent and provide a good finish to the race.  My last race in Virginia Beach was a struggle at the end because I didn’t pace it out correctly AND there was a bridge crossing at the 11-mile marker.  NOTE:  we crossed that same bridge during this race, but I was physically and mentally prepared for it this year.

    My mile splits are below:

    Mile 1:  8:56/ Mile 2:  8.58 / Mile 3:  9:13 / Mile 4:  9:28 / Mile 5: 9:39 / Mile 6:  9:58 / Mile 7: 9:56 / Mile 8:  10:24 / Mile 9: 10:01 / Mile 10:  9:40 /Mile .06:  :33

    The highlight of the race weekend for me was the post-race party.  It was on the beach with live music, good pizza, and beer.  The best part of this scene is the post-race party was across from my hotel.  I got a chance to drink as much beer as I wanted without having to worry about how I was going to get back to my hotel.  I simply walked off the beach, got on the elevator and went up to my room when the music stopped.  A 3-hour nap awaited me!

    There was a ton of live music available during the weekend and I made a point to get back out to check out the bands.  Virginia Beach has a cool vibe, and the folks up there are super friendly.  Made my way back to Catch 31 for great food and a nice view of the King Neptune statue.  The sound stage had a ton of activity, so this was the spot for me to kick back and enjoy my time in Virginia Beach.

    Looking forward to my next race weekend in Virginia Beach—just got to figure out which race I will tackle up there next.

    Irie!

  • My Reading Progress

    “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies…The man who never reads lives only one”.

    (George R. R. Martin)

    My Walk into the Future provides me with the flexibility to add new adventures daily.  I continue to view this life I lead to engage my mind, body, and soul.  This blog gives me a space to highlight what I am doing, thinking, or getting ready to accomplish. 

    Goal setting remains a huge part of my success in life, and I look for ways to leverage my goals to help me continue to move forward.  I review my goals daily to ensure my energy and focus are consistent to meet or exceed them.

    I set reading goals each year in January with intent to read something daily.  My daily readings center around Proverbs and a few companion books by Joel Osteen.  I started reading Proverbs daily when I lived in Warner Robins, Georgia and this Atomic Habit remains strong.  Joel Osteen created a 31-day Proverbs companion book which I utilize when completing my daily Proverbs readings.  This little book has helped me understand more and brings Proverbs to life with language for my current Walk into the Future.

    My larger reading goal is to read 1 book monthly.  There were years where I would be super aggressive with this goal but decided to create a reading goal that provides me an opportunity to stay on track.  Please note, just because it says 1 book monthly does not mean I can’t read more, and I do.  I am an avid reader and love to sit on the beach with a good book and cold beer to practice this hobby.  My love for reading started in middle school and it has not slowed down except when my schedule gets in the way. 

    The books I select range from leadership, communication, and inspiration topics.  These are topics of interest for me so stick to areas I seek growth.  I have a couple friends who inquire about my reading selections and have started to read the same books—you can say we have an informal book club going.  We discuss the books after everyone has completed them and look for ways to incorporate the content into life and the work environment. This little book club motivates me to stay on track and focus on my reading.  It has also provided me with access to books I may have missed on my own.  I tend to stick to authors I know but the book club expands my focus and challenges me to explore other authors to enhance my Walk into the Future.

    The following books were referred by book club members:

    • Disruptive Thinking / TD Jakes
    • Wisdom of the Bullfrog / Admiral William H. McRaven
    • 16 Undeniable Laws of Communication:  Apply Them and Make the Most of your Message / John C. Maxwell

    FYI—this was my first TD Jakes book, and I was pleasantly surprised by the content and enjoyed reading his thoughts on Disruptive Thinking.  It is something we can all practice daily, but it was great gaining new insights on how to move forward in life daily. 

    I have read multiple books by Admiral McRaven and his wisdom comes through within the context of leadership and helping teams get better.

    Lastly, John Maxwell communication strategies can be leveraged in most work settings and enhance overall operations for the team.

    I am on pace to meet my stated reading goals and continue to seek additional books to add to my library.  This will continue and help me to Walk into the Future.

    How are you doing on meeting your goals?  What books are you reading in 2023?

    Irie!