Walk Into the Future

Category: Fitness

  • 26.2 is life!

    “The starting line is never the hardest part.”

    (Unknown)

    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.”

    (Oprah Winfrey)

  • 2025 Atlantic City Marathon

    “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.”

    (Bill Bowerman)

  • New Hampshire and Maine in photos

     

    “Not all those who wander are lost.”

    (J.R.R. Tolkien)

    The Walk into the Future blog traveled to New Hampshire and Maine in October for the 2025 Smuttynose Rockfest Half marathon.

    This was my first adventure to both of these states and I enjoyed my time in the northeast. I’m scheduled to head back up for the same race in October 2026.

    Here’s a look at my 2025 adventure in pictures:

    Hampton Beach, NH:

    Portsmouth, NH:

    Maine shoreline:

    Race day:

    We will do this all again in October 2026! 😊

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

  • 2025 Smuttynose Half Marathon

    “Pain is temporary, pride is forever.”

    (Unknown)

    The Walk into the Future blog is always looking for new adventures and places to explore as I live this life.

    I have been lucky to leverage my running tourist mindset to this process.  My latest adventure was a trip to New Hampshire for the 2025 Smuttynose Half Marathon in Hampton, New Hampshire.  My last northeastern race was in Providence, Rhode Island.  This race came highly recommended on the racing calendar and promised the flattest course in New Hampshire.  Fun fact, I had no idea what that meant but anything with ‘flattest’ in the description is good for me when it comes to races. 😊

    New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont are the only New England states I have never traveled to, and my goal was to cross each of them off on this trip.  Well, two out of three got crossed off.  I didn’t have enough time to make it over to Vermont without sacrificing race preparation and recovery time.  No worries, I will look for a Vermont race in 2026 to get me back in the area.

    I flew up from the Orlando airport into Manchester, New Hampshire which is about 35 minutes from Hampton.  There is a closer airport in Portsmouth, New Hampshire but there were limited airlines and flights into that airport.  I was surprised by the amount of people flying from Orlando to Manchester.  The flight was completely full and I’m sure this had nothing to do with the Smuttynose Half Marathon. It appears Manchester is the gateway to this portion of New England.

    The Manchester airport was easy to navigate, and I made my way to the Enterprise rental counter to begin my adventure.  Plugged in my hotel address into the GPS and headed through the countryside towards Hampton.  The leaves had some nice colors, but they weren’t the full fall colors we always hear about in New England.  I’m sure the warmer than normal temperatures had something to do with color of the leaves at this point of the year. 

    Hotel check-in was a breeze, and I dropped off my luggage in my room before exploring Hampton.  I made my way over to the EXPO which was several tents in a parking lot close to the beach.  I didn’t expect anything huge with the EXPO and this one did not disappoint or offer anything more than bib and package pickup.  I was expecting to spend some time at the EXPO, but I was done in about 10 minutes.  I made sure to get a few pictures at the EXPO but left this location to explore Hampton and get over to the beach.

    The beach was only one block away, so I headed over to become a tourist and see the sights.  The area was nice and there were folks out walking on the beach and just enjoying the nice weather.  I soaked up the sun and atmosphere a bit before finding food.  I found Wing-itz Hampton with a quick Google search, so I headed there to get some wings and carbs.  There was a small crowd at this location with most folks crowded around the bar inside.  The weather was great, so I made my way to the patio and found a spot in the sun to keep warm.  They had nice food and beer selection, but I stayed with the tried-and-true wings, fries and beer.  Simple is better when traveling for a race. 😊

    Saturday was dedicated to exploring and making my way to Maine.  Hampton is situated in the northeastern corner of New Hampshire, so I was pleasantly surprised my Maine adventure was only 15 miles away.  Plugged Kittery, Maine into my GPS and then made my way up to see the sights.  I’m a huge outlet mall shopper so the first place I stopped in Maine was an outlet mall. I never need anything but wanted to see if this Nike outlet had anything different from the outlet malls in Florida.  You guessed it, no they have the same stuff. 😊

    I wanted to see a lighthouse and saw the Nubble Lighthouse was close by. I plugged in the address into GPS and made my way along the coast to see the Nubble Lighthouse and take in more seaside sights.  The drive was short but took me through the countryside and a couple of quaint little Maine towns.  Parking at the Nubble Lighthouse was tough—it is a huge tourist attraction, and this was the last weekend before most restaurants closed for the season.  Finally found a parking spot and made my way down a path to get some pictures of the lighthouse, coastline and surrounding areas.  This was a very peaceful part of the trip even with many tourists in the same area.  Everyone was friendly and enjoyed being in the same area enjoying the lighthouse vibes.  The temperature felt great, but it was warmer than normal.  I found this out because my bartender told me this was the last day her bar would be open for the season.  Turns out a lot of northern places close because they don’t have water pipes that are designed to handle extreme cold. 

    I made my way back down the coast to get a few additional pictures and then headed back to Hampton.  My first stop when I got back was Wings-itz to repeat my meal from the day before.  Yes, I’m a creature of habit. 😊 The Florida Gators game against the Texas Longhorns was on the big TV, so I posted up to watch with my wings and beer.  The patio was crowded during this visit and there was a birthday party on the patio.  I grabbed an empty table and got comfortable.  Turns out I sat in the birthday party area and got invited to have food and birthday cupcakes.  The birthday boy turned 70 and is a graduate of the University of Florida.  I can’t make this stuff up. 

    I got up on race day feeling good and wanted to see how my marathon training would translate to the half marathon distance.  I wanted cooler weather but there was no humidity, and the temperature was a lot cooler than what I left in Florida.

    The Hampton beach area only has paid parking, so I got as close to the start line as possible and found a parking lot for $20.  This was the going rate in all parking lots so there is no need to look for a better price.  The race village was one block over, so I followed the crowd to the boardwalk and joined the other runners to stretch and warm up.  The sunrise was gorgeous, and I thought this was a good indicator for the day.  Again, I didn’t have time in mind for this race but wanted to go as fast and safe as possible.

    There was not a time corral for this race so folks just posted up where they were comfortable.  There was a 5k component to race day, but those runners started 15 minutes after the half marathoners which allowed for a cleaner start.  I grabbed my spot in the middle of the start pack and waited for the start gun to go off.

    I wanted to go out at a measured pace and then see what I had towards the middle of the race.  The cooler temperatures to start the race were welcomed and the crowds at the start were fantastic.  It’s always great to hear random strangers cheering your name like they know you.

    Mile #1 was completed in 8:51, Mile #2 in 9:03 and Mile #3 in 9:08.  I won’t bore you with each mile split, but these first three miles allowed me to determine how much I could push the pace.  These splits felt good and I knew I had the endurance to run 9’s if the weather held. 

    Fast forward a bit and the 2025 Smuttynose Half Marathon became my personal record (PR) race.  2:04:31 is the fastest half marathon for me since the 2019 OUC Half Marathon in Orlando.  Never thought it would take six years to run another half marathon PR, but I will take it. I think I had a faster time in my legs, but the temperature went up towards the middle of the race, and it felt like summer again.  I’m proud of my efforts and happy to bring home a half marathon PR back to Florida.  I made my way over to ring the PR bell and get a picture to highlight this huge accomplishment for me.

    The after-race party was outstanding with beer, food and good old rock and roll.  The band was fantastic and had runners dancing to the tunes.  I had such a good experience with this race and location that I signed up for the 2026 Smuttynose Half Marathon before I left New Hampshire. This race will be a part of my regular race rotation moving forward.

    Next stop, the 2025 Atlantic City Marathon. 😊

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

    “It’s not the distance you must conquer in running…it’s yourself.”

    (Unknown)

  • 2025 Atlantic City Marathon training (in pictures)

    “You are going to want to give up…don’t.”

    (Realbuzz.com)

    The 2025 Atlantic City Marathon allowed me to get back into my 18-week training program again this year.

    I have leveraged this program for the past 4 years, and it appears I’m getting better each year.  My training progressions, physical endurance and race times continue to improve.  I’m not sure how many marathons I have left in my system, but this was my favorite training cycle so far.

    I have dreams of competing in the 2026 Chicago Marathon or the 2026 Berlin Marathon.  I plan to sign up for both next year with hopes of getting selected for one of them.  My hope is to get picked for Berlin so I can add an international marathon to my race docket.  I’m sure you will hear about it, especially if I get selected–fingers crossed! 😊

    This blog will highlight my 2025 Atlantic City Marathon training in pictures to include several races I leveraged to help with my training program.  Thanks to my readers for following the training cycle and I will blog about the marathon with results soon.

    Here’s my 2025 training cycle in pictures:

    Week 1 Long Run

    Week 2 Long Run

    Week 4 Long Run

    Week 7 Long Run

    Week 15 Long Run

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

  • 2025 Atlantic City Marathon training

    “Training for a race is going to be uncomfortable…you can fight it, which uses precious energy, or you can learn to embrace it.”

    (Lisa McClellan)

    The 2025 Atlantic City Marathon is fast approaching!

    I decided to lay low with my training updates this year and concentrate on the grind of the process.  This will be my fourth go at the marathon distance, and I continue to learn more about myself and how to train.  I am proud of this training cycle with my consistency and ability to hit weekly mile markers. 

    Maintaining a consistent bedtime (8:30 pm) ensures that I get enough rest and can get up for my early morning runs.  I find myself waking up on my own before my alarm clock goes off at 4:30 am.  I’m excited to train and it has been showing in my weekly efforts.

    I have continued to leverage the Hal Higdon 18-week marathon training program for this cycle.  This program has helped me grow into a marathoner and is easy to understand and follow.  I have missed a few training sessions due to life (travel, work, rain) but I have found ways to keep my mileage up and mentally prepare for the 26.2-mile battle coming up in Atlantic City. 

    I lowered my marathon personal record (PR) by over 23 minutes in Chicago last year and I want to lower it again in Atlantic City.  I revealed in my first Atlantic City marathon update that my goal time is 4:45 (four hours and forty-five minutes).  That would be a 35-minute reduction but I’m not backing down from my goal.  Will I hit it?  You will see soon! 😊

    I leverage races to help me work on my speed and I’m happy with the results in my lead up to the 2025 Atlantic City marathon.  I ran a PR at the 2025 Virginia Beach 10-miler in September.  I ran 1:34:44 and that lowered my best time for this distance by two minutes.  My 2025 Outrun Hunger 5k time of 28:41 was not a PR but was a good indicator of my fitness considering the Fort Pierce humidity levels in September.  This all showed my training, fitness and mental approach were producing positive results. 

    The final tune-up was conducted at the 2025 Smuttynose Rockfest Half Marathon in Hampton, New Hampshire.  I set my half marathon PR during this race two weeks before Atlantic City.  The 2:04:31 time was due to my training program, and the cool weather helped a lot.  (A blog article on this race is coming soon). 😊

    Here’s my weekly mileage update:

    Week 1126.65
    Week 1233.28
    Week 1329.73
    Week 1434.64
    Week 1538.02
    Week 1634.3
    Week 1725
    Week 189.62

    Total Week 11 – Week 17:  228.98 

    Total miles this training cycle: 583.74

    Total Friday nights out: 0😊

    I continue to learn how to train and recover for a marathon.  My body has felt good throughout this training cycle and I’m mentally tougher than in previous years.  I am excited to see how this new level of fitness and mental preparation shows up on race day.  Race fast and having fun are the main goals with a potential PR at the end—we will see!

    Thanks for following the marathon training journey and see you on the other side of 26.2 miles in New Jersey.

    What are you training for?

    Fun fact: I started marathon training weighing 198 pounds and got down to 189 pounds at one point during this cycle.  I will toe the start line at 195 pounds this year. 😊

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

    “Aiming for the marathon is a task of sorts which can include terrific highs and lows.”

    (Bill Rodgers)

  • 2025 Celebration of Running 5k

    “Forward is a pace.”

    (Unknown)

    I love running with Track Shack!  This is not a startling revelation, but I like to share it with my readers. 😊

    I started running with Track Shack when I moved to Oviedo, Florida in October 2010.  There’s another running organization, Front Running Sports, in the area but the Track Shack races always appealed to me and were closer to my home.  I ran as a Track Shack Fanatic for several years since this saved me money for races I was going to run in anyway.  I’m no longer a Fanatic but still make my way ‘home’ for 3 races each year.

    The Celebration of Running 5k is one of my regular Track Shack races and I made my way back over for the 2025 Celebration of Running 5k in Winter Park, Florida in August.  This race normally starts my running season, but I got an early start with races in North Dakota, Wisconsin, and the Watermelon 5k in Winter Park. 

    My times in this race have been decent, but the humidity and early part of the running season never allowed me to maximize my finish times.  I know this is all just another excuse, but this race provides me with the data I need to determine how much I need to push myself to train for longer distance races in the fall. 

    I’m happy to report I took 31 seconds off my 2024 time and finished in 28:34 (twenty-eight minutes and 34 seconds) with a 9:10 per mile pace.  I have run faster times but I’m happy to hit this time marker considering the time of year, heat and humidity we had on race day.  My mile splints were:

    Mile 1: 8:53 / Mile 2: 9:26 / Mile 3: 9:14 / Mile .12: 1:00

    I felt good throughout the race, but Mile 2 was a tough transition because of the new course design.  We normally run on a wider street for this portion, but the new design was narrow and created bottleneck areas for runners.  This was not a huge problem, but I felt boxed in a lot more this year which slowed my pace a bit.  I didn’t fall off a cliff in Mile 2 but would have liked to run a faster split here since I was feeling good. I got back on track during Mile 3 and started smiling with half a mile to go.  I was tracking a few other runners and began to reel them one by one.  I crossed the finish line with a smile and still felt fresh after competing in Orlando humidity. 😊

    I was able to catch up with a few Track Shack friends, get my beers and take a few pictures in the race village.  I decided not to head over to the Seminole Cross Trail this year to complete my long run.  The humidity was thick, so I pivoted back to my hotel and got some extra miles in on the treadmill.  I snuck in a quick full body workout since the day was still young. 

    I’m happy with my training progress so far and look forward to my longer races during this season.  I’ve still got work to do but I can see progress with my time, weight and mental approach.

    Happy running! 😊

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

    “What seems hard now will one day be your warmup.”

    (Unknown)


  • 2025 Virginia Beach 10-Miler

    “Victory is sweetest when you’ve known defeat.”

    (Malcolm Forbes)

    The quote above is a great reminder that defeat is a part of life and victories. 

    My training for the 2025 Atlantic City Marathon is very much on-track, but the 2025 Madison Mini-Marathon humbled me a bit.  The weather was hot and humid, which was unexpected for that time of year.  The third “H” from race day was the hills.  I finished the race with a little kick, but this was not my best half marathon effort. 

    I felt good about my training program up until that race and had some doubt linger in based on the results from the Triple H Day.  Well, no worries about my training program or efforts friends. 😊

    The 2025 Virginia Beach 10-Miler provided me with all the data I needed to gauge my training program so far.  Things are going well! 😊

    I hit a personal record (PR) for the 10-mile distance (1:34:44) during this race.  The 9:25 per mile pace would have been a half marathon PR as well if I had to complete that distance.  This was the first time I have experienced a windy race day in Virginia Beach, and the head winds were strong at multiple points of the race.  I learned to adjust my running posture to help me cut through the wind and keep battling towards the finish line.

    Race day started with a great view and sunrise right on Virginia Beach.  I’m a creature of habit so I return to the same Marriott Courtyard on the board walk each time I’m in Virginia Beach.  The temperatures were in the mid-60s but the wind off the water made it feel a bit cooler than it was.  I prefer the cooler weather, so this was a welcome part of my race day.

    I leveraged the board walk and the views as part of my race warm up.  My hotel was on 25th street and the race start line was conveniently on 15th and one street over.  I got in some stretching on the board walk and then a light jog to get me to the start line on time.  I made it to the start corrals without any problems and entered my assigned corral.  The corral assignments are loose for this race but most of the folks in Corral #1 were where they were supposed to be. 😊

    I felt good and my confidence was high, so I wanted this to translate to my race.  I shared with friends that I wanted to PR this race and the start line was the place for me to mentally prepare for this to happen—I had extreme confidence in my training but needed this to translate to race day—mission accomplished!

    I went out with a controlled pace and tried to avoid weaving in and out of other runners.  I decided to test my patience and let the miles roll by without pressing at the beginning of the race.  I was surprised to see 9:06 after the first mile and I felt great even with the extra traffic at the beginning of the race.  This pace felt comfortable, and I wanted to see how long I could keep it up.  Mile #2 went by at 9:14 and I knew I was in for a great race outcome.  Fun fact—this first two miles were all done on Atlantic Avenue which has building that kept the wind away from the runners.  Mile #3 had us turn due east to get on the board walk and this is the first place the wind became a factor for runners.  I’m not sure how hard the wind was blowing off the water, but it impacted runners.  This is where I first adjusted my running style to incorporate a more aggressive arm swing to help me cut through the wind.  This seemed to help me continue to move forward with the pace I wanted so kept it up until we made the turn off the board walk and back to street racing.

    This turn helped with the wind as we had hotels to the east and shops to the west during this stretch of the race. Another turn and we were heading south towards our first bridge crossing. The race is entirely flat except for the multiple bridge crossings.  I mentally prepared for the bridge incline and got to the top with a smile on my face while passing the Mile #5 marker.  There’s always a DJ on the bridge and he plays reggae music.  This is always a welcomed sound as I battle to maintain my pace and keep moving forward.

    Runners enter a residential area after the bridge and are greeted by race spectators who come out to cheer for random strangers.  There was a high school cheer squad and a little girl with her dad passing out popsicles to runner.  This appears to be their family tradition since she has been handing out cool treats for the past three years in the exact same spot.

    The course turns east, and runners enter the Virginia State Military Reservation for a 3-mile portion of the racecourse.  This is not a scenic portion of the course, but it is completely flat and several of the assigned military members come out to cheer on the runners for support.  Leaving the State Military Reservations points runners north and back towards the bridge for the second crossing.

    I knew I had an opportunity for a PR at this point and decided to bear down and just keep moving forward.  The bridge incline on this side was not as steep as the first crossing, so I put my head down and got up and over.  The decline on the other side was used by most runners to make up time and go fast.  I had a large smile on my face at this point because I was enjoying the process and running a very tactical race.

    I skipped the final water stop to ensure I didn’t lose any clock time.  We made the final turn back on the board walk and got a full blast of headwind.  No worries, I reverted to my extra arm swing technique and battled the wind, time and distance.  I focused on a couple runners in front of me and then went about catching them, one by one. 😊

    The announcer called out Calvin Williams from Fort Pierce, Florida as I approached the finish line and this gave me an extra kick.  I crossed the finish line at 1:34:44 with a huge smile on my face since I knew this was the PR I was chasing.

    I got my race medal and took some finish line pictures.  I made my way into the race village to get pizza and beer.  I was so focused on getting to the beer I forgot to ring the PR bell—guess I need practice on this part of racing. 😊

    Posted up on the beach with beer, pizza and listened to the live band for about an hour.

    The 2026 Virginia Beach 10-miler is moving from Labor Day weekend to Mother’s Day weekend in 2026.  I’m not going to make that race since I will be spending time with my mom.  I will have to find another Labor Day race to keep my running tradition alive. 

    Virginia Beach is a great race location so will see when I can get back there for another race.

    Mile splints for this race:

    Mile 1: 9:06/ Mile 2: 9.14 / Mile 3:  9:07 / Mile 4:  9:08 / Mile 5: 9:13 / Mile 6:  9:35 / Mile 7: 9:26 / Mile 8:  9:51 / Mile 9: 10:10 / Mile 10:  9:22 /Mile .05:  :26

    My training is paying off and I’m looking forward to the 2025 Atlantic City Marathon and running at another good pace.

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

    “Victory belongs to the most preserving.”

    (Napoleon Bonaporte)

  • Book Club 2025

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

    (George R. R. Martin)

    My Walk into the Future in 2025 is defined by a new level of intensity in multiple phases of the walk.

    I have chronicled my race calendar and the desire to challenge myself more in that area.  My desire is to test myself and see how much improvement I can make with my running program.  I almost called it a hobby, but running is a legitimate part of my life, and I don’t know what the world would look like without my 5 am runs.  I guess I would know how to sleep in like normal people if I wasn’t a runner. 😊

    My writing has remained consistent and I’m always looking for new content to add to the blog.  I’ve tried writing prompts and suggestions from my tree branches but 99% of my content comes from just living life. There are weeks when I found unlimited inspiration to write and others where I don’t write at all.  This used to bother me, but I find it’s easier not to force content and let it come to me when it’s time.  I must remember to keep my eyes, ears and thoughts open to receive inspiration and be ready to lay down the tracks that will become a new blog post.

    My friend John Crowe and I have formed a two-person book club that focuses on leadership topics.  John lives in Oklahoma City, and we share new books via text message.  We normally critique each book via text or a Teams call.  John has a curious mind about leadership, and he keeps me inspired to find new ways to enhance my leadership program.  Authentic Leadership is my foundational leadership style, but a true leader never stops learning so my book club work helps me grow and expand my knowledge base. 

    I view 2026 as a big year for my leadership consulting work and the exploration we are doing now will enhance how I work and partner with clients in 2026.

    Here are some of the titles we have explored in book club so far:

    • Team of Teams / General Stanley McChrystal
    • It Worked for Me, In Life and Leadership / General Colin Powell
    • Conquering Crisis, Ten Lessons to Learn Before You Need Them / Admiral William H. McRaven
    • The Positive Dog / Jon Gordon
    • The Power of Positive Leadership / Jon Gordon
    • Leaders Eat Last / Simon Sinek
    • Be The Unicorn / William Vanderbloemen
    • The 5 AM Club, Own Your Morning.  Elevate Your Life / Robin Sharma
    • The Light House Effect / Steve Pemberton
    • Proverbs (daily)

    I am still looking for new books to add to the list to finish the year out strong.  Send me a book suggestion and I will explore for book club. 😊

    What book are you reading right now?

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

    “A book is a gift you can open again and again.”

    (Garrison Keillor)

  • A Triple H Day!

    “Persistence and resilience only come from having been given the chance to work through difficult problems.”

    (Gever Tulley)

    What’s a Triple H Day?  Great question and I’m more than happy to share my definition with you. 😊

    I discovered or encountered a Triple H Day (heat, humidity and hills) during the 2025 Midwest Financial Group Mini-Marathon when I ventured up to Madison, Wisconsin.  I selected this race to further my running tourist adventures and run in Wisconsin.  Madison is close enough to the Iowa border, so it was an ideal location to drive over to Iowa to explore while I was in the Midwest again.

    August can be a tricky month for racing but the normal average temperatures for Madison range from a high of 81 to a low of 57.  Well, I didn’t get average temperatures for my weekend visit.  I watched the temperatures before heading up with hopes that they would get back down to the average range, but I left Florida knowing the high on race was expected to be 85 degrees.  The race time temperature was projected to be around 67.

    Well, let’s fast forward and the race time temperature was 71 with humidity and it felt warmer than that when I made my way downtown.

    I came to Madison with intentions of running fast but understood early that the heat and humidity would provide a different outcome for my race day.  The racecourse eventually factored into my race outcome as well.  The hills came early and often for this race.  The best part of the day was being around other runners who were experiencing the same agony, and we laughed together on the course when we encountered a new hill.  FYI—the course designers are diabolical because the last 2 miles are on a steep incline and there were a lot of runners cursing as we made our way towards the finish line. 😊

    The racecourse and scenery were beautiful!  I don’t want to come across as complaining about the race or setup.  It was a challenging course and gave me a barometer on my training progress and things I need to work on to keep improving.  The race does show I have a level of resilience that I didn’t know existed.  I was able to battle from start to finish and get up and over every hill I faced.  I’m proud of my ability to focus on the goal of completing this race and enjoying the process (as much as possible) so I could get to the finish line party.  I knew at Mile #5 it was going to be a tough run day but kept moving forward towards my goal.

    I started to chunk the race into manageable pieces after Mile #5 to keep myself motivated and moving forward.  I noticed at this point that my run outfit was completely soaked in sweat—so much so that sweat was falling off my run shorts onto my shoes.  My shoes started feeling like I had been running in the rain and got heavy as the race progressed.

    My focus switched from a specific finish time to running even mile splits for the rest of the race.  I wanted to test myself against the elements and see how I would respond.  I started to enjoy the race more once I released myself from a specific time and just enjoyed the Wisconsin scenery and the folks who were out cheering for random runners.  I started to smile again around Mile #10 and soaked in downtown Madison as we passed through the University of Wisconsin.  Camp Randall Stadium was not open so I never got a chance to Jump Around—not sure I had enough energy, but it would have been a cool experience.

    I lost my smile at Mile #12 as we faced the largest incline on the racecourse.  This was not a fun part of the race, but I never stopped moving forward even though I was cursing as loud as the people next to me. 😊 A reprieve came as we got a nice downhill run to the finish line.  My sprint was subdued but my smile was big as I finished this race and collected my race medal.  I got a few pictures at the end and headed to the lake to get my beer and soak in the atmosphere.

    How hot was it?  The race day high was 91 degrees and a lot of humidity.  I’m pretty sure I sweated away 10 pounds during this adventure based on how wet my run outfit was at the end.  Luckily, I carb loaded the week prior. 😊

    I survived a Triple H Day in Madison, Wisconsin and look forward to new running adventures soon.  I’m not sure if I will run this race again but would love to get back up to Wisconsin to explore multiple areas because it is beautiful.  I may look at the University of Wisconsin’s football schedule to see if I can get tickets to a football game so I can experience the Jump Around portion of the game and explore more areas.  We will see! 😊

    Irie!

    “Life does not get easier or more forgiving, we get stronger and more resilient.”

    (Steve Maraboli)