Walk Into the Future

Category: Fitness

  • 2024 Chicago Marathon

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    “How do you know if someone ran a marathon?  Don’t worry, they’ll tell you”.

    (Jimmy Fallon)

    Sweet home, Chicago!

    This is how I felt when I finally arrived at my hotel in Chicago.  Why the excitement?  Well, I’ve chronicled my training for the past 18 weeks but didn’t know if I would make it to race day.

    Hurricane Milton caused havoc on Wednesday of race week, and I didn’t know if my flight on Friday from Orlando was still going to happen.  My original Friday morning flight was cancelled by Southwest Airlines, but they rebooked me on a later flight to Chicago.  I decided to just enjoy the process and was extremely happy to be on my way to running the 2024 Chicago Marathon.

    My flight was uneventful, but it got me closer to the end of this 18-week journey.  I grabbed my bag after landing and made my way out into the Chicago night to head to my hotel.  I am a Marriott brand fan, and my hotel was picked based on proximity to the marathon start and finish lines.  I wanted to be able to walk around Chicago during my adventure without having to worry about traffic or waiting around for a ride.  I checked into my hotel room late Friday night due to the airline delays.  Made a quick trip to a corner store to stock up on water, bananas and bagels before heading to bed.

    My original plan was to hit the 2024 Chicago Marathon EXPO on Friday since my arrival time was supposed to be 8:35 am.  Again, Hurricane Milton changed this, and my true arrival time was 9:30 pm.  No worries, I got up Saturday morning and walked over to McCormick Place for the Abbott Health & Fitness EXPO. This walk was an outstanding way to see Chicago neighborhoods and take in the excitement of race weekend.  I have been a running tourist for a few years and experienced EXPOs in multiple states.  Nothing prepared me for the sights from the Abbott Health & Fitness EXPO.  This was by far the largest EXPO event I have ever seen.  There were over 180 vendors with products from around the world.  There were close to 20,000 people in the EXPO (runners, family, friends) and I felt the crush of people in the venue.  Runners are a friendly group so that made it easier to navigate while in the venue.

    Packets pickup was a breeze since the Chicago Marathon organizers sent each participant an event ticket.  The ticket helped EXPO volunteers direct runners to the correct lines for bib pickup and corral assignments.  This is the first EXPO that utilized a photo to ensure the correct person got the correct bib number.  Technology is amazing!

    I made my way around the EXPO to check out vendors, sample nutrition and get my photos while there.  😊  I wanted to enjoy the experience as much as possible but didn’t want to spend too much time on my feet the day before the marathon.

    I headed back towards my hotel and wanted to check out the race start line area.  This was my way to ensure I knew where to report on Sunday morning.  The Chicago Marathon has a detailed process to place runners in corrals to ensure the start of the race is organized and gets runners out without overcrowding the roads.  I was slotted for Wave 3 and Corral K.  This means my time was projected to be closer to the middle of the pack which was exciting for me.  I made a few more stops to take in the city and then headed to Pizano’s Pizza & Pasta for a pasta lunch.  I still needed to add more carbs into my system to get ready for race day. 

    Headed back to the hotel to prep my running outfit for the big day, get off my feet and hydrate. I was able to get in a quick nap too. 😊  I left the hotel after my nap to get in another carb loading meal to finish off the process at Portillo’s.  I did some light stretching and meditation to help me get ready for the big day ahead.  I was a few hours away from running the 2024 Chicago Marathon!!!

    I woke up on race day a bit anxious because this was the largest race I have toed the line for (55,000+ registered runners).  I also had no real idea how the start line corrals would work—we were told to arrive two hours early, but this meant having to stand around in the corrals and wait patiently to start the race.  My hotel was a mile away from the start line, so I leveraged this distance to stretch my legs with the walk toward Grant Park.  I purchased a long sleeve shirt at Goodwill for $6.99 and used it to stay warm while waiting for my race to start.  Race organizers provide ‘drop off’ areas where runners discard their warm clothing items prior to starting the race.  These items are donated to homeless shelter by the race organizers. 

    I made my way to the Wave 3, Corral K start area around 7 am.  My group was scheduled to start running at 8:35 am.  What do runners do for an hour and thirty-five minutes?  Great question! We sat on the pavement like grade school kids to conserve energy and get off our feet.  Thousands of adults just sitting on the ground quietly and listening to music to pass the time.  Our group was called to start moving towards the start line around 8:30 am and running the 2024 Chicago Marathon got real at that moment.  I tossed my long sleeve shirt into the clothing donation area and started to get myself mentally ready to rock the Chicago Marathon.  A sense of pride came over me at this point because I knew I had trained better during this cycle and wanted to see how this translated for this marathon.  Said a quick prayer and it was showtime!

    My goals for the marathon were to enjoy the process, run a controlled race and improve my time from my last marathon.  Well, two out of three is not that bad! 😊  I enjoyed the process and set a marathon Personal Record (PR) at the 2024 Chicago Marathon.  The one goal I missed was running a controlled race.  I’m not complaining considering I ran a PR time here.  I fault the crowds, and the energy generated for my lack of control during the race.

    So, what was the problem with my pace?  The crowds were so hyped that they energized me beyond anything I’ve ever experienced.  My first mile was run in 9:45 (nine minutes and forty-five seconds.  My second mile was run in 9:45. My third mile was run in 9:31. See a pattern here?  😊  The funny thing is I knew I was moving too fast, but it felt great!  The fourth mile was run in 9:42. At this point I decided to just run the damn race and see what would happen regardless of my intended pace.  The cooler weather, the crowds and the flat racecourse felt right so I just ran.  I had a huge smile on my face for the first 23 miles.  Lactic acid kicked in after that and I lost my smile for a bit.  I looked at my watch and knew I was well ahead of my previous marathon times—I just needed to hang on.  I mentioned to several friends that I wanted to run 4:44 this time out.  I realized I would not hit this pace, but a PR was well within my reach.  I gave myself a pep talk at mile 24 and then got my mind right.  Finished the marathon in 5:23:35 (five hours, twenty-three minutes and thirty-five seconds).  This is a 25-minute PR for me.  My 4:30 am training sessions paid off nicely! 😊

    Race results below:

    Participant

    Name (CTZ)Williams, Calvin (USA)
    Bib Number59296
    City, StateFort Pierce
    Division55-59
    GenderMan
    ShortCW

    Race Info

    Start Time08:37:57

    Totals

    Place Gender25103
    Place Age Group1478
    Place Overall43983
    Finish Time05:23:35

    My Runner

    Add/Remove

    Race Status

    Race StatusFinished
    Last SplitFinish
    Pred. Finish–
    Pred. Finish (Time of Day)–

    Splits

    Miles Kilometers

    SplitTime Of DayTimeDiffmin/milemiles/h
    05K09:09:07AM00:31:1031:1010:025.98
    10K09:42:31AM01:04:3533:2510:465.58
    15K10:15:07AM01:37:1032:3510:305.72
    20K10:49:30AM02:11:3434:2411:055.42
    HALF10:59:06AM02:21:1009:3614:054.26
    25K11:27:12AM02:49:1628:0611:365.18
    30K12:08:21PM03:30:2541:0913:154.53
    35K12:53:06PM04:15:0944:4414:244.17
    40K01:41:38PM05:03:4248:3315:383.84

    Thanks to everyone who reached out to me during my training cycle to send encouragement.  Also, thank you to my friends who I couldn’t hit Friday night events with because I needed to go to bed so I could get up and run on Saturday mornings. Thank you to Walk into the Future blog readers for following my training updates and sticking with me on this forum.  Appreciate all ya’ll!!! 😊

    I will shift gears towards my half marathon schedule for the next few months.  I have the 2024 OUC Half Marathon in Orlando the first weekend in December.  I follow that up with the 2024 Palm Beaches Half Marathon the following weekend.  I will not run the full marathon down there because of humidity—I learned a valuable lesson last year.

    FYI—Lauren and I signed up for the 2025 Chicago Marathon and are waiting to see if we get in next year.  There may be another marathon training program in 2025—get ready because I’m starting to figure this marathon training out.  Who knew I could get faster as I got older. 😊

    Irie!

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

    (Unknown Runner)

  • 2024 Outrun Hunger 5k

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    “Running isn’t about being the best; it’s about pursuing your personal best”.

    (Runkeeper)

    My Walk into the Future allows me to pursue adventures in multiple ways.

    Running is one of the ways I found 12 years ago, and I have not looked back. 

    I started running Orlando Track Shack and Front Running Sports races when I moved to Oviedo, Florida from Warner Robins, Georgia back in October 2010.  I never thought the local 5ks in Orlando would lead me to become a running tourist and multi-time marathoner.  Big things start with small steps.

    I have focused on the half marathon as my preferred distance over the past 4 years but still lace up my running shoes for 5ks.  The Treasure Coast running community is not as large and visible as the Orlando running community.  We have races but they are not as large as the Track Shack productions and most don’t have beer at the finish line.  It seems like a small thing, but true runners are looking for beer and donuts once we cross the finish line.  I still run a few local races but find ways to travel to the Orlando area for Track Shack events.

    The Treasure Coast Food Bank hosts a September 5k and I have run this one for the past three years.  It’s a small race but it is a great way to help stock the local food bank to help our residents with food insecurity needs.  I also leverage this 5k as a speed session to help me prepare for longer races.  This year the 5k fit nicely into the Chicago Marathon training program and allowed me to test my fitness and work to get faster leg turnover. 

    The race starts and ends at Causeway Cove on Hutchingson Island in Fort Pierce.  This location makes it easy to get in and out without a ton of traffic or waiting around when the race is over.  I also park on the mainland side of the Seaway Drive bridge and use the bridge as a warmup before the race.  I get a slow jog in crossing the bridge and then stretch once I make it to Causeway Cove.

    Again, it’s a small race crowd so I normally post up in the middle of the starting pack to avoid undue stress moving through runners.  I didn’t enter with a specific finish time in mind but wanted to go faster than my last 5k back in August (Celebration of Running 5k).  Always surprised I don’t know many people in these races even though I live in Fort Pierce—this is not a tight running community.

    My goal was to run a controlled race without much deviation between each mile split.  I’m happy with my finish time of 28:29 which equals 9:10 per mile.  This was a faster time and splits than my Celebration of Running 5k outing.  I ran the entire 5k with a smile on my face because the pace felt good, and I knew I could maintain this for additional miles.  I didn’t feel the need to push much faster considering this was a 12-mile training day as part of my Chicago Marathon training program.  I was surprised to see that I won my age group for this race.  I have placed in the Top 3 of this race in the past but this was the first time I was the ‘Top Old Dude’. 😊  I decided to stick around the race village to collect my additional award and get some extra pictures taken on the top step of the podium.

    I took my prizes and headed back over the bridge.  I still needed to get in an additional 9 miles to complete my long run training for the day.

    Feeling good about my mental and physical fitness as the 2024 Chicago Marathon draws closer.

    Irie!

  • Chicago Marathon: Time for some action!

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    “A marathon is hundreds of miles. The finish is the last 26.2”.

    (Running Quotes)

    This quote identifies my current Walk into the Future.  I started the Chicago Marathon training cycle on 6/10/2024 and have logged 561.89 miles to date.  I’m flying to Chicago tomorrow morning, so I have completed all the prescribed miles on my training plan.

    There have been a lot of early mornings to beat the Florida heat and humidity but I’m feeling good about the work I have put in this year.  I used lessons learned from previous training cycles to improve my mental and physical preparation to ensure I get to Chicago in great shape to compete with my fellow runners.

    I started this training cycle at 207 pounds and have been as light as 192 pounds.  I tipped the scale this morning at 194 pounds right before I start the carb loading process.  I will toe the line at the Chicago Marathon lighter than my last marathon and this should translate to my performance.  Again, I decided not to take any short cuts this time around and made sure I put in the work mentally, physically and with my diet.  Feeling good!  My friend Lynn keeps saying that I’m skinny now—not sure I buy that but have lost three inches on my waist and none of my pants fit me now.  Will have to see if I maintain this weight before I invest in a new wardrobe. 😊

    I touted being 32 – 0 during my last Chicago Marathon update.  I never thought I would remain undefeated throughout the entire training cycle, but I wanted to maximize each run to ensure I performed well at the Chicago Marathon.  Well, let’s cut to the chase—I missed a few sessions either due to travel or illness.  I missed an entire week of training when I returned from the Virginia Beach 10-miler.  This may also explain why my time in the race was slower than last year.  Imagine that I completed a 10-mile race while I was sick.  😊

    Here’s my weekly miles update:

    Week 937.39
    Week 1034.49
    Week 1126.03
    Week 1234.58
    Week 132.03 (Sick this week)
    Week 1442.7
    Week 1530.85
    Week 1633.77
    Week 1727.11
    Week 185
    Total273.95

    I’m flying up to Chicago tomorrow to get acclimated to the city and weather.  I’m excited to go to the race EXPO for the opportunity to meet some of the elite runners scheduled to be there.  I’m sure I will not see them much on race day so will enjoy the opportunity to share the same venue with them.  There are a few Orlando Track Shack runners coming up to Chicago and I want to catch up with them at the EXPO as well.  Friday will be my day to get some sightseeing in and deep-dish pizza.  I will stay off my feet as much as possible on Saturday to conserve energy and keep my legs fresh.  There will be an organized shakeout run on Saturday morning, but I have not decided if I want to participate.  I’m sure it will be exciting and a great opportunity to meet runners who have gone through the same experience as me to get ready for the Chicago Marathon.

    The weather is projected to be in the mid-40’s and warming up into the low-60’s.  This will be a welcomed change from the Florida heat and humidity. Really looking forward to see how my body adapts to running in cooler weather without humidity. 

    Well, the training is done!  It’s time to put all this effort into action on race day to see how well I perform.

    Thanks for coming along on this journey with me!  Will see you on the other side of the 2024 Chicago Marathon finish line! 😊

    Irie!

  • 2024 Celebration of Running 5k

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    “Run often.  Run long. But never outrun your joy of running”.

    (Julie Isphording)

    The Walk into the Future running season always starts with the Orlando Track Shack Celebration of Running 5k in Winter Park, Florida.

    I started running with Track Shack back in 2010 and leverage training plans they have for multiple distances.  The Track Shack team identifies the start of the 2024 – 2025 running season with this race and turns it into a celebration for the Orlando running community.

    The 2024 Celebration of Running 5k marked my 10th time running this race and I enjoy it more each time I return.  The course is the same and the August humidity is always thick, but this is a great race to reengage with competitive running and socialize with a great running community.

    My last race was the 2024 Rhode Island Half Marathon back in May.  The months of May, June and July were dedicated to training in the Florida heat and humidity, but racing was an after thought during the dog days of summer.  There are several 4th of July races to pick from but I normally travel and running on the holiday is not attractive to me—I may take on this challenge in the future but signing up for a race on the 4th of July has not materialized for me yet. 😊

    I find myself starting to get anxious to race again in early August.  I started my marathon training cycle on 6/10/2024 but running races with other competitors is more exciting than training miles.  I also leverage the Celebration of Running 5k to gauge my fitness levels to determine adjustments needed in my larger training program.  I’m down about 7 pounds and 2 inches so far during this training cycle so entered the racing season feeling fresh and of course lighter than last year.

    I approached the 5k as another training session with an opportunity to work on my speed and endurance.  I did not have a set finish time in mind but wanted to run as fast as possible and still have fun with the process—mission accomplished on both parts of this equation. 😊

    I lined up in my usual spot with the 9-minute per mile group.  This is always a safe place to line up to avoid crashing into other runners. It still amazes me that runners who know they will run slower splits make their way to the front of the starting corrals.  This creates numerous problems at the start of the race because other runners must expend energy to avoid crashing into these folks—my strategy is to hang back a bit to let this churn clear a bit and then hit my desired pace.  It takes about a half mile before the crowds start to thin out a bit to move forward.

    I finished the Celebration of Running 5k with a time of 29:05—9:16 per mile pace.  Not bad for me even after holding back for the first half mile.  I completed the 5k with a nice sprint and a smile on my face.  The smile came out because I saw one of my running friends and her husband in front of me and I decided I was going to pass them before the finish line.  It was working until she spotted me and decided to kick before I caught them.  She beat me by 3 seconds, and we had a huge laugh at the games adults play when racing.  It was all fun and made the experience even better. 😊

    Got my normal after race pictures in the race village and made my way to get my beer and donuts.  Always enjoy the opportunity to catch up with folks I know in the Orlando running community but couldn’t stay too long.  This was a 17-mile training day, so I needed to head over to the Cross Seminole Trail to complete my training.

    Love the Cross Seminole Trail because it provides a flat and shady surface to get extra miles in.  You get to interact with walkers, runners, roller bladers and cyclists all on the same trail.  It’s great for people watching and training.  A local cycle club places coolers with free water on the trail to help keep folks hydrated while on the trail—this was a bonus and much appreciated. 

    I completed my 14-mile training run and headed back to my hotel to cool off and relax.  Of course, a nap was in my immediate future after racing and training.

    My racing season started out exactly how I scripted it and I’m happy with my physical and mental preparation so far.  Excited to see how the rest of the season progresses.

    Irie!

    “Train smart. Train hard. Have fun”!

    (Matt Wilpers)

  • IRSC River Talk

    River Talk

    “If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else”.

    (Booker T. Washington)

    My Walk into the Future continues to provide me with opportunities for growth. These growth opportunities are leveraged to create additional tree branches (mentees).

    My latest adventure was a partnership to return to the IRSC River Talk show to share information about my areas of responsibility and to answer questions posed by the host.  I did a spot on River Talk maybe a year and a half ago.  It was still a new show on the IRSC Radio Network, and we covered a lot of ground for that show.

    River Talk has a new host, and she reached out to ask if I wanted to come back on the show to provide an update on my departments for her listeners.  I rarely say no to an opportunity to share information, so I agreed to a return engagement.

    Met the host in the radio studio a few minutes before we started recording.  She identified she had done some extensive research on me (LinkedIn, Blog, Leadership training) and was excited to learn more about me during the interview.  I thought this was going to be a standard interview about my work at IRSC, but it turned out to be that and a lot more.

    The format provided a platform for me to share information about my current role, leadership pursuits, training program, what brought me to IRSC and why I got into higher education.  The interview allowed me to reflect on my WHY and share this information with listeners.

    Areas covered:

    • My current role as Associate Vice President, Advising and Career Services
    • What brought me to IRSC and the Treasure Coast
    • My Air Force background
    • Authentic Leadership
    • Why I joined the Air Force
      • What did I learn about leadership?

    I’m sure I missed a few other topics from the interview. 😊

    Give the full interview a run here:  https://www.wqcs.org/rivertalk-at-indian-river-state-college/2024-08-08/dr-calvin-williams-associate-vice-president-of-advising-career-services-and-chief-retention-officer-at-indian-river-state-college

    Let me know your thoughts!

    Irie!

    “If everyone is moving forward together, then success will take care of itself”.

    (Henry Ford)

  • 2024 Marathon Training (32 – 0)

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    “You don’t stay undefeated without being a little stubborn”.

    (Andre Ward)

    32 – 0!  Yes, I’m going to claim an undefeated marathon training record at this point of the cycle.

    You may be wondering what the heck I’m talking about—happy to explain! 😊

    I just completed Week #8 of my 2024 Chicago Marathon training cycle:  https://www.instagram.com/chimarathon/?hl=en.  The training schedule has me running multiple distances Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.  8 weeks times 4 days per week = 32 training sessions so far.  32 – 0.

    I am showcasing the 32 – 0 record because I have not missed a training session, projected mileage or hit the snooze button once so far in this training cycle.  I’ve trained for 2 other marathons over the past few seasons but have never displayed this level of consistency and commitment to the process.  I want to see a ton of improvement in how I perform on race day in Chicago and dedicating the proper energy into my training program is my way to build towards the big day.

    Will I remain undefeated?  No idea but I plan to continue to put the effort into this training cycle to build physical and mental strength to guide me in Chicago.  Training is going well as I hit my mileage markers daily but need to incorporate more speed work into the program.  My future Wednesday morning runs are designed to run at 2024 Chicago Marathon pace so this will force me to begin to work on my stride to generate speed.  Excited to start targeting marathon goal paces to mentally prepare for the full grind of 26.2 miles.  I know I can complete the distance, but this year is all about going a bit faster than before.  I’m projecting to have a finish time with a ‘4’ in front of it (4:35, 4:41, 4:59)—I will share my goal time the week of the Chicago Marathon.  Yes, I have a projected goal time I’m targeting.  Melissa—can you guess the time? 😊

    Here’s my weekly progress so far:

    Week 541.67
    Week 633.61
    Week 734.11
    Week 850.26
    Total159.65

    The weekly mileage has gone up from the previous updates.  This will continue through Week #15 before the mileage starts to taper down.  The full marathon taper process will start in Week #17 and continue until marathon race day.  My previous marathon training cycle had me competing in the OUC Half Marathon the week prior.  Not sure if this helped or hurt my race day performance but I will not repeat this process again for the Chicago Marathon.

    Can I stay undefeated and make it to 72 – 0?  Great question!

    Thanks for joining me on this training cycle!

    Irie!

    “I don’t think being undefeated is going to determine my greatness”.

    (Mikey Garcia)

  • Key Largo

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    “Come to the Florida Keys, where sweating like a tourist is a rite of passage”.

    (#MeltingAway, #KeysLife)

    My Walk into the Future continues to allow me to seek and find new adventures in my life.  The concept is to enjoy life at a relaxed pace but to always move forward.  I need to remember why I created the blog name and make sure I follow through daily.

    Took the relaxed pace concept to heart when looking for my next adventure.  What better place to find relaxation than the Florida Keys. 😊

    I am a native Floridian but never ventured down to the Keys before.  I’ve thought about it a few times but never acted.  My thought process was it was too far to drive but I never put anything into Google maps to see the distance and/or drive time.  Told you I didn’t put much effort into this process. 😊

    Google maps identified the northern Key (Key Largo) was a three-hour drive from my house in Fort Pierce.  Key West was much further but I never had a desire to get that far south.  Decided to focus on Key Largo and plan a trip down around the 4th of July.  I took an extra day of vacation time so I could beat the holiday traffic and be in Key Largo before the fireworks started and people crowded the area.  Mission accomplished on both ideas.

    Didn’t know much about the Keys but wanted to get down to explore and experience something new.  I’m a huge Marriot fan so booked the Courtyard right off US 1.  This location put me right next to a marina with boat tours and several nice restaurants with fresh fish on the menu. This location allowed me to walk to multiple places of interest while in the Keys.

    Made my way over to Snappers Oceanfront Restaurant and Bar on my first day to people watch and get fresh fish.  Walked by the African Queen boat tour area on my way over.  Didn’t know they had boat tours, but this was a popular attraction in Key Largo. 

    The next stop was Jimmy Johnson’s Big Chill which was a lively spot with music and great western views.  They had outstanding drink specials and the largest shrimp I have ever seen in my life.  Highly recommend this spot if you love shrimp, great sunset views and cold drinks with a kick. 

    The Caribbean Club was identified as a spot for great live music.  I was the most Caribbean person there and the band was an old school classic rock outfit.  It was still a great little spot because they had outside chairs sitting right next to the water.  The sunset views were better here because of the pawn trees—used them to frame a few of my pictures.  Visited both places two days in a row so they had a very authentic vibe.  Watched 4th of July fireworks from the Caribbean Club and enjoyed every second of the show.

    The Key Largo Princess glass bottom boat was my next adventure in Key Largo.  Saw the boat go out when I first arrived and was curious where it was headed.  It’s a simple tour where the boat heads out to a coral reef and circles so passengers can get a great view of the sea life.  The ship’s crew warned that some folks get motion sickness below deck while they circle.  I didn’t believe them but had to head back upstairs because I started to feel weird.  I was fine once I got back on the top deck and enjoyed the rest of the boat tour in the open air.  We saw tons of fish, sea turtles and nurse sharks on the excursion.  Great way to end my first venture in the Florida Keys.

    Where are you heading this summer?

    Irie!

  • Chicago Marathon Training Week #4

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    “Marathoning.  The triumph of desire over reason”.

    (New Balance, athletic apparel company)

    I will be the first to admit that I’m not a New Balance athlete.  My primary running apparel company is Nike, and my running shoes are Brooks GTS 23s.  Hoping the Brooks GTS 24s drop before my racing season kicks off, but the GTS 23s have been good for me.  The New Balance quote is prophetic for the marathon journey I’m currently experiencing.

    Marathon training can be taxing physically, mentally and emotionally.  The desire to compete and get better is stronger for me this year.  I’ve trained for two marathons and seen minimal improvement but that is because the desire was not as strong in the past.  I’ve rededicated myself to this process and vowed to give maximum effort weekly.  Yes, I trained for the marathon in the past but took a few short cuts that I’m not willing to repeat.

    I just completed Week #4 of this training cycle and I am proud to say I have not missed a training session or mileage goal so far.  It sounds like a simple thing but there are times when it’s easier to hit the snooze button in the morning and not get up and train.  The snooze button has not been a problem this training cycle—I’ve established a set bedtime and have not adjusted it for any reason.  I’m getting prepared for lights out at 8:30 pm with a consistent wake up at 4:44 am—I like odd times. Melissa, that’s for YOU! 😊

    I am following the Hal Higdon marathon training plan again with an eye towards the details of the plan and no missed training sessions.  I ran into issues with the heat and humidity last year because I didn’t get out early for my long runs.  I’ve adjusted my Friday night bedtime to provide a consistent sleep pattern.  I’m getting out for my long Saturday runs by 5:30 am to beat the sun, heat and humidity.  It’s still humid out but it’s easier to handle at this time of the day.  I’ve also adjusted my hydration plan and ensure I have water, Gatorade and coconut water available for each long run.  I hydrate better during my weekday runs too—a very simple concept but it is helping me get stronger mentally and physically.

    My weight training program remains consistent with 3 days in the gym each week.  I adjust the workouts but make sure to incorporate leg days into the routine.  I’m not a heavy lifter anymore but concentrate on compound exercises with high rep levels.  My yoga program consists of one weekly session to help my muscles stretch and recover.  I will increase my yoga routines but one time per week is good for now.  This will increase by Week #10 to match the miles I will be completing.

    Here’s my weekly progress so far:

    Week 132.11
    Week 236.17
    Week 318.78
    Week 435.98
    Total123.04

    The mileage will start to ramp up Week #5 through Week #15.  The first four weeks helped build the running base needed for the increased mileage.

    Excited to see how my training program has matured over the past two years.  The Chicago Marathon is calling and I’m answering the bell. 😊

    Here’s my projected racing schedule—I’m still looking for races.

    8/17/20242024 Celebration of Running 5kWinter Park
    9/1/20242024 Virginia Beach 10-MilerVirginia Beach, VA
    9/21/20242024 Race for Recovery 5kPort St Lucie
    10/13/20242024 Chicago MarathonChicago, IL
    12/7/20242024 OUC Half MarathonOrlando
    12/15/20242024 Garden of Life Half MarathonWest Palm Beach
    1/19/20242025 Vero Beach Half MarathonVero Beach
    1/26/20252025 Town of Celebration Half MarathonCelebration, FL
    2/8/20252025 Fleet Feet Run for your Heart 10kJensen Beach, FL
    3/2/20252025 Game On Marathon of The Treasure CoastStuart, FL
    4/25/20252025 Nashville Rock N Roll Half MarathonNashville, TN
    6/1/20252025 San Diego Rock N Roll Half MarathonSan Diego

    Thanks for joining me on the training process—Irie!

  • 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 Chicago Marathon Training Week #1

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    “A marathon is hundreds of miles.  The finish is the last 26.2”.

    (Running Quotes)

    The quote above speaks volumes.  Marathon training is a critical part of the overall process, but most people only see or talk about the actual 26.2-mile race.

    Completing a marathon is a major life/personal/physical milestone and I’m happy to say I am a two-time marathoner. 

    I targeted the Palm Beaches Marathon (2022 and 2023) because it was close, and the course was completely flat.  This marathon is in South Florida so that means the weather is unpredictable to include humidity even in December.  I’m happy to have started and completed this race twice but decided I would not attempt this race again because of the South Florida heat and humidity.  FYI—I will run the half marathon this year. 😊

    I leveraged a Hal Higdon marathon training plan to get me ready for my marathon attempts.  This plan provides an 18-week format to prepare for the full marathon process.  I decided to use this same training plan for my 2024 Chicago Marathon preparation.

    I made some weekly modifications for my previous marathon training programs but decided to follow the Hal Higdon plan completely this year.  I want to see improvement in my marathon finish time this year and committing to my training will be a vital part of hitting my race time goals.  I’m not competing to win the 2024 Chicago Marathon, but I need to beat my previous times, enjoy the race and feel good when I cross the finish line.

    My marathon training began in earnest last week (6/10/2024 – 6/16/2024).  I was excited to start my training program, so I added an extra run day to get me up and motivated to start this process.  Proverbs 6:6 states:  Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise.  My 2024 Chicago Marathon training program allows me to work like an ant—one mile, one training session, one week at a time.  Each session is designed to get me closer to my physical and mental peak for race day.  The marathon is a celebration of the months of training and sacrifice needed to complete a marathon.  I’ve made a point to let folks know that I will follow my plan as outlined—no shortcuts will be applied this year.  I will have to miss a few happy hours and Friday night hangouts since my long runs will occur on Saturday mornings.  A missed run is a missed opportunity to get better so I will minimize this process to emergencies only.

    Happy to report I hit all my training days and milestones for Week #1.  I added an extra session on Monday to energize my training and provide a buffer in case I needed it later in the week.  Rain was forecasted all week, and I completed several miles in a slight rain during two training sessions.  I would have skipped these training sessions in the past but would not allow myself to miss a training opportunity.

    I’m prioritizing weight training sessions this year as well.  Want to ensure I provide myself with the best training foundation possible to improve my performance leading up to the 2024 Chicago Marathon.

    I completed 32.11 training miles last week:

    6/10/20243.134:2511:06mRun
    6/11/20243.3937:5311:11mRun
    6/12/20245.3457:1710:44mRun
    6/13/20242.4225:4910:41mRun
    6/14/20245.82  Planet Fitness bike / rope
    6/15/20243.75  Planet Fitness bike
    6/15/20248.291:36:0011:35mLong run

    I added 4 days of weight training to include full body workouts on 6/14/2024 and 6/15/2024 to help prepare my body for the 18-week training grind.

    The Week #2 training plan is like Week #1 (3, 5, 3, 9) with a slight increase for the long run.  I’m excited to see how my body and mind respond to following the overall training plan for this marathon attempt.  I’m committed to ensuring I do everything necessary to finish faster in Chicago than I did in Palm Beach.  The cooler weather, flat course, cheering crowds and better preparation should help generate a positive outcome.

    Thanks for joining me on the training process—Irie!

    Note:  Most of my long run miles will be done in the George LeStrange Preserve. This allows for consistent miles and a hydration station. 

    https://www.stlucieco.gov/departments-and-services/environmental-resources/county-preserves/george-lestrange-preserve

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