Walk Into the Future

Category: Fitness

  • 2024 Palm Beaches Half Marathon

    “Shut up legs.  We got this”.

    (Unknown)

    My Walk into the Future helped me discover the Palm Beaches Marathon as I graduated from running half marathons to the full marathon distances.  Nothing scientific on how I selected this race to start running marathons.  West Palm Beach is less than 50 minutes from Fort Pierce, and I wouldn’t need to get on a plane after the race.  This was attractive for me since I didn’t want to be cramped up on a plane and did not know how my body would respond.  The race course was described as completely flat and that was a major factor for me as well.

    My first full marathon was completed in 2022 at the Palm Beaches event.  I wanted to improve my time, so I toed the line again in 2023.  I enjoyed the first attempt a lot more than my 2023 run.  The weather was a lot warmer, and the sun beat down on runners for the final 16 miles.  I decided not to attempt the full marathon again in Florida and set my sights on the 2024 Chicago Marathon.  I won’t rehash my training and time in Chicago, but I caught the bug to run larger races in the northern part of the country to enjoy cooler weather.  The full marathon is hard enough without adding Florida heat and humidity. 

    I still wanted to run in West Palm Beach but decided to scale back my race to the half marathon.  This would allow me to complete the 13.1-mile loop only one time vice doing it twice for the full.  Fun fact—running the same route two times is not a lot of fun. 😊

    The 2024 Palm Beaches Half Marathon was the weekend after the 2024 OUC Half Marathon.  I wanted to finish 2024 with a series of races and this fit my schedule and is close to home.  The race EXPO consists of 10 tents outside in the Meyers Amphitheater.  There are a few vendors but the setup is strictly come get your bib, t-shirt and Garden of Life giveaways and then leave.  I grabbed my goodie bag, bib and headed across the street to ER Bradley’s Saloon.  It’s a funky place with a ton of South Florida history and great food.  They normally have a DJ playing throughout the day and it’s a great place to people watch:  https://www.erbradleys.com/

    I made my way back to my hotel to relax and stretch a bit.  I didn’t have a set finish time in mind but wanted to ensure I got off my feet so I would be ready to perform the next morning.  There was forecasted rain in the morning so I didn’t know how that would impact me getting to the starting line and running the race.  My hotel was within walking distance of the start line, and I used the distance as a race warm up.  I always like to stretch my legs before racing and this was a great way to ensure I was ready to race.  There was no rain on my way to the race, but the skies opened after I got down to the race area.  I found shelter from the rain under one of the vendor tents and waited out the rain there.  A lot of runners stood in the start corral and got wet for some odd reason.  Yep, they just stood in the rain even though the race organizers made an announcement that the race would be delayed until the rain let up a bit because it was too dangerous to have us running on the wet and slick streets.  Oh well, I stayed dry under the tent. 😊

    The 13.1-mile course travels through multiple West Palm Beach neighborhoods and along the waterways.  The views are spectacular so this is a race I would recommend just for taking in the sights.  There are not a lot of spectators so it’s a bring your own motivation type of race.  The Chicago Marathon has spoiled me because the spectators inspired me to run faster throughout the entire marathon. 

    My goal was to run as fast as possible and enjoy the views.  I was hoping to run faster than I did in Orlando the weekend before but that did not happen.  The temperature at race start in Orlando was in the 40s.  The temperature in West Palm Beach was in the low 70s with humidity since we got all that rain.  I was still able to pull out a 2:14 half marathon (10:13 per miles) which was 3 minutes over my OUC Half Marathon time.  I was happy with this time and made my way to the race village to get my beer and pancake breakfast.  I got my beer, but the pancake line was too long.  Headed back across the street to ER Bradley’s and had a huge breakfast and beer there.  It was a great way to complete my last race of 2024.

    I’m working to finalize my full 2025 race calendar.  I want to add some new races and still compete in familiar races close to home.  My new reveal is I didn’t get accepted into the 2025 Chicago Marathon, but I will pivot and race the 2025 Atlantic City Marathon with my homey Lauren Apgar.  https://www.acraceseries.com/course.  Marathon training starts on 6/15/2025 and I’m sure there will be articles that highlight my training progress. 😊

    What do you have planned for 2025?

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

    “Running is a mental sport…and we’re all insane”.

    (Robin Williams)

  • Five-Minute Thursday: The Road to 1,500 (miles)

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    “I think goals should never be easy; they should force you to work, even if they are uncomfortable at the time”.

    (Michael Phelps)

    Maria, I agree, this Five-Minute Thursday writing prompt is here for the long run! 😊 This process continues to provide the Walk into the Future blog with additional outlets and enhances my ability to leverage topics quickly.

    Let’s give the Five-Minute Thursday prompt another run. 

    I shared that I create yearly goals for myself in early January to help guide me through the New Year.  My goals are broken up into different categories: reading, writing, travel, exercise, family, etc.  My 2024 running goal was to run 4 days a week with a target of 30 – 40 miles per week.

    The seventh prompt for Five-Minute Thursday is: 2024 Running Goals.

    My running focus was to get myself in great physical shape so I could improve my full marathon time.  I was able to train and complete multiple full marathons, but I knew there was another leverage of training I needed to reach. I didn’t just decide to increase my mileage but wanted to break down the process and ensure I could enjoy the training without injuring myself.

    The 4 day a week concept comes directly from my full marathon training program.  I ramped up my training once I entered the 18-week marathon training program in the past but decided to keep this volume for the entire year.  Seems simple but I didn’t want to leave anything to chance this year when it came to fitness and being ready for the 2024 Chicago Marathon.

    So, where does 1,500 in the article title come from?  Great question, Melissa! 😊

    I’m currently sitting at 1,548 training miles for 2024.  This is the highest amount of training miles I have completed since I started tracking my run progress.  I mixed in a few exercise bike miles in this total but 95% of my training was pounding the pavement or treadmill when the weather did not cooperate.  This additional mileage total correlates to my 2024 weight goal to get to and maintain 198 pounds.

    FYI—I did not write 1,500 down as a mileage goal but got to this number by meeting my goal to run 4 days weekly.  Incremental steps and going to bed at 8:30 pm nightly allowed me to get up and grind on my run days.

    Not sure how many miles I will log in 2025, but I have a great blueprint on the correct way to increase mileage without injuring myself.

    Let’s thrive in 25! 😊

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

    “If you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time”.

    (Unknown)

  • 2024 OUC Half Marathon

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    “It takes an endless amount of history to make even a little tradition”.

    (Henry James)

    The Walk into the Future blog has a ton of history with the OUC Half Marathon.  I started my half marathon journey at the 2013 OUC Half Marathon on the promise to run with a seasoned running friend.  She convinced me to step up from running 5ks and jump into the half marathon arena with the promise we would run it together.  Well, my friend Lauren and her family moved to Dallas, Texas before race day and I decided to still run it since I committed to the process.  The 2013 OUC Marathon is the slowest I have ever run a half marathon, and I am always trying to improve my time when I toe the line in downtown Orlando.

    So, as you can see I have a lot of tradition with the OUC Half Marathon and Track Shack.  I look forward to this race every year.  The 2024 OUC Half Marathon was my eleventh time running the event.  I decided not to run the 2018 version to avoid the miles of brinks on the course.  The course was changed in 2019 to ensure runners did not have to endure the same number of miles running on the brink streets.  What’s the big deal?  Most of the brinks are uneven and cause some runners to stumble and makes you slow down to avoid a misstep while on the brinks.  I was happy that Track Shack adjusted the course to protect runners towards a safe race outcome.

    I entered the 2024 OUC Half Marathon without a preset finish time in mind.  I did not complete a specific training program for this race since I was still coming off the Chicago Marathon high.  I ran consistently in November with a 6-mile run during Thanksgiving week being my longest run in the training cycle.  I had multiple 5-mile training runs leading up to race day but did not extend to double digit runs since my fitness levels were still high off the Chicago Marathon training cycle.  I did not know how this would translate to race day, but I was content to give this process a run.  My legs felt fresh so I knew I would complete the half marathon; it was just a matter of how fast I would run on race day.

    Track Shack upgraded the EXPO experience this year and moved it to The Plaza Live.  This was the first year the EXPO was not located at the Track Shack location but provided a larger venue and parking space for race participants.  The bib pickup process was seamless and there were several vendors at the EXPO including local TV stations to promote the race and the impact Track Shack has on the Orlando running community. 

    I was in communication with the Track Shack Vice President of Communications prior to the EXPO and we conducted an interview at the EXPO to highlight my Walk into the Future and how running with Track Shack helps me with content. I’m not sure when this footage will be released but I will share when it drops. 😊

    Fast forward to race day and the temperature was 42 at the start.  I made a Goodwill run the night before to get a throw-away sweatshirt to wear prior to starting the race.  I learned about this trick at larger races and used this concept at the 2024 Chicago Marathon.  Most race organizers collect these items and donate to homeless shelters. This was the best $6.99 investment I have ever made because 42 is cold to stand around without warm clothing.

    I got to the start/finish line in plenty time to warm up and get a few pictures before the race started.  I originally positioned myself towards the back of the starting corral but decided to move up towards the faster runners since I felt good about my fitness and decided to commit to running fast.  I was not sure what fast meant but the weather conditions were favorable to get out fast and maintain the pace.  I did not set a time goal but going out hard and controlled were the main things I wanted to accomplish. 

    Track Shack changed the course again this year to make the race a better experience for all runners.  I did not know the impact of the course change prior to the race but enjoyed running on less bricks this year.  Did I say I hate running on the bricks? 😊

    Fast forward and I ran 2:10:39 (9:53 per mile) this year.  This was my 5th fastest of 37 lifetime half marathons.  I ran my fastest half marathon during the 2019 OUC Marathon (2:05:51 / 9:33 per mile).  Not bad considering my long run since Chicago was 6 miles.  I trained between the two races but did not dedicate time to long distance running.  Looks like my fitness levels still got me around the course.  I was able to finish the last mile of the race with a nice kick and a smile on my face.  FYI—the lack of humidity in the air really is great for runners.  I did not want to waste this opportunity to go fast this year. 😊 Fastest mile was #3 @9:32 and slowest mile was #12 @10:28.

    I got my beer and some pictures in the race village but didn’t hang around as long this year because it was still in the 50s.  I did not have my throw away sweatshirt anymore so I decided to head to my vehicle so I could get back to my hotel and warm up.

    I am happy with my results this year and look forward to a fast 2025 racing season.

    Lining up some new races for 2025 to bring to the Walk into the Future blog. 

    Thanks for joining me!

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

    “Tradition is a guide and not a jailer”.

    (Brainy Quote)

  • Poetic Flow: Living Life

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    Photo by Wallace Chuck on Pexels.com

    The enemy within causes a majority of problems

    Thoughts provoked by fear

    The anger is near

    Constant give and take

    What type of life to make?

    Pulling one way, then the next

    The pendulum of life continues to swing

    What might tomorrow bring?

    Thanks to my Walk into the Future blog readers for a great 2024! I’m looking forward to 2025 being the best blog year yet. Stay tuned for more travel, fun and training articles. Guest bloggers will make a few appearances in 2025 as well! 😊

    Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! See you in 2025!

    Irie!

  • Five-Minute Thursday: 2024 Fitness

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    “The successful warrior is the average man with laser-like focus”.

    (Bruce Lee)

    Let’s give the Five-Minute Thursday writing prompt another run.  I’m starting to love the simplicity of this writing concept and having fun generating content for the Walk into the Future blog.

    My fitness journey primarily chronicles my running program and the tourism opportunities this brings to me throughout the year.  I also write about being goals oriented but, I don’t believe I ever identified one of my 2024 goals was to get to and maintain my body weight at 198 pounds or less. 

    The sixth prompt for Five-Minute Thursday is: 2024 Fitness.

    My normal weight over the past three years was right around 205 pounds.  This was fine as I increased my running program and got a bit more serious with my marathon pursuits.  I completed marathons in 2022 and 2023 with my weight at 205 pounds.  I was able to get the training done but wondered what would happen if I trained AND got my weight down a bit.  I set my weight goal back in January 2024 and put effort to meet and/or exceed the goal this year.

    I started January 2024 at 203 pounds after taking three weeks off from running after my 2023 Garden of Life Marathon in December 2023.  I reevaluated my training program and my diet to determine the adjustments I needed to get my weight down.  Again, I was not looking to lose substantial weight, but I wanted to get down to see how it impacted my daily life and fitness levels.

    I changed my diet and decided to stay out of the drive-through lines more in 2024. Yes, I write about my running program, but my diet has never been the greatest over the years.  Also, it is so easy to hit a drive through after work instead of going home and cooking.  I didn’t eliminate this process completely, but I put a huge dent in making these stops on the way home.  I got more use out of my grill in 2024, and this helped me with better meals throughout the year.   

    I also rededicated myself to following my training programs especially with my 2024 Chicago Marathon 18-week training process.  My goal for this training block was to not miss a session to ensure that I give maximum effort to get ready for the Chicago Marathon.  I only used the exercise bike as a warmup for my runs—this was a bit different from previous cycles. I also adjusted my bedtime to 8:30 pm daily and woke up at 4:30 am to ensure I had time for morning runs before work.  Going to bed at a consistent time helped me get prepared to get up and run in the morning. 

    The 18-week marathon training plan increased my mileage weekly, and I incorporated additional mileage in my training process.  I’m on pace to finish 2024 with over 1,500 training miles which would be 300 miles over my previous maximum running year. 

    Fast forward—I got down to 192.5 pounds on 9/14/2024 and ran the 2024 Chicago Marathon at 197 on 10/13/2024. I’ve consistently met my goal to stay under 198 this year.  My fitness levels are much higher within this weight range.  Fun fact—I have started to order new pants since my old ones don’t fit as well now. 😊

    Not trying to get down more but want to maintain this new level of fitness and keep my weight right around the 195 – 198 range.  My friend Lynn calls me skinny now—not sure I agree but I have a new level of fitness and I’m happy with it. 😊

    What 2024 goal are you proud of accomplishing?

    Irie!

    “The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be”.

    (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

  • Key Largo (Repost)

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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!

  • 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)