Walk Into the Future

Category: Fitness

  • Race for Recovery 5k

    “Life is for participating, not for spectating”.

    (Katherine Switzer)

    The theme lately is training and racing!  Don’t think that is going to stop anytime soon since I have a marathon to get ready for.

    Happy to leverage local races to supplement my training program since running in races is a lot more fun than just training miles.  Discovered 5k’s can be fun again and a great way to warm up my legs prior to my long training runs.  Fun fact, either I am getting faster, or the competition is just letting me run by them—still trying to figure out which.  LOL.

    The latest Walk into the Future race was the Race for Recovery 5k hosted in Port St. Lucie on the Indian River State College Pruitt campus.  I consider this to still be a hometown race since the campus is only about a 20-minute drive from where I live in Fort Pierce.

    It rained the night before and I considered bypassing the 5k but knew I still needed to log weekend miles so took a chance and headed to Port St. Lucie to toe the line again.

    I did not get a chance to pick up my race bib during the week so needed to arrive a bit early so I could get my race swag and prep for the race.  Check-in was painless, and I made my way back to my vehicle to get organize, stretch, and get a quick jog in to loosen my legs.

    There was not a huge turnout for this race but the folks there were friendly and ready to run.  It started to sprinkle a bit, but I was committed to run since I made it to the start line.  Made my way to the start line to ensure I did not get caught up in traffic to start the race.

    I did not have a preset race time or pace in mind but wanted to enjoy the course and get some miles in before heading off for my long run.

    This course starts within the Pruitt campus and then heads out for a 3-mile loop before coming back on-campus for the finish.  It is completely flat, and we never had to cross traffic which is always a good thing.

    I went out with a controlled pace to allow other runners to spread out a bit to avoid bumping into anyone.  I located a runner I knew who normally runs a great pace so decided to use her as my pacer.  That only lasted for about a quarter mile since she was not pushing the pace and I felt like I wanted to go faster.

    Mile-1 was completed in 8:58. Mile-2 went down in 9:17.  Mile-3 clipped by at 9:22.  We got hit with a heavy rain down pour right after the Mile-1 marker so I’m happy with my mile splits.  This is because there is nothing worse than running with water drenched shoes and socks.  My feet felt like I was running with weights around my ankles but wanted to keep pressing forward to see what I could do in these conditions.

    Turned the corner to head towards the finish line and coasted a bit.  The funny part here is the runner I mentioned above who was not running fast enough for me was using me as her pacer.  We crossed the finish line in a dead heat, and she thanked ME for getting her across the finish line. 😊

    Both of us clocked 28:04 and finished first in our respective age groups.  Had a good laugh as we collected our awards and headed our different ways.  I still needed to get in additional miles so headed home to dry off, change my clothes and put on a dry pair of running shoes.

    Got my remaining 11 miles done before relaxing and enjoying the rest of the day.

    The 5k races were done to get me mentally ready for the 2022 Clearwater Rock N Roll Half Marathon.  Found out yesterday this race was cancelled due to Hurricane Ian lurking in the Gulf of Mexico.  Looks like this race is reschedule for October 2023—hope to run this race one of these days.

    May look for another 5k to keep me running fast—we will see.

    What are your running goals for the rest of 2022?

    Irie!

    “Sometimes you just do things”.

    (Scott Jurek)

  • Marathon training – Week #10

    “If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you”.

    (Fred Devito)

    The Walk into the Future blog continues to move towards my first full marathon in December.  I provided a Week #5 training update and promised a follow-up in Week #10.  Well, I’m still training, and the 2022 Palm Beaches Garden of Life Marathon is fast approaching.  I don’t say that with an ominous tone, but a matter-of-fact opportunity is coming up.  It’s exciting and a bit scary at the same time.

    The 18-week training journey I’m on has passed the halfway point.  There are days when my legs feel the full impact of the training journey and others when my legs are completely fresh and ready to run.  I am still learning how to balance the training and recovery phases to improve this process.

    My training plan is designed to build up the mileage base to keep my mind and body adjusting to the opportunity to run and complete a 26.2-mile race.  The body remains willing but there are days when I struggle to mentally prepare for my runs.  I’m balancing full-time work, consulting, writing and an active Walk into the Future.  Not complaining but there are days when I want to hit the snooze button and not get up on a Tuesday for a 5 am run.  Tough life, I know.  LOL.

    Here’s an update of my actual training miles for this portion of the training plan:

    • Week #6: 30.95 miles
    • Week #7:  36.16 miles
    • Week #8:  33.47 miles
    • Week #9:  33.16 miles
    • Week #10:  33.19 miles

    I’m logging the miles and look forward to seeing how this process helps me toe the line and complete the 26.2-mile journey.  I run on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and tackle my long run on Saturdays.  I started incorporating 5k races on Saturdays to jump-start my long runs with some speed work on the front end.  I seem to do better when I have a race or other folks around me so will continue to leverage races within my long runs. 

    My next race is the 2022 Game-On! Run Hutchinson Island Half Marathon in Fort Pierce.  Happy to have a hometown race but this limits my ability to be a running tourist.  A fun fact for this race is the course is run on Seaway and Ocean drives in Fort Pierce—most of my training runs occur on Seaway and Ocean drives in Fort Pierce.  Interested to see how the course is supported by locals on the island—hoping to have a few folks out cheering us on like the larger races I write about—we will see.

    I have leveraged my exercise bike when needed to get some training miles in when it rains or I’m short on time.  I will eliminate this from my training program moving forward since I’m not sure these miles are helping my body prepare for what is coming in December.  It feels good knowing I’m putting in miles but not seeing a direct translation when I’m out doing road work.  Today was a 17-mile training run and I got in 14 which is not bad but not the targeted mileage.  Will have to add another run tomorrow to get the remaining 3 miles in to complete the week.  Yes, runners are a different breed but it’s easier to put miles in now than get to December and not be able to perform or finish. 

    I am building up to my Week #15 20-mile-long run which will be the longest of this training program.  The mileage starts to trend down after Week #15 to reset the legs and ensure they are fresh for race day. 

    I’m still enjoying the process and look forward to seeing how the rest of the training program transforms my mind and body.

    The opportunity is real and I’m ready to Walk into the Future with a huge running finish! 😊

    What are you training for?

    “There are no shortcuts in marathoning, so anyone who is a marathoner has worked hard”.

    (Jeffrey Horowitz)

  • Run to Stop Hunger 5k

    “Running is real and relatively simple…but it ain’t easy”.

    (Mark Will-Weber)

    My Walk into the Future allows me to mix and match my adventures depending on what I am trying to get accomplished.

    I always love the running tourist part of my journey since I get to explore and stay in shape by training.  My big running goal for 2022 is to run and complete my first full marathon in December.  My training program is going well as I am averaging 30+ weekly miles to prepare for the task of running 26.2 miles in Palm Beach.  The 18-week training program allows me some flexibility but a standard in the program is the long run concept each weekend.  The miles increase incrementally each week and I have been dedicated to ensuring I get up on Saturdays to do my part to ensure I am ready for the full marathon.

    Decided to sign-up for local 5ks to improve my speed and warm up prior to going out for my long runs.  The 5k (3.1 miles) distance provides a great opportunity to get out and test my fitness levels, gauge my speed, and have fun. 

    Signed up for the Run to Stop Hunger 5k in Fort Pierce in September.  This was a hometown race, so the running tourist did not get a chance to explore new locales, but I did get to see Fort Pierce in a different context. 

    The race start and finish line was located within Causeway Cove which sits directly on the Indian River in Fort Pierce.  I run by this location weekly but never ventured onto the site to explore everything that is located there.  I see the signs for jet ski rentals when running and always think about going in to rent a jet ski but have not made that happen to date.  Interesting spot with a lot of different activities hosted there:  RV park, drive-in movies on Saturday nights, concerts, food festivals, etc.

    https://causewaycovemarina.wordpress.com/

    Needed to complete 14 total miles so decided to park closer to downtown Fort Pierce and run across the Seaway Drive bridge as a warmup before the 5k.  My goal was to get a 1-mile prerace run in to loosen my legs and give me a springboard to get up to speed during the 5k.  Made my way across the Seaway Drive bridge at a comfortable pace and arrived in Causeway Cove warmed up and ready to go.

    I did not set a time goal for this 5k but wanted to go out faster than I did for the Celebration of Running 5k back in August.  We did not have as many runners for this race so there was not as much traffic to navigate on the course.  The course was completely flat, and we did not have to cross traffic at all.

    It was an out and back race format with the turnaround at the 1.5-mile marker.  It was cool getting a chance to see the leaders heading back towards the finish line—got a chance to gauge how close or far I was from the race leader. 😊

    My first mile was run in 8:40 and I felt comfortable with this pace.  Smiled when I looked at my watch and saw my first mile was well under a 9-minute pace.  The Florida humidity was thick as always, but this did not keep me from maintaining this pace throughout the race—my goal was to get some speed work in so no need to back off at this point.

    I locked in on a couple runners to help pace me the rest of the way after crossing the race midpoint.  I felt the humidity a bit more in the second part of the race but had my music cranking (TI’s Motivation, again) and kept running hard.

    Crossed the finish line at 26:43 for a pace of 8:35. This was my fastest 5k since March 2020 so extremely happy with the results.  This time allowed me to finish second in my age group and collect a medal and age group award.  Got a chance to talk with some local runners while waiting for the awards ceremony—we are a friendly bunch of people.

    Still needed to get in additional miles so left Causeway Cove and ran back over the Seaway Drive bridge to my vehicle.  Got my additional 9 miles completed on Ocean Drive for a total of 14 for the day. 

    Happy with my results and how my legs feel during this preparation phase of training.  Will leverage speed work more as I get closer to my marathon date.

    Happy running folks!

    Irie!

    “As we run, we become”.

    (Amby Burfoot)

  • Melbourne Beach (9/11/2022)

    9_11b

    “Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink wild air”.

    (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

    Took my Walk into the Future on another road trip to my favorite beach location, the Crowne Plaza in Melbourne, Florida.  Yes, I make a point to visit this beach location multiple times throughout the year but there was added emphasis for this trip. 

    September 11th continues to be a day remembered in America due to the events that happened on 9/11/2001.  I will not document the things from that day, but it provides an opportunity for remembrance in this country.

    I was stationed at Kadena Air Base, on the island of Okinawa on 9/11/2001.  I viewed the second plane hit the World Trade Center tower live on TV while on the phone with my mom.  At the time we thought the first was an accident but fully understood the impact once the second plane crashed.

    I was on the phone with my mom halfway around the world because September 11th is my birthday.  She called to wish me a happy birthday and we witnessed the world change at the same time.

    Fast forward to 2022 and I ventured up to Melbourne to celebrate my birthday in a favorite spot and get a beach day in at the same time.

    Started my adventure by heading to Costco to do some bulk shopping and get a few samples.  I love a good deal and always find things I need there.  I stock up on vitamins, Bio Freeze and Salonpas patches which really come in handy with my marathon training program.  Need these things to help with my recovery and get me back out running.

    Next stop was the Patrick Space Force Base Exchange for some tax-free shopping.  Decided it was time to invest in another pair of Brooks GTS Adrenaline 22 running shoes.  I’m routinely clocking 90+ monthly miles now so like to have another pair of running shoes to rotate into my training program.  These shoes come at a reduced price on the base and there is no tax for the purchase. 😊

    Left the base and headed to one of my favorite spots, Squid Lips for lunch.  It is a laid-back spot overlooking the Indian River with great food and daily live music.  Great spot for seafood, cold beer, music, and people watching:   

    https://www.squidlipsgrill.com/melbourne-squid-lips/

    Made my way over to the Crowne Plaza next to relax on the beach and listen to the live band.  Turns out Sunday is the day for reggae so this put a huge smile on my face since I love reggae.  The band and DJ were good and put out an authentic Irie vibe.  The folks under the tiki hut were vibing and enjoying the sounds.

    A highlight of the day was the Sky Dive Melbourne Beach 9/11 tribute event:  http://skydivemelbournebeach.com/?fbclid=IwAR06kj3ItJyenYYDitGXbM8zD-f-NxNUjNF7oiJMWUMs6-ae74B0Ri3OGdE

    It was exciting to see the sky divers make their way down towards the beach.  Had to relocate my beach towel to get out of their landing zone. 😊 It was an impressive display and the crowds on the beach enjoyed cheering the sky divers once they all were down safely.

    Finished my beach day off with wings, fries, and beer under the tiki hut with reggae coming from the band.  Sounds like a perfect day, huh? 😊

    Great way to spend a birthday!

    Irie!

    Where will you spend your next birthday?

    “To escape and sit quietly at the beach—that’s my idea of paradise”.

    (Emilia Wickstead)

  • Marathon training – Week 5

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    “Of all the races, there is not better stage for heroism than a marathon”.

    (George Sheehan)

    The Walk into the Future blog is based on exploring opportunities, adventures and then sharing them with my readers.

    I have tapped danced around the concept to run a full marathon for a few years now.  Well, no more tap dancing, I am fully engaged in the marathon training process and just completed Week 5 of an 18-week training program.

    My targeted race is the 2022 Palm Beaches Garden of Life Marathon in West Palm Beach, Florida.  Wanted to pick a race that was close to home and with a flat course—check and check.  I have friends who have run this marathon and they say it provides the perfect course, backdrop, and time of the year to tackle the 26.2 miles.  Excited and terrified at the same time but my training program will get me to the start line and beyond. 😊

    MAIN

    I selected the 18-week training program to allow myself time to prepare for this major life event mentally and physically.  There are multiple training plans available (12-weeks, 16-weeks, etc.) but I went for the longer plan to ensure I had time to train with a buffer.

    This training plan starts out with lower mileage than most people would think of considering this is preparation for a marathon.  The following are the total weekly miles in the plan:

    • Week #1: 19 miles
    • Week #2:  20 miles
    • Week #3:  17 miles
    • Week #4:  23 miles
    • Week #5:  24 miles

    Again, the training plan is building up base mileage, but I exceeded the prescribed miles each week so far since I have been training for half-marathons throughout 2022.  I did not go over the prescribed miles by much but wanted to ensure I put in the work to lead to a successful and enjoyable marathon in December.

    My plan calls for incremental mileage increases as I prepare my mind and body for the challenge of completing a 26.2-mile race in December.  I complete my long runs on Saturdays with my longest run of 20-miles coming in Week #15.  I complete my long runs in Fort Pierce on Hutchinson Island where I do not have an issue of crossing traffic.  It’s the same route I run to prepare for my half marathons, but I am discovering unique points of interests on the route as I run out further due to my increased mileage.  My long runs are completed at a slower pace to ensure I can start and finish—this is recommended for all long runs.

    I just invested in a running hydration vest so I can carry water with me as I extend my runs.  Hydration is vitally important considering I am running in the August heat and humidity in Florida. 

    Resized_20220904_114135

    (Hydration vest)

    Looking forward to seeing how the hydration vest enhances my training as I continue to prep for the 2022 Palm Beaches Garden of Life Marathon.

    FYI—the next update will come in Week #10 of the training program.

    Irie

    “When you run a marathon, you run against the distance, not against the other runners and not against the time”.

    (Haile Gebrselassie)

  • 2022 Running Season

    Track Shack1

    “Running teaches us that we are capable of so much more than we ever imagined”.

    (Patti Sue Plumer)

    The 2022 running season started for me with the 2022 Track Shack Celebration of Running 5k in August.  I have run this event multiple times and view it as a great way to launch my running season and test my fitness levels prior to the half marathon schedule.  An added angle for me this year is this event allows me to combine the 5k miles within my long run for the weekend.

    I officially started my training program two weeks ago to prepare for my first full marathon on 12/11/2022.  My program calls for a long run on Saturdays so used these 5k miles as a warmup and then got down to the longer portion of my run while I was in the Orlando area.

    Traveled to Orlando on Friday after work this year with designs to pick up my race bib and t-shirt prior to the race on Saturday morning.  I had enough Marriott Bonvoy points for a free night so took advantage of this and stayed at my favorite Marriott property in Oviedo, Florida.  There were locations a bit closer to the race sight, but I planned to leverage the trails in Oviedo so decided to just stay there and drive a bit for race day.

    August in Florida is hot and humid, but the weather was a bit cooler this year.  I was not ready for the humidity in 2021 but my new training focus has me running several days per week and acclimating to the heat a lot better than last year.

    Made my way to the Orlando Science Center on race day to get my bib and allow time to warmup before the race.   There were a lot more runners this year as people are starting to come back and enjoy the running communities again.  I got a chance to catch up with a few runners I have known for years and made sure my legs were ready to move me around the course.  I completed several rounds of stretches, lunges, and hip swings to bring everything into alignment to avoid injuries while running.

    Track Shack allows runners to self-identify their projected pace at the start line, so this makes the start of races interesting to say the least.  I say interesting because you will have people who plan to walk the 5k at the very front and this creates traffic faster runners must maneuver through.  It also causes folks to bump into each other, but no one got hurt this year, but it is a weird dynamic.  I always line up in the 8 minute per mile group with the intention of using that pace as a guide for my race plans—sometimes it works. 😊

    My marathon training so far has focused on building up my base miles, so I have not done much speed work.  I race at a faster pace than I train so know I can speed up on race day—it’s just a matter of determining how fast I can go based on how my body feels and the conditions.

    Decided not to focus on a specific time but to run as fast and safely as possible.  Wanted to enjoy the course, the process and just being back around the Orlando running community.  There were several folks I followed as pacers and this race was a lot of fun for me this year.

    My time was 29:35 which is a 9:31 per minute pace—not superfast or slow, just steady for me.

    • Mile 1 = 9:17
    • Mile 2 = 9:45
    • Mile 3 = 9:37
    • Mile .1 = :58

    I was able to finish the final portion of the race with a sprint to the finish line and felt good—I had another gear but did not fully engage for the race.  I collected my medal, got water, fruit and my complimentary beer—yes, we drink beer at 8 am.  I got a few pictures in the race village to document the day and prepared for the next phase of my training program.

    I left the Orlando Science Center and drove over to Oviedo to take advantage of the Cross Seminole Trail again. 

    The trail provided a great and shaded place to complete the next 6 miles of my weekend training plan.  I parked in downtown Oviedo and walked over to the trail to begin the journey towards 9 total miles for the day.

    The Cross Seminole Trail is professionally maintained and is used by walkers, runners, bicyclist, and skaters.  The people I encountered all had smiles on their faces and greeted me.  It was great being back on a trail with folks again.  My runs in Fort Pierce are done mostly on sidewalks and there is not a lot of folks to interact with—not complaining just stating facts.

    My goal on the Cross Seminole Trail was to run out for 3 miles, regroup and then come back for a total of 6 miles on the trail.  Mission complete.  Most of the trail run was uneventful but at one point there was a truck parked in the street blocking a portion of the trail.  I did not understand why the truck was there but quickly discovered the driver’s pit-bull got out of the truck somehow and was roaming the trail.  The driver was trying to get his dog back into the vehicle, but the dog was not ready to go yet.  This caused a bit of a scare to folks on the trail, but the dog was just excited and happy to be out and about.  It started to run with me on the trail, so I stopped and turned around to lead it back to the owner.  Never imagined my long run would include me directing a dog back to an owner—fun day! 😊

    Completed my run with no problems and made my way back to my vehicle so I could get out of my sweaty clothing.  Made my way back to the hotel and then got lunch at Bahama Breeze which is one of my favorite places to eat.  Got some quick shopping in at Dick’s Sporting Goods and then got on the road to head back to Fort Pierce.

    This was a quick trip over to Orlando for the 5k but eventful.  I will leverage my 5k efforts into my training program to continue to get faster and mentally ready for my full marathon in December.

    Irie!

    https://www.osc.org/

    https://www.seminolecountyfl.gov/departments-services/leisure-services/greenways-natural-lands/trails/cross-seminole-trail.stml#

    “When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you’ll be successful”.

    (Eric Thomas)

  • Hard Ax Lounge

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    “Everything goes great with some axe throwing”.

    (Instagram)

    The Walk into the Future blog allows me to capture my thoughts, adventures and, plans in a way that I can share with my readers.

    Never sought out a venue to capture everything but this blog provides an opportunity to highlight things I do to continue to Walk into the Future.

    My new adventure was a trip to the Hard Ax Lounge in Fort Pierce for a round of ax throwing.  This was my second time in the Hard Ax Lounge—several of us from work made it to the lounge in December for a teambuilding activity.  It was the same day as our ugly sweater party, and I never got around to capturing my thoughts on the original outing.

    Turns out I picked up ax throwing fast as I was the ax throwing champion for our group back in December.  Never imagined I would be good at throwing an ax but maybe my small-town upbringing in Jasper, Florida translated to becoming an ax man. 😊

    Made my way back for round two with a smaller group of friends on a lazy Sunday afternoon.  I did not have preconceived ideas that my first ax throwing adventure would translate to this session.  Everyone must go through the safety training—ax throwing can be dangerous, and it helped to get pointers from the ax experts that work there.

    There are different ax sizes, and each ax performs a bit different from the next.  The instructors show all participants how to hold and throw the axes based on size and weight.  They offer everyone an opportunity to throw each ax to get a better feel for which ax works best.  I had a lot of success with the smallest ax during my first experience so decided to stick with what worked best for me in the past.

    The first part of the throwing session is just getting familiar with throwing the ax and working on form and aim.  The concept is like throwing darts, but the ax does a lot more damage when it hits the target.  We went through several rounds of practice before the ax experts introduced the ax throwing competition into the session.

    The ax board is numbered, and scores are based on the number your ax sticks to (8, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1).  The first game introduced was a game of 21.  You throw with the idea of hitting numbers that add up to 21 to be crowned the winner.  If your throw total goes OVER 21 then you go back down to 12 and throw again with the intent to end up on 21.  Pretty simple, huh?

    Throws are rotated between everyone on your lane, so everyone gets a turn in the rotation towards 21. 

    My throwing technique is very basic.  I grab the small ax, position myself on the lane and then let it fly—not rocket science but I try not to overthink this simple process.

    Fast forward and my throws got me close to 21 multiple times, but I had to go back to 12 since I kept going over.  Luckily for me, others throwing on my lane could not take advantage of me having to go back to 12 and win the game.  We played three rounds, and I was able to win 2 out of 3 rounds and leave as the ax throwing champion for the day.  FYI—double champion!

    Ax throwing is a fast-growing sport, and it continues to get bigger in the Fort Pierce area.  I’m sure this is not the last ax win for the Walk into the Future blog.

    https://hardaxelounge.com/

    Have you ever competed in ax throwing?

    “Throw your axe and have some fun”.

    (Instagram)

  • Wilmington, Delaware

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    “Adventure is worthwhile in itself”.

    (Global Castaway)

    Dictionary.com defines adventure as an unusual and exciting, experience or activity.

    Well, my Walk into the Future provides plenty of opportunities for me to live out adventures.

    I wrote about my journey to Atlantic City, New Jersey for the 2022 Atlantic City Rock N Roll Half Marathon and time spent with my friend Lauren Apgar.

    I also wrote in an earlier post about my refrigerator magnet collection and how I make sure to get one from new locations.  My time in the Air Force gave me the travel bug and I have visited 37 states so far.  I review my list yearly to identify how/when I can visit a state I have never been to so I can cross it off my list.

    Where I’m I headed with this?  Great question!

    Delaware is about 85 miles from Atlantic City, and you are correct, I had never been to Delaware.  I did not know if I would ever be back in this area so decided to venture over to Delaware to explore a bit and then get my refrigerator magnet.  My original reason for being in this area was to run another half marathon but decided to take advantage of the proximity to Delaware and get a visit in so I could cross the state off my list.

    Made my way back to the hotel after all the half marathon activities and breakfast with Lauren and Reese.  Needed to get some rest and get off my feet for a little bit and recharge myself for the next adventure.

    I double checked the distance to Wilmington, Delaware one more time to determine if this was an adventure I really wanted to take on.  I needed to visit Delaware to add to my states visited list so did some leg stretches, grabbed some water, and got in my rental car to head west towards Delaware—my magnet and adventure awaited. 😊

    The route from Atlantic City to Wilmington was a straight shot but needed to drive through Philadelphia to get to Wilmington.  Took the Atlantic City Expressway West from Egg Harbour, New Jersey.  This route took me directly through Philadelphia and I got a chance to see downtown Philly from a fantastic vantage point. 

    The Walt Whitman Bridge is a suspension bridge across the Delaware River and leads directly across the state line.  The views of downtown Philly while driving on the bridge were great.  Wished I had the ability to get a few pictures from this vantage point, but I was driving.  You will have to take my word for how spectacular the views are OR visit Philly yourself and drive across the Walt Whitman Bridge. 😊

    Traffic was not too bad as I made my way through Philly and then ventured a bit south towards Delaware.  I leveraged Google Maps to get me to my destination and had no trouble getting into Wilmington.

    I did not have a set adventure in mind but wanted to explore a bit since I made the drive over.  Followed Google map directions towards downtown Wilmington to get a better view of the city.  The only thing I knew about Wilmington is Joe Biden has a residence there but had no interest in finding this.  Drove around downtown a bit and discovered some pretty rough neighborhoods in the city.  Never thought of Wilmington having an inner city look/feel but it does—lesson learned.

    Decided to find a spot where I could collect my refrigerator magnet and then head back to meet Lauren and Reese for dinner.  Found a shopping plaza with multiple stores and ventured into a Hallmark store to search for Delaware souvenirs.  Told the salesperson what I was looking for and she directed me to the rack with Delaware swag.  She asked if I was interested in the Biden residence and seemed shocked when I said no.   Guess visiting the residence is a big thing when people visit Wilmington—magnets are a bigger deal for me! 😊

    Got my magnets and headed back towards Atlantic City.  Made good time and was able to meet Lauren and Reese for dinner on our last night in the area. 

    Happy I could get over to Delaware to add to my list of states visited and collect my magnet.  I have already signed up for the 2023 Atlantic City Rock N Roll Half Marathon so I will be back in the area next year.  I have no need to visit Wilmington again. 😊

    What adventures do you have lined up for the rest of 2022?

    Irie!

    “Do more than just exist”.

    (Pinterest)

    FYI—the 2023 Atlantic City Rock N Roll Half Marathon has been cancelled.  The Rock N Roll folks decided not to continue to host the race.  Luckily, I made it to Atlantic City in 2022.

  • 2022 Rock N Roll Atlantic City

    AC EXPO4

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

    (Mo Farrah)

    The 2022 Atlantic City Rock N Roll Half Marathon has been in focus for me for the entire year.  I targeted this race since I have never run there before, and the course was described as completely flat.  I wanted to visit the famed boardwalk and see how my training translated to the course.

    Another exciting aspect of running this race was the opportunity to see my tree branch, Lauren Apgar again.  Lauren has been a tree branch since our time in the Florida State University’s Career Center.  We were able to connect during the 2019 Philadelphia Rock N Roll Half Marathon and I have not seen her since due to COVID-19.  Atlantic City provided an opportunity for us to reconnect and for me to finally meet Reese, her boyfriend.

    I signed up for the 2022 Atlantic City Rock N Roll Half Marathon back in June 2021 so had this destination on the running tourist calendar for a while. 

    I normally fly on Southwest Airlines, but they do not have flights directly into Atlantic City.  Flying Southwest Airlines required me to fly into Philadelphia and then drive an hour plus over to Atlantic City.   Took a chance and viewed flight options on Expedia and discovered direct flights on Spirit Airlines to Atlantic City from Orlando.  The price point for the roundtrip flight was less than a one-way ticket to Philly on Southwest Airlines so Spirit became my airline of choice for this trip.  I did not know much about Spirit, but the experience was great for me start to finish.

    I flew into Atlantic City on Friday with designs to get use to the area and catch up with Lauren prior to the race on Sunday.  My hotel was in Egg Harbor Township which is only 8 miles away from the famed Atlantic City board walk and race start line.  Note: I will stay much closer in 2023.

    Met Lauren and Reese at Chickie’s and Pete’s which is a local sports bar in the area.  Lauren picked this location for us to help with the carb loading process and catch up for missed time.  It was great to sit with her and talk about family, friends, and professional growth.  The three of us were able to enjoy some good food, beer, and the reunion.

    AC Lauren Reese

    Egg Harbor

    This was Lauren’s first Rock N Roll race experience so wanted to make sure she got the most out of the experience.  We agreed to meet at the Atlantic City Convention Center for the EXPO the next morning.  I was surprised to see outlet stores downtown as I drove into the heart of the city.  I knew there would be casinos, but the outlet stores put a smile on my face since I love shopping outlets.

    Lauren, Reese, and I entered the EXPO to check in for the race and visit with the vendors.  We were able to navigate the check-in process and make our way to the vendors to check out new equipment, gadgets, and nutritional products.

    The first vendor we encountered provided free sessions using the NORMATEK leg compression sleeves.  We were able to plug in and enjoy the technology to increase blood flow and relax before race day.  The 20-minute session was a highlight of the EXPO—I will have to research these sleeves more and invest in a set soon since my running program is ramping up for the Fall 2022 race season.

    AC EXPO1

    We made our way through the EXPO, and I got additional CEP leg compression sleeves.  Decided this new color pattern would be a good addition to my collection. 

    A new feature for this EXPO was gaming tables that were setup to allow participants to try blackjack, roulette, and craps games.  Race participants received a $100 coupon to play during the EXPO and we made our way to the roulette table.  My favorite number is 15 so played that continually while at the roulette table.  I was able to hit 15 once which pays 36 to 1 odds.  I was excited to add chips to my growing stack.  A few others won as well, and this is where it got interesting.  We all assumed we were playing for prizes (water bottle, towel, etc.) but the dealer let us know we were just playing for fun.  Most of us went all in with our chips after discovering we were playing just to say we were playing—no money, no prizes, and no glory.  😊

    Left the roulette table and got some energy gels before heading out for lunch.

    Got the customary EXPO shots most of you expect:

    AC EXPO2

    Made our way to Wingcraft Kitchen and Beer Bar for lunch.  This restaurant was conveniently across the street from the Convention Center.  They have a very nice menu but settled on wings, fries, and beer to continue the carb loading process.  Hit the Nike and Gap outlet stores after lunch to pick up some sales before heading back to the hotel for a quick nap.

    Had a pasta dinner at Jerry Longo’s which is inside Bally’s casino.  Headed back to the hotel to rest up for the big race.

    The forecast called for rain and fog most of the weekend and it was spot on.  Woke up on race day to thick fog which equals a certain level of humidity.  The temperature was in the mid-50s when I woke up, but the fog made it feels a bit warmer—not Florida warm but not exactly what I envisioned for New Jersey in April.

    I was able to park and catch the shuttle bus to the start line with minimal issues and met Lauren at the start line prior.  Lauren told me on Friday she planned to run with me, and we began to work on our race strategy.  I told her my normal routine of running water stop to water stop and to take on fuel throughout the race.  This also helps mentally break the half marathon distance into chunks instead of viewing it as one long race.

    My plan was to run a smart tactical race and get us to the finish line while enjoying the process of racing.  Mission accomplished!

    Lauren and I ran the entire race together.  I am extremely proud of her effort and perseverance during the race.  She was able to set a Personal Record (PR) and took two full minutes off her best time.  We crossed the finish line together, but she officially beat me by three seconds based on official times—congrats my friend!

    Our race splits are below:

    Mile 1:  9:28 / Mile 2: 9:35 / Mile 3: 9:26 / Mile 4: 9:52 / Mile 5: 9:32 / Mile 6: 10:29 / Mile 7: 10:10 / Mile 8:  9:53 / Mile 9: 11:14 / Mile 10: 10:59 / Mile 11: 10:48 / Mile 12: 11:33 / Mile 13: 10:38 / Mile 14: 1:56

    We celebrated with pictures, beer, and breakfast on the board walk! This was a great course, EXPO, and race experience—so good, I have already signed up for the 2023 race.

    I plan to stay closer to the boardwalk next year so I can enjoy the entertainment and shopping more.  Looks like Lauren will be coming back as well so we can get her another PR! 😊

    Well done, Lauren!

    Irie!

    “The man who moves mountains begins by carrying small stones”.

    (Confucius)

  • 2022 Nashville Rock N Roll Half Marathon

    Nash Expo2

    “A half marathon is just a 5k with a 10-mile warmup”.

    (Pinterest)

    My Walk into the Future led me back to Nashville for the 2022 Nashville Rock N Roll Half Marathon.  I have run this race 4 times prior but did not get a chance to run in 2020 or 2021 due to COVID-19.

    My original race registration from 2020 rolled over twice to this year and I was thrilled to return to one of my favorite cities to run, explore and enjoy live music again.

    Nashville did not disappoint!

    The weather was projected to be hot this year and it was.  Nashville normally is still cool in April but this year the high on race day was 85 degrees which is 20 degrees higher than normal.  This impacts all runners, so the race organizers sent out messaging for runners to take extra precautions (dress with light clothing, drink plenty water, consider slowing the pace, etc.).  The weather was like the 2017 race and most runners felt the difference with the heat and the hilly course that Nashville is famous for.

    I did not enter this race with a projected finish time in mind due to the weather and the hills.  I have run one of my fastest half marathons on this course in 2019 when the weather was much cooler–the weather was not favorable for this year.  Training on the hills in Tallahassee helped as well. 😊

    Decided to capture my time in Nashville with pictures instead of giving you a complete recap of the race—most of my readers are used to a full recap.

    Here is the cliff notes version for the race:  I ran 13.2 miles, there were hills, it was hot, I earned a medal, and they gave me beer at the end.  Yep, it was worth every second.

    EXPO

    Nash Expo1

    (Got my race bib and packet)

    (Scenes from the EXPO at Music Center)

    Wild Horse Saloon

    (Time at the Wild Horse Saloon / Line Dancing)

    Race Day

    Nash Race day4

    (New compression sleeves for the 2022 Nashville Half Marathon)

    Nash Race day5

    (2022 Nashville Half Marathon start line)

    (Scenes before the start of the race, downtown Nashville)

    Broadway

    (Rooftop bars on Broadway)

    After race

    (Ice for my legs after running the Nashville hills)

    Saturday

    (Venues = Luke Bryan’s, Whiskey Row, The Stage, Tequila Cowboy, Lucky Bastard)

    Sunday

    (Last day in Nashville! Broadway, Union Station Hotel, The Stage (again), Wild Horse Saloon (again), Lucky Bastard and The Parthenon)

    Two new restaurants I recommend on the West End of Nashville are the Midtown Café and The Row Kitchen and Pub.  The Midtown Café is a great place to get a hearty breakfast.  The Row Kitchen and Pub has a large menu but recommend getting the catfish dinner if you are ever in Nashville—it is worth the wait!

    https://www.midtowncafe.com/

    https://www.therownashville.com/menus/#dinner

    The weather and hills did not stop me from enjoying my time in Nashville.  I am already planning my return next year for the 2023 Nashville Rock N Roll Half Marathon—I registered for the event as soon as I returned home.  😊

    Who is joining me in Nashville?

    Irie!

    “Congratulations on finishing your half marathon!  Good luck walking tomorrow!

    (Pinterest)