Walk Into the Future

Category: Half Marathon

  • 2025 Nashville Half Marathon

    “I love Nashville.  It seems like everywhere you walk; there’s great music coming out of every wall”.

    (Imelda May)

    My Walk into the Future brought me back to one of my favorite cities, Nashville, Tennessee (NashVegas)! 😊

    I always look forward to my yearly pilgrimage to the Music City for the half marathon, live music and great food.  Nashville is my city!

    I added bridge repeats to my training program this year to help me battle the Nashville hills.  This additional training got me ready, like my old training routes in Tallahassee, Florida.  I never imagined how the hill training in Tallahassee prepared me for the half marathon distance.  Yes, I need more hill training in my life!

    The 2025 Nashville Rock N Roll Half Marathon was a battle.  This was not because of the distance or the hills.  I put in extra work to get me mentally and physically ready to rock the half marathon (pun intended).  The battle on race day was because of the unseasonably high humidity.  April temperatures in Nashville rarely get past the mid-60s but our race day started with temperatures in this range and the humidity hung in the air.  Again, the race temperature at the start was fine but the humidity was my primary worry.  Yes, I train in Florida, but the humidity has not been high so far in this training cycle.

    The race is well organized and there are aid stations about every 1.5 miles on the course.  I made a mental and strategic plan to get extra fluids at the aid stations to keep myself hydrated throughout the race.

    I stayed in a new hotel this year.  The Marriott Courtyard West End which was one block over from my normal hotel.  I got a great rate which included parking and breakfast and allowed me faster access to the great restaurants in the West End of Nashville.  I got an early morning flight from Orlando to Nashville so I could hit the race EXPO when it opened and then head over to Broadway for food, beer and music.

    Getting through the EXPO was a breeze!  The Rock N Roll folks know how to throw a race party.  I got my bib, t-shirt and Rock N Roll carry bag and made my way to visit the vendors in the Music City Convention Center.  I didn’t really need anything but always get some food samples and explore clothing options.  I found a funky headband that matched my projected race outfit and tried out some recovery boots—this is always a highlight if there are no long lines.  No, Lauren, I did not buy the high price recovery boots. 😊

    I left the EXPO and walked one block over to Broadway to take in the sights and hear great music.  My first stop was Rippy’s Honkytonk for food, beer and live music.  Rippy’s is a popular spot and has great BBQ.  This is not my typical meal before a race, but the pull pork is outstanding, and I doubled up on the French fries as part of my carb loading process.  I left Rippy’s and made my way to my favorite spot, The Stage.  I love this spot because of the stage configuration and the quality bands that play here.  This is my go-to spot in Nashville. 

    I left The Stage and made my way down to 2nd Ave to check out Luke Comb’s new spot, Category 10.  This is where the old Wildhorse Saloon was located, and I was anxious to see what they did to the place.  The inside of the venue has been upgraded with new floors, light show and sound system.  They also provide line dancing lessons throughout the day.  Yes, Maria, I like line dancing when I’m in Nashville. 😊

    https://www.rippyshonkytonk.com/

    Home

    I didn’t want to stay on my feet too much with a half marathon coming up, so I made my way to the Westend of Nashville and checked into my hotel.  I made a point to get to bed early so I could tackle the Nashville hills in the morning.

    My hotel was only 1 mile away from the race start line, so I walked down Broadway as a warmup.  I was assigned Corral #6 this year which put me close to the elite runners.  I’m not saying I am elite, but I could see them from where I was standing. 😊  I got a nice warmup by walking to the start line and stretched well before getting into the corral.  Getting extra hydration on the course was going to be a needed resource due to the humidity.

    The Rock N Roll series uses rolling starts to ensure runners are safe at the start line.  They release corrals every two minutes, so I didn’t have to wait long to get my start down Broadway.  The first portion of the course on Broadway is downhill before we make a right on 4th Ave and then begin the climb back up towards Music Row.

    My first mile was run in 9:20 which felt pretty good considering runners experience the first major hill climb within the first half mile of the race.  My pace stayed consistent throughout the race with Mile 11 being my slowest at 10:34.  I stuck to my race plan and got fluids at each aid station and made a point to pour water on the back of my head to avoid overheating—this really works. 😊

    I finished Mile 13 with a pace of 10:12 and crossed the Nashville Rock N Roll Half Marathon at 2:12:45 which was 8 minutes faster than 2024 even with the heat and humidity.  Unfun fact—there were several racers who needed medical attention on the course.  This is the only race where I’ve seen runners receiving medical attention.  I’m hoping these runners have speedy recoveries and can get back to running soon.

    The race after party was epic again this year with food trucks, free beer and a concert.  I stayed around a little longer this year to soak in the atmosphere and celebrate a hard-fought race.  I am already looking forward to my return to the 2026 Nashville Rock N Roll Half Marathon.

    What are you looking forward to?

    FYI–part 2 will cover my time on Broadway! 😊

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

    “The half marathon is not a race against others; it’s a race against our own doubts”.

    (Unknown)

  • 2025 Winter Park 10k

    “Every pizza is a personal pizza when you are marathon training”.

    (Unknown)

    My Walk into the Future continues to be centered around being a running tourist.  I love to sign up for races and explore locations and enjoy the sights and sounds of each city. 

    Winter Park, Florida is in my regular running rotation with multiple distances: 5ks and 10ks each year in my running schedule.  The Track Shack headquarters is right down the street and returning to Winter Park for races allows me to visit with my friends at Track Shack and Orlando.  I met the owners on a running trail in Tallahassee, Florida while they were visiting their daughter and grandchildren years ago.  It’s always great to return to check out new merchandise and talk with local runners before the races.

    I ran my first Winter Park 10k back in 2019 and have not missed a race since.  I ran my 10k personal record (PR) of 55:57 (9:00 minutes per mile) back in 2021.  Fun fact—my three fastest 10ks have all been run during the Winter Park 10k.  The course is mostly flat and allows runners to stretch out and go fast.  I think that’s the part I love about this race—I know I will be fast because of the course familiarity and understanding when to push the pace to hit the finish line with a good race time.

    The 2025 Winter Park 10k was the last long race before heading to Nashville for the 2025 Nashville Rock N Roll Half Marathon.  The Winter Park race provides me with a fitness test to determine how much work I still need to accomplish before NashVegas.

    I made my way over to Track Shack the day before the race to pick up my race packet and get settled in my hotel.  I am a creature of habit so try to hit Track Shack before the large crowd arrives.  I like to get some shopping done while I’m in the store and it is better before the crowd arrives. 😊 They didn’t have any new gear in my size, so I just walked around a bit and then headed out to carb load.

    I made my way to the UCF Buffalo Wild Wings to get my fill of wings, potato wedges and beers.  I didn’t need to go overboard with the carbs since this was a 10k—still needed carbs but decided to forego the pasta and use the potato wedges and beer to carb up a bit.

    Headed across the street to my favorite hotel in Oviedo to get off my feet and get prepared for a big race day.  My bedtime comes early when I have a race coming up and I need extra rest to feel fresh—mission accomplished.

    I headed over to Park Avenue in Winter Park with plenty of time to warm up and stretch before the race.  The race village was teeming with runners when I arrived, so I found a spot to stretch without getting run over by folks trying to get to the 2-mile race start line.  I’ve never completed the double race (2-miler and 10k) but a lot of folks like the challenge so they can double up on race medals. 

    I toed the 10k line feeling fresh and wanted to run a good time.  The weather was warmer than last year but there was no humidity in the air.  This normally means a fast time for me regardless of the distance.  Let’s fast forward a bit and I was off my 10k PR by a little over 2 minutes.  This was my fastest 10k since 2021 and I felt good from start to finish.  I was able to cross the finish line with a smile and passed quite a few runners at the end.  I normally zone out the finish line crowds but decided to enjoy hearing total strangers cheer for me.  It was a great day to race!

    I made my way back into the race village to take some pictures and get my ice-cold beer.  Track Shack partners with local nurseries and everyone got a nice plant to take home as a prize.  I collected my potted plant and made my way back to my vehicle.  I dropped off some of my running gear and headed to Croissant Gourmet Bakery for breakfast.  I’ve been to this spot before and decided to treat myself to a great breakfast and do some people watching before heading back to Oviedo.  I highly recommend this spot if you are ever on Park Avenue.

    https://www.croissantgourmet.com/

    Spring break for Indian River State College starts tomorrow and I’m heading back down to Negril, Jamaica for rum, sun and reggae! 😊

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

    “You know you are a runner when you plan vacations around races”.

    (Unknown)

  • Make Every Second Count

    (Photo by Jordan Benton)

    “You may delay, but time will not”.

    (Benjamin Franklin)

    The Walk into the Future blog continues to look for new topics to develop.  Most of the content comes directly from my travels, life adventures and items of interest.  I have reached out to tree branches for thoughts on new blog content and then try to develop their concepts into something I can share with my readers. 

    I had an outstanding conversation with Melissa Forges on my drive over for the 2025 Town of Celebration Half Marathon.  We got a chance to catch up on life and have a few laughs in the process.  Melissa shared three topics of interest and gifted them to me to see if I could develop them into a blog article. Well, here’s my run at her first topic: Make Every Second Count.

    We all understand the concept of time and how our days on earth are numbered.  There’s a finite amount of time we get to live this life, and this is our way to inspire YOU to live more.

    I decided to do a little research to put your time in perspective.  What does time look like?

    • 12 months in a year
    • 365 days in that same year
    • 7 days a week
    • 1,440 minutes in a day
    • 86,400 seconds in a day

    The first three time markers are the most common and talked about in our daily interactions.  Days turn into weeks, months and then years at a faster pace as we get older.  This may be a perception thing, but it feels real to me.  I left home to join the Air Force in 1986 and just celebrated 39 years on this life journey post Jasper, Florida.  We hear time flies, and it seems to become a reality as I get older in this life.

    Let’s dive into the minutes and seconds we each have in a day.  How many of the 1,440 minutes in a day are you doing something to make the world a better place?  What about the 86,400 seconds in a day? 

    I take my role as a tree (mentor) seriously and look to enhance my interactions with my tree branches daily.  I’m not sure I maximize every second of every day, but I put a sincere effort into this process daily.  It’s easy to say I will get something done tomorrow but I don’t want to waste time or effort and ignore today.  Yes, it’s easy for me to write this from the comfort of my keyboard but I will begin to leverage the time concept into my writing as well.  I have new responsibilities at work and there are days when I don’t sit down to work on my writing craft.  I assume I have time to develop topics into blog articles but need to leverage every second available to ensure I have a large library of blog articles to select from.  I normally have seven to eight articles drafted before I publish weekly.  Maximizing every minute and second in the day will get me back to a place where I have a large library to select from again. 

    Making every second count can be leveraged in all aspects of life.  I plan to use this mindset when I start my full marathon training program in June.  The 2025 Atlantic City Marathon is scheduled for October of this year, but I must use my training time smartly.  Lauren, how will you make every second count before we toe the line in Atlantic City? 😊

    How can blog readers who are parents maximize your time with your kids?  Yes, they have busy lives but are you making every second count with them?  Just a question Melissa but remember, this was your topic! LOL

    Have you booked the vacation you have been talking about for the past few years?  Again, time stops for no one—are you making every second count?

    I can add more scenarios but believe you get my point on time. 😊

    One final point.  My grandmother passed away in 2012 and the pastor that delivered her eulogy used the concept of time to inspire the family to live life.  He gave us the 1,440 minutes and 86,400 seconds per day to highlight how my grandmother lived life to the fullest.  His exact words were: She Lived!  He challenged the family to follow in her footsteps and live life.

    I’m still a work in progress but I maximize my time daily.

    So, I challenge my Walk into the Future blog readers to make every second count!

    Melissa, how did I do on your first topic? 😊

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

    “Time moves slowly but passes quickly”.

    (Alice Walker)

  • 2025 Town of Celebration Half Marathon

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

    (Unknown)

    The Walk into the Future blog made a return trip to Celebration, Florida to give the 2025 Town of Celebration Half Marathon a run.  This race has become one of my favorite races on my calendar.  I love the town of Celebration, and the people there put on a great race and after party.  Yes, I call it an after party because the entire town comes out to celebrate (pun intended) with race participants. 😊

    I doubled up on my races in January with the Vero Beach half marathon on the weekend prior to the Town of Celebration race.  The weather is milder in January, and I don’t have to worry about heat and humidity early in the race year. The Vero Beach half marathon has two bridge crossings within the first 5 miles of the race, and this can hamper runners for the rest of the race.  This will be my last year running the Vero race.  I want to explore additional race options in January and may give the 2026 Houston Marathon a run next year instead of the local race.

    The Town of Celebration racecourse is completely flat, and I love this aspect. This is a great component of the race regardless of the temperature.  We had cool weather this year and I had to decide if I was running with layers on or go with my traditional running tank top.  It was 47 degrees at the start of the race, so I decided to dress warmly with multiple layers.  This was a great choice since the temperatures never got much higher than 51 degrees.  Great for running but not for standing around waiting to start the race.

    I lined up at the start line with the intent to leverage the cool weather and improve my time from last year.  My goal was to hit the 2:08 mark for the half marathon with the cool weather and wanted to see how fast I could go.  My fastest time for this race was 2:09:16 back in 2023 and I wanted to see if I could go this fast again.  Well, the short answer for this year is no. I ran 2:14:27 which was a full four minutes faster than my 2024 time.  I’m always happy to go faster in a race than the previous time out and I will take the results from this year.  I struggled a bit in the middle of the race with my legs and had to stretch them out around the 8-mile marker.  This helped me continue to push forward and I got a bit faster in the final 3 miles of the race.  I’m happy with my final kick and completed mile 13 at 10:08 and a huge smile on my face.  The crowd at the finish line was very inspiring and helped me enjoy the final stages of the race.  I grabbed my race medal and took a few finish line photos to document my time in Celebration, Florida.

    The after party was relocated closer to the finish line this year and I headed over to take my eating and drinking tour of the town.  The race participants receive a food card that highlights each of the restaurants present for the event.  You take your food card to each vendor, and they provide a food sample from their restaurant and mark your food card to signify you have been served.  My first stop was at the Michelob Ultra table to get my two beers to get things started.  I ventured to the Mimosa table next to get a sample before hitting the food tables.  Fast forward and I made my way to every table available this year.  The samples were a bit smaller than last year, but the food was delicious, and the atmosphere was outstanding.  I hung around the after party a bit longer this year to soak up the atmosphere and chat with Orlando runners.  I’m thinking I will spend an additional night in Celebration next year so I can just chill after the race and socialize a bit longer.

    My next big race is the 2025 Nashville Half Marathon in April.  I am looking forward to getting back to Nashville and enjoying great live music.  Who’s going to join me in Nash Vegas?

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

    “The person who starts the race is not the same person who finishes the race”.

    (Spectator sign)

  • 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)

  • 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)

  • 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!