Walk Into the Future

Category: Travel

Articles on travel.

  • 2022 National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Conference

    NACE2022

    The 2022 NACE Conference was held in Portland, Oregon this year.  This was our first in-person conference since 2019 and there was a lot of excited and anxious people in attendance.  Safety protocols were taken to keep us safe, but you can never truly feel safe with over 1,700 people in attendance.

    I have been a member of NACE for the past 15 years and have continued to look for ways to expand my role within the organization.  I have served in multiple roles which have allowed me to grow a network with professionals across the world.

    I am currently finishing up my role as a Co-Chair for the Mentorship Enhancement Task Force.  I received a phone call from the incoming NACE President in July 2021 to talk about the task force and the importance he placed on mentorship.  He asked me to Co-Chair this critical task force and work to revamp the program and increase awareness/participation for NACE members.

    Fast forward to the NACE conference in Portland and my task force was provided a session to discuss the work we have been doing for the past 12 months and highlight the improvements we recommend to the Board of Directors.

    I have attended past NACE conferences in Anaheim, Chicago, New Orleans, Dallas, and Orlando but this was my first opportunity to present to my colleagues.  We were given a prime slot on the second day of the conference to present our work and recruit new mentors into the program. 

    My Co-Chair who is based out of St. Louis, Missouri and I spent multiple Microsoft Teams virtual sessions going over the presentation format, slides, and flow.  We decided to give a big overview of the program changes and then jump into a panel discussion with current NACE mentors and mentees to get their perspective on the impact of mentoring for each of them.

    We soon discovered the NACE conference committee booked our session in the LARGEST room at the event.  We had no preconceived perspective on how many people would attend our session, but we did not imagine we could fill every seat in this large space.  NOTE—we did not get close to filling all seats. 😊

    No worries!  We had a very good crowd, and the folks were able to get a more personal touch from my co-chair and I.  These folks were able to ask the panelist questions and we had on the spot sign-ups for new mentors and mentees.

    We shared the work of the task force and identified our strategies and marketing plans to create a world class mentoring program.

    The new program will have 3 mentoring layers:

    • 1 on 1 mentoring (traditional)
    • Reverse mentoring (new)
    • Mentoring Circles (new)

    Mentoring research identifies Reverse mentoring and Mentoring Circles are unique ways to increase mentoring awareness and participation.  We discussed the benefits of each mentoring model and introduced the software we recommended to match mentors with mentees.  The current matching process is manual and does not consider the demographics of the mentor or mentee.  This software matching process was a big hit with the NACE board and folks in attendance during our session.

    The marketing plan will utilize all social media platforms and the NACE website to promote the changes and encourage NACE members to join the program. 

    I was excited to see the NACE President, David Ong in attendance during our session.  This was his pet project for the year, and he was extremely happy with our progress and excited to roll out the new program to the general membership.

    David gave us a by-name shoutout during the general session late that day to thank us for the work we put in over the year.  This was the highlight of the conference for me and got more members wanting to discuss the mentoring program and to sign up.  I walked around with sign-up sheets for the rest of the conference and got many mentors and mentees signed up.

    My official Co-Chair role ends on 7/15/2022 but we still must complete one more project before our term ends.  I have decided to take a year off from serving on another NACE committee or task force.  This was my second national commitment to the career field in the past two years—time to take a small break and concentrate on my local duties. 

    I plan to get back into the national work of our career field in 2023 by either serving on another committee/task force or taking a larger step up to become a NACE Board Member.  This would provide me with additional leverage within the career field as we set policy to keep us relevant.

    Yes, I’m still dreaming big! 😊

    My 2023 conference travel plans will be less than this year.  The 2023 conference will be held in Lake Buena Vista (Disney World) so I do not have to endure another 7 hours of traveling.  My travel time over to Disney World will be just over an hour and I don’t have to worry about flight layovers in Salt Lake City or Minneapolis. 

    Look forward to getting the band back together next year.

    Irie!    

  • Austin, Texas

    Austin NISOD

    “To me, Texas is Austin, a bunch of cool people trying to make a difference”.

    (Bill Hicks)

    My Walk into the Future journey allowed me to venture to Austin, Texas in June to attend the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) annual conference.

    The National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD)

    I was nominated for an Excellence in Leadership award by my institution and my trip to Austin was needed to get recognized and receive the award.  An expense paid trip to Austin was a welcomed addition to the Walk into the Future adventures.

    I visited Austin multiple times when I lived in Texas during my time in the Air Force.  My first assignment was at Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth.  I returned to Texas a few years later for an assignment at Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio.  I always loved to explore and made multiple visits to Austin for football games, track meets and to just take in the music scene while stationed in Texas.  Never imagined I would be back in the city for a leadership conference decades later but that’s the catalyst for this latest adventure.

    I did not know much about NISOD but quickly discovered this is a huge organization within the 2-year college space.  My institution has been a member for years and supports the overall mission of NISOD. 

    The annual conference is held at the JW Marriott in downtown Austin.  This location put conference attendees in the middle of a great environment for culture, food, music, and sightseeing.  Yes, I made a point to exploit each of these opportunities.

    The hotel was within walking distance to the state capitol, The University of Texas, Congress Avenue Bridge, restaurants, and music.  Austin is designed to be a walkable city and has an impressive bike/scooter street setup.  A lot of the residents and visitors in downtown Austin jump on electric scooters to get around town.  I did not jump on a scooter but leveraged walking to different Austin venues.

    Cooper’s Old Time Pit BBQ was a frequent stop for me on this trip.  I received recommendations prior to arriving for this BBQ joint and it was only steps away from the hotel.  I made this my first stop in Austin and the food was as good as advertised.  The setup is designed for customers to select their meat order which is sliced when ordered.  You follow-up with premade side dishes (potato salad, green beans, etc.) and deserts as needed.  Meat portions are huge and surprises most people when ordering.  I tried multiple selections over my time in Austin but highly recommend the smoke sausage—very good.

    http://coopersbbqaustin.com/

    Made a few trips over to the 6th Street music venues to listen to live music and experience the Austin music scene.  Got a chance to hear a few local bands that were good.  This Austin music scene is different than Nashville—there are multiple places to listen to music but it’s not as vast as what Nashville has to offer.  The venues were a lot smaller too, so the atmosphere was more laid back as well. 

    The Texas State capitol was about a mile from the hotel and was easy to reach even with the high Texas temperatures.  Decided to venture down to get a few pictures on the capitol grounds and experience the monuments.  Explored the grounds and marveled at the architecture of the capitol building.  Got a chance to view the monument dedicated to black Texas history and some of the important black pioneers.

    (more…)

  • 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)

  • Poetic Flow / What Did I See?

    Poetry May 2022

    (Image by rose-de-velours from Pixabay) 

    What did I see?

    When I looked over the horizon

    And tried to see my future

    The future said everything will go well

    You just need to find you way

    Understand the pursuit of happiness

    And begin your journey today

    Don’t waste your time

    Running around without a sense of direction

    Chose your path

    Live your life

    And walk into the future

     

  • My 2022 reading progress

    Reading list

    (Books I’m reading now)

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

    (Garrison Keillor)

    I start each year with a measured set of goals.  Reading and writing are two areas I focus on for my goals.

    These are the areas where I find a ton of joy daily along with my running program.  My 2022 reading and writing goals are below:

    • Read bible daily / Proverbs, Matthew, and other areas for better understanding
      • Read 2 books monthly
    • Write daily (poems, journal, BLOG articles, LinkedIn posts monthly)
      • Publish Authentic Leadership eBook (April 2022)

    So, this is where I update you on my progress. 

    I discovered the book The Richest Man Who Ever Lived by Steven K. Scott 15 years ago and adopted an aspect from the book into my daily life.  The book highlights the benefits of Proverbs and how King Solomon identified secrets to success, wealth, and happiness.  I originally read the book thinking it would TELL me how to become rich financially which did not happen.

    I read the book and did not understand the lessons the author was trying to relay to the readers.  I dismissed it as an attempt to get people to read the book because of the catchy title.  Luckily for me I decided to go back and read the book multiple times and followed the directions provided to see where they would lead. 

    I adopted the practice of reading Proverbs daily because of the wisdom (secrets to success, wealth, and happiness) this book provides to readers.  I have been a daily Proverbs reader for over 15 years now and continue to discover new wisdom insights.  Decided to add other books in the bible to my daily reading program in 2022.  This is the reading goal I continue to meet and/or exceed so far this year.

    Now, let’s talk about my goal to read 2 books each month.  I started the year off with a bang and was able to handle my book goal in January and February.  I started to go downhill with my reading program in March.  I added more racing and training to my routine to get prepared for multiple half marathons but that’s not the real reason my reading has been slacking. 

    I have not done a great job of identifying book topics/titles that keep my attention.  I big part of reading for me is an interest in the topic/title and the author.  I started grabbing books off Amazon based on recommendations but some of the books did not have a true flow and caused me to become a slower reader than normal.  No excuses but it is taking me longer to digest and get through the books I have selected.  I’m averaging a book a month but need to increase my pace or make the time to read these books.  There is still a lot of 2022 left to get more books read but I may not average 2 books each month.

    My writing program remains strong, and I am happy with my progress in 2022.  The blog articles keep me searching for new adventures and ideas, but I am happy with my ability to create content.  It helps that a lot of my life revolves around traveling, running and the beach.  I am sure I will continue to have content to turn into another Walk into the Future blog article. 😊

    I have published multiple articles and posts on LinkedIn so that is another goal win.  I continue to look for ways to network and connect with a larger audience.  LinkedIn has allowed me to attract readers to my blog and share my adventures and leadership thoughts.  I will use LinkedIn to build my leadership audience so I can get back to conducting Authentic Leadership workshops for organizations looking to improve/grow.

    I have rolled my publishing a leadership eBook into 2022.  I have the content for the eBook but need to get busy with cover art and putting the content into publication.  I will use the summer months to finalize the content and work to get cover art so I can get the eBook to market.  It’s coming—I promise! 😊

    Still got work to do but I am making progress towards my 2022 reading and writing goals.

    How are you doing with your 2022 goals!  I welcome your thoughts—thanks!

    Irie!

    “Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body”.

    (Joseph Addison)

  • 1000 North Jupiter, Florida

    1000 North

    “The smell of the ocean never gets old”.

    (Pinterest)

    I am always searching for new adventures and ways to leverage my Walk into the Future journey.

    Most of my Florida exploits are centered around me heading north to familiar locations:  Jasper, Jacksonville, Orlando, Melbourne, and Tallahassee.  I have never been a huge south Florida fan, so it never crosses my mind to explore locations down there except when outlet malls are involved.  I love outlet malls! 😊

    Decided to get out of my travel comfort zone and venture south to explore Jupiter, Florida last weekend.  I always heard great things about Jupiter but never made a true effort to visit the area to see what it truly had to offer.  The reports about this area are all true; the city of Jupiter and the beaches are well worth a trip down there.

    Google maps identified Jupiter was only a 58-minute drive down I-95 from Fort Pierce, so it is extremely close to me so no real excuses for never going there.  Got up early on Saturday morning with the intent of driving down and enjoying a day of dining, sightseeing, and walking on the beach.  Mission accomplished on all phases of my plan.

    1000 North

    A good friend in south Florida recommended the 1000 North restaurant as a place to get some great food, people watch and catch nice water views.  I never heard about this place, but it turns out to be a very popular spot in Jupiter.  It has a diverse ownership group that includes Michael Jordan and several other well-known professional athletes.  Did not know this fact until I got there and saw the setup.  Nothing over the top but they only have complimentary valet parking—a nice feature but not something I am used to.

    There are multiple dining areas to include a members only private dining room.  I stayed downstairs with the regular folks and got a seat outside with a great view of the marina.  The atmosphere was fantastic and got an opportunity to people watch.  There were several large groups outside and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves and the great location. 

    The menu provided an eclectic selection, but I decided to get the grilled chicken club with sweet potato fries.  Never had a fried egg on a club sandwich but it was a very good addition to the sandwich.  I would get this again on a return trip to 1000 North.

    https://1000north.com/

    Left 1000 North with the intent to explore the famed Jupiter beaches.  Made a quick 5-minute drive east from the restaurant and I was at the beach.  It was cool by Florida weather standards, but the beach was crowded with folks.  Got a chance to walk the beach for a bit and get some great pictures to document my exploration for the day.  I did not bring my beach chair or towel, so my walk was the activity for the day.  I will make my way back to Jupiter beach so I can enjoy a full day at the beach and relax. 

    Outlets

    My trip to Jupiter put me about 20 minutes away from the Palm Beach Outlet mall.  I could not miss an opportunity for outlet shopping so made my way south.  I did not need anything but that’s not the point—there are always good deals at the outlets, so it is never a wasted trip.

    Hit the Nike store first looking for new running gear.  The Nike store is extremely small, so the selection was limited I did not pick up anything during this visit.  Visited the Columbia store and added to my t-shirt collection here.  Walked around a bit more and visited a few more shops before calling it a day and heading back to Fort Pierce.

    Nice little day trip for me to add to my Walk into the Future journal.  I look forward to heading back down soon for a longer beach adventure.

    What areas will you explore this summer?

    Irie!

    “In Florida we salt margaritas, not sidewalks”.

    (Thewanderlustwithin.com)

  • 2022 Orlando Track Shack Winter Park 10k

    WP 10k 1

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

    (Fred DeVito)

    Dictionary.com defines aggressive as making an all-out effort to win or succeed; competitive.

    You could characterize my 2022 running schedule as aggressive.  I decided to test myself and get back to racing like how I ran prior to COVID-19.  My 2019 training was focused on getting faster each time I toed the line and resulted in my fastest time at the 2019 OUC Half Marathon in Orlando (2:05:51).  I was able to maintain my race form over the Christmas break and ran my second faster time at the 2020 New Orleans Rock N Roll Half Marathon in February 2020.  Races and the country came to a standstill in April 2020 due to the pandemic.

    Fast forward to 2022 and I made a concerted effort to find more races and stay active with my race schedule.  I identified 9 half marathons I wanted to run throughout the year and targeted races to help with my quest to go faster.  I don’t run a lot of 5ks but added a challenging one to my race calendar to help me push myself. 

    My most aggressive move for 2022 was to tackle the Winter Park 10k less than a week after running the Treasure Coast Half Marathon.  This concept made a lot of sense when I signed up but proved to be a bit more difficult than I thought.

    The goal for the Winter Park 10k was to set another 10k Personal Record (PR) since I was able to lower my PR in this same race in 2021.  I did not think the limited time between races would impact me so toed the line with the confidence of someone who would be able to dictate pace and adjust when needed.

    Turns out, this person did not exist for the Winter Park 10k. LOL.

    The weather forecast in the Orlando area called for severe weather and it was hot, humid, and overcast as race time drew closer.  A lot of runners were checking the weather apps to determine how much time we had before the skies opened and we were going to get wet.

    Luckily, the rain held off long enough for us to run the 10k and get some time to spend in the race village before getting soaked.  FYI—this was unusual weather for Orlando in March—temperatures are normally cooler and no threats of rain.

    Track Shack does not use corral starts for the smaller races so everyone can line up as close to the start line as they want.  This brings runners with different race expectations together and creates a unique environment where you must be careful not to run over or bump into people. 

    The first mile of this race is always interesting since you have elite athletes mixed in with weekend warriors.  I like to hang back during the first mile to avoid collisions and the possibility of tripping while trying to get my pace up.

    I entered the race with a goal to run sub 55 minutes and I got off to a better-than-expected start in Mile 1 (9:00), Mile 2 (9:14), Mile 3 (9:57).  I was happy with this pace considering the amount of bumping we had just to clear people during the first mile of the race.  I did not realize how much I slowed down during Mile 3 while running the race but felt myself slowing down.  I chalked it up to the energy expended during Mile 1 and figured I would level my pace out and kick it into gear to move faster.  Well, I kicked it in gear, but it appears the gear kicked me back.  😊

    Have you ever pressed your gas pedal in your vehicle, and nothing happens?  That’s exactly what happened to me during this race.  I put the pedal down ‘in my mind’ but my body did not react in the way I wanted it to.  Mile 4 (10:09), Mile 5 (10:46), Mile 6 (11:00) did not go as planned, I had no extra gear or legs to carry me much faster than what I just threw down.  I was able to muster up a kick to finish the race that allowed me to cross the finish line with a smile on my face.  The crowd along Park Avenue was great as they cheered for all runners—I appreciate them being out so early to cheer for strangers.  I finished in 1:02:17 which is a 10:01 per mile pace.

    I pouted about my results for about 3 minutes after the race.  I spoke with several elite runners who described their race like what I just experienced.  The heat and humidity got to them too so hearing that made me feel a lot better about my race.  Several mentioned they thought about quitting during the race because the conditions were so tough.  It’s funny how hearing about the misery other runners felt made me feel good about myself again. 😊  We are a funny group of people.

    I originally thought running a 10k less than a week after a half marathon may have been the reason I did not have an extra gear.  It may have been a factor, but the heat and humidity also contributed to my results.  I plan to space my races out a bit more but will continue to be aggressive with my selection.

    Currently prepping for the 2022 Nashville Rock N Roll (April) and Atlantic City Rock N Roll (May) Half Marathons.  No races scheduled for the summer.  I start the new racing season in October with the 2022 Clearwater Rock N Roll Half Marathon and a couple local races throughout the fall.  The running tourist will stay active with races if it remains safe to travel.

    Being aggressive is not a bad thing! 😊

    Irie!

    “Running releases more than just sweat”.

    (run-for-good.com)

  • 2022 Treasure Coast Half Marathon

    TCHM1

    “Running a marathon takes balls, other sports just play with them”.

    (Anonymous)

    I created an aggressive (for me) 2022 running schedule to make up for lost races in 2020 and 2021.  Not trying to recapture those miles but wanted to get back to running races in multiple locations and get this running tourist thing going again.

    Targeted a monthly half marathon for the first 5 months of 2022 with the intent to get better mentally and physically with each passing race.  The full goal is to run as fast as possible when I get to Atlantic City for the 2022 Atlantic City Rock N Roll Half Marathon.  I have never been to Atlantic City and thought it would be a great place to visit, run and take a shot at a personal record.  I still need to put in the training work for the PR to occur but the flat course there is enticing for me.  A bonus is the opportunity to see my friend, Lauren Apgar while in town. 😊

    The 2022 Treasure Coast Half Marathon is a local race for me in Stuart, Florida.  The race location is only a quick 30-minute drive down the Florida Turnpike and I thought this would be a great race to test myself and see a new city in the process.

    The EXPO was held in a local middle school gymnasium and had several interesting vendors selling gear.  My focus for the EXPO was to pick up my race packet and then get a sneak peek at the course I would be running the following day.  Got my customary photo op at the EXPO and tried a few of the energy drinks the vendors made available to runners.  Did not spend a lot of time at the EXPO since I was interested in getting a view of the bridge, I would have to cross during the half marathon.  There are multiple bridges in Stuart, but I was happy to discover the bridge half marathoners had to cross was not one of the steep one.  Left with the knowledge this bridge crossing and location would not be as diabolical as what I experienced during the 2022 Florida Marathon in Melbourne.

    Went to bed early with the knowledge I would face a challenging course but one that was manageable with good effort.

    Drove back to Stuart at 5 am the next morning to ensure I got parking and could warm up before the 6:15 am race start time.  There was plenty of parking near the start/finish line and I made my way over to the race village to get prepared for the race.  Got some stretching in and made one last bathroom stop before heading to the start line.

    This was not a large race so there were no corral assignments for the runners.  I settled into the middle of the half marathon pack to ensure there was separation between myself and the other runners.

    We were still bunched tight, so I decided to hold back a bit, so I did not get caught up in traffic and possibly bump into anyone. 

    Surprisingly, I clocked 9:18 for Mile 1 and felt good doing it considering the amount of traffic I had to avoid.  Miles 1 – 4 all were run with a 9 out front (9:18, 9:38, 9:39, 9:45).  Mile 5 is where we crossed over the bridge for the first time, and I still clocked a 10:52 which is not bad for me with a bridge ascent.  Miles 5 – 8 all were run with a 10 out front (10:52, 10:46, 10:37, 10:41).

    The temperature at race time was 74 degrees and it got progressively warmer as the race unfolded.  What’s my point?  Happy you asked!

    My race pace, strategy, and energy all took a hit once the temperatures climbed into the mid-80s.  You could say I fell off a cliff or hit the wall after Mile 8.  You pick the race metaphor and it applied after Mile 8. 

    Most of the course was run in direct sunlight and the higher the temperatures got the more the sun beamed down.  I am happy with my efforts during the latter part of the race because I was able to bear down and keep moving forward.  My pace slowed but I was making positive progress towards the finish line and found an extra gear to cross the finish line with a smile on my face.  This was not my fastest half marathon but that was not the point of signing up for this race.  My January, February, and March races are laying the foundation for my April and May races.  I have a hard time making myself run fast on my solo training runs so decided to leverage races as my long runs and help me get faster in the process. 

    My next race is the Winter Park 10k on March 12, 2022.  I set a 10k PR last year and look to repeat this feat in 2022.  The speed I generate in the 10k will allow me to gauge my fitness levels for the 2022 Nashville Rock N Roll Half Marathon in April and the 2022 Atlantic City Rock N Roll Half Marathon in May.  I will use the summer months to build mental and physical fitness to launch into the next running season in October.

    Still got goals and races to conquer!

    What goals do you have to accomplish in 2022?

    “My doctor told me that running could add years to my life. I think he was right. I feel ten years older already”.

    (Milton Berle)

  • 2022 Florida Half Marathon

    “Please ignore the faces I make while running”.

    (Anonymous)

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    Diabolical:  Outrageously wicked (Dictionary.com).

    Never thought I would describe a race as diabolical but that’s what I am going to do.  I know there are other meanings for diabolical, but I will stick with outrageously wicked.

    The Florida Marathon/Half Marathon is a fine race that is put on by a fantastic run organization.  My use of the word diabolical is more to describe the course and how the runners must finish both races.

    Yes, this was a half marathon, so I was ready to put in my 13.1 miles of work in for the day.  I was happy with my 2022 Vero Beach Half Marathon results in January and wanted to translate that effort into the 2022 Florida Half Marathon in Melbourne.

    Let’s jump ahead a bit—there was no translation from the Vero Beach race to the Melbourne race.  Happy with my effort but did not get close to matching or exceeding my January race time during this race.  More on that later. 😊

    Signed up for this race to ensure I run monthly half marathons January through May.  Wanted to test myself by adding more races to my schedule in 2022 and building a run base that will allow me to get faster with each race—in theory. 

    Melbourne is one of my favorite places to visit because of the great beaches and laid-back vibe of the people.  This race provides the best of my worlds—beaches and running.  This was my first race in Melbourne, so I was excited to run the city as a running tourist. 

    Drove up on Saturday morning since this race had a Sunday morning start.  I wanted to get in town early enough to pick up my race packet and continue to carb load throughout the day.  My ultimate motive was to get into town early enough so I could go sit on the beach at the Crowne Plaza Hotel for a bit.  I always maximize beach time when I can. 😊

    The EXPO was held in the Front Street Park Civic Center.  This sounds like a huge place, but it is the size of a regular house, and it is right on the river side in downtown Melbourne.  Parking was quick and easy, so made my way into the Civic Center to get my race packet and see what the vendors had to offer.

    There were only a handful of runners in the Civic Center when I arrived so went right to the front of the line to get my race bib (#715) and packet.  Grabbed a fellow runner to take my picture in front of the step and repeat race display which is a tradition for me.  Walked around a bit to see the vendors but did not buy anything while at the EXPO.

    Went outside and took a few pictures along the river and got a great shot of one of the bridges we would have to cross during the race.  The bridge incline should have been a precursor of what was to come.

    Left the Civic Center and checked into my hotel.  Wanted to drop off my bags and get a good feel for how close the hotel was to the race start line.  Made my way to the Crowne Plaza to get lunch and continue my carb loading process.  The weather was great on Saturday and provided a perfect backdrop to relax on the beach and listen to the band playing on the deck.  Enjoyed a turkey club sandwich, fries, and Bud Light at the Crowne Plaza.  They have an extensive menu, but I stay conservative the day before a race to eliminate potential stomach issues during the race—lesson learned from a past race.  Sat on the beach for a bit and enjoyed the views before heading out.

    Left the Crowne Plaza and made my way to Patrick Space Force Base (PSFB) for a quick shopping trip.  Wanted to see if they had the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 22s to replace my GTS 21s.  They had the 22s but not in my size so walked around and looked at stuff I didn’t need—never a wasted trip since I get to spend time around military people again—love being back on-base.

    Made my way to the Olive Garden to finish my carb loading for the day and get to bed early.  The restaurant was crowded so made my way to the bar and found a seat there.  I am basic when carb loading so went with the Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo, lots of bread sticks and Bud Light.  Relaxed back at the hotel before an early bedtime so I could get my rest and get up early to tackle the half marathon.

    Remember the term diabolical from earlier?  Well, let jump into that a bit more now. 😊

    Woke up at 4:45 am to prepare my mind and body for the 13.1 miles I needed to cover at 6:30 am.  I do some stretching and mental preparation during this timeframe before putting on my equipment (KT tape, Salonpas patches and BioFreeze) and getting dressed.  My run outfit was conservative for me so got dressed after putting on my layers of equipment.

    Luckily, I grabbed one of my running jackets before leaving the hotel because it was already raining.  The weather forecast ‘mentioned’ rain the day before, but this was just a steady flow, and it was not cold.  I thought the rain would be around for a little bit but was wrong on my forecasting skills.

    Made my way downtown towards the race starting point and arrive about 10 minutes after leaving the hotel.  Researched places to park the night before and found a spot about 100 yards from the race start line.  There was still a light rain coming down at this point, but it got heavier the closer we got to race time.  The race announcer came on the loudspeaker and let us know the race was delayed due to weather—the on-course police support was still getting setup because of the rain.  I sat in my vehicle to avoid standing around in the rain without knowing the exact time we would start the race.  The delay lasted for only 15 minutes, but most runners did not get a chance for a normal warmup.

    The marathon runners were allowed to start 10 minutes before the half marathoners.  I did not leave my vehicle until the announcer gave us a 5-minute warning for our race to start.  Made my way to the bathroom and then got a quick stretch in before heading to the start line.

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    Yes, it was still raining, and the streets were wet!  We finally got started at 6:50 am

    I decided to go out very controlled since the streets were wet and did not want to injure myself or anyone else.  I did not have a specific finish time in mind with the wet conditions—wanted to enjoy the course (LOL) and the experience.

    Miles 1 – 3 were crowded as runners were very cautious trying to avoid slipping and bringing others down with them.  My first mile was a comfortable 9:19 which was probably too fast for the conditions and what was to come.  Miles 2 and 3 were like my Mile 1 pace but still felt comfortable.  A cool experience during this portion of the race was we got a chance to see dolphins swimming in the river.  Yes, runners enjoy the scenery during races. 😊

    Slowed my pace a bit during Miles 4 and 5 because I knew the course got a bit tougher at the 6-mile point.  The FIRST bridge crossing starts at Mile 6 and goes up until you hit the Mile 7 marker.  Bridge running is tough in normal conditions but gets a lot tougher in the rain.  I did not want to lose too much time so gritted out the incline and then made-up time on the bridge decline.  Felt great through Mile 8 but hit a wall right at the Mile 9 marker.  This may have happened because my warmup routine was impacted due to rain or I went too fast on the bridge.  Either way, my legs were on fire and yes, it was still raining on us.

    Decided at this point to just finish the race.  No need to try to set a Personal Record (PR) since my legs were not moving that fast anyway.

    Miles 9 through 11 were consistently slow for me but I keep moving forward.  Started feeling good about myself again at this point but then the second bridge crossing was looming.  So, my question is:  who puts another bridge crossing at the 11-mile point of a half marathon?  A diabolical person, that’s who.

    Yep, had to dig down to get up and over another bridge to finish this @#$% race!  I made it slowly up to the 12-mile marker and then found some level of courage to go faster on the decline.  I did not want to limp across the finish line but that is how I felt.  I put on my best I’m not in pain face and found a kick to get me across the finish line.  My official time was:  2:17:52 which was 6 minutes slower than Vero Beach.  I’ll take it with the conditions and bridge placement.

    Got my medal, a couple beers and donuts and found a place to sit down to enjoy my prizes.  It was still raining so got my rain jacket out of my vehicle so I could sit and get some ice on my quads.  Talked with my fellow runners and we all experienced the course in a similar way.  Happy to finish but beat up by the conditions and the course.  Would love to meet the person who thought it was a good idea to cross a bridge after Mile 11. 😊

    As much as I’m complaining, I will probably run this race again next year.  Hopefully, we will have better weather and I know the course now and can pace myself for a better finish.  We will see!

    Irie!

    “I run because punching people is frown upon”.

    (Anonymous)