Walk Into the Future

Tag: Atlantic City

  • 2025!

    “A year is a journey of 365 opportunities.”

    (Unknown)

    What a year 2025 has been for me!

    I know everyone starts a new year with the hope it will be their best year ever.  We say it year after year but I’m not sure we know how a year will truly go.  I start each new year with a set of goals I want to reach in multiple areas: health, fitness, reading, travel, etc. I wanted 2025 to be a huge year for me but looking back this week showed that this was an outstanding year for me and I’m going to claim my best year yet. 😊

    Travel

    I set an aggressive running schedule for myself in 2025.  I targeted some new races which would allow me to bring my running tourist persona to new locales.  I ran the 2025 Fargo Half Marathon in May and leveraged this race to add two new states to my visit list.  North Dakota was the race state, but I made sure to drive down to South Dakota to check that off my list as well.  I enjoyed the experience but I’m not sure I will run in Fargo again so I’m happy to have experienced the city, food, and culture.

    Nashville, Tennessee is always on my running calendar in April.  The 2025 Rock N Roll Half Marathon is one of my favorite races and I love the country music available in Nashville.  I’m coming up on ten years running in the city and I don’t see a reason to stop now.  Tennessee provides a lot of different adventures and Gatlinburg was my destination in November for Smoky Mountain hiking.

    I made a Midwest trek for the 2025 Madison Mini-Marathon in August.  Wisconsin was a state I always wanted to visit but I never put in the effort to get there.  Running has turned into my vehicle to get up and travel, so I used my love of running to get to Wisconsin.  I took advantage of proximity and made my way over to Dubuque, Iowa to experience the city that sits right on the Mississippi river.  It was a quick trip over to Iowa, but I was able to have a fantastic catfish dinner while overlooking the Mississippi river.

    I took my regular trip to Virginia Beach for the Labor Day weekend to run the 2025 Virginia Beach 10-Miler.  This was my third run of this race, and I enjoyed my time on the boardwalk as this is a great place for people watching.

    I ventured further north in October for the 2025 Smuttynose Half Marathon.  This race took me back to New England and I crossed off North Hampshire and Maine as states I have visited.  I enjoyed the race and environment so much I signed up for the 2026 race before I came back to Florida.  The 2025 Atlantic City Marathon got me back to the northeast two weeks later in October.  I’ve been to New Jersey multiple times, but this was my first marathon in the state.

    That’s 8 states visited in 2025 with 6 of those being new states for the running tourist.  I’m looking forward to being just as aggressive in 2026 and adding a few new states.  There are races in Louisville, Kentucky, Lincoln, Nebraska and Morgantown, West Virginia that I’m researching, and I hope to book those early for new adventures.  I will keep my normal Florida races on the schedule as well so get ready for more running tourism adventures. 😊

    Negril, Jamaica is my go-to place to visit yearly.  I write about this trip every year and will continue to visit.  I would like to get down there twice in 2026 since I love the island and culture so much.

    Running

    I can’t call myself a running tourist without highlighting the running program.  I’m always looking for ways to increase my yearly mileage but never put exact numbers on the total.  I still need to balance regular life, work, travel and running.  Running is a big part of my weekly life, but I do try to have balance and enjoy other aspects of life.  I currently sit at 1,505 miles with three weeks left in December.  I would like to get over the 1,600-mile marker as this would be my largest run total for a year.  I’ve got to ensure I don’t miss any run or training sessions to make it to 1,600. 

    Fun fact—I completed a total of 18 races in 2025, which is my personal best for a calendar year.

    Fun fact 2—I ran PRs over three distances in 2025:  2025 Virgina Beach 10-miler, 2025 Smuttynose Half Marathon and 2025 Atlantic City Marathon.

    Reading

    Reading has been my passion since I was a kid.  I had a newspaper scription when I was twelve years old and read every book I could get my hands on.  There were not a lot of distractions in Jasper, Florida so I developed a love for reading and I still have it.  This love of reading followed me into adulthood, and I have multiple books on my reading list.  My 2025 reading goal was to read daily and I have met that goal.  I read articles, devotionals and have finished reading 15 books this year.  I don’t know if that’s a record for me, but I’ve enjoyed the process and continue to be a life-long learner.

    Target boycott 2025

    Target was one of my favorite places to shop prior to 2025.  The Target leadership decided to reverse multiple Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives due to political pressure.  Well, a few folks decided to boycott Target until they put these initiatives back in place.  Target has been consistent with the refusal to reverse the decisions—I respect that. 

    Fun fact 3—I have not spent one cent or step foot in a Target store in 2025.  My contributions to this boycott will never make it into a history book but I’m standing firmly committed to this small step to demand better from a place I can choose to shop with or not.

    Family and friends

    My family members and friends are all healthy and thriving.  I make it to Jasper, Florida to visit my mom monthly and this is a highlight of the month for me.  I finally convinced her to visit me in Fort Pierce this year and it was a great visit for her.  She needed a break from Jasper obligations and I’m happy I could help.  I will look forward to getting her back down to Fort Pierce more in 2026. 😊 My friends continue to make me smile daily.  I don’t run in a large circle, but my folks fit me, and we enjoy life to the fullest.

    Creating content for the Walk into the Future blog is a huge part of my life.  I continue to look for ways to become better at writing and provide a platform my readers enjoy visiting.  I fine-tuned a few of my writing prompts in 2025 and I’m happy with my overall content production.  2026 should bring better content for my readers!

    Well, I can continue to rattle off things from 2025, but I’ve made my point—at least to myself! 😊  2025 has been an outstanding year for me. 

    I’m excited to see what 2026 will bring!

    What moments are you proud of in 2025?  What will 2026 bring?

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

    “The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide you’re not going to stay where you are.”

    (Unknown)

  • 2025 Atlantic City Marathon

    “What a privilege it is to choose your own suffering.”

    (@kellycarrdio on Instagram)

    Wow! How prophetic is the quote above to my Walk into the Future running journey?

    I didn’t get a chance to meet Kelly over the 2025 Atlantic City Marathon weekend, but I found her quote on Instagram after completing the race and hobbling back to my hotel.  Her quote resonated with a lot of runners and brings a level of clarity to the life we live.

    I had several great conversations with my friend Lauren Apgar as we continued to carb load before the race.  We agreed that running is a great analogy for life while having an outstanding chicken parmesan meal at The Twenties Italian Bistro restaurant in The Claridge Hotel on the Atlantic City boardwalk.  There will be a blog article on this concept coming your way soon. 😊

    I made my way up to Atlantic City on Friday to get acclimated to the area and the cooler weather.  I normally fly out of the Orlando International Airport while I’m on a running tourist adventure.  Spirit Airlines surprisingly had direct flights out of Palm Beach International (PBI) Airport and the price was very reasonable.  I jumped on the opportunity to fly from PBI since it is only a 58-minute drive from my front door to the terminal.  The flight times out of PBI were a lot better than Orlando and I didn’t have to get up at 6 am to make it to the airport on time.

    The flight to Atlantic City was a little over two hours and I was able to get a little nap in before we landed in New Jersey.  The Enterprise rental car process was seamless, and I was out of the airport in less than 20 minutes.  I raced in Atlantic City back in 2022, so I was familiar with the area and knew I was only 20 minutes away from the Atlantic City boardwalk and my hotel.  I decided to find some food before making my way over to the boardwalk.  I pulled my GPS out and located a Buffalo Wild Wings (Bdubs) 5 miles from the hotel and still on the way towards the boardwalk.  Bdubs is a go to spot for me when I’m carb loading so this was a welcome detour for me.  Posted up at the bar and got my normal wings, potato wedges and a tall Bud Light.  There were not many folks in Bdubs, so I was able to get my food quickly and relax a bit.

    I left Bdubs and headed east to check into my hotel and take in a few sights.  I booked the Sheraton Downtown close to the Atlantic City Convention Center.  This location put me in the center of a lot of downtown activities.  I was within walking distance of restaurants, the outlet mall, casinos and the boardwalk. 

    I walked over to the famed boardwalk after checking into the hotel to take in the sights.  I got a few pictures close to the water and then went into Bally’s casino to walk around.  I’m not a huge casino person and I’m not a fan of cigarette smoke.  I spent about an hour playing roulette and left the table with my winnings of $38.00.  I used their money to buy a couple frozen drinks on the boardwalk before heading to the outlet mall.  I never need much when I’m shopping but made a trip to Nike but didn’t purchase anything. 

    Googled restaurants and discovered The Twenties Italian Bistro restaurant was only three blocks away and had tremendous ratings.  I made my way back down the boardwalk and headed to The Claridge Hotel and headed to the sixth floor for The Twenties Italian Bistro.  I was surprised there were only four people in the restaurant based on the ratings.  Oh well, I found a seat by a window so I could look out at the water and review the menu.  They have a simple menu with traditional Italian dishes, and the prices were fantastic. 😊 I decided to go with spaghetti and meatballs.  It was outstanding!  I recommend the bread sticks—they are delicious!  I got to bed early on Friday to get off my feet.

    The marathon EXPO was held in a ballroom in Bally’s.  I got up on Saturday morning with a plan for a quick shakeout run but decided to hit the Sheraton’s exercise room.  I rode the stationary bike, ran on the treadmill and got a quick workout in before making my way to the EXPO.  I thought the EXPO would be a larger setup since we were in Atlantic City, but it was a smaller event with a laid-back vibe.  Bib pickup was seamless and made my way through the event to check out venders. Lauren and I walked around the EXPO to explore, and we both booked a session with on-site physical therapists.  This quick 10-minute stretch routine provided some relief for sore legs and gave me a little bit of a bounce to my step.  We carb loaded at Wingcraft Kitchen & Beer Bar after the EXPO.  Fun fact, we ate at this same spot back in 2022 when we ran the Rock N Roll Atlantic City Half Marathon.  The food is still good.  We parted ways after this meal so we could get off our feet. 

    We agreed to meet later for more carbs and agreed to head to The Twenties Italian Bistro.  I’m a creature of habit and this was a great place for pasta and bread.  I got chicken parm this time and it was just as good as spaghetti and meatballs.  Doubled up on the bread this time. 😊 We discussed race strategy a bit but relaxed with a good meal and caught up on life.  Race day was near.

    I headed back to the hotel to get my race outfit ready and get to bed early.  I normally travel with multiple race outfits and didn’t figure out what I was going to wear in the marathon until 10 minutes before going to bed. 😊  I took a picture for Instagram of the original race outfit idea but changed the top before heading to the marathon start line.  The start/finish line was only a half mile from my hotel, so I used this as part of my race warmup.

    I got to the boardwalk at 7:15 am and got in some light stretching and jogging.  The mood on the boardwalk was relaxed and almost felt like a party.  Lauren and I connected around 7:30 and made our way to the start corral to lock in for the marathon.  We agreed to run together at the start and then run our own individual race.  Fast forward, Lauren’s race was outstanding!  She set a PR and broke the five hours barrier—well done, Lauren! 😊

    Fun fact—I also ran a PR and took 6 minutes off my best full marathon time.  This was my third PR in three different distances in 2025 (10-miler, half marathon and marathon). 

    My marathon race strategy was to go out at a measured pace and then see how much I had in the tank.  The weather was warmer than normal, but it was still cool with low humidity at the start.  Mile 1 was completed at 10:10 (ten minutes and ten seconds), Mile 2 was completed at 10:08 and Mile 3 was completed at 10:23. My plan for a measured approach was executed well and I had a smile on my face for a large portion of the race.  My 18-week training program was paying off, and I enjoyed a large portion of the race.  A not so fun fact—the Atlantic City boardwalk is made of wood.  This may not be a huge revelation but some of this wood is worn and is not conducive to running a marathon.  There are multiple spots that are not sturdy and I saw a few runners take a fall because of the footing.  I tweaked my left foot on the boardwalk at Mile 15 but kept battling my way towards the finish line.

    Fast forward a bit, I crossed the finish line in 5:17:37 which was not the 4:45 target I wanted.  This is still a marathon PR for me, so I celebrated like I won an Olympic gold medal! 😊 This was the culmination of a great 18-week training block, and I finished with a smile on my face and enjoyed the process.

    Caught up with Lauren and we got pictures ringing the PR bell in the race village.  I’m super proud of her efforts to complete the marathon in under 5 hours!  This is a tremendous accomplishment, and she put in work to get her PR—bravo, my friend! 😊

    What’s next for me?  Rest, recover, massage and take a week off from running.  I earned this break.

    So, let’s reflect on the quote from above.  I agree, it is a privilege to choose my own suffering.  How lucky am I to be able to travel around the country and run in these races?  My suffering (pain) is done on purpose, and I enjoy every minute of it. 

    Let’s never take for granted our ability to live life daily!

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

    “The real purpose of running isn’t to win the race, it’s to test the limits of the human heart.”

    (Bill Bowerman)

  • 2025 Atlantic City Marathon training

    “Training for a race is going to be uncomfortable…you can fight it, which uses precious energy, or you can learn to embrace it.”

    (Lisa McClellan)

    The 2025 Atlantic City Marathon is fast approaching!

    I decided to lay low with my training updates this year and concentrate on the grind of the process.  This will be my fourth go at the marathon distance, and I continue to learn more about myself and how to train.  I am proud of this training cycle with my consistency and ability to hit weekly mile markers. 

    Maintaining a consistent bedtime (8:30 pm) ensures that I get enough rest and can get up for my early morning runs.  I find myself waking up on my own before my alarm clock goes off at 4:30 am.  I’m excited to train and it has been showing in my weekly efforts.

    I have continued to leverage the Hal Higdon 18-week marathon training program for this cycle.  This program has helped me grow into a marathoner and is easy to understand and follow.  I have missed a few training sessions due to life (travel, work, rain) but I have found ways to keep my mileage up and mentally prepare for the 26.2-mile battle coming up in Atlantic City. 

    I lowered my marathon personal record (PR) by over 23 minutes in Chicago last year and I want to lower it again in Atlantic City.  I revealed in my first Atlantic City marathon update that my goal time is 4:45 (four hours and forty-five minutes).  That would be a 35-minute reduction but I’m not backing down from my goal.  Will I hit it?  You will see soon! 😊

    I leverage races to help me work on my speed and I’m happy with the results in my lead up to the 2025 Atlantic City marathon.  I ran a PR at the 2025 Virginia Beach 10-miler in September.  I ran 1:34:44 and that lowered my best time for this distance by two minutes.  My 2025 Outrun Hunger 5k time of 28:41 was not a PR but was a good indicator of my fitness considering the Fort Pierce humidity levels in September.  This all showed my training, fitness and mental approach were producing positive results. 

    The final tune-up was conducted at the 2025 Smuttynose Rockfest Half Marathon in Hampton, New Hampshire.  I set my half marathon PR during this race two weeks before Atlantic City.  The 2:04:31 time was due to my training program, and the cool weather helped a lot.  (A blog article on this race is coming soon). 😊

    Here’s my weekly mileage update:

    Week 1126.65
    Week 1233.28
    Week 1329.73
    Week 1434.64
    Week 1538.02
    Week 1634.3
    Week 1725
    Week 189.62

    Total Week 11 – Week 17:  228.98 

    Total miles this training cycle: 583.74

    Total Friday nights out: 0😊

    I continue to learn how to train and recover for a marathon.  My body has felt good throughout this training cycle and I’m mentally tougher than in previous years.  I am excited to see how this new level of fitness and mental preparation shows up on race day.  Race fast and having fun are the main goals with a potential PR at the end—we will see!

    Thanks for following the marathon training journey and see you on the other side of 26.2 miles in New Jersey.

    What are you training for?

    Fun fact: I started marathon training weighing 198 pounds and got down to 189 pounds at one point during this cycle.  I will toe the start line at 195 pounds this year. 😊

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

    “Aiming for the marathon is a task of sorts which can include terrific highs and lows.”

    (Bill Rodgers)

  • Wilmington, Delaware

    Resized_20220515_161525 (1)

    “Adventure is worthwhile in itself”.

    (Global Castaway)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Irie!

    “Do more than just exist”.

    (Pinterest)

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

  • 2022 Rock N Roll Atlantic City

    AC EXPO4

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

    (Mo Farrah)

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

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

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

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

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

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

    AC Lauren Reese

    Egg Harbor

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

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

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

    AC EXPO1

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

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

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

    Got the customary EXPO shots most of you expect:

    AC EXPO2

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Our race splits are below:

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

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

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

    Well done, Lauren!

    Irie!

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

    (Confucius)

  • The Walk into the Future blog continues to grow

    “Blogging is like work, but without coworkers thwarting you at every turn”.

    (Scott Adams)

    The first Walk into the Future blog article was introduced to the world on May 21, 2018.

    Yep, four straight years of creating blog content and sharing it every week (mostly) with anyone willing to read about my thoughts, adventures, travel, and leadership pursuits.

    Looking back my writing style has changed and grown over the past four years as I seek to find content that others may want to read.  Scratch that thought—I am writing content based on my life and sharing with anyone who wants to read it. 

    I never had a clear idea where this blog would take me but decided to just sit down on my laptop and create content to publish.  I did not set out on a particular direction for my articles but felt an urge to write and the blog concept seemed like a natural place to showcase my words.

    I would be lying by saying I knew four years ago I would still be writing and sharing content through this platform.  A bigger lie would have been I knew I would attract an audience of people who never met me and read my articles weekly.  My friends and family are ALMOST obligated to read this stuff so knew ya’ll would be along for the journey! 😊

    I quick THANK YOU to my day 1 folks and everyone who follow this blog and my journey.

    I did a summary blog article awhile back to highlight Walk into the Future blog stats.  Decided to do that again for this article to showcase the continued growth for the blog and the impact it has in the world.  I am amazed daily when I get a new blog follower from another country.  This puts a huge smile on my face because I never thought starting a blog in Tallahassee, Florida would generate international interest.

    Martin Lawrence once joked that Michael Jackson was BANGING in Bucharest.  Well, I get weekly blog views in Romania so I can joke I am banging in Bucharest too—not as big as Michael Jackson but happy someone over there likes my work.

    I will continue to produce content for the blog as long as it is still fun to me and people want to read my work.  Let’s see how long we can continue to Walk into the Future!

    What topics do you want me to write about in the future?  No pun intended!

    Irie!

    Wordpress

    Happy Anniversary with WordPress.com!

    You registered on WordPress.com 4 years ago.

    Thanks for flying with us.  Keep up the good blogging.

    Walk into the future blog stats May 2022

     

    “Blogging is a conversation, not a code”.

    (Mike Butcher)

     

     

  • 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)