Walk Into the Future

Tag: blogging

  • 2024 Marathon Training (32 – 0)

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    “You don’t stay undefeated without being a little stubborn”.

    (Andre Ward)

    32 – 0!  Yes, I’m going to claim an undefeated marathon training record at this point of the cycle.

    You may be wondering what the heck I’m talking about—happy to explain! 😊

    I just completed Week #8 of my 2024 Chicago Marathon training cycle:  https://www.instagram.com/chimarathon/?hl=en.  The training schedule has me running multiple distances Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.  8 weeks times 4 days per week = 32 training sessions so far.  32 – 0.

    I am showcasing the 32 – 0 record because I have not missed a training session, projected mileage or hit the snooze button once so far in this training cycle.  I’ve trained for 2 other marathons over the past few seasons but have never displayed this level of consistency and commitment to the process.  I want to see a ton of improvement in how I perform on race day in Chicago and dedicating the proper energy into my training program is my way to build towards the big day.

    Will I remain undefeated?  No idea but I plan to continue to put the effort into this training cycle to build physical and mental strength to guide me in Chicago.  Training is going well as I hit my mileage markers daily but need to incorporate more speed work into the program.  My future Wednesday morning runs are designed to run at 2024 Chicago Marathon pace so this will force me to begin to work on my stride to generate speed.  Excited to start targeting marathon goal paces to mentally prepare for the full grind of 26.2 miles.  I know I can complete the distance, but this year is all about going a bit faster than before.  I’m projecting to have a finish time with a ‘4’ in front of it (4:35, 4:41, 4:59)—I will share my goal time the week of the Chicago Marathon.  Yes, I have a projected goal time I’m targeting.  Melissa—can you guess the time? 😊

    Here’s my weekly progress so far:

    Week 541.67
    Week 633.61
    Week 734.11
    Week 850.26
    Total159.65

    The weekly mileage has gone up from the previous updates.  This will continue through Week #15 before the mileage starts to taper down.  The full marathon taper process will start in Week #17 and continue until marathon race day.  My previous marathon training cycle had me competing in the OUC Half Marathon the week prior.  Not sure if this helped or hurt my race day performance but I will not repeat this process again for the Chicago Marathon.

    Can I stay undefeated and make it to 72 – 0?  Great question!

    Thanks for joining me on this training cycle!

    Irie!

    “I don’t think being undefeated is going to determine my greatness”.

    (Mikey Garcia)

  • Five Minute Thursday: Travel

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    “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page”.

    (Saint Augustine)

    Shout out to the Walk into the Future blog readers and subscribers.  Appreciate everyone joining me on this journey!

    Let’s give the Five-Minute Thursday writing prompt another run.  I’m enjoying this writing prompt as a challenge to create new content based on a word or phrase.  FYI—this writing prompt will be around for a while so buckle up. 😊

    My fifth prompt for Five Minute Thursday is:  Travel.

    I could take this prompt in multiple directions but will focus on my willingness to explore travel solo.  I write about my annual visits to the Smoky Mountains, Nashville and Negril as regular topics for the Walk into the Future blog.  I will continue to travel to these spots as long as I’m able—all three locations provide me with a different level of peace and allow me to add new chapters into my personal ‘travel book’ (pun intended).

    The Smoky Mountains getaway provides a level of solitude I can’t find anywhere else.  Yes, there are other people walking around in the mountains but the level of peace I find there is unmatched.  Simple trail walks and just being out in nature is captivating and helps me refocus.

    Not sure I would categorize Nashville as peaceful, but I get a different energy vibe when in Nash Vegas.  I love live music and there’s not a better place to hear great live music.  I have regular spots I visit in Nashville (The Stage, Lucky Bastards, Dierks Bently Whiskey Row and Tequila Cowboys) because they have great sound systems, and the regular bands are all outstanding.  Each of these spots are larger venues and I can always find a corner to post up to enjoy the music and watch the crowds.  I normally just go back and forth between these spots until I get my fill of music and then head back to my hotel to do it again the next day.  The Wild Horse Saloon was on my regular rotation, but it closed late last year.  Luke Combs has a new venue in the same spot, and I plan to visit when I return to Nashville in April. 

    Negril, Jamaica is my happy spot!  I’ve written this multiple times, and nothing has changed.  Love flying down and spending time on the water and enjoying great food.  I go down there so much my resort lets me check myself in when I arrive.  The folks are friendly and take care of me like I’m a member of the family.  Will look to get down to Negril multiple times each year moving forward—may need to buy property down there so I have my own spot.  Can always rent out space when I’m not down there enjoying myself. 😊

    So, my five minutes are up.  How would you complete a five-minute prompt on travel?

    Irie!

    “Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind”.

    (Seneca)

  • Key Largo

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    “Come to the Florida Keys, where sweating like a tourist is a rite of passage”.

    (#MeltingAway, #KeysLife)

    My Walk into the Future continues to allow me to seek and find new adventures in my life.  The concept is to enjoy life at a relaxed pace but to always move forward.  I need to remember why I created the blog name and make sure I follow through daily.

    Took the relaxed pace concept to heart when looking for my next adventure.  What better place to find relaxation than the Florida Keys. 😊

    I am a native Floridian but never ventured down to the Keys before.  I’ve thought about it a few times but never acted.  My thought process was it was too far to drive but I never put anything into Google maps to see the distance and/or drive time.  Told you I didn’t put much effort into this process. 😊

    Google maps identified the northern Key (Key Largo) was a three-hour drive from my house in Fort Pierce.  Key West was much further but I never had a desire to get that far south.  Decided to focus on Key Largo and plan a trip down around the 4th of July.  I took an extra day of vacation time so I could beat the holiday traffic and be in Key Largo before the fireworks started and people crowded the area.  Mission accomplished on both ideas.

    Didn’t know much about the Keys but wanted to get down to explore and experience something new.  I’m a huge Marriot fan so booked the Courtyard right off US 1.  This location put me right next to a marina with boat tours and several nice restaurants with fresh fish on the menu. This location allowed me to walk to multiple places of interest while in the Keys.

    Made my way over to Snappers Oceanfront Restaurant and Bar on my first day to people watch and get fresh fish.  Walked by the African Queen boat tour area on my way over.  Didn’t know they had boat tours, but this was a popular attraction in Key Largo. 

    The next stop was Jimmy Johnson’s Big Chill which was a lively spot with music and great western views.  They had outstanding drink specials and the largest shrimp I have ever seen in my life.  Highly recommend this spot if you love shrimp, great sunset views and cold drinks with a kick. 

    The Caribbean Club was identified as a spot for great live music.  I was the most Caribbean person there and the band was an old school classic rock outfit.  It was still a great little spot because they had outside chairs sitting right next to the water.  The sunset views were better here because of the pawn trees—used them to frame a few of my pictures.  Visited both places two days in a row so they had a very authentic vibe.  Watched 4th of July fireworks from the Caribbean Club and enjoyed every second of the show.

    The Key Largo Princess glass bottom boat was my next adventure in Key Largo.  Saw the boat go out when I first arrived and was curious where it was headed.  It’s a simple tour where the boat heads out to a coral reef and circles so passengers can get a great view of the sea life.  The ship’s crew warned that some folks get motion sickness below deck while they circle.  I didn’t believe them but had to head back upstairs because I started to feel weird.  I was fine once I got back on the top deck and enjoyed the rest of the boat tour in the open air.  We saw tons of fish, sea turtles and nurse sharks on the excursion.  Great way to end my first venture in the Florida Keys.

    Where are you heading this summer?

    Irie!

  • Authentic Leadership

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    “Leaders lead”.

    (Calvin Williams)

    Yes, I’m starting the Walk into the Future blog post by quoting myself.  I’m not on a power kick or displaying an extraordinary amount of hubris. 

    This simple quote—Leaders lead has become a hash tag (#LeadersLead) that I hope with takeoff on multiple platforms.

    I introduced Authentic Leadership and my training program to my colleagues at Indian River State College (IRSC) in June.  I’ve leveraged Authentic Leadership within my consulting role with multiple organizations to include the Seminole Tribe of Florda and the St. Lucie County Tax Assessors office.  These sessions are designed to help organizations create leadership development programs to enhance employee opportunities and organizational growth.  I’ve chronicled my Authentic Leadership philosophy and training program through multiple blog articles. 

    We have been talking about leadership development benefits for IRSC staff for a while.  Decided it was time to introduce Authentic Leadership to campus partners to jumpstart leadership discussions and development.  I went back and forth over the best way to bring Authentic Leadership to campus because this would put me in front of my direct reports, peers and campus leadership.  Sounds simple but each group would need to understand Authentic Leadership from different perspectives.  This was a challenge and one I accepted head on—to make positive things happen.

    I went to my consulting workshop library to determine which topics I would use at IRSC.  Talking with colleagues and staff helped me identify topics of interest that would benefit the audience I would engage.  Decided to introduce the Authentic Leadership Theory and focus on the four variables within the theory.  The next topic would dig deeper into the variable of self-awareness.  The final workshop explored the concept of empowered leadership and the impact within the work environment.  The workshop series consisted of Authentic Leadership (2 workshops), The Self-Aware Leader (2 workshops) and Empowered Leadership as the finale.  Each workshop had a virtual component so folks on multiple campuses could log in and watch the workshops live or later via the recordings. 

    Authentic Leadership (AL)

    This workshop explores the 4 AL variables:  self-awareness, relational transparency, internalized moral perspective and balanced processing.  The workshop attendees were introduced to each variable to provide context and then we got down to business of understanding how each variable impacts direct reports and the work environment.  Love asking attendees the magical question:  Who are you?  This helps them understand we all bring something different into the work environment daily and how these differences can be leveraged towards positive outcomes.  Love helping folks develop a better understanding of themselves and how this impacts the work environment.  Self-view is something most people don’t think about but should do on the journey to becoming effective leaders. 

    The Self-Aware Leader

    This workshop is a deep dive into self-awareness and the importance this variable has on effective leadership.  My overarching goal for this workshop is to force leaders to understand themselves (Who are you?) and start understanding the impact on direct reports.  Leaders who are not self-aware build direct reports who are not self-aware.  This has a negative impact on the work environment and limits organizational growth.  I added a group exercise for this session to have attendees engage with each other and share information to help them understand the levels of diversity within our work environment.  The homework from this workshop was for attendees to identify ways they can/should improve their leadership skills.

    Empowered Leadership

    The grand finale for this workshop series was Empowered Leadership.  We explored the definition of empowerment and how this impacts leadership.  Attendees were challenged to identify ways they have been empowered within the work environment and ways to expand this towards positive outcomes.  Homework from this workshop centers on leveraging new knowledge within the work environment to enhance client and staff interactions.

    I will explore the concept of introducing additional topics to my colleagues.  Will take a small break from leadership training and get back to the world of student retention and completion.

    What’s your leadership style?  What impact does it have on your work environment?

    Irie!

    “Let no one ever come to you without leaving better”.

    (Mother Theresa)

    Note:  Organizations can contact me to explore opportunities to bring Authentic Leadership training to their teams.

  • Chicago Marathon Training Week #4

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    “Marathoning.  The triumph of desire over reason”.

    (New Balance, athletic apparel company)

    I will be the first to admit that I’m not a New Balance athlete.  My primary running apparel company is Nike, and my running shoes are Brooks GTS 23s.  Hoping the Brooks GTS 24s drop before my racing season kicks off, but the GTS 23s have been good for me.  The New Balance quote is prophetic for the marathon journey I’m currently experiencing.

    Marathon training can be taxing physically, mentally and emotionally.  The desire to compete and get better is stronger for me this year.  I’ve trained for two marathons and seen minimal improvement but that is because the desire was not as strong in the past.  I’ve rededicated myself to this process and vowed to give maximum effort weekly.  Yes, I trained for the marathon in the past but took a few short cuts that I’m not willing to repeat.

    I just completed Week #4 of this training cycle and I am proud to say I have not missed a training session or mileage goal so far.  It sounds like a simple thing but there are times when it’s easier to hit the snooze button in the morning and not get up and train.  The snooze button has not been a problem this training cycle—I’ve established a set bedtime and have not adjusted it for any reason.  I’m getting prepared for lights out at 8:30 pm with a consistent wake up at 4:44 am—I like odd times. Melissa, that’s for YOU! 😊

    I am following the Hal Higdon marathon training plan again with an eye towards the details of the plan and no missed training sessions.  I ran into issues with the heat and humidity last year because I didn’t get out early for my long runs.  I’ve adjusted my Friday night bedtime to provide a consistent sleep pattern.  I’m getting out for my long Saturday runs by 5:30 am to beat the sun, heat and humidity.  It’s still humid out but it’s easier to handle at this time of the day.  I’ve also adjusted my hydration plan and ensure I have water, Gatorade and coconut water available for each long run.  I hydrate better during my weekday runs too—a very simple concept but it is helping me get stronger mentally and physically.

    My weight training program remains consistent with 3 days in the gym each week.  I adjust the workouts but make sure to incorporate leg days into the routine.  I’m not a heavy lifter anymore but concentrate on compound exercises with high rep levels.  My yoga program consists of one weekly session to help my muscles stretch and recover.  I will increase my yoga routines but one time per week is good for now.  This will increase by Week #10 to match the miles I will be completing.

    Here’s my weekly progress so far:

    Week 132.11
    Week 236.17
    Week 318.78
    Week 435.98
    Total123.04

    The mileage will start to ramp up Week #5 through Week #15.  The first four weeks helped build the running base needed for the increased mileage.

    Excited to see how my training program has matured over the past two years.  The Chicago Marathon is calling and I’m answering the bell. 😊

    Here’s my projected racing schedule—I’m still looking for races.

    8/17/20242024 Celebration of Running 5kWinter Park
    9/1/20242024 Virginia Beach 10-MilerVirginia Beach, VA
    9/21/20242024 Race for Recovery 5kPort St Lucie
    10/13/20242024 Chicago MarathonChicago, IL
    12/7/20242024 OUC Half MarathonOrlando
    12/15/20242024 Garden of Life Half MarathonWest Palm Beach
    1/19/20242025 Vero Beach Half MarathonVero Beach
    1/26/20252025 Town of Celebration Half MarathonCelebration, FL
    2/8/20252025 Fleet Feet Run for your Heart 10kJensen Beach, FL
    3/2/20252025 Game On Marathon of The Treasure CoastStuart, FL
    4/25/20252025 Nashville Rock N Roll Half MarathonNashville, TN
    6/1/20252025 San Diego Rock N Roll Half MarathonSan Diego

    Thanks for joining me on the training process—Irie!

  • Five Minute Thursday: Favorite Artist

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    “Music is the soundtrack of your life”.

    (Dick Clarke)

    The Walk into the Future blog is back to give a run to the Five-Minute Thursday writing prompt.

    This writing prompt allows me additional flexibility to my writing program.  It provides a level of freedom where I can branch off and leverage a word or concept and then put a good five minutes to make a valid point or something others would want to read.  So here we go with another five-minute prompt.

    My fourth prompt for Five Minute Thursday is:  Favorite Artist.

    The Dick Clarke quote above is simple but is prophetic for me and my favorite artist.

    One word:  Prince!

    I’ve said multiple times that Prince wrote and sang the soundtrack of my life.  Maybe not in my adulthood but my teenage years and twenties resonated with every song that Prince put out.

    Most folks think Purple Rain was the best music Prince put out, but my soundtrack started a lot earlier than this musical masterpiece.  Dirty Mind (1980) and Controversy (1981) were my introduction to the Minneapolis sound and the genius of Prince.  I was fully engaged with his music when he dropped 1999 (1982) on the world.  I was hooked and remember my high school friends and I sharing the album—we would take turns bringing the album home and listening to the rock/funk/r&B sounds coming out of Minneapolis.  It was hard to believe that one man could play every instrument, sing every vocal note to include backup and produce at the level he did.  He introduced the band, The Revolution on the cover of 1999 but he was a one-man band up to this point.  I remember watching Prince on MTV for the Little Red Corvette video—he was very dynamic, musical and had all the dance moves.  The video enhanced his mystic and let us know he was a different kind of dude.

    I was into the music and the sounds of Prince then he dropped the Purple Rain soundtrack and movie in 1984.  It vaulted him into superstardom and then the world discovered my favorite artist.  I was already on the band wagon, so it was funny hearing other folks talk about Prince like he was a brand-new artist—he was not.  He had been building the soundtrack of my young life prior to ‘exploding’ onto the music/movie scene with Purple Rain. 

    My first concert was the Purple Rain tour.  My friend Anthony Simon and I got tickets to see Prince in the Leon County Civic Center in Tallahassee, Florida.  Convinced my mom to take us and dropped us off so we could experience Prince live.  This was one of my favorite moments from my childhood because the live music was even better than listening to an album.  He performed all our favorite songs, and we sang along just like we were part of The Revolution.

    I saw Prince live 5 times before he passed away in 2016—still a sad day for me but I’m still enjoying the music and reliving my youth every time I crank up the music.

    I visited Paisley Park back in 2018 to walk the same halls as Prince and experience the place he made music later in his life.  This is still one of my favorite Walk into the Future adventures.

    I introduced my niece Jayla to the 1999 album earlier this year.  She started collecting vinyl and I found a local store specializing in classic vinyl.  Jayla’s favorite artist is Michael Jackson but still wanted her to experience the grand sounds of Prince.  She’s listening to the soundtrack of my youth, and I know she is enjoying it!   Go Jayla! 😊

    So, you’ve had time to think.  Who is your favorite artist and why?

    Irie!

  • NACE24

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    “Succeeding in business is all about making connections”.

    (Richard Branson)

    The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) annual conference was held in Phoenix, Arizona this year.  Last year was a defacto home conference since it was on the Disney properties in Orlando, Florida.  Loved the ease of travel last year but NACE24 was one of the best conferences I have attended.

    Why?  It’s all about location and opportunities.  I’m not a huge Disney fan and felt trapped to the property the way the conference was setup.  Also, there’s not a ton of afterhours entertainment for non-Disney fans. 

    Phoenix?  Tons of local entertainment, sports and food are available within a two-block radius.

    Flew out of Orlando airport directly to the Phoenix Sky Harbor airport.  I’ve been to Phoenix multiple times, but it was exciting to venture out west again.  Decided I didn’t need a car so booked the Super Shuttle service to get me to and from my hotel.  I’m a huge Marriott traveler so booked my hotel downtown Phoenix which was only two blocks from the Phoenix Convention Center which is where NACE24 was held.

    Did some exploring on my first day in town and walked around the city to take in the sights.  There were multiple police officers in front of the Footprint Center which is where the Phoenix Suns (NBA) and Phoenix Mercury (WNBA) basketball teams play.  I’ve never been to a WNBA game and was excited the Phoenix Mercury were in town and hosting a home game.  Made my way to the ticket counter and purchased a $20 general admission ticket.  Wanted to experience the environment but not spend a ton of money just to say I was there. 😊  The arena was packed, and the crowd was energized and helped the home team win in a blowout (15 points).

    Left the ball game and headed out to get some food. Found a funky spot called Copper Blues. It’s a restaurant with live music and free comedy shows on Sunday nights.  This was a perfect spot to post up at the bar and take in the culture.  Spent about 3 hours in Copper Blues before heading back to my hotel which was half a block over—things in Phoenix are close.

    NACE24 started on Monday with some preconference sessions and attendee check-in.  No need to rush over but didn’t want to spend a ton of time in the check-in line.  The keynote on Day 1 was Soledad O’Brien formerly of CNN.  She spoke at NACE in Chicago a few years ago and did a fantastic job.  Wanted to attend her session to learn more about her current media role and the value she places on education.

    NACE is all about networking and I was able to catch up with colleagues from all over the country.  Ran into my friend Sean Collins who currently works at FAMU in Tallahassee but used to work for me at Florida State University back in the day.  Connected with NACE Board members—the current CEO, Chair and incoming Chair are all friends of mine.  It was great running into them and planning some future projects together.  The NACE community is a tight knit group, and the incoming Chair has already reached out to me to lead the Sourcing and Nomination Committee—this group is charged with selecting new board members.  It will give me insight on the process and help my efforts for a future NACE board seat—fingers crossed! 😊

    The next two days were filled with networking, checking out vendors and attending after-work parties.  There’s a lot of food, drink and fun at NACE and Phoenix provided a nice backdrop for all these things.

    The final party was held at The Duce in the warehouse district.  One of the vendors reserved the venue and provided food, drinks and live music for NACE attendees.  It was great seeing my colleagues in a different light, and everyone was having a fantastic time.

    NACE25 will be in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania next year.  I will get a chance to see my friend, Lauren Apgar again when I get up there.  Excited for NACE25 and seeing my homey! 😊

    Irie!

  • 2024 Chicago Marathon Training Week #1

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    “A marathon is hundreds of miles.  The finish is the last 26.2”.

    (Running Quotes)

    The quote above speaks volumes.  Marathon training is a critical part of the overall process, but most people only see or talk about the actual 26.2-mile race.

    Completing a marathon is a major life/personal/physical milestone and I’m happy to say I am a two-time marathoner. 

    I targeted the Palm Beaches Marathon (2022 and 2023) because it was close, and the course was completely flat.  This marathon is in South Florida so that means the weather is unpredictable to include humidity even in December.  I’m happy to have started and completed this race twice but decided I would not attempt this race again because of the South Florida heat and humidity.  FYI—I will run the half marathon this year. 😊

    I leveraged a Hal Higdon marathon training plan to get me ready for my marathon attempts.  This plan provides an 18-week format to prepare for the full marathon process.  I decided to use this same training plan for my 2024 Chicago Marathon preparation.

    I made some weekly modifications for my previous marathon training programs but decided to follow the Hal Higdon plan completely this year.  I want to see improvement in my marathon finish time this year and committing to my training will be a vital part of hitting my race time goals.  I’m not competing to win the 2024 Chicago Marathon, but I need to beat my previous times, enjoy the race and feel good when I cross the finish line.

    My marathon training began in earnest last week (6/10/2024 – 6/16/2024).  I was excited to start my training program, so I added an extra run day to get me up and motivated to start this process.  Proverbs 6:6 states:  Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise.  My 2024 Chicago Marathon training program allows me to work like an ant—one mile, one training session, one week at a time.  Each session is designed to get me closer to my physical and mental peak for race day.  The marathon is a celebration of the months of training and sacrifice needed to complete a marathon.  I’ve made a point to let folks know that I will follow my plan as outlined—no shortcuts will be applied this year.  I will have to miss a few happy hours and Friday night hangouts since my long runs will occur on Saturday mornings.  A missed run is a missed opportunity to get better so I will minimize this process to emergencies only.

    Happy to report I hit all my training days and milestones for Week #1.  I added an extra session on Monday to energize my training and provide a buffer in case I needed it later in the week.  Rain was forecasted all week, and I completed several miles in a slight rain during two training sessions.  I would have skipped these training sessions in the past but would not allow myself to miss a training opportunity.

    I’m prioritizing weight training sessions this year as well.  Want to ensure I provide myself with the best training foundation possible to improve my performance leading up to the 2024 Chicago Marathon.

    I completed 32.11 training miles last week:

    6/10/20243.134:2511:06mRun
    6/11/20243.3937:5311:11mRun
    6/12/20245.3457:1710:44mRun
    6/13/20242.4225:4910:41mRun
    6/14/20245.82  Planet Fitness bike / rope
    6/15/20243.75  Planet Fitness bike
    6/15/20248.291:36:0011:35mLong run

    I added 4 days of weight training to include full body workouts on 6/14/2024 and 6/15/2024 to help prepare my body for the 18-week training grind.

    The Week #2 training plan is like Week #1 (3, 5, 3, 9) with a slight increase for the long run.  I’m excited to see how my body and mind respond to following the overall training plan for this marathon attempt.  I’m committed to ensuring I do everything necessary to finish faster in Chicago than I did in Palm Beach.  The cooler weather, flat course, cheering crowds and better preparation should help generate a positive outcome.

    Thanks for joining me on the training process—Irie!

    Note:  Most of my long run miles will be done in the George LeStrange Preserve. This allows for consistent miles and a hydration station. 

    https://www.stlucieco.gov/departments-and-services/environmental-resources/county-preserves/george-lestrange-preserve

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  • Five Minute Thursday: Inspiration

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    Photo by Bich Tran on Pexels.com

    “The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today”.

    (H. Jackson Brown)

    The Walk into the Future blog is back to give a run to the Five-Minute Thursday writing prompt.

    I am enjoying the freedom this writing prompt brings to me and let’s me explore topics to help continue to move forward.  I’ve also received good feedback on the writing prompt so I’m lining up additional topics to explore over the summer.

    My third prompt for Five Minute Thursday is:  Inspiration.

    My overall inspiration comes from leveraging my WHY statement:  To leave people better than when I found them.  Simple concept but it helps me Walk into the Future daily with purpose.

    I developed this WHY statement with intent to use it to help move forward in life.  It also provides me with an inspiration foundation to help others. 

    I had a high school guidance counselor who did not provide me with any advice for life after high school.  I’m sure I’m not the only person who got the short end of this counseling session, but I made a promise that I would help everyone that needed assistance based on the lack of help I received almost 40 years ago.

    My inspiration for this mindset is everyone deserves a path to meet their life and career goals. 

    I’ve joked about being Inspiration Man, but I take this moniker seriously.  I write this blog to inspire my readers.  I develop leadership workshops to inspire individuals and organizations.  I mentor a ton of people to inspire them to set and achieve goals.  I am an active member of the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) to inspire current and former team mates to do more within the organization.  I run to inspire myself to reach physical fitness goals.  I text Happy Monday and Happy Friday to my folks to inspire them to have a great day.  I also do this to let my folks know I’m thinking about them.  This has inspired several to return the favor to me and this makes me smile.

    Inspiration comes in multiple forms. What can YOU add to the Five-Minute Thursday inspiration conversation?

    Irie!

    “No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world”.

    (Robin Williams)

  • 2024 Rhode Island Half Marathon

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    “Rhode Island is the smallest state, but it has the biggest heart”.

    (Gina Raimondo)

    My Walk into the Future took me back to Providence, Rhode Island for the 2024 Rhode Island Half Marathon.  This was the inaugural running of this race and was advertised as a scenic route through East Providence neighborhoods.  The race was also advertised as completely flat—I’m guessing folks in Rhode Island do not comprehend the term ‘flat’ like we do in Florida. 😊

    I ventured over to Providence when I visited New England back in October 2023.  I flew up on Breeze Airways to explore Hartford, Connecticut and made stops in Springfield, Massachusetts and Providence.  Providence seemed to have a lot to offer so decided to head back there directly since Breeze Airways added direct flights from Vero Beach to Providence/Boston.

    I wanted to explore as a running tourist so looked for half marathons in the local area.  I booked flight and hotel accommodations once I discovered the 2024 Rhode Island Half marathon.  I’ve never run in New England but felt the weather would be good in mid-May and would get me out of the Florida humidity.  Most of my training and road races are in the south and I’m always trying to balance weather, humidity and course conditions.  Rhode Island seemed the perfect getaway to explore and experience good weather.  Check and check on both items.

    Flew out of Vero Beach on a Friday morning so I would not have to rush to attend packet pickup.  Arriving on a Friday also provided additional time to explore the local area and find local food spots.  My hotel was only 9 miles from the airport and in the heart of downtown Providence.  Decided to walk and explore a bit after I checked into the hotel.  The folks at the valet stand were very helpful identifying local eateries they recommended.  Set out for The District because of the variety on the menu and it was less than two blocks away.

    Made my way over with designs to sit at the bar and watch NBA playoff basketball.  The District is a smaller venue and every sit at the bar was taken by locals—guess this is their Friday night hangout spot.  No worries—got a seat at a high top in the bar area and tried one of the local light beers.  Turns out my waitress was running her first half marathon (Rhode Island) on Sunday, and we bonded over talking about training and projected times.  Didn’t feel too adventurous on my food selection so went with wings, fries and multiple beers to help with my carb loading process. 

    Packet pickup was scheduled for Saturday at the local run shop, Marathon Sports.  This shop is in Providence Place, which is a fancy name for a multi-level mall.  Marathon Sports was a short walk from my hotel so decided to use the walk on Saturday to stretch my legs.  Also, wanted to get acclimated to the weather since the temperature was in the low 50s.  Race day weather was projected to be just as cool so wanted to experience the cooler temperatures to ensure I knew how to dress on race day.  Packet pickup was uneventful—wanted to buy some new gear but Marathon Sports did not offer many things I would buy and/or wear.  Got my customary photo during packet pickup and headed off to find more carbs.

    https://www.marathonsports.com/

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    Harvard

    My next adventure was to head north to Cambridge, Massachusetts.  Always wanted to walk around Harvard and this was my opportunity to visit the famed campus and do a walk-about.  Cambridge was an hour drive from Providence so headed that way once I got back from Marathon Sports. The weather was still cool, and it started to rain a bit but not enough to keep me from making my way to Harvard.  The drive up was not bad—no big traffic issues on the way up.

    Traffic around Harvard was thick with cars and pedestrians—looked like others had the same idea as me to visit and explore the campus.  Found parking about two blocks from campus and made my way over to Harvard.  Made a trip to the famed bookstore to pick up some mementos and then did a walking tour to soak in the history of the campus.  Felt great being there and experiencing the atmosphere of the Harvard campus and local community.  Felt like I was in a movie. 😊

    Race

    Got to bed early so I could make my way to the race start line with plenty of time to warm up.  The race start and finish lines were both at Pierce Memorial Stadium.  Not use to starting or finishing a half marathon in a high school football stadium but there was plenty parking so that helped.

    I had to adjust my race outfit to include a long sleeve dri-fit shirt since the temperature was 51 degrees.  Thought I could get away with just an Orlando Track Shack tank top but needed something more on my arms.  My color coordination was off for this race to accommodate the long sleeve shirt and to keep warm.

    The race had a strict runner limit of 2,000 runners.  Not sure we got to that number but there were a lot of runners ready to toe the line.  There were not enough runners for corrals, so everyone just lined up regardless of projected completion times.  I made my way towards the back of the pack so I could gauge the pace of others and avoid congestion during the first few miles.

    I did not have a set finish time in mind but wanted to run faster than my last half marathon in Nashville back in April 2024—mission accomplished!

    I ran consistent mile splits (9:26 – 10:30) for the first 10 miles and slowed a bit after that.  It was not a hot day, but the non-flat portion of the race jumped up after mile 10 and I slowed a bit making my way up the hill.  Still, I had a bit of a kick at the end and crossed the finish line with a smile on my face and a time of 2:16:42—4 minutes faster than the last go in Nashville.  I’m happy to see an improvement and can use this effort to gauge my training for the Chicago Marathon in October.

    Marathon training starts next month.  Excited to begin the journey again towards another full marathon finish.

    I’m sure I will chronicle my training program throughout the summer.  Who’s ready to follow my training program?  😊

    Irie!