Walk Into the Future

Tag: Development

  • 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!    

  • 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)

     

     

  • Poetic Flow / Solitude (Repost)

    Solitude

    (Image by claudia martinez from Pixabay) 

    Solitude

    Solitude rhymes with gratitude

    And really is not the end of the world

    Most people assume

    The hustle and bustle of life

    Makes the gratitude for solitude profound

    In the life of those who can allow

    Solitude to influence their attitude

    And enjoy the energy and flow

    Solitude in life can help you grow

  • 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)

  • Make your bed! (Repost)

    Books

    “Good order is the foundation of all things”.

    (Edmund Burke)

    My Walk into the Future allows me to pick and choose my adventures and some take me to amazing places.  Others find me rooted at home but still bring a level of joy and satisfaction.

    I am an avid reader and love to find new books to help me as a lifelong learner.  My latest find was the book by retired Admiral William H. McRaven titled Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…And Maybe The World.  

    The title is simple enough and gives the reader an understanding of what the Admiral will cover in this book.

    I love the fact the book is broken up into short chapters that are easy to follow and integrate into daily life for readers.  Admiral McRaven uses things from his life to help highlight the importance of how little things add up to make life move forward.

    The book starts with the simple premise of why making your bed daily sets the tone for the day.  I understood this fact when I read the book but did not fully gain knowledge until I shared the book with a coworker who reads more books than I do.  My coworker assumes since I am retired Air Force the concept of making your bed was instilled in me during my time in the Air Force.  He was surprised when I told him I rarely make my bed because I did not see the importance of the act.  I am not a slob but making my bed happens when it happens—I did not go out of my way to make the bed before heading to work.

    My coworker was shocked with my admission. I can be set in my ways but went back and read the chapter on making your bed to figure out what I missed.

    I started making my bed DAILY after reading again to see if this simple act made a difference in my day.  The verdict is in—yes, it does!

    This simple act appears to be a springboard for a productive day for me. 

    The flow I have been able to display at work came once I made the decision to start my day with a simple act of organization.  Taking the time to make my bed and organize before leaving the house for work or my runs puts me in a better mindset for the day.  I arrive at work with a mindset to organize and I can transition quicker once I make it to my desk.  This may all be a coincidence but the flow, production, and ability to get more accomplished came once I decided to make my bed.

    This is a recent phenomenon for me but exciting at the same time.  The ability to make a difference daily is something I take pride in.  Making my bed appears to heighten my ability to get this done.

    Let’s be clear on this!  I fully understand making the bed has not given me a new superpower, but it provides me an opportunity to cross off a daily task early in the day.  I view making my bed as the first win of the day and gets me ready to win throughout the day.  I love crossing things off my to-do lists and I can get this started before I leave the house. 

    Therefore, making your bed is an important step for the day!  It sets the tone and establishes a foundation for success—give it a try and let’s see what making your bed can do for you!

    What are your thoughts on the importance of making your bed?  How does it set the tone for the day?

    “For every minute spent organizing, an hour is earned”.

    (Benjamin Franklin)

  • 2022 Florida Half Marathon

    “Please ignore the faces I make while running”.

    (Anonymous)

    IMG_20220212_201240_884

    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.

    IMG_20220213_133315_491

    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)

  • My Refrigerator Door!

    Fridge

    “Life moves so fast.  You gotta document the good times, man”.

    (Big Boi)

    Luke Combs is one of my favorite artists and he continues to generate hits on the country music charts.  His lyrics have a poetic flow and speaks to daily things we all experience in one form or another.

    I discovered his music during the 2020 Country Music Awards (CMA) show and quickly identified him as a rising star and promptly added his song, Beer Never Broke my Heart to my running playlist.  Yes, I run with country music! 😊

    I continue to dive into his discography and discover songs that I identify with.  I did not realize how long he has been in the music business, but I love everything he has put out.  Fans routinely identify ‘Luke has never made a bad song’ comments on his YouTube channel.  I am sure he has a dud or two somewhere, but I can’t find one.  I have been on a monthlong binge of his music where I play his music at work, driving home and then again when I get home.  Guess you can say I am a fan.

    My latest find is a song he put out in 2019 called Refrigerator Door.  Very basic concept where he identifies the family memories that are on the refrigerator door in his house.  This is something we can all relate to, most of us have placed something memorable on the refrigerator door:  report cards, kids sports schedule, family vacation pictures, etc.

    Decided this was a great time to let the Walk into the Future blog readers in on my refrigerator door secret.  I have never placed report cards, sports schedules, or vacation pictures on my refrigerator door. 

    My door is covered with magnets.  Yes, you read that correctly.  My refrigerator door is covered with 70+ magnets.  I started collecting magnets as part of my travel while in the Air Force and never really stopped.  My goal is to collect a magnet each time I travel to a new state, city, or country.  I always thought I would get bored with putting magnets on the door, but it is exciting to me to look at the door for the memories that are hanging there.

    I have had family members and friends who send me magnets from places they have visited, but I do not put those on my door.  My entire magnet concept is to put magnets up for places I have experienced.  This keeps me motivated to continue my running tourist momentum to find races in places I have never been so I can explore new places AND get my magnet.

    I added Clearwater Beach (Florida), Norfolk and Virginia Beach (Virginia), Southern Shores and Duck (North Carolina) and Savannah (Georgia) to the refrigerator door in 2021.  I will add Atlantic City, New Jersey to the door in May when I head up there for the 2022 Atlantic City Rock N Roll Half Marathon.  I am sure I will find some other places to visit and collect more hardware for my door.

    The memories I can capture with pictures are great, but my magnet collection allows me to relive great memories daily since I see the door every time I am in the kitchen.  I know magnets may not be for everyone, but this is a simple, easy, and inexpensive way to capture memories.

    What do you have on your refrigerator door? 😊

    “Nothing but good times ahead”.

    (Jennifer Cruisie)