My Walk into the Future allowed me to venture to Fargo, North Dakota to tackle another half marathon and live that running tourism life.
Here are a few shots from my trip:
Fargo Dome
Downtown Fargo
More of downtown Fargo
Fargo alley art and a meal at the Jasper Hotel (I’m from Jasper, Florida) 🙂
(Meal at the Pizza Ranch)
(Pre-race views)
(Victory!) 🙂
Running season is here!
Irie!
Calvin Williams
My Walk into the Future allows for numerous adventures I can share with my readers.
Most of these adventures have something to do with travel for races and simply enjoying life.
One of my newer adventures is leveraging the Seaway Drive Bridge as part of my race preparation. I’ve written about this bridge briefly in a few blog articles. There were days when I dreaded seeing or crossing the bridge in my training program. My mindset saw this part of my training as a chore. I decided to flip my mindset in 2025 and embrace the bridge as part of my regular training program. I stopped dreading the bridge and started finding new ways to incorporate it into my race preparation.
Most training plans call for runners to complete hill repeats to prepare for races. There are no hills in Fort Pierce but there are several bridges. I began leveraging the Seaway Drive Bridge to complete my hill repeats last year. The simple view is I would run from the west side of the bridge to the east side. I take a short rest on the east side and then head back west. Up and over, then back again—simple concept. My goal most days is to repeat this process 10 times before I’m done. One time over the bridge is approximately .75 miles. I’m never concerned about time but need to get over and back to complete this workout. I leverage the hill repeats on Sundays because Saturdays are for my long runs.
I also incorporate the Seaway Drive Bridge as part of normal runs between 4 to 6 miles. This is a good way to test my endurance as I start and finish these sessions with bridge incline work. Some of my best run view photos have been taken at the top of this bridge.
The results have been positive. I completed the Nashville Half Marathon this year with minimal leg soreness. I have also been faster with my race times this year. I attribute both outcomes to added hill repeats to my training program. No more days of avoiding the bridge—I’m excited to get my bridge repeats in now and will add more for future training sessions.
What have you been avoiding that may help you move forward? Time to get your hill repeats in!
Irie!
Calvin Williams
“Leadership is the capacity to translate a vision into reality”.
(Warren Bennis)
My Walk into the Future provides outstanding opportunities for me to make a difference in the world.
I rarely turn down a chance to speak to groups to help others move forward in life and help them prepare for career success. A work colleague recently asked me if I would be interested in speaking at the Port St. Lucie High School awards ceremony. I was honored with the request and said yes on the spot. I viewed this as an opportunity to reach back and help a group of young leaders on their journey after high school.
This was also a chance for me to work on new speaking material in case I’m asked to speak at graduation ceremonies in the future. I’m always preparing for something. There are times I should ask more questions before accepting these speaking gigs but more on that later. 😀
My role as explained to me was to speak for 5 – 7 minutes and provide inspirational words to the award recipients and other attendees. I was not familiar with PSL High School or the students there so I decided to focus on how they can implement a formula for success. My plan was to use the success formula I was gifted while in the Air Force that I leverage daily.
— Be where you’re supposed to be, doing what you’re supposed to be doing, when you’re supposed to be doing it.
I’ve leverage this success formula for years and it’s helped me progress in my professional and personal life. My goal was to let students know it does not matter where you come from or how you start. Success is available to everyone if they have a goal and grit to strive towards it.
I started with a little background on myself where I shared with the students my lack of success when I first started my educational journey. I attended Lake City Community College right after high school, but I was not successful. I shared that I’m probably the only person they will meet with a Ph. D. who flunked out of community college. This allowed them to see failure can be a part of a successful life and professional journey.
My words were well received by the students, parents, staff and school administrators. I felt good about my message and how I delivered it.
So, why should I have asked better questions prior to the speaking engagement? Great question Lynn! 😊
Well, it turns out the high school principal was out unexpectedly, and they needed someone to fill in handing out awards and taking pictures with over 250 award recipients. Yes, I was elected to fill in for the principal and shake hands with each student that crossed the stage. I joke that it was a chore, but it was an amazing experience to greet the young people who got positive things accomplished during their time at PSL High School.
The highlight for me was when a student with Down Syndrome won the most popular award and he hugged me when he came on stage. He was so excited, and his fellow students were thrilled for him. He danced off stage after receiving his award and there were smiles on the face of everyone in attendance.
My friend, Alisa, attended the event with me for support and ended up taking pictures for me to capture the great moments with the students. We joked that she was my publicist, and several presenters asked her to take their pictures as well since they thought she did this for a living. She enjoyed interacting with the audience and it was a great sport taking pictures for complete strangers. 😊
This was a great experience for me and allowed me to spread Authentic Leadership to a new generation.
Irie!
Calvin Williams
“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way”.
(John C. Maxwell)
“I think goals should never be easy; they should force you to work, even if they are uncomfortable at the time”.
(Michael Phelps)
Maria, I agree, this Five-Minute Thursday writing prompt is here for the long run! 😊 This process continues to provide the Walk into the Future blog with additional outlets and enhances my ability to leverage topics quickly.
Let’s give the Five-Minute Thursday prompt another run.
I shared that I create yearly goals for myself in early January to help guide me through the New Year. My goals are broken up into different categories: reading, writing, travel, exercise, family, etc. My 2024 running goal was to run 4 days a week with a target of 30 – 40 miles per week.
The seventh prompt for Five-Minute Thursday is: 2024 Running Goals.
My running focus was to get myself in great physical shape so I could improve my full marathon time. I was able to train and complete multiple full marathons, but I knew there was another leverage of training I needed to reach. I didn’t just decide to increase my mileage but wanted to break down the process and ensure I could enjoy the training without injuring myself.
The 4 day a week concept comes directly from my full marathon training program. I ramped up my training once I entered the 18-week marathon training program in the past but decided to keep this volume for the entire year. Seems simple but I didn’t want to leave anything to chance this year when it came to fitness and being ready for the 2024 Chicago Marathon.
So, where does 1,500 in the article title come from? Great question, Melissa! 😊
I’m currently sitting at 1,548 training miles for 2024. This is the highest amount of training miles I have completed since I started tracking my run progress. I mixed in a few exercise bike miles in this total but 95% of my training was pounding the pavement or treadmill when the weather did not cooperate. This additional mileage total correlates to my 2024 weight goal to get to and maintain 198 pounds.
FYI—I did not write 1,500 down as a mileage goal but got to this number by meeting my goal to run 4 days weekly. Incremental steps and going to bed at 8:30 pm nightly allowed me to get up and grind on my run days.
Not sure how many miles I will log in 2025, but I have a great blueprint on the correct way to increase mileage without injuring myself.
Let’s thrive in 25! 😊
Irie!
Calvin Williams
“If you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time”.
(Unknown)
“The successful warrior is the average man with laser-like focus”.
(Bruce Lee)
Let’s give the Five-Minute Thursday writing prompt another run. I’m starting to love the simplicity of this writing concept and having fun generating content for the Walk into the Future blog.
My fitness journey primarily chronicles my running program and the tourism opportunities this brings to me throughout the year. I also write about being goals oriented but, I don’t believe I ever identified one of my 2024 goals was to get to and maintain my body weight at 198 pounds or less.
The sixth prompt for Five-Minute Thursday is: 2024 Fitness.
My normal weight over the past three years was right around 205 pounds. This was fine as I increased my running program and got a bit more serious with my marathon pursuits. I completed marathons in 2022 and 2023 with my weight at 205 pounds. I was able to get the training done but wondered what would happen if I trained AND got my weight down a bit. I set my weight goal back in January 2024 and put effort to meet and/or exceed the goal this year.
I started January 2024 at 203 pounds after taking three weeks off from running after my 2023 Garden of Life Marathon in December 2023. I reevaluated my training program and my diet to determine the adjustments I needed to get my weight down. Again, I was not looking to lose substantial weight, but I wanted to get down to see how it impacted my daily life and fitness levels.
I changed my diet and decided to stay out of the drive-through lines more in 2024. Yes, I write about my running program, but my diet has never been the greatest over the years. Also, it is so easy to hit a drive through after work instead of going home and cooking. I didn’t eliminate this process completely, but I put a huge dent in making these stops on the way home. I got more use out of my grill in 2024, and this helped me with better meals throughout the year.
I also rededicated myself to following my training programs especially with my 2024 Chicago Marathon 18-week training process. My goal for this training block was to not miss a session to ensure that I give maximum effort to get ready for the Chicago Marathon. I only used the exercise bike as a warmup for my runs—this was a bit different from previous cycles. I also adjusted my bedtime to 8:30 pm daily and woke up at 4:30 am to ensure I had time for morning runs before work. Going to bed at a consistent time helped me get prepared to get up and run in the morning.
The 18-week marathon training plan increased my mileage weekly, and I incorporated additional mileage in my training process. I’m on pace to finish 2024 with over 1,500 training miles which would be 300 miles over my previous maximum running year.
Fast forward—I got down to 192.5 pounds on 9/14/2024 and ran the 2024 Chicago Marathon at 197 on 10/13/2024. I’ve consistently met my goal to stay under 198 this year. My fitness levels are much higher within this weight range. Fun fact—I have started to order new pants since my old ones don’t fit as well now. 😊
Not trying to get down more but want to maintain this new level of fitness and keep my weight right around the 195 – 198 range. My friend Lynn calls me skinny now—not sure I agree but I have a new level of fitness and I’m happy with it. 😊
What 2024 goal are you proud of accomplishing?
Irie!
“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be”.
(Ralph Waldo Emerson)
“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 5 | 41.67 |
| Week 6 | 33.61 |
| Week 7 | 34.11 |
| Week 8 | 50.26 |
| Total | 159.65 |
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)
“Home is the nicest word there is”.
(Laura Ingalls Wilder)
I moved to Fort Pierce in April 2020 during what we thought was the worst part of COVID-19. Different time from what we experience today.
Back then, realtors and apartment managers were not allowing anyone to enter buildings. I remember coming down to Fort Pierce to look for a place to live and office staff made me call them on the phone and speak to them while I stood outside—even though I could see them through the glass door. It was a precaution to keep them safe, but it was a weird dynamic trying to find a place to live.
My intention when I moved here was to purchase a house, condo or townhouse but did not feel comfortable trying to purchase something I could not view—guess I am weird like that.
Found an apartment complex close to my new place of employment and they allowed me to view their model apartment on my own. There’s plenty of space here, a workout room and close to work. Still had intentions to purchase something in this area but did not feel a need to rush the process.
Got the urge to purchase again in the summer of 2022 so decided to put more effort into the process. Started slowly by trying to identify areas I wanted to live in and more importantly, areas to avoid. Got active on Zillow to start locating properties but decided to reel in my search to include condos and townhouses. Decided early on I did not want to take care of my own lawn anymore. Yard work was cute back in the day when I had a house in Georgia, but I do not want any part of cutting my own yard or weed eating in South Florida.
Started touring neighborhoods on my own after finding properties on Zillow. This allowed me to expand my boundaries and get a better understanding of different areas in Fort Pierce, Port St. Lucie, and Vero Beach. Put more energy into looking at properties in Fort Pierce and Vero Beach—eliminating Port St. Lucie was easy based on the amount of traffic there. Keep hearing stories of how long it takes to navigate around St. Lucie West.
Reached out to a realtor when I wanted to get more in-depth knowledge and help with the search. She has been in this area for a while and has a better feel for the process—I needed someone to guide me. Gave her an idea of what I was looking for to include a price range I wanted to stay within. She quickly found condos and townhouses that matched what I wanted, and we were off and running.
I still was not in a rush, so I was able to view multiple properties to see how they fit what I wanted in a new home. I was very selective on what we viewed since I did not want to waste her time or mine. She gave me a lot of freedom in this process, so this made it more like an adventure and not a task to complete.
The breakthrough came while viewing two condos in Vero Beach. Both looked great online and were in nice neighborhoods, but they did not feel like home. Asked my realtor to find others and set them up for viewing. She agreed but decided to bump my price range up a bit and discovered a townhouse in Fort Pierce that was only two miles from where I currently live.
I never knew there were townhouses in that subdivision—always saw the houses from the road and never ventured in there. We set up a viewing for this townhouse two days later and made our way over to see it. This was the first place I walked into, and it felt like it could be ‘home’. Spacious living room, large kitchen (means nothing really), great space in the bedrooms and a large walk-in closet for me.
Fast forward and I put in a bid for $20k less than the asking price. The seller countered a $5k increase and I accepted. Got a townhouse listed above my stated price range within my price range without having to go back and forth with the seller. Took my realtor’s advice on this process and it paid off for me—no pun intended.
I am using my time to update a few things in the town house before moving in; removed carpet and replaced with wood laminate floors, painting the inside, tile and grout cleaning and a professional cleaning. Did not have to rush my move-in date since my lease is still active—this worked out where I had time to update the townhouse before physically moving in.
There are times when patience pays off and this is one for me. Found a home two miles from where I am currently writing this blog article and I am excited to continue to Walk into the Future.
What does HOME mean to you?
Irie!
“A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it”.
(George A. Moore)
“Every marathon I ran, I knew I had a faster one in me”.
(Dick Beardsley)
My Walk into the Future allowed me to take the deep dive to sign up, train and complete a full marathon in 2022. The concept of running a full marathon had been with me for a while but I never committed to the process prior to 2022.
The 2022 Palm Beaches Garden of Life Marathon was the targeted race, and I am proud of my training efforts and completing the race. I did not think I would want to run another one but was surprised with my recovery and the impact the marathon had on me completing shorter races. I learned how to manage the pain and continue to press forward during races.
I leveraged an 18-week training program last year and decided this got me prepared for my first marathon and it will be the training program for 2023 as well.
I am currently finishing week 9 of the training program so I am halfway through with a lot more miles to come. I thought all miles were equal and incorporated too many miles on my exercise bike last year. I quickly discovered the error in my thinking and training process during the 2022 Game On Treasure Coast Half Marathon. This race was part of my training, but I did not perform as well as I should have—the miles on the bike did not translate to running in the Florida humidity. I completed the race in decent shape but could not find another gear to go faster which was disappointing.
Fast forward to 2023 and I made a concerted effort to ensure my training miles were outside. This meant I had to set a consistent bedtime so I could get up earlier in the morning to get my Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday runs in before work. My bedtime during the week is 8:45 pm with an alarm time of 4:45 am. Never thought I would go to bed this early, but it is necessary for my training program. Getting proper rest is a key component to quality training sessions.
I also invested in my nutrition plan more than I did in 2022. The proper use of carbohydrates and hydration are two of the improvements I’ve made so far. The carbs allow me to perform better during my early morning runs. My increased water intake provides a solid foundation for my training and keeps me fresh. I have increased my form roller use as well to negate muscle soreness throughout the week.
All of this is designed to help me arrive at the 2023 Palm Beaches Garden of Life Marathon ready to perform and run faster than last year. This race is flat and provides an opportunity for runners to go fast—I did not leverage this fact last year and will look to improve my time and enjoyment of the race day atmosphere.
Last year I identified I was excited and terrified to complete a full marathon but now I’m looking forward to each training session and getting closer to race day. Yep, my mindset is completely different this year. LOL.
The 18-week training plan starts out with lower mileage and slowly builds up each week. Here are my total weekly miles so far this year:
My miles during the work week are completed in my new neighborhood. I have an area in the neighborhood that does not have traffic since construction has not started there yet. This gives me a convenient place to run in the mornings safely. I bring my own water or Gatorade and leave it on my route so I can stop and get fuel during the run. This is a new feature of my running. Last year I utilized a hydration backpack, but it seemed to impact my running because it moved around a lot. Ditched the hydration backpack and decided to place my drinks in strategic spots—seems to be working for me so far.
My long runs are still done on Hutchinson Island—this allows me more options to get double digits miles completed safely.
I am happy with my progress so far and look forward to additional miles on this journey.
My next training update will be the week prior to the marathon.
Thanks for following me on this journey!
Irie!
“The marathon never ceases to be a race of joy, a race of wonder”.
(Hal Higdon)
“Home is the nicest word there is”.
(Laura Ingalls Wilder)
The Walk into the Future adventures continue to move forward daily.
I closed on my townhouse in Fort Pierce back in May. This was something I wanted to do when I first moved here but things and conditions did not align for me. Things happen for a reason and in due time—a bit cliché I know but this fits my home buying journey.
I looked for a townhouse to purchase for a little over two years but did not get serious with a real estate agent until Summer 2022. We looked in several areas, but I never got comfortable with prices and/or locations during the early stages. We kept moving forward with the search and the prices started to come back down in early 2023. Worked with my agent to hone into a more detailed search and we began viewing townhouses that fit my stated budget and in areas I wanted to live in.
Found my townhouse less than three miles from where I was living in Fort Pierce. This was a bit ironic because I looked in a lot of other areas but never checked out my own neighborhood.
We made an offer within a week and accepted the small counter offer the following week. Things went quickly once we made the offer, and my agent guided me through the process, and I felt comfortable the entire time. Fast forward and we closed in the early part of May, and I was suddenly a homeowner again. My apartment lease was not due to expire until October but there was a provision in the lease that would allow me out early with a one-time penalty. This was a welcomed provision since I did not have to rush my move and this extra time allowed me to make some upgrades.
Floors
The living area in the townhouse came with tile floors. This was a nice look for the property but both bedrooms and closets had carpet. I’m not a fan of carpet and knew this was going to be removed before I moved in. My realtor connected me with several flooring specialists so I could get quotes to pull up the carpet and install wood laminate floors. Wanted to get this upgrade completed before moving into the townhouse. My flooring guy provided me with a ton of samples to choose from and we agreed on floor color, date of installation and pricing. Took him two days to complete the flooring overhaul and the new look made the place feel bigger and I didn’t have to worry about what the old owners left in the carpet.
Painting
The best time to paint is prior to moving in with furniture. Decided to change the paint scheme throughout the townhouse to brighten it a bit and put my touches on the new place. Got painter recommendations from friends and interviewed two painters. Selected my painter and headed to Home Depot to pick out my paint. The townhouse came with a black accent wall—yes, you read that correctly. There was no way I was keeping the black accent wall. LOL. Picked out a nice and refreshing blue paint for the NEW accent wall and a natural (sand) color for the rest of the townhouse. Left the paint with the painter and got out of his way to upgrade the paint scheme for me.
Appliances
This move-in provided me with an opportunity for a complete reboot of the inside. Purchased the townhouse with appliances but wanted to start fresh. My realtor shared that Home Depot has fantastic appliance sales in conjunction with the 4th of July holiday. I thought she was overstating the sale, but it turns out Home Depot appliance sale is just as great as she stated. Decided to purchase a complete kitchen package and remove the old appliances prior to my official move-in. My new appliances are all under the same warranty and should provide me with years of enjoyment.
Furniture
My original plan was to enter the townhouse with all the furniture I owned. Quickly determined my new place required a furniture upgrade to make it feel complete. My TV console was fine in my old apartment but was too small for the larger space of the townhouse. Also, my dining room table was adequate for the apartment but did not fit the style or feel of my new place. Made a trip to City Furniture and Rooms 2 Go to begin the process of figuring out what I wanted for the new place. Rooms 2 Go had a better selection that fit me so made my large purchases there. The bonus was the free delivery they offer. Still looking to upgrade some of my shelves but very happy with my new furniture and how it looks in the townhouse.
I still have a few more home modifications I want to make in the bathrooms but happy with my progress so far. The townhouse is slowly becoming home for me. Enjoy having a place of my own to come back to after work or a road trip.
What makes your house a home?
Irie!
“A house is made of bricks and beams. A home is made of hopes and dreams”.
(Unknown)
“My favorite color is sunset”.
(Unknown Author)
My Walk into the Future allows me multiple outlets to explore passion, interests, and new hobbies.
One area I continue to expand, and grow is my love for beautiful sunsets. I always joke with friends that I’m not a huge fan of sunrises—this is simply because I never get up early enough to see them too often.
The sunset has a magical feel and pull for me. I’m always amazed when the colors in the sky change and reflect differently over water than over land. The reflections add a new dimension and provide a level of awe for me. I get my phone ready whenever there’s an opportunity to take a shot of the sky. I share a lot of these pictures on my Instagram feed and send some of the best ones to my tree branches.
Decided to compile some of my favorite sunset pictures and share with my Walk into the Future readers:
(Duck, North Carolina)
(Negril, Jamaica)
(Fort Pierce, Florida)
(Disney Springs)
Which one is your favorite?
Irie!
Walk Into the Future 