Walk Into the Future

Tag: Hutchingson Island

  • Treasure Coast Half Marathon

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    “It’s not the distance you must conquer in running…it’s yourself”.

    (Michael D’Aulerio)

    I set an aggressive running schedule for myself this year.  My goal continues to be multiple race personal records (PR) over the 5k, 10k, half marathon and marathon distances.

    The 2023 Race for Recovery 5k allowed me to clock my fastest 5k since 2020 back in September.  Still not my fastest but less than one minute and twelve seconds off. Not bad for someone still nursing piriformis issues.  I’m still able to run fast but must stay careful with my training program and warmups prior to races.

    The 2023 Game On Run Hutchinson Island Half Marathon provided me with a local race to help with my full marathon training program.  I ran this race last year and thought it would be a great way to get a long run in while competing with local Fort Pierce runners.  The 2022 race highlighted I needed additional work to get marathon ready and was an eye-opening experience with humidity and long runs.

    The 2023 half marathon identified similar issues.  Northern races provide a great break from the Florida humidity, but they also provide a false sense of race preparation.  My 10-mile race in Virginia Beach allowed me to navigate the course at a 9:37 per minute pace.  This was accomplished in the first week in September and was done with a relaxed format for me.  Didn’t press too much during the race and was able to complete with a smile on my face.

    I took this Virginia pace as a positive sign for my training program and my current marathon preparation.  This is still true, but the Florida humidity makes breathing a bit harder with the heavy air and slows me down.  I’m sure I’m not the only one but need to remember a September race in Virginia does nothing to identify how fast I will be during an October race in South Florida.  Lessons are lessons!

    My marathon training called for a 15-mile long run so the 2023 Game On Run Hutchinson Island Half Marathon fit within my training needs.  My warm-up, cool down and actual half marathon allowed me to hit my mileage goals with plenty of miles to spare.

    This half marathon is completed on Hutchinson Island with most of the course on the actual route I normally train on.  We cut through a few neighborhoods before heading south on Ocean Drive and then turnaround due north before heading back towards Causeway Cove.

    Made sure I got to Causeway Cove with plenty of time to warmup, stretch and mentally prepare for the miles in front of me.  This is a smaller race with 111 runners in 2023.  Why does this matter?  Well, there are not as many runners available to pace with so most of the race strategy is to find a comfortable pace and then maintain it.

    Toed the line towards the middle of the half marathon pack at the start line.  This gave me a few runners out front, so I did not have to worry about getting off the correct race route.  The start of the race winds through multiple neighborhoods and we start at 6:15 am so it’s dark for a majority of the race.  It’s easy to get off course so I like to hang back and follow as many runners as possible to get me through the neighborhood.  There are course markers out but again, we are running in the dark for the first 5 miles.

    My race strategy was to go out with a comfortable pace through the neighborhoods and then increase my pace once we made it on Ocean Drive. This concept would provide me with a gauge of my fitness and help determine what areas I need to improve (pace, endurance, nutrition, etc.). 

    Fast forward and the first phase of the race went by without any issues.  My pace was balanced, and I felt good through the first 4 miles.  I pressed the pace more in the second phase of the race to test my physical fitness to determine how much additional work I needed to put into my training program.  Felt good from miles 5 through 8 but it started to rain, and the roads got very slick during this portion of the race.  Slick roads, wet shoes and Florida humidity made the final portion of the race a battle to finish.  The race organizer has aid stations on the race course but not as plentiful as some of the larger races I participate in.  Water and Gatorade are needed to complete a half marathon and there could have been more available to runners.  I started to fade in the last portion of the race, but this was part of the learning process.  I signed up for this race to gauge my fitness—I still have work to do to prepare for the full marathon.

    My prerace and race nutrition needs to improve for me to maximize my race day.  I’m still learning this portion of the race game and need to adapt to a Florida specific preparation program.  Extra hydration and carb loading prior to races to ensure I don’t deplete my reserves too early in a race.  Also, carry extra energy gels and take them more often than I would during a race in Nashville or Virginia Beach. 

    I’m still learning and working towards maximizing my training to prepare for the 2023 Palm Beaches Marathon.  I will be ready! LOL.

    What did you learn today?

    Irie!

    FYI—this may be my last Game On Half Marathon.  I entered the 2024 Chicago Marathon lottery and will find out if I’m in next week—fingers crossed! 😊

  • 2023 Marathon Training update

    “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.

    MAIN

    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:

    • Week #1: 16 miles
    • Week #2:  20 miles
    • Week #3:  26 miles
    • Week #4:  30 miles
    • Week #5:  29 miles
    • Week #6:  27 miles
    • Week #7:  30 miles
    • Week #8:  18 miles
    • Week #9:  37 miles 

    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)

  • Indian River Lagoon and Swampland Boat tour

    Boat tour

    “If your ship does not come in, swim out to meet it”.

    (Jonathan Winters)

    I always look for a clever quote to get me started with the writing process.  There are not a lot of funny boating quotes or much to pick from, so I decided to go with reliable Jonathan Winters to get me moving.

    My Walk into The Future allows me to chronicle adventures and outings I get to enjoy.  I get out and do these things then have to go back and drop a few lines to make sure I capture the moments to share with my readers.

    My latest adventure was an excursion with the good folks at the Indian River Lagoon and Swampland Boat tour.  This outfit is conveniently located in downtown Fort Pierce, so I did not have far to drive to get this party started.

    I have walked past the ticket office multiple times but never made the time to stop and purchase a ticket for the boat tour.  This all changed the week I came back from Jamaica.  I still had a few days left on my vacation so wanted to keep exploring even when I got back to Fort Pierce.

    Joined about 10 folks who were waiting to get on the boat on a sunny afternoon.  Luckily for us the boat is covered because the Florida sun was a bit warm on the day we went out.  It is always muggy here so not sitting in direct sunlight for 2 hours was a welcomed aspect of the boat tour.

    The boat captain tried to entertain us throughout the tour by identifying points of interest and places where he has seen dolphins and manatees.  He did everything he could to keep us entertained but we did not see much in the water.  There was one manatee in the water feeding so we circled it a bit so folks could get some good pictures.

    The rest of the trip was a nice boat ride up and down the Indian River where we got a chance to see other boaters, kayakers, and lots of folks fishing.  The water was calm and peaceful, so this part of the boat tour was great.  

    Discovered a few kayak rental outfits directly on the river.  The boat tour provided a different vantage point for these outfitters so now I know who they are and how to get to them.  I caught the kayak bug while living in Tallahassee but did not have a go to place in Fort Pierce to rent a kayak and explore.  I plan to get back down to the river and leverage my newfound knowledge so I can bring a new adventure to the Walk into the Future blog.  Be on the lookout for my new kayak adventures. 😊

    Irie!

    https://indianriverlagoonandswamplandboattours.com/

    “Only the guy who is not rowing has time to rock the boat”.

    (Jean-Paul Sartre)

    Boat Tour2

  • Marathon training – Week 5

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    “Of all the races, there is not better stage for heroism than a marathon”.

    (George Sheehan)

    The Walk into the Future blog is based on exploring opportunities, adventures and then sharing them with my readers.

    I have tapped danced around the concept to run a full marathon for a few years now.  Well, no more tap dancing, I am fully engaged in the marathon training process and just completed Week 5 of an 18-week training program.

    My targeted race is the 2022 Palm Beaches Garden of Life Marathon in West Palm Beach, Florida.  Wanted to pick a race that was close to home and with a flat course—check and check.  I have friends who have run this marathon and they say it provides the perfect course, backdrop, and time of the year to tackle the 26.2 miles.  Excited and terrified at the same time but my training program will get me to the start line and beyond. 😊

    MAIN

    I selected the 18-week training program to allow myself time to prepare for this major life event mentally and physically.  There are multiple training plans available (12-weeks, 16-weeks, etc.) but I went for the longer plan to ensure I had time to train with a buffer.

    This training plan starts out with lower mileage than most people would think of considering this is preparation for a marathon.  The following are the total weekly miles in the plan:

    • Week #1: 19 miles
    • Week #2:  20 miles
    • Week #3:  17 miles
    • Week #4:  23 miles
    • Week #5:  24 miles

    Again, the training plan is building up base mileage, but I exceeded the prescribed miles each week so far since I have been training for half-marathons throughout 2022.  I did not go over the prescribed miles by much but wanted to ensure I put in the work to lead to a successful and enjoyable marathon in December.

    My plan calls for incremental mileage increases as I prepare my mind and body for the challenge of completing a 26.2-mile race in December.  I complete my long runs on Saturdays with my longest run of 20-miles coming in Week #15.  I complete my long runs in Fort Pierce on Hutchinson Island where I do not have an issue of crossing traffic.  It’s the same route I run to prepare for my half marathons, but I am discovering unique points of interests on the route as I run out further due to my increased mileage.  My long runs are completed at a slower pace to ensure I can start and finish—this is recommended for all long runs.

    I just invested in a running hydration vest so I can carry water with me as I extend my runs.  Hydration is vitally important considering I am running in the August heat and humidity in Florida. 

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    (Hydration vest)

    Looking forward to seeing how the hydration vest enhances my training as I continue to prep for the 2022 Palm Beaches Garden of Life Marathon.

    FYI—the next update will come in Week #10 of the training program.

    Irie

    “When you run a marathon, you run against the distance, not against the other runners and not against the time”.

    (Haile Gebrselassie)