Out of the darkness comes the light
Each day is a struggle of life
The trials of the world weigh you down
Life comes fast…like intersections choke full of traffic
No direction…no director; just darkness
Out of the darkness comes the light
Find your direction, become the director
Act, make it happen
Open your eyes, it doesn’t have to be dark all the time
(Fort Pierce Inlet)
Hope springs eternal as
I search the distant landscape
The path I choose will determine my fate
The goal is to win the daily grind
Which path will I take?
Determination sets the course as the search continues
Multiple options, multiple venues
Working towards the important things in life
Without trying the only thing left is strife
The Walk into the Future blog went back home to Negril, Jamaica over Spring break last week. Decided I wanted to get back down for some sun, fun, rum, and reggae. Mission accomplished.
Spent most of my time relaxing but got some good reading in while making time to break out my snorkel gear. Not much into the tourist activities but enjoy hanging with the locals and seeing the island from their perspective.
Documented this trip with pictures instead of my usual word play:
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
This was a good trip for me. Love to explore and get great pictures while in Jamaica. Looking at traveling to the Dominican Republic or the Turks and Caicos on my next adventure.
Which one would you pick?
Irie!
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”.
(Lao Tzu)
My Walk into the Future allows me to discover adventures large and small. There are some weeks when I lay low and stay local and others when I get the urge to just get up and go.
Well, needed a bit of adventure in my life so decided to get up and go and make a circuitous route back to one of my favorite places Oviedo, Florida. I spent 4 years in Oviedo when I worked at the University of Central Florida and still enjoy getting back over there when possible. It has grown from a sleepy little town east of Orlando into a traffic heavy little town. The urban spawl is real there.
I did not have a dedicated plan when I headed over, just wanted to see a few sights and enjoy being back in Oviedo. I knew I could take advantage of the running trails as I continue to work towards my first full marathon.
Outlets
The Orlando outlet malls are not close to Oviedo so that’s why I described my adventure as circuitous. Most folks know I love outlet mall shopping and will stop anytime I can get close. The Orlando outlets are huge and provide access to name brand companies with the idea of good prices. Some of the outlet stores are running sales and clearance specials, so the prices are even better now.
I focus on Nike, Timberland, GAP, and Columbia stores when I’m in Orlando. I added the Cole Haan outlet store to my rotation on this trip. I have been in the store in the past but never really took the time to see everything they offered. There were a lot of shoes marked down and these prices got better by joining the Cole Haan club (it’s free). Just needed to provide my cell number and I was signed up to receive additional discounts while shopping. Picked up a new pair of Cole Haan shoes on this trip and look forward to getting back for more deals soon.
Made my way down to the Nike and Columbia stores to find additional bargains. My hope was to upgrade my hiking boots prior to my trip to Asheville but could not find anything I liked on this trip. I have enough sneakers, so my Nike visit was to look for new running gear. I picked up a few items in Nike and made my way over to Oviedo.
Seminole Cross Trail
I was able to leverage the Seminole Cross Trail again to complete one of my long training runs. The trail provides 20+ miles of multi-purpose access for runners, bikers, and walkers. This trail makes my long run process easier since I don’t have to figure out where and how I will hit a specific mile number (5 miles, 10 miles, etc.) since the trail is well maintained with mile markers easy to spot. Needed to get a 10-mile run in while in Oviedo and was able to hit my mileage with plenty of shade to cover me during the run.
Bob Marley’s
Bob Marley’s at Universal Orlando City Walk has been a favorite stop for me over the years.
It’s a unique venue to listen to live reggae music and catch an irie vibe. Some of the bands I have heard there over the years rival some of the best reggae artists in Negril. Always thought that was amazing considering the musical talent that resides in Jamaica. COVID-19 still influences the venue—it is mostly a dining place with a live band playing while patrons are eating. Prior to COVID-19 this was the spot in Orlando to listen and dance to reggae music. People came from all over the country to experience this venue and hear some world class musicians.
The music during my recent visit was still outstanding but most of the folks just sat at the dinner table and rocked their heads from time to time. No dancing or excitement from the patrons but they appeared to enjoy the food while there.
I stayed for an hour or so and decided to call it a night—happy to get a chance to listen to live reggae again.
Finish off the adventure the next day at the local Costco to stock up on household items. Made my way back down to Fort Pierce to get ready for the work week.
Quick little getaway but made sure to maximize my time while away. LOL.
Where do you go for a quick getaway?
Irie!
“If we were meant to stay in one place, we’d have roots instead of feet”.
(Rachel Wolchin)
“Running is real and relatively simple…but it ain’t easy”.
(Mark Will-Weber)
My Walk into the Future allows me to mix and match my adventures depending on what I am trying to get accomplished.
I always love the running tourist part of my journey since I get to explore and stay in shape by training. My big running goal for 2022 is to run and complete my first full marathon in December. My training program is going well as I am averaging 30+ weekly miles to prepare for the task of running 26.2 miles in Palm Beach. The 18-week training program allows me some flexibility but a standard in the program is the long run concept each weekend. The miles increase incrementally each week and I have been dedicated to ensuring I get up on Saturdays to do my part to ensure I am ready for the full marathon.
Decided to sign-up for local 5ks to improve my speed and warm up prior to going out for my long runs. The 5k (3.1 miles) distance provides a great opportunity to get out and test my fitness levels, gauge my speed, and have fun.
Signed up for the Run to Stop Hunger 5k in Fort Pierce in September. This was a hometown race, so the running tourist did not get a chance to explore new locales, but I did get to see Fort Pierce in a different context.
The race start and finish line was located within Causeway Cove which sits directly on the Indian River in Fort Pierce. I run by this location weekly but never ventured onto the site to explore everything that is located there. I see the signs for jet ski rentals when running and always think about going in to rent a jet ski but have not made that happen to date. Interesting spot with a lot of different activities hosted there: RV park, drive-in movies on Saturday nights, concerts, food festivals, etc.
Needed to complete 14 total miles so decided to park closer to downtown Fort Pierce and run across the Seaway Drive bridge as a warmup before the 5k. My goal was to get a 1-mile prerace run in to loosen my legs and give me a springboard to get up to speed during the 5k. Made my way across the Seaway Drive bridge at a comfortable pace and arrived in Causeway Cove warmed up and ready to go.
I did not set a time goal for this 5k but wanted to go out faster than I did for the Celebration of Running 5k back in August. We did not have as many runners for this race so there was not as much traffic to navigate on the course. The course was completely flat, and we did not have to cross traffic at all.
It was an out and back race format with the turnaround at the 1.5-mile marker. It was cool getting a chance to see the leaders heading back towards the finish line—got a chance to gauge how close or far I was from the race leader. 😊
My first mile was run in 8:40 and I felt comfortable with this pace. Smiled when I looked at my watch and saw my first mile was well under a 9-minute pace. The Florida humidity was thick as always, but this did not keep me from maintaining this pace throughout the race—my goal was to get some speed work in so no need to back off at this point.
I locked in on a couple runners to help pace me the rest of the way after crossing the race midpoint. I felt the humidity a bit more in the second part of the race but had my music cranking (TI’s Motivation, again) and kept running hard.
Crossed the finish line at 26:43 for a pace of 8:35. This was my fastest 5k since March 2020 so extremely happy with the results. This time allowed me to finish second in my age group and collect a medal and age group award. Got a chance to talk with some local runners while waiting for the awards ceremony—we are a friendly bunch of people.
Still needed to get in additional miles so left Causeway Cove and ran back over the Seaway Drive bridge to my vehicle. Got my additional 9 miles completed on Ocean Drive for a total of 14 for the day.
Happy with my results and how my legs feel during this preparation phase of training. Will leverage speed work more as I get closer to my marathon date.
Happy running folks!
Irie!
“As we run, we become”.
(Amby Burfoot)
Drive
Keep moving ahead
The dreams you dream are all in front of you
The actions you take
The dedication you display
The time you take
To chart the course
All come down to the drive you have
To seek your dreams and then to fulfill those dreams
Drive your success by allowing your dreams to come true
“Mi come soon!”
Decided to activate my Walk into the Future and make my way back down to Negril, Jamaica in July.
I made a point to visit Negril on an annual basis prior to COVID-19 and this was my first trip back down since May 2019. I felt comfortable when I traveled out to Portland, Oregon for the NACE2022 conference back in June and got the urge to get down to Jamaica since COVID restrictions were scaled back.
I went back and forth on when to travel to Jamaica but decided to just look at hotel and air prices to determine the best time for me to travel. Found dates that were compatible with my work and life schedules and booked a trip to my favorite spot, Samsara, which sits on the cliffs on the West End of Negril. I found Samsara years ago and always stay at this resort when I’m in Jamaica. The location is great for snorkeling, catching sunsets and experiencing Jamaica in a more authentic manner than staying at a large resort and never leaving the property.
The staff at Samsara is great and most remember me when I return which makes me feel like a family member.
My overarching goal for this trip was to get down to Negril and relax. Yes, I could have found a spot closer to home to relax but the Irie vibes in Jamaica kept calling me. I made sure to pack my snorkel gear since I wanted to spend as much time in the water as possible on this trip—mission accomplished.
Arrived at Sanger International Airport after my 2-hour JetBlue flight from Orlando. Made my way through customs, got my luggage, and headed to the Jamaica Tours counter to catch my shuttle to Samsara. The airport is about an hour and a half away from Samsara, so I got a Red Stripe beer at the airport and got on the shuttle for my ride over to Negril.
![Resized_20220715_160300[1]](https://walkintothefuture134225271.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/resized_20220715_1603001.jpg)
Samsara has gone through a remodel since my last time down there. They added a couple new buildings, a new infinity pool and deck overlooking the water. These additions were a complete hit with me as they brought a new level of adventure to the resort.
My room was in the newest guest building and was steps away from the infinity pool. This view created some unique pictures for me with the sunsets bouncing off the pool and the ocean. I did not get in the pool but appreciated the addition and several other guests were regulars. Guess not everyone goes to Jamaica to get in the ocean. 😊
I did not book the all-inclusive packages since I wanted to explore and not have to be at the resort at a determined time for a meal. Also, there are other options close by and I like to experience different venues for my meals.
One of my regular spots on this trip was the 3 Dives Jerk Centre on the West End. This spot has some of the best jerk chicken on the island and the price is fantastic. I’m not a huge fan of spicy foods but the seasoning they use is great and they provide the jerk sauce on the side so I can add more or not. Mostly, I don’t add sauce and just eat the jerk chicken with rice and peas.
I made another stop at the Rock House to get lunch and had the grilled snapper, peas and rice and plantain. The chef at the Rock House has an international reputation for great Jamaican dishes and I’m never disappointed when I dine there. The rum punch is pretty good too!
There was not as much live reggae available as past trips but believe this is because the island is still adjusting to having tourist back. Legends on 7 Mile Beach is a sister resort to Samsara and they host a live reggae band on Sunday nights. This is a new music spot from the last time I was in Negril and the band was good. The larger venues had DJ music which was fine but I’m a huge fan of live music so gravitated more to the bands/groups that were playing. Hoping the live music continues to come back since I’m already planning my next Negril trip.
This song was a surprise request for the band:
I was able to snorkel daily in the morning before leaving the resort for my food and music excursions. The water off the cliffs is calm in the mornings and provide a perfect place to float and see a wide variety of fish. There were no jelly fish this time, so this allowed me to stay in the water for extended periods of time. There were only a few other folks in the water, so it felt like I had the ocean to myself. 😊 Plan to get out to the reefs my next time down to explore a bit more.
I was able to get 4 full days during this trip and enjoyed every minute I was back in Negril. Hope the become a regular visitor again so I can enjoy the irie vibes, food, and great views.
(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
Thoughts of you crossed my mind today
Seems like you just stopped by to say hey
Maybe this was your way to let me know everything will be okay
Either way, it was great for you to drop in
Because I have really missed my friend
Don’t stay away so long
Thoughts of you make me smile
“A grateful heart is a magnet for miracles”
(Pinterest)
Dictionary.com defines grateful as feeling or showing an appreciation of kindness; thankful.
Pretty simple concept and one to dig into a bit more. I do a lot of reading and came across a blog article titled the Top 5 Things I am Grateful For. The article and title are straight forward so I decided to try my writing chops to explore this from my perspective.
Family
Spend any amount of time with me and I will tell you about my family. My family on my mom’s side consists of 5 uncles and 4 aunts. The last time we counted I had 32 first cousins and 69 second cousins. I know that last number has gone up, but we have not counted them in a long time.
This large extended family unit allowed me to grow up in an environment where most of my early friends were family members. We did not add nonfamily friends until we started school because there were enough of us around to field our own teams in most sports.
I am grateful for having so many family members who go out of their way to look out for each other. Seems like a simple thing but we spent most Thanksgivings with this large unit and enjoyed our time together. COVID-19 put a halt on our large family get togethers last year but hopefully we can find a way to get the crew together this year—safely!
Friends
My Walk into the Future journey has allowed me to make some truly great friends. Please note, I do not let a lot of people into my inner circle, so my friends are special people to me. I have friends who are not cousins and I have known them my entire life. We stay connected and get back together whenever possible and continue to grow our friendship.
I have friends I met while in the Air Force and we have become our own family unit. I look forward to getting together and catching up whenever possible. COVID-19 has put a halt to our running tourist trips, but I am sure we will get back on track in the future. New Orleans is calling!
I met my best friend in the gym one morning as she bullied me to help her with the weights she was lifting—true story! 😊 Seriously, a simple gym conversation launched a great friendship, and we chat and catch up on life as much as possible. See you on Park Avenue!
My tree branches are all friends I look forward to catching up with. Could be a simple email, text, or phone call but love hearing how well my folks are doing in this world. I enjoy seeing them exploring life via Instagram stories and pictures they share. I live through them daily and enjoy seeing the growth of my tree. WE ARE! Go Bucks! Go Noles! Go Gators!
Running
I found running later in life but cannot imagine a world without me putting in my miles. The concept of running a half marathon was foreign to me in 2013 but now I run 6 to 8 half marathons yearly (pre-COVID). I had no intention to run another half marathon after my first attempt because it took me three full weeks to recover. Of course, I had no idea how to train, hydrate or recover properly—lessons learned the hard way! LOL.
My stated goal for 2022 is to explore my first full marathon. I am hoping COVID does not come back like 2020 and eliminates all future running events. I am always looking for motivation when I run so training for a full marathon should keep me putting in the miles for years to come. Trying to convince several friends to come race with me. Let’s go Laurens! 😊
“Running helps me maintain my ‘never killed anyone’ streak”.
(Pinterest)
Health
Happy to report I can eat and drink whatever I want. My running and weight training programs help with this, but I am blessed with good health. Running has not caused undue aches or pains and helps me maintain a healthy weight without counting calories. My weight training provides strong muscle structure to keep me moving forward. My annual physicals produce good numbers, and the doctor does not have to get onto me to eliminate anything from my diet. Grateful to continue to age well! 😊
My Blog
Started the Walk into the Future blog without a clear understanding how it would impact me. I thought I would just write a few things down and see if anyone wanted to read my words. Turns out the blog has become an extension of me and gives me a platform to share thoughts, ideas, and adventures. My writing process has slowed down as my work obligations expand but I am still able to keep 4 to 5 weeks of blog articles in my production library. I would like to get back up to 8 to 10 weeks of articles in reserve in case I need to revise or update them before publishing. Not sure how long I will continue to publish the blog but still have a ton of material to explore so hope you stay with me on this journey! 😊
Bonus: My readers
Grateful for everyone who takes the time to read my blog. Your positive affirmations always put a smile on my face and inspire me to work to produce better content weekly. Thank you for following the Walk into the Future blog! Well done!
What are YOU grateful for? I welcome your thoughts!
“The struggles ends when the gratitude begins”.
(Neale Donald Walsh)
INSTAGRAM: @jayla_brianna
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