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
“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)
“As we run, we become”.
(Amby Burfoot)
The month of September was dedicated to getting in speed work by running local 5K races.
I tackled the Run to Stop Hunger 5K in 2022 to test my endurance and work on speed while training for my first full marathon. I enjoyed the race setup, course and participants so decided to leverage this race again this year.
This 5K was convenient to me since it is in Fort Pierce on Hutchingson Island. I used the race as part of my Week #6 training program so I could get some speed work in. Mentally I need a race to make me speed up and racing is a lot more fun than just logging miles by myself. I am not looking for running partners, but the extra motivation racing brings is a welcome change while training.
The race start and finish lines are in the center of the Causeway Cove Marina. I duplicated my warmup from last year by parking on the Fort Pierce mainland and using the Seaway Drive bridge as my race warmup. The bridge was a great way to get my heart rate up and helped me stretch out my legs before tackling the 3.1-mile course.
There was not a huge crowd for this race, but I recognized a lot of the runners present. The Fort Pierce running community is not huge, so I get to see the same folks at most races. I was able to get in additional stretching before we had to line up for the race start.
I didn’t have a set finish time in mind, I just wanted to get some speed work in without injuring myself or anyone else. Mission accomplished on both tasks.
Lined up in the middle of the race corral and decided to just have fun while on the course. The small race lineup did not create a traffic jam as we headed it. This allowed runners to spread out and hit their race pace from the very start.
I targeted a couple runners in front of me as my pacers and leveraged them to propel me forward during the first part of the race. This 5k is a simple out and back course that is completely flat. We run a portion of the race on the sidewalk, so it gets tight when runners turn around to head back towards the finish line.
One of my pacers slowed down around the 1-mile marker and the other decided to hit another gear and left me. I did not attempt that pace since it was not comfortable for me at this point of my training process.
Fast forward and I finished the 5K in 27:56 which is an 8:59 per mile pace. Not fast or slow for me at this point of my training schedule. I still have additional training sessions and races coming up so there’s plenty of time for me to improve my pacing, conditioning, and mental preparation.
I’m using my exercise bike as a warmup prior to my long runs and not as a primary training device. This helps me stretch my legs and creates a solid foundation for my planned runs. I’ve got plenty of time to ensure I’m ready for the 2023 Palm Beaches Marathon in December.
Excited to see how far I can push myself this year.
What are you excited for?
Irie!
“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!
“Only the guy who is not rowing has time to rock the boat”.
(Jean-Paul Sartre)
“Seas the day.”
(Storyteller Travel)
Summertime is conference season for everyone working in Higher Education Career Services. We have multiple organizations that provide fantastic opportunities to network with colleagues.
The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), Southern Association of Colleges and Employers (SoACE) and Florida Association of Colleges and Employers (Florida ACE) are three of the organizations I have membership or participate in professional development. My current role aligns more with NACE these days, but I stay up to date with SoACE and Florida ACE. I have a lot of my tree branches who are extremely active with the regional and state associations. I am proud to say one of my tree branches is the current President of SoACE. I have others coming up through the ranks so happy to watch them grow daily.
The Florida ACE annual conference was held in Jupiter, Florida this year and several of my friends and tree branches attended. I was not an official attendee for this conference since I was just returning from the NACE conference in Portland. I received several texts and emails from my folks in attendance that they wanted me to come down for the conference to say hello.
Decided to drive down to Jupiter for the last day of the conference which was a Friday. My current school is closed on Fridays during the summer so got up with the intent to catch the last portions of the conference and get a chance to catch up with my folks. Jupiter is about a 50-minute drive south from Fort Pierce so made my way down.
Arrived at the conference location and located the Florida ACE group on the second floor. They were wrapping up the conference with awards and door prizes, so I hung back to avoid disrupting the conference, but my friends spotted me towards the back of the room. Got a few smiles and waves but this did not distract from the conference.
I was able to see and catch up with friends once the conference ended. It was great catching up with people I have not seen in a while. Some of this is because of COVID and some was because I moved down to Fort Pierce. Either way, this was a fantastic opportunity to see some great people and reconnect! 😊
The original Square Grouper is in Jupiter, and I had never visited this location before. I am a regular at the Fort Pierce Square Grouper and wanted to check out the OG location for myself. FYI, one of my friends refers to the Jupiter location as the OG (Original Gangster) location so decided to join in on the fun.
Google maps got me to the Square Grouper in about 10 minutes from the conference hotel which was down the street.
Made my way into the OG location to see how/if it was different from the Fort Pierce location.
The bar setups were very similar, and the food menu was the exact same—not surprising. The difference I saw was what was beyond/behind Square Grouper. The Fort Pierce location sits on the Fort Pierce inlet and is great for watching boats on the water. The Jupiter location has a dock directly behind it with boats sitting. Not a horrible look but the views are almost night and day for me. Love the freedom and great pictures I get at the Fort Pierce location.
I’m sure the Jupiter location has a group of regulars who love their views, but I would not trade the Fort Pierce view, vibe and feel for anything. Plus, the Fort Pierce Square Grouper is 15 minutes from where I live as opposed to having to drive 50 minutes to Jupiter. FYI—the Jupiter location seems to get better live music options since it is closer to south Florida and the Miami music scene.
https://squaregrouper.net/events/month/?venue=jupiter-inlet
Happy I made the stop in Jupiter to see what the OG Square Grouper has to offer. Need to explore more in the Jupiter area since the beach is so nice down there.
Irie!
“Life takes you down many paths, but my favorite ones lead to the beach”.(Good Housekeeping)
Dream Weaver
Be careful what you dream
Because sometimes dreams do come true
So, what’s the problem you may ask?
The dream you dream may in fact not be for you
Life provides opportunities for you to reach your goals
The key to this process is to know the correct path to follow
Look beyond tomorrow
Search for the things you need
Use this knowledge and your dreams to succeed
“It is life, I think, to watch the water. A man can learn so many things”.
(Nicholas Sparks)
My Walk into the Future continues to look more like My Walk with COVID-19.
That would not be as catchy of a blog title so will stick with Walk into the Future! 😊 Again, the pandemic has slowed down the adventures but has not completely shut them off. I remain careful when I venture out and take precautions to ensure I am not exposing myself to undue risks.
Most of my adventures center around the beach and shopping excursions. These have proved to be safe and gets me out of the house for fresh air. Will continue to find new beaches to sit on and enjoy the views on the Treasure Coast. Still do not know why it is called the Treasure Coast, guess that will have to be a future blog article when I find out.
A favorite spot for the locals is Square Grouper. Thought it was a clever name when I first heard it but Googled the definition to make sure I understood how the place got the name. Turns out it is a clever hook and attracts a lot of people based on the name and meaning. Yes, you should Google it to understand what it means. LOL.
My attraction to Square Grouper is it is close to Jetty Park and sits right on the Fort Pierce Inlet. The location is at the mouth of the inlet before it empties into the Atlantic Ocean. It is a great location to catch sunsets that seem to plunge directly into the inlet. The Square Grouper is 95% an outdoor venue with two bars, a tiki hut stage, and a large outdoor seating area. The plastic chairs are not comfortable but serve a purpose as you can move them around as needed.
The outdoor venue has been great to practice physical distancing while also enjoying some live music. Most of the bands are local and only play for two hours—cannot say the bands have been memorable but they have been good enough to make a few people get up and dance. There has never been a large crowd when I visited but everyone seems to enjoy the atmosphere. I spoke with one of the bartenders and he let me know they typically got around 600 people nightly before COVID-19 impacted the world. The crowds are a lot less than that now—the most I have seen there is around 50 people spread out around the outdoor seating areas. A few brave folks will sit at the bar but not very many. Face masks are still required to enter but do not know how long that will last since the governor has relaxed statewide restrictions.
A surprising aspect of visiting the Square Grouper is the food. Typical bar staples but they use fresh ingredients and fantastic seasonings. I have tried multiple items on the menu and have not been disappointed yet. I have been a bit adventurous and explored menu items I would not normally get. Both bars are fully stocked but the signature drink is the Rum Runner. Never had one prior to my visit to Square Grouper but now it is my go-to drink when I am there—try it frozen if you make it there.
Hoping the band lineup starts to improve since I enjoy live music. Will continue to leverage the Square Grouper as part of my Walk into the Future.
What locations are on your adventure list? What makes it a place you want to visit? Thanks!
“On the beach, you can live in bliss”.
(Dennis Wilson)
Walk Into the Future 