Walk Into the Future

Tag: Unicorns

  • My Reading Progress

    “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies…The man who never reads lives only one”.

    (George R. R. Martin)

    My Walk into the Future provides me with the flexibility to add new adventures daily.  I continue to view this life I lead to engage my mind, body, and soul.  This blog gives me a space to highlight what I am doing, thinking, or getting ready to accomplish. 

    Goal setting remains a huge part of my success in life, and I look for ways to leverage my goals to help me continue to move forward.  I review my goals daily to ensure my energy and focus are consistent to meet or exceed them.

    I set reading goals each year in January with intent to read something daily.  My daily readings center around Proverbs and a few companion books by Joel Osteen.  I started reading Proverbs daily when I lived in Warner Robins, Georgia and this Atomic Habit remains strong.  Joel Osteen created a 31-day Proverbs companion book which I utilize when completing my daily Proverbs readings.  This little book has helped me understand more and brings Proverbs to life with language for my current Walk into the Future.

    My larger reading goal is to read 1 book monthly.  There were years where I would be super aggressive with this goal but decided to create a reading goal that provides me an opportunity to stay on track.  Please note, just because it says 1 book monthly does not mean I can’t read more, and I do.  I am an avid reader and love to sit on the beach with a good book and cold beer to practice this hobby.  My love for reading started in middle school and it has not slowed down except when my schedule gets in the way. 

    The books I select range from leadership, communication, and inspiration topics.  These are topics of interest for me so stick to areas I seek growth.  I have a couple friends who inquire about my reading selections and have started to read the same books—you can say we have an informal book club going.  We discuss the books after everyone has completed them and look for ways to incorporate the content into life and the work environment. This little book club motivates me to stay on track and focus on my reading.  It has also provided me with access to books I may have missed on my own.  I tend to stick to authors I know but the book club expands my focus and challenges me to explore other authors to enhance my Walk into the Future.

    The following books were referred by book club members:

    • Disruptive Thinking / TD Jakes
    • Wisdom of the Bullfrog / Admiral William H. McRaven
    • 16 Undeniable Laws of Communication:  Apply Them and Make the Most of your Message / John C. Maxwell

    FYI—this was my first TD Jakes book, and I was pleasantly surprised by the content and enjoyed reading his thoughts on Disruptive Thinking.  It is something we can all practice daily, but it was great gaining new insights on how to move forward in life daily. 

    I have read multiple books by Admiral McRaven and his wisdom comes through within the context of leadership and helping teams get better.

    Lastly, John Maxwell communication strategies can be leveraged in most work settings and enhance overall operations for the team.

    I am on pace to meet my stated reading goals and continue to seek additional books to add to my library.  This will continue and help me to Walk into the Future.

    How are you doing on meeting your goals?  What books are you reading in 2023?

    Irie!

  • Navy SEAL Museum (teambuilding)

    “No one can whistle a symphony.  It takes a whole orchestra to play it”.

    (Booker T. Washington)

    My Walk into the Future continues to expand and grow tree branches.

    I am always looking for ways to enhance organizational growth and find opportunities to thrive.  I am still active with my consulting projects and this work expands my ability to develop new ways to inspire my team to meet organizational goals.

    Teambuilding activities have been the springboard towards enhanced communications, better work production and overall success.  This is an ongoing process, there are more opportunities for the organization to grow, and teambuilding will be a driving force towards this goal.

    The national Navy SEAL Museum is in Fort Pierce, Florida.  This is a fun fact, and most people ask why.  The shores of Fort Pierce were utilized as a prime World War II training location to prepare troops for beach invasions.  The underwater demolition program was a key component of the training program and was a precursor to the Navy SEAL program we know today.

    What does this have to do with teambuilding?  Great question!

    Many folks on my staff knew the Navy SEAL Museum was in Fort Pierce but only a few had been to the museum.  I went for the first-time last year with a student organization and enjoyed the experience.  I shared this with a few folks at work and we discussed a team visit to share the history and do some team bonding.  It took a bit of scheduling and adjusting calendars, but we agreed on a date and time for the team visit.

    I did not have a preset idea of how many folks would come to the museum but was happy when 10 folks showed up with smiles on their faces.  This was a voluntary outing for the team, and they took time out of their weekend for team bonding—I was impressed!

    We got an introductory briefing by the museum staff, and this set the stage for the team to explore the multiple displays and artifacts within the museum.

    I did not know how the team would respond to being in a military museum, but they were very active learning the history of the Navy SEALs and campaigns they fought in.  The ability to touch the equipment and sit in an actual helicopter allowed the team an interactive experience while touring the museum.

    The museum has displays outside as well: boats, statues, and monuments.  We got some great pictures of one of the combat boats that was larger than most of us thought it would be.  The obstacle course was popular with other tour groups present but we only tried a few of the obstacles.  I tried the rope swing but sunk quickly into the sand—I traveled 3 feet before my momentum was broken.  Think we all had a good laugh at my lack of movement on the rope swing.  A few others took a turn on the rope swing, and they had better outcomes than I did.  I may have to go back to the Navy SEAL Museum to redeem myself on the rope swing.

    The visit to the Navy SEAL Museum is another step towards making our team stronger.  It was a great way to highlight the ultimate team (Navy SEALs) and how they come together to complete missions.  The importance of teamwork on mission outcomes was a great reminder for my team as we look for ways to get better daily.  Always looking for ways to get 1% better daily.

    What are you doing to become 1% better today?

    Irie!

  • Marathon training

    Marathon training

    (Image by CoupleStyle from Pixabay)

    My marathon training program begins again next week.  Decided to stick with the 18-week training program I used last year.  This program provides a gradual mileage build-up and allows me flexibility to train and still get normal life activities completed.

    The 2023 Palm Beaches Marathon will provide another mental and physical test for me to continue to challenge myself to get better daily.  I feel like a veteran this time around since I got my initial marathon under my belt last year.  I’m excited for the opportunity to train and improve my race outcome this year.  There were several lessons from 2022 that will help me with my journey this year.

    Exercise bike

    I mistakenly believed I could replace running miles with miles on my exercise bike.  Numerically the miles are equal but there is a difference between hard work on an exercise bike and outside miles in Florida.  There is a time and place for the exercise bike, but I will not lean on this form of training as much as I did in 2022.

    Speed work

    I concentrated on building up my mileage base in 2022 but not as much on speed work.  I did several sessions on the local track to work on tempo and speed but know I will need to work pace runs in more this year.  My training plan has several tempo runs inserted and I will do a better job of following the pace days as outlined.  The tempo runs will help me convert my physical fitness into a better race day pace.

    Heat and humidity

    My weekday training runs were completed with 5 am training sessions.  I started my runs at 5 am to beat the heat and completed them prior to my workday during the week.  My weekend runs started around 7:30 am to get out and back before the south Florida heat kicked in.  This was a solid plan, but I did not log many miles in the heat of the day.  Sounds like a smart training plan but the second half of the Palm Beaches Marathon is run in direct sunlight with minimal shade.  It was not overly hot in December, but the sun was on me from the 18-mile marker until the end of the marathon.  I did not handle this part of the race well since I avoided running in/with the sun during my training phase.  I will SMARTLY look for ways to incorporate more training to leverage the south Florida heat and humidity to enhance my training program.

    Here’s the 18-week training program I will launch next week:

    Marathon Training

    I will document my training progress again this year with updates on how I’m doing with mileage, nutrition, and thoughts.  Excited to Walk into the Future again and tackle the 2023 Palm Beaches Marathon.  Looking to run substantially faster than 2022 and cross the finish line again with a smile on my face.

    Irie!

  • National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) 2023 Annual Conference

    NACE23

    “Continuous personal and professional development is your key to the future”.

    (Brian Tracy)

    The NACE22 conference was held in Portland, Oregon last year.  I chronicled my experience traveling out to Portland for the conference in a previous Walk into the Future article.  This was my first time in Portland so was excited to venture out and take in the sights.  NACE22 was also part of my professional development as I served as Co-Chair on the Mentoring Taskforce.  The role allowed me to present during the conference to share the activities the taskforce had worked on during the academic year.  FYI, we redesigned the NACE mentoring program to modernize how we recruit and onboard new mentors.  I was excited for the opportunity to network with my peers and share the hard work the taskforce completed to enhance our organization.

    Fast forward to 2023 and NACE23 was held in Orlando, Florida at the Disney World Swan, and Dolphin resort.  My travel itinerary was a lot less of a hassle than catching multiple connecting flights to get out and back to Portland.  My school saved a bunch of money by not having to fly me all the way to the west coast and back this year.

    Another bonus for me is I did not have to present this year, so I got a chance to enjoy myself while networking with friends from around the country.  The Career Services world is a tight knit bunch of professionals, and it was great getting a chance to see folks again.  The NACE conference provides a great platform for networking, and I made a point to talk with everyone I could.  Please note, this level of networking is needed for future growth within the organization.  I served on the Mentoring Taskforce because the NACE past-president reached out and asked me to Co-Chair because this was his passion project.  The incoming president made sure I knew she needed help with an upcoming committee and spent the week recruiting me to join her project as well.  It took a few follow-up meetings and calls, but I agreed to serve on one of her committees for the 2023 – 2024 year.  My end goal is to get a seat on the NACE Board of Directors soon and it helps to be connected to the right people.

    I’m not a huge Disney person but made sure to explore the Disney Boardwalk area for food, drinks, and night life.  I took advantage of the workout facilities located on the Swan side of the resort and got in a few training runs while on the property.

    Several of the NACE23 vendors host afternoon and evening networking sessions to connect with Career Services professionals.  These sessions are paid for by the vendors and they routinely provide food and drinks for all attendees.  Nice way to get a free meal, drinks and enjoy time with friends.  Yes, I made my way to as many of these networking sessions as possible. LOL.  

    A true highlight of the trip for me was a visit over to Disney Springs.  One of the vendors hosted a large event in an Irish Pub in Disney Springs.  I left one event with friends, and we decided to ride over to Disney Springs to enjoy the night life and hit the party at the Irish Pub. 

    Chef Art Smith’s Homcomin Restaurant is in Disney Springs and is world renowned for great food and atmosphere.  I need to make a full confession to my readers.  Art Smith is a world-famous chef and has cooked for Oprah Winfrey and a host of others.  Very impressive resume!  Also, Art is from Jasper, Florida which is my hometown.  He moved back to Jasper a few years back and is our most famous resident.  Where am I going with this?  Great question.  I texted Art before heading over to Disney Springs to get a reservation at his restaurant and he was great at getting me and three friends in on short notice.  Thanks Art!

    https://www.chefartsmith.com/

    The Homcomin menu has a ton of great options and I highly recommend making your way there when in the area.  I had Art’s Famous Fried Chicken and Sweet Tea moonshine.  My friends tried other items on the menu, and we all agreed this was the best food we had while in Orlando.  We got a treat with the Signature Sampler which has 3 of the best desserts you can find anywhere.  All were fantastic but the Hummingbird Cake is my favorite and will get that when I visit again.  Stop and see my friend Art when visiting Disney Springs—you will thank me for the recommendation!

    http://www.homecominkitchen.com/pdf/Homecomin-Menu.pdf

    http://www.homecominkitchen.com/pdf/Homecomin-Dessert-Menu.pdf

    NACE24 will be in Phoenix, Arizona next year.  I anticipate being on the agenda again to present to my colleagues.  I’m sure there will be great networking opportunities out there and looking forward to great food there too.

    What networking opportunities are you pursuing this year?

    Irie!

  • 2023 – 2024 Running Season

    My 2022 running season was an aggressive approach for me.  Wanted to continue to test myself and see how much I could improve my running performance.

    I did not see any personal records (PRs) in 2022 but my conditioning and endurance were on display with each race.

    The ultimate challenge was stepping up and competing in my first full marathon.  I have been back and forth for years on running one but finally got the courage to sign up, show up and finish one.  Super proud of this fact.

    Now, I find myself signing up for half marathons as a normal part of my training program.  My training focus used to be getting ready for my next half marathon.  I’m at the point where I can run one on short notice and still compete well.  That’s well and fine but looking for a few PRs in the 2023 – 2024 racing season.  LOL.

    I want to PR a 5k, 10k, half marathon and the full marathon this season.  Aggressive I know but, that’s why we make goals.

    Here’s my tentative schedule so far:

    8/19/20232023 Celebration of Running 5kWinter Park
    9/3/20232023 Virginia Beach 10-milerVirginia Beach, VA
    9/16/20232023 Out Run Hunger 5kFort Pierce
    10/8/20232023 Hutchinson Island Half MarathonFort Pierce
    10/22/20232023 Cocoa Beach Half MarathonCocoa Beach
    11/4/20232023 Hollywood Half MarathonHollywood, FL
    12/2/20232023 OUC Half MarathonOrlando
    12/10/20232023 Garden of Life MarathonWest Palm Beach
    1/21/20242024 Vero Beach Half MarathonVero Beach
    1/28/20242024 Town of Celebration Half MarathonCelebration, FL
    2/10/20242024 Fleet Feet Run for your Heart 10kStuart, FL
    4/27/20242024 Nashville Rock N Roll Half MarathonNashville, TN
    6/1/20242024 San Diego Rock N Roll Half MarathonSan Diego

    May add a few additional races to this list but this should keep me training and competing this fall and next spring.

    What challenges are you tackling this year?

    Irie!

  • 2023 Goals progress

    goal-g9f3555e2d_1280

    (Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay)

    “People with goals succeed because they know where they are going”.

    (Earl Nightingale)

    I start each year by sitting down and creating goals that will help me navigate the year.  I stopped with the New Year’s resolution stuff a while back and made sure to create goals in multiple areas of my life:  professional, personal growth and health.

    Some of my goals carry over into the new year with modifications based on how well I did the previous year.  Examples of this include volunteer work, my reading program and how often I write weekly.

    A big carryover from 2022 to 2023 was the concept of purchasing a townhouse. 

    I listed this as a goal and put some effort into it by working with a realtor and viewing multiple townhouses on the Treasure Coast.  Never found what I was looking for in 2022 so this remained a goal for 2023.  My house hunting efforts heated up in March of this year and I closed on a townhouse in Fort Pierce on 5/11/2023.  This goal does not have to carryover anymore!

    I scaled my reading program back a bit from 2022 but still wanted to stay active.  I love to read and learn new things, so this goal never goes away for me.  I decided to ensure I read a minimum of one book per month.  This is in conjunction with my daily Bible reading to gain additional wisdom (Proverbs) and overall insight from other areas in the Bible.  I am eager to learn more and actively explore for new insights I can leverage in my daily life.

    My writing goal centers around daily activity to include blog posts, poems, and LinkedIn articles.  There are days when I miss my writing window, but I continue to generate content for the Walk into the Future blog and get new posts/articles on LinkedIn to share my views of the world.  I still have time to get caught up on this goal but happy with the quality of what I have produced so far this year.  Always looking for new topics to add to the blog and will take recommendations if YOU have something you want to read about.  My racing season will start back in August 2023 so there will be multiple training and racing articles coming to your inbox soon.  LOL.

    I am currently ahead on my exercise goals!  I’m hitting the gym as prescribed weekly while my running consistency is similar to how I prepared for the 2022 Palm Beaches Marathon.  I run early in the morning on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.  My long runs are completed on Saturday mornings.  I have begun to incorporate speed work into my routine which was an addition to my running goals.  This approach should put me in much better shape physically and mentally to get ready for the 2023 Palm Beaches Marathon.  I set an aggressive 2023 running schedule and need this new base mileage approach to get me to the start line and over the finish line for these races.  Excited to see how this training approach translates to the actual races.  FYI, I am 75 miles ahead of my mileage the same time last year.  This is BEFORE I crank up my full marathon training program.   I completed three half marathons so far this year with three more coming in the fall and the full marathon.  I missed the 2023 Virginia Beach Half Marathon due to injury in March and the 2023 San Diego Rock N Roll Half Marathon due to a schedule conflict—the NACE conference was in Orlando, and I couldn’t figure out a way to be in San Diego and Orlando on the same day.  I registered for the 2024 San Diego Rock N Roll Half Marathon in June to get the best prices and fingers crossed it doesn’t conflict with NACE next year. 

    I continue to leverage goals to guide my daily efforts towards making a difference in this world.  Happy to report I am making good progress and will continue to move forward.

    How are you doing with your 2032 goals?  What adjustments do you need to make?

    Irie!

    “A dream becomes a goal when action is taken toward its achievement”.

    (Bo Bennett)

  • 2023 Marathon Decision

    “There is magic in misery.  Just ask any runner”.

    (Dean Karnazes)

    I ran the 2022 Palm Beaches Marathon with the intent of being one and done.  The training and pain I felt during the marathon was one of the toughest things I’ve ever experienced.  The joy I felt when finishing was also a joyous time—I know that sounds weird but finishing the marathon was the culmination of a massive undertaking.

    The quote above speaks volumes for what I experienced during the marathon and highlights the mindset of most runners.  Yes, it hurts but I need to run this again.  May not make sense to most people but runners live this life daily.

    The day of the marathon my body hurt—same for the day after and the next five days.  I started to feel normal again the week after the race but running this distance again was not a priority for me.  I began to deconstruct the race, my training and nutrition the following week to determine if I could do better.  The answer came back as yes, but I did not know if I wanted to experience this level of pain again. 

    I forgot about the marathon and embarked on multiple half marathons (Vero Beach, Town of Celebration, Nashville) and got faster with each race.  I attribute this to my marathon training and the ability to manage the pain a lot better.  The marathon taught me how to continue to move forward even when the body wanted to slow down or stop.  Leveraged this newfound knowledge and fitness to get better when running half marathons. 

    Spoke with my friend Lauren Apgar about possibly running the marathon again.  Casual conversations all the way up to the 2023 Nashville Rock N Roll Half Marathon.  I was able to handle the Nashville hills and warm weather much better than I did last year.  Again, this was because of the amount of training I put into the marathon process.

    The concept of running another marathon kept coming back up so decided to explore what it would take for me to toe the 26.2 start line again.

    The course needs to be flat.  I prefer the race to be close to me so I would not have a huge travel commitment.  The race needed to provide a fun environment and an opportunity to become a running tourist again.  The Palm Beaches Marathon checked all these parameters, and I am familiar with the race.  It does not have the greatest EXPO experience, but the course support was great, and it allows me to redeem myself and improve on my 2022 race time.

    I’m not trying to qualify for Boston or the New York City marathons.  Just want to get back to my training program and improve my marathon time.  My competitive nature drives the need for improvement, and I know areas I can improve my training.  I leveraged my exercise bike a bit too much during training and know these miles are great for cardio but do not translate to the road work needed to run the best marathon time.  I will use the exercise bike only when the weather is bad and running outside is not an option.  I make a point to train at different times of the day—this allows me to acclimate to the South Florida heat.  The heat at mile marker 20 got the best of me so will not let this happen again this year. 

    I plan to leverage the 18-week training plan again this year with emphasis on building my mileage base slowly and mastering the long weekend runs. 

    Excited to embark on this marathon journey again.  I’m sure I will generate training articles again to allow my readers to follow my pain!  😊

    Irie!

  • Race Medals

    Medal Rack

    “Racing is the fun part; it’s the reward for all the hard work”.

    (Kara Goucher)

    Runners sign up for races for multiple reasons.  Some are there for the competition, others are chasing a specific time, and then you have the running tourists who are looking to see new places while testing their mental and physical stamina during the race.

    There are other reasons to toe the start line and cross another finish line but we all happily collect race medals when it is all said and done.  Larger races have bigger budgets to invest in the hardware they provide to runners, but each race looks to create a unique medal experience for runners. 

    My medal collection continues to grow as I enlarge my running tourist program as I add more yearly races.  Extremely proud to have crossed the threshold to become a full marathoner. 

    Decided to highlight a few of my most recent medals in this post and provide a better view on the design of each of them.  Please note, I plan to run these races again next year so will collect a new medal design and will share those in the future.  😊

    Palm Beaches Marathon

    Medal Palm Beach

    Ran the 2022 Palm Beaches Marathon in December 2022 and chronicled my training that led up to the race.  This is my favorite medal in the collection since it is the first and only full marathon medal I have collected to date.  I have already signed up for the 2023 Palm Beaches Marathon and begin my training cycle again the first week in August.

      OUC

    Medal OUC

    My first half marathon was the 2013 OUC Half Marathon.  This race launched my running program and got me invested in distance running.  I planned to run one half marathon just to say I did it but have not stopped competing yet.  Running has become a huge part of my daily life and I can’t imagine what I would be doing without my running program (training and racing).  The 2022 OUC Half Marathon was used as a training run to gauge my progress for the Palm Beaches Marathon—enjoyed the race and happy with my efforts.  The OUC medals are always colorful and depict the Lake Eola area in downtown Orlando.

    Vero Beach

    Medal Vero

    The Vero Beach Half Marathon is a small race with only about 250 runners.  The race takes runners through multiple neighborhoods and the famed beach.  The medal highlights the beach and turtles which gives it a unique look and feel.  Lots of color and surprisingly heavy.

    Town of Celebration

    Medal Celebration

    Ran the Town of Celebration Half Marathon for the first time in January.  I ran the fastest time in the past 3 years during this race.  The town of Celebration really comes out to welcome runners, and they throw a great after race party with lots of food and drinks.  I plan to run this race yearly since I enjoyed the entire experience so much.  The medal is a homage to the movies with the 2023 theme:  Take 10.  This was the tenth running of this half marathon so next year will be Take 11—get it? 😊

    Nashville

    Medal Nashville

    The 2023 Nashville Rock N Roll Half Marathon medal continues the trend of highlighting the great music in Nashville.  The Honky Tonk Wings were a new addition to the Nashville medal and provide a fantastic back drop for this medal.  I love Nashville and will run this race every year until they tell me to stop coming—won’t be anytime soon.

    Resized_20230421_171204

    Can’t wait to collect more medals in 2023 and beyond.

    Which one is your favorite?

    Irie!

  • Poetic Flow: Beach Life!

    Disney Springs

    Sitting on the beach living the life I live 

    Prophetic sound because it’s the life I need 

    Positive energy leads the way 

    For the journey I’m on today 

    No worries, no hurries, no issues 

    Will stop the flow of the joy 

    That sitting on the beach 

    Enjoying the sun, sand, and waves 

    Can bring to my soul!

  • Nashville 2023

    Nashville, Tennessee is one of my favorite places to visit.  The culture, music, food, and activities around the Lower Broadway area keep bringing me back year after year.

    The 2023 Nashville Rock N Roll Half Marathon was the draw that got me back up there in April.  The race organizers do a fantastic job with the race and really take care of the runners.

    Made my way to Nashville on Friday and wanted to ensure I had time to explore the race EXPO.  My friend Lauren and boyfriend Reese came down from Philly and we met at the EXPO.  This was the first time seeing them since last year for the Atlantic City Half Marathon.  Lauren had never run in Nashville and wanted to experience the sights, sounds and music I’m always talking about.

    We got our race packets and made our way to visit the vendors and see what new products are out.  Tested a few of the new hydration drinks available but didn’t buy anything.  Decided I wanted to get new leg compression sleeves and got a Rock N Roll custom designed pair.  They matched my running outfit and provided me with a new look for the race.  We got EXPO photos together and listened to the music for a bit. 

    The Rock N Roll folks moved the EXPO from the Music City Convention Center to the Musicians Hall of Fame.  Sounds similar but the new location was a lot smaller, and the vendors were cramped into a hallway.  I hope we move back to our regular location next year—plus it would put us closer to Broadway and all the music venues.

    Left the EXPO and made my way back over to Lower Broadway to continue to carb load and find some music.  Found an open seat at the Wildhorse Saloon and got food and beer while watching the line dancers.  Love the Wildhorse and the band playing was great, and the line dancers were having a ball.  Decided to forego line dancing since I had a half marathon the next day.  Left the Wildhorse and hit a couple other music spots before making my way back to the hotel to get some rest.

    Met Lauren on race day close to the start line so we could stretch and mentally prepare for the Nashville hills.  I texted her during my training sessions to let her know I was running hill repeats over bridges.  She didn’t fully understand why until we got to Nashville.  😊

    Shoutout to my friends at the First Baptist Church in Nashville!  They open the church property and allow runners to relax inside while waiting for the race to start.  This really comes in handy when the weather is cool and helps runners get off their feet prior to the race start.

    We made our way to the start line and settled into Corral #5.  Surprisingly ran into an Orlando runner I met last year at this race, and he remembered me.  Turns out he came back for the race because he did not like his 2022 race time and wanted to improve.  I met another runner who lives in Buffalo but moved there from Orlando.  They saw my Track Shack running shirt and it was a family reunion prior to the race start.  I highlight these encounters because I tried to prepare them for the hills they were about to run.  They did not seem to think I was serious and could not imagine the hills were going to be as extreme as I described.  I tried to help them, but they had to learn on their own.

    Fast forward—Lauren and I started the race together and ran down the Lower Broadway hill with a smile on our faces.  The first half mile in Nashville is downhill and the rest appears to be up a different hill for the next 8 miles.  Wish this was an exaggeration but check the race elevation—the hills are steep in Nashville.

    We split up after the third hill and ran our individual races.  The weather was a lot cooler this year and this made running the hills a lot more pleasant. 

    Ran most of the race with a smile on my face and enjoyed the great music and spectators that lined the course and cheered for runners.  This may be my favorite race for spectators on the course and the music is fantastic.

    My race splits were:

    Mile 1:  9:57/ Mile 2:  10:40 / Mile 3:  10:47 / Mile 4:  9:48 / Mile 5: 9:58 / Mile 6:  10:02 / Mile 7: 10:10 / Mile 8:  10:04 / Mile 9:  9:54 / Mile 10:  9:28 / Mile 11:  9:54 / Mile 12:  10:05 / Mile 13:  10:04 / Mile .1 / 2:48   (2:13:34 Half Marathon)

    ***Super proud of that Mile 10 split!*** 😊

    Lauren and I spent time at the after-race party recovering from the hilly half marathon, drinking beers, and getting some pictures together to commemorate the race and great atmosphere.

    ACME and Wildhorse Saloon

    Made our way across the bridge over the Cumberland River and met Reese at ACME for brunch.  This is a multi-level building with great views, food, and cold beer:  https://www.acmefeedandseed.com/.

    The Wildhorse Saloon was next for some line dancing lessons and more cold beer.  We decided to get in as much Lower Broadway as possible before leg soreness kicked in from the race.  This was Lauren first line dancing rodeo, so we made our way onto the dance floor to learn a nice dance and then they turned us loose with two songs to showcase our line dancing moves.  We were great students and danced without stepping on any toes or hurting our dance neighbors.  Great experience and a lot of fun to introduce my Philly friend to Nashville line dancing.

    We hit a few other music spots on Lower Broadway to get the full country music experience.  Decided to call it a day once the leg soreness kicked in.  Made my way back to my hotel to begin the recovery process and find more Nashville music.

    Fantastic race, trip, and time with my tree branches!

    Yes, I’m already signed up to return in 2024.  Who is joining the Nashville party?

    Irie!