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FEBRUARY 2026 860.613.6290 ROBERTCWHITE.COM Doing the Work When No One’s Watching
Lessons From Marathon Training and Managing Things the Right Way
A couple of years ago, over Christmas, I was standing around with my brothers doing what brothers do best: giving each other a hard time. At some point in the night, we were jokingly comparing and rating our “dad bods.” We teased, we laughed, we pushed our bellies out to the max, and it ended. But for me something else started. You see, as the parade of “dad bods” finished and I was heading back to the kitchen, my daughter looked at me and said, very plainly, “That’s not something you should be proud of.”
head. I liked following a plan and slowly watching it work.
I ran my first marathon just after turning 46 last October. Since then, I’ve completed two more, pacing at completing two per year. And this week, I started training all over again. Some people in my family question my judgment and decision-making process, but that isn’t completely new. Frankly, when I am about halfway into my training, I question my judgment and decision-making process. But I keep moving forward one run at a time and one step at a time. At the beginning of the training, what I didn’t appreciate was how little I actually knew about running or the process. Case in point: my first injury. About 5 or 6 weeks before my first race, my lower left leg and ankle swelled up terribly, and I had a lot of pain. My coach stopped my training immediately and sent me to a specialist, fearing a fracture or worse. After X-rays, MRIs, and more, I was diagnosed with an incredibly bad case of tendinitis caused by ... my running shoes. I was running in a pair that was probably 10 years old. I genuinely had no idea that running shoes are meant to be retired after a certain number of miles. I assumed if they looked fine, they were fine.
Luke and his brother, Zach, after finishing the Hartford Marathon in Oct. 2025
She wasn’t wrong.
It was a humbling (and fairly expensive) lesson, but an important one. Wanting to do something is very different from understanding how to do it well. What I’ve really learned with this experience is that marathon training isn’t about motivation. Motivation comes and goes. Some days you feel strong and confident; other days you feel slow, stiff, or just plain off. The thing that actually gets you to the start line is trusting the process — doing the work even when the payoff feels far away. Each training cycle, I’ve improved. I’ve also gotten injured (but never as badly as the “old shoe incident”). I’ve had to back off at
That moment stuck with me more than I expected. It wasn’t dramatic or life-altering, but it was honest. And it nudged me into doing something I really didn’t have on my agenda: training for a marathon. At the time, the plan was simple. I’d train, run one marathon, check it off the list, and move on. One and done.
But something unexpected happened along the way — I actually enjoyed the training.
Not every run, of course. Many nights, I was heading out the door at 9 p.m. or later, tired, sore, and questioning my life choices. But I found that the process itself mattered more than I thought it would. I liked the quiet. I liked the time to clear my
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They were not.
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Hallway closets can be the odd cousin in home decor, evolving into a catch-all for everything from coats and shoes to linens, craft supplies, pantry items, or necessities for your bath or office. The clutter these storage areas often attract can cause major stress for homeowners who are embarrassed every time they open the door. With a bit of forethought, these black holes for stuff can become orderly receptacles for life’s essentials. Here are three strategies for accomplishing a hall closet makeover. A Multipurpose Solution Creating a simple organizing system can turn a single closet into a multipurpose space. To counter a shortage of bathroom storage space, consider dividing a hall closet into separate, functional storage areas for bedding, towels, bath supplies, and cosmetics. This will work best if you create zones and label the shelves in a pleasing color and script. The key to making a storage plan work is to train all users to return everything to its place after they are done. Consider making your closet space more appealing by giving the inside a coat of high-gloss paint in bright white or another color for a clean, minimalist look that sparkles. Expand Capacity From Chaos to Calm The Surprising Power of a Hall Closet Makeover
CREATE A WOOD SLAT WALL THAT WOWS
Vertical wood slat walls are a popular decorative accent for living rooms and other areas of the home, but the cost of hiring a contractor to create a wood slat feature can be steep. Despite this, a wood slat wall is among the easiest beginner projects for a wannabe home remodeler. Check out the easy steps to create your own DIY accent wall! What You Need At a lumber store, buy 1-by-2-inch slats of pine or poplar wood cut to a length that fits the height of your wall. Select slats that are straight, not warped, and save scraps for later use. If you are using pine, sand the slats with fine-grit sandpaper and stain them to the wood tone that best suits your decor. Although poplar slats cost more than pine, they offer a more high-end look. Additionally, they don’t require staining or sanding, as they’re beautiful in their natural state. For either type of wood, add a layer of polyurethane as a sealant. Assemble your supplies, including the slats, a nail gun, and wood conditioner, plus wood stain if desired. Remove any baseboards from your accent wall. We recommend painting the wall behind the slats a dark color to accent the natural beauty of the slats. For this, you need the usual painting supplies, including paint, painter’s tape, a drop cloth, and paint rollers or brushes. Attach the Slats To help you envision the final look, use painter’s tape to position the slats at different distances. If your slats are 1 inch wide, experiment with spacing them 1/4–7/8 inch apart. (Any farther apart, and you risk creating a zebra-stripe effect.) Use a scrap piece as a spacer between slats. Then, attach the slats to the wall using the nail gun, inserting one nail each in the top, middle, and bottom. When nailing slats to an area without a stud behind the wall, use two nails, driving one downward and a second upward, creating an X behind the slat to hold it firmly in place. Use the spacer as you drive a nail into each piece, ensuring your slats are vertically straight. Once your slat wall is finished, relax and enjoy the warmth of the wood tones and the visual interest you’ve created! You’ve transformed an ordinary wall into a highlight of your home.
Placing large wicker or cloth baskets or plastic bins side by side on closet shelves will increase the closet’s capacity. Alternating lacquered pastel pink or green baskets with white ones can lend a fresh, clean look, and labeling the baskets across the front can save you time hunting and searching. Sort items by category and keep the most often-used items on lower shelves. For smaller items, such as mittens and scarves, consider installing back- of-the-door hooks or over-the-door organizers to maximize every cubic
inch of open space. Hang hard-to-store items, such as brooms and irons, on the walls. To convert a hall closet near the kitchen into a pantry, consider installing sturdy lazy Susans on lower shelves for easy access to oils and other ingredients. A Space for Fun Some hallway spaces offer special challenges, such as narrow, deep closets beneath stairs. If you don’t need the space for coats, consider converting it into a reading nook or quiet cave for kids. Invite the children to help choose colorful pillows, chairs, or bean bags, or include stuffed animals, textile hangings, and a soft area rug for added comfort. With a little time spent decluttering and organizing, you can ensure every storage space in your home works for you, rather than against you.
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times, adjust, and be patient. None of it is linear. But over time, the combination of a clear plan, better information, and consistency has made a real difference.
Thank you for trusting us with your home. We don’t take that lightly — and we’ll keep doing the work, even on the quiet days, because that’s what makes the biggest difference in the long run.
That idea — trusting the process even when it’s not glamorous — is something we think about a lot at RCW.
To planning the work and working the plan,
Good property management looks calm on the surface. When things are working well, it can feel almost invisible. But that’s not because nothing is happening. It’s because there is a process behind it: routine inspections, preventive maintenance, documentation, follow- ups, and decisions made long before a problem becomes obvious. Just like training, it’s not about reacting to every bad day or every unexpected issue. It’s about relying on experience, systems, and discipline to guide the work, even when everything seems fine. We don’t manage homes based on gut feel or short-term urgency. We manage them by trusting proven processes, constantly refining them, and sticking with them even when no one is watching. That’s how credibility is built. That’s how small issues stay small. And that’s how homes remain places of comfort rather than sources of stress. Every marathon I’ve trained for has taught me something new. And every property we manage reinforces the same lesson: Steady, thoughtful effort over time beats bursts of reaction every single time.
P.S. For anyone curious about the running side of this: My first marathon was a 3:45 (i.e., 3 hours and 45 minutes). The second was a 3:30. For the third, I was aiming for a 3:15 and came in at 3:22 — close, but not quite there (it got a lot rougher and slower after about mile 18). This training cycle, the goal is to actually break 3:15. Same process, a little smarter, hopefully a little faster. P.P.S. I want to give a quick shout-out to my sister-in-law Meg. She is the ultimate marathon cheer squad. When I turn the corner and hear her yelling for me (with or without her squad), it always puts a smile on my face and makes my feet a little lighter. Thank you, Meg.
TAKE A BREAK
Mouthwatering Mini Cheesecakes
Ingredients
• 12 oz package vanilla wafers • 16 oz cream cheese, softened • 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2 large eggs • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 21-oz can cherry pie filling
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. 2. In two 24-cup miniature muffin pans, line each space with a paper liner. 3. Using a food processor or resealable plastic bag, crush vanilla wafers into a fine crumb. 4. Press 1/2 teaspoon of crumbs into each paper liner. 5. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy. 6. Fill each miniature muffin liner with this mixture, almost to the top. 7. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until the cheesecakes are set. 8. Cool completely in the pan. 9. Top each mini cheesecake with about a teaspoon of cherry pie filling before serving. Enjoy!
Inspired by AllRecipes.com
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INSIDE
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Doing the Work When No One’s Watching
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Bring Bold Beauty With Brilliant Boards!
Less Clutter, More Clarity: The Rewards of Spruced-Up Storage
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Mouthwatering Mini Cheesecakes
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Eye-Catching Curtain Designs to Love
Draped in Elegance: Hot Design Trends for 2026
Choosing curtains for your home or apartment can be an adventure in self- expression. If adding drapes is on your to-do list, this is the guide for you! The top 2026 curtain design trends include eco-friendly fabrics, such as recycled or organic cotton, and intense, moody colors, like deep earth tones. Styles range from minimalist cotton or linen panels in neutral tones to farmhouse-inspired cafe curtains. For a cozy farmhouse feel, hang tie-top or cafe-style panels to rustic wooden rods.
Formal draperies are popular, too, featuring box or goblet pleats in velvet or brocade. For a lighter, breezier feel, consider floor-to-ceiling Scandinavian sheers in white or pale blue. And if your curtains need to double as room darkeners, consider boho-chic styles in global or floral prints layered over blackout panels. Whatever your needs or style preferences, today’s flexible curtain designs offer just the right look for your home!
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