Author: Zenaida Arroyo

I am a 2nd grade teacher and a runner. I love coffee and cats.

Tuesday Topics: My typical race morning

Tuesday Topics-232This week’s Tuesday Topic:  What does your typical race morning look like?  You can write about this topic or post any running-related blog post.  Remember to link up with Jenn and Zenaida!  Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier!  Remember to come back for later linkers!

Race morning is an exciting time!  I also find myself being nervous.  Here is what I do before my race.

• Drink coffee and eat some kind of bar.  I’ve mentioned before that sometimes I don’t eat anything prior to running but I will always eat something before a race.

• Use the bathroom.  The coffee helps with this process.

• Get dressed.  It helps to have everything laid out the night before.

• Check my bag to make sure I have everything I need.  Then I check it again before I leave.

• Drive to the race location.  I like to leave with plenty of time.  I hate feeling rushed.  

• Use the bathroom again.  I may use it again depending on how much more I have to wait for the race to start.

• Check gear bag and tell myself to have a good time.

Next week is a FREE topic.  Feel free to write about any running-related topic.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

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Fit Five Friday: 5 everyday things that bring me happiness

Fit Five Friday-8We’ve got FIVE incredible co-hosts My First 5K and MoreRunning With AttitudeRun Laugh Eat PieRuns with Pugs, and me for another Fit Five Friday link-up!  

Happy Friday!  Today the 2nd and 3rd graders are walking to the local high school (about half a mile) to see The SpongeBob Musical.  Yes, over 200 students walking on the streets.  I am glad the weather will be decent for walking over there.  Hopefully, everything goes well and the students have a great time!

5 everyday things that bring me happiness:

Coffee.  I drink it every morning.  It is the first thing I drink as I read email and catch up on blog posts.  It is quiet and when it is dark it feels very cozy.

Starbucks-1

Sunshine.  I love the warmth.  It makes me feel as if it will be a good day when there is sunshine.  I like it when it is bright that sometimes I don’t even turn on the school lights in my classroom.  I have a few lamps and use those instead.

Running 4

My cats.  They make me smile and laugh.  Mateo is the silliest one and Lola is more affectionate.  She likes to follow me around when I am home.

Lola and Mateo-14

My alone time. It is always hectic at school.  I look forward to my time alone when I can read or watch TV.  My alone time is when I run too.  I am slowly getting back to running in the morning and it is going well.  

Fall running-4

My life.  It may not be perfect and many times I do question some of the things that are happening in my life.  I am healthy, I have a family, a job, and a place to live.  Do I want more things?  Absolutely!  I want to win the lottery so I can buy a house.  

The topic for next week – Runfessions with Marcia.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

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Tuesday Topics: My favorite races

Tuesday Topics-231This week’s Tuesday Topic:  Do you have a favorite race you run every year?  Tell us about it.  You can write about this topic or post any running-related blog post.  Remember to link up with Jenn and Zenaida!  Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier!  Remember to come back for later linkers!

There are two races that I try to run every year:

• Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8k.  Last week I mentioned that this year was my 14th year running this race.  This race is unofficially the beginning of racing season.  I love the distance – there aren’t that many races of that distance.  It is one big party afterwards.  I will confess that the past couple of years I haven’t participated in the afterparty.  The reason is that I am usually tired and very cold afterwards.  I do not want to stick around in the cold weather.  My PR is 48:38 from 2014.

Elmhurst 4 on the 4th of July.  I can’t remember how I found out about this race.  Besides a different race I did in 2008, this is the only one I’ve done that is 4 miles.  My first time running this race was in 2013.  I’ve run it every year since then except for 2020 (we all know why) and 2021.  My PR is 39:39 from 2014.  July 4th is a very special day for me because it was the day I emigrated to this country with my family.  We’ve been here since 1978.  

Did you watch the Boston Marathon yesterday?  I was still at home when it started so I was able to watch the beginning.  We then left for my mom’s doctor appointment.  Then we were in the parking lot when the men finished and then on the way home when the women finished.  🙂 No matter what, I will always root for Des!

2024 Boston Marathon-1

The topic for next week – What does your typical race morning looks like?  Feel free to write about this or any running-related topic.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

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Fit Five Friday: 5 things in my race kit

Fit Five Friday-7We’ve got FIVE incredible co-hosts My First 5K and MoreRunning With AttitudeRun Laugh Eat PieRuns with Pugs, and me for another Fit Five Friday link-up!  This week’s topic is “5 things in your race kit.”  Feel free to write about this or any fitness topic you’d like.

My race kit.  It sounds bada$$.  Makes it sound like I am an elite runner.  😀 I have a bag that I take with my to my races.  It is usually a plastic bag given by the race organizers.  Or I take my own.  Below is what I have in the bag.

BibSnaps.  I love these.  No more safety pins making holes on my race shirt.  Sometimes I put these on at home and other times I do it onsite at the race location.

BibBoards-1

• Extra jacket/pants.  Depending on the weather, I have this in case I get wet from the rain or cold after the race.Oiselle Gear-10

• KoalaClip.  I never run without it.

Koala Clip-5

• Eyedrops.  I wear my contacts for a race and my eyes get very dry.

Eye drops-1

• Mylar blanket.  This is also depending on the weather.  I took one when I ran the Shamrock Shuffle this year but ended up not needing it.

Mylar blanket-1

The topic for next week – 5 favorite medals/races of all time.  Feel free to write about this or any fitness topic you’d like.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

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Tuesday Topics: The 2024 Boston Marathon

Tuesday Topics-230This week’s Tuesday Topic:  How do you plan to celebrate/watch the Boston Marathon?  You can write about this topic or post any running-related blog post.  Remember to link up with Jenn and Zenaida!  Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier!  Remember to come back for later linkers!

This is one of my favorite days of the year!  I know I will never run the marathon but I would love to go to Boston to spectate.  Hmm, why haven’t I done so?  Every year I keep saying “next year”.  

In the past, I’ve watched it at home and in my classroom.  Even Lola is interested.

This year I will be off on Monday to take my mother to the nephrologist.  I made this appointment months ago so I cannot cancel it and didn’t realize when I made the appointment that it was also the day of the Boston Marathon.  I will start watching it at home and then probably won’t continue to watch it since the appointment is at 10:10am.  I remember in the past that the elite usually cross the finish line between 11:00-11:30am.

The topic for next week – Do you have a favorite race you run every year?  Tell us about it  Feel free to write about this or any running-related topic.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

New Tuesday Topics

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