Category: Tuesday Topics

Tuesday Topics: September 2023 Review

This week’s Tuesday Topic is a FREE topic.  Feel free to post any running-related blog post.  Remember to link up with Kim and Zenaida!  Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier!  Remember to come back for later linkers!

Yay for September being almost over!  I am rarely ever excited for a month to be over.  Now I am because it has been one heck of a month.  As I’ve mentioned, school is a circus, and I am learning to walk carefully on the tighrope without falling.  I haven’t been lucky.

Let me tell you about how September went for me:

Mileage:  September was not a good month of running.  I went out running yesterday for 20 minutes.  Before that, my last run was on September 1.  To date, I’ve run 2.48 and walked 16.29 miles.

Current Book:  I finished reading “The Guide” and was very happy when I finished it.  It wasn’t that exciting but I also didn’t want to stop reading it.  I was determined to finish it.  

I am currently reading “Beautiful World, Where Are You”.  So far it is OK but more interesting than The Guide.  😀

2023 Running Goal:  I am saying goodbye to my goal.  No way will I run 386 miles in 3 months.  This year wasn’t my year for running.  I did the best I could and am OK with it.  I will continue to run and will be happy with whatever number I end up with on December 31. 

What I would like to do now is run or walk every day.  

Injuries:  None.  I am sore from yesterday’s run.  I know I need to keep showing up to either run or walk and I will no longer be sore.

Races:  None.

Health:  I am doing OK.  I am sleeping better but now need to watch what I eat.  I’ve noticed my shorts feel a bit tight.

School:  I was looking forward to the new school year.  I began the school year with 21 students and now have 20.  One student came in 2 weeks after school started and then two students were moved to a GE (English-only) classroom.

It’s been a rough 5 weeks.  My students talk a lot and don’t follow directions.  When I ask them a question, many do not answer.  I am left wondering if it is me or them.  Regardless, it is frustrating.

We have a new Reading curriculum.  We’ve had minimal training yet I was expected to assess my students in English and Spanish.  Luckily, one of the interventionists helped me.  I have to teach Reading in both languages (remember, no training) and have spent HOURS reviewing lessons and trying to figure out what to do.  The assessments are long and they’re pen and paper so I have to manually grade each assessment.  Then we enter the data into one program (MasterConnect) and then into another one (PowerSchool) for grades.  I do this for 3 different components of the curriculum (Knowledge and then Skills in English and Spanish).  Let’s not forget that I also teach Math, Science, and Social Studies.

New this year is an extra 30 minutes we spend with the students either helping them in Reading or Math.  I am doing Math.  Each day is a different lesson and thankfully I don’t have to write the lessons but it is another session I need to prepare for every day. 

I am mentally exhausted.  I have been neglecting myself.  I am actually surprised I haven’t quit yet.  Yesterday was a good day for me.  I went out for a run.  I had a good day with my students.  We couldn’t go out for recess because of the rain but had fun doing various indoor activities.  We did the Chicken Dance and the Macarena (school version).  I think they were surprised to see me have fun with them!

Thanks for reading.  I hope that for next month’s review, I will write more positive things about school.  Or maybe write about something more exciting.

The topic for next week:  Tell us what you love about living in your town/city/state.  Feel free to write about this or any running-related topic.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

Tuesday Topics

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Tuesday Topics: My Fall 2023 running plans

This week’s Tuesday Topic:  What are your Fall running plans and/or race schedule?  You can write about this topic or post any running-related blog post.  Remember to link up with Kim and Zenaida!  Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier!  Remember to come back for later linkers! 

I LOVE Fall!  I know I have mentioned a few times that it is my favorite season.  The warm days are gone and it is beginning to feel like Fall in Chicago.  I love it!

It has been quite a year.  I’ve run 5 races but lately haven’t been running at all.  Things have settled down a little at work so now I can dedicate more time to running and walking.  I do miss it.

Here are my plans for Fall:

🌳 Start running again.  I have no races this year, yet, but am planning for next year, so I want to run for fun.  I am looking forward to the cooler weather and the different colors of the leaves.

🌳 Start walking again.  Same as above for running.  I began walking more when I wasn’t running.  And then I stopped doing that too.

🌳 Restart my Peloton membership.  I had forgotten that I paused my membership until I received an email about my payment.  I miss taking classes with Matty and Camila.

🌳 Run a 5k.  Definitely doable, right?  I’ve run a half marathon this year, 10 miler, 10k, an 8k, and a 4 miler.  Now I just need a 5k.  I need to check and see what’s taking place in the next couple of months.

🌳 Take better care of me.  I have been neglecting myself and I need to stop doing that.  I’ve been very busy with work these past couple of weeks, but now some things have settled in.  I have somewhat of a routine now which is making things a little easier for me.  The work is never-ending and I know I will never be caught up and that is OK.

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

Tuesday Topics

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Tuesday Topics: The letter “L”

  

This week’s Tuesday Topic:  Today is the 12th day of September hence the 12th letter of the alphabet.  Write anything that comes to mind that begins with the letter “L”You can write about this topic or post any running-related blog post.  Remember to link up with Kim and Zenaida!  Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier!  Remember to come back for later linkers! 

Happy Tuesday!  It is back to work after a few days celebrating and having fun with family.  There were also a few doctor appointments, but overall it is all good.

I had fun writing about things that start with the letter “M”.  Here is what I have for the letter “L”.

⏺️ lobster – A fancy meal and so good!  I rarely eat it and wish I could eat it more.

⏺️ liver – I do not like it AT ALL.  When I was a kid, my mom would tell that it was good for me.  No thanks.

⏺️ laptop – I bought a new one (Apple MacAir) on Friday.  I like it except that there is no port (I think that is what it is called) for a USB.  I didn’t notice it when I was at the store and then went home all excited about my new laptop.  My niece told me I can buy an adapter but it is just another thing to buy.

⏺️ library book – So many books to read and not enough time.  I am currently reading my 18th book this year.  That is definitely a record.  My goal was to read 12 this year.  Next year I will pick maybe 20 books as my goal.

⏺️ late – I hate being late.  I am one of those that if you tell me to be somewhere at a specific time, I will be there.  There has been a few times where I’ve been late but it rarely happens.

The topic for next week:  What are your Fall running plans and/or race schedule?  Feel free to write about this or any running-related topic.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

Tuesday Topics

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Tuesday Topics: Things I am excited about this week

 

This week’s Tuesday Topic:  Tell us what you are excited about this week.  You can write about this topic or post any running-related blog post.  Remember to link up with Kim and Zenaida!  Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier!  Remember to come back for later linkers! 

Happy Tuesday!  How are you all doing?  It’s been very warm in Chicago, but thankfully it will cool down a bit after Wednesday.  Fall is almost here!

Things I am excited about this week:

✔️A short week.  I was off yesterday and am off on Friday.  I am going to the doctor for a physical and for blood work.  

✔️ My sister and nephew will be here from San Antonio.

✔️ Two nephews from NY will be here as well.

✔️ My mom’s birthday on Saturday.  Ee will be celebrating at a local pizza place with lunch.  I know my mom will have a great time!

✔️ Spending time with family.  I can see us eating, talking, laughing, and have a good time.

The topic for next week:  Today is the 12th day of September hence the 12th letter of the alphabet.  Write anything that comes to mind that begins with the letter “L”.  Feel free to write about this or any running-related topic.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

Tuesday Topics

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Tuesday Topics: August 2023 Review

This week’s Tuesday Topic is a FREE topic.  Feel free to post any running-related blog post.  Remember to link up with Kim and Zenaida!  Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier!  Remember to come back for later linkers!

Back to school always wears me out.  I have spent HOURS setting up my room and figuring out what I need to do.  There was minimal running, but I did a lot of walking.

Let me tell you about how August went for me:

Mileage:  As of yesterday, I’ve run 15.30 and walked 47.74 miles this month.  It is my lowest month of running miles (in February I ran 19.76 miles) but my highest in walking miles.  I still stay that’s a win!

Current Book:  I finished reading “The Guide” and am halfway done.  I am not too crazy about it and stubbornly I don’t want to stop reading it.  I know it doesn’t make sense.

Current Shoes: Still running in my pretty blue Launch shoes.  Well, I should say walking.  

2023 Running Goal:  At this point, I seriously doubt I will make my goal.  I am 51% done.  I need 388 miles and there are 124 days left this year.  I need to get back to running mode and hopefully, I can do it once I get settled in school.  But, any advice as to how to get back to running?  I feel like I need to start over again.  My last run was on August 7.

Injuries:  None.  My feet don’t hurt as much since I haven’t been running.  They did hurt the first two days of school when I was walking back and forth in my work shoes.  From now on I am sticking to gym shoes.

Races:  None.

School:  Last week was my first week.  It was chaotic, interesting, and stressful.  I will write more about it in Friday’s post.

Health:  I am still not sleeping well.  I nap when I get a chance.  I am going to the doctor on September 8 for a physical and will ask for blood work to be done to check my A1c, glucose, iron, cholesterol, etc.

I think I have mentioned this before but my last period was in January.  I thought I was done with periods.  Guess what showed up two weeks ago?  Yep!  ¡Ay caramba!

Not a very exciting month but I am trying to make it through each day.  I am sure once I am settled in with school, I will start running again and I can write about more exciting stuff.  😀

The topic for next week:  Tell us what you are excited about this week.  Feel free to write about this or any running-related topic.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

Tuesday Topics

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