Zenaida Arroyo

08
Jun
2021

Tuesday Topics: Running Year Round

This week’s Tuesday Topic is: Tips for running in the rain, cold, or hot weather. You can write about this topic or feel free to post any running related blog post. 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!

Over the past couple of months I’ve been very consistent with my running and have run in many different weather conditions. Some have been better than others but I’ve managed to stick with it.

Running in the rain

🌧️ Use Body Glide. Chafing is the worst. Make sure to apply it under the arms, inner thighs, or areas where you are more likely to chafe. I’ve been using Squirrel’s Nut Butter and while I am not too crazy about the scent, my thighs have been very happy.

🌧️ Wear a hat. Your hair will still get wet but at least it will keep the rain out of your eyes.

🌧️ Jacket is optional. Running in the rain on a warm/hot day feels wonderful. No jacket is required. However, it is different when it is cold and windy. My favorite one to wear is the Oiselle Reflective Vim Jacket. It is lightweight and windproof and.

Running in cold weather

🥶 Wear gloves and a hat. Those two items along with a warm jacket are what makes my runs more comfortable.

🥶 Wear moisture-wicking technical clothes. These will keep you warm and dry. I have a couple Oiselle wazzie wool long sleeve tops that I love. I wear them a couple of times and they still will not smell. However, after 4-5 times then it is time to wash them (too gross).

🥶 If it is too cold or too much snow/ice, skip it or run on the treadmill. This past Winter was just really bad. It seemed like we had snow everyday for 2 months along with a few very cold days. I did run on the treadmill once but it was very uncomfortable running with a mask (I was at the gym). I am doing a run streak so I just made sure to run one mile.

Running in hot weather

🥵 Wear a hat. Last Saturday I got a really bad headache after my run. I didn’t think it was that hot (70s) but it was sunny. I paid for it dearly because it took me a few hours to recover.

🥵 Hydrate. During the hot weather we dehydrate more quickly so it is a good idea to carry water to drink along the way.

🥵 Adjust your goals. The pace might be slower and you may need to walk more. That is OK. If you need to stop then stop. Make sure to listen to your body.

🥵 Start running early. The earlier the better and if you can start running when it is still dark. A few years ago I did a few long runs with a friend and we would start at 4am. Our reward was going out for breakfast afterwards.

What is your favorite time of year to run?

06
Jun
2021

Weekly Run Down: Feels like Summer and 31 miles

categories: Running, Weekly Recap, Weekly Run Down

My workouts were the same as the week before except for a longer warm up and cool down on Wednesday run. I haven’t run more than 30 miles in a week since July 2018. It was hot these past few days and it took a toll on me. I felt exhausted. It could also be the end of year exhaustion. Summer is here and we are expecting humid days too. I am just glad it isn’t rainy and cold. Overall it was a good week with some great runs.

I was off for one week and it was rough to go back to work on Tuesday. Some of my kids were happy to see me. The week did go by fast too. We did a fun thing each day to count down to the last day of school. Three more days to go and coming up this week we will have a pajama/costume day, a memory book, and an awards ceremony. Tomorrow after school I am going to drop off a few gifts for some of my students because they worked so hard this year. They showed up day after day, participated in class, and did the work. I am very proud of them!

On Wednesday it was Global Running Day and I celebrated by running with my blogger friends!

I ran 7 miles on Saturday and it took me a few hours to recover from it. I did good throughout the run but then felt really tired when I got home. I also had a headache. I showered, ate, and then took a nap. I am thinking that maybe I was dehydrated. I never take water with me on my runs but this time I took a small one with Tailwind. I took another nap in the afternoon and I am glad I did because I had my nephew’s graduation party that evening. It was small gathering with a few cousins and we had a good time.

I am behind on reading and commenting posts from Friday’s linkup. It took me a while to finish reading and commenting posts from last Sunday and Tuesday’s linkups. I promise I will get to them.

Linking up with Kim and Deborah for the Weekly Run Down.

04
Jun
2021

Fit Five Friday and June Ultimate Coffee Date

categories: Fit Five Friday, Ultimate Coffee Date

I am so happy that it’s Friday! I’m starting off the weekend with a little catch-up over the Ultimate Coffee Date hosted by Coco and Deborah. So grab a mug of your favorite beverage and let’s chat for a bit!

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that even though I’ve been complaining pretty much all year about school, I am a teeny tiny bit excited (a little nervous too) for the new school year in August. I will have new students and will be teaching new Reading and Math curriculums. Also, students will be in the classroom. It has to be better than this year, right?

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that a former student sent me and other teachers a thank you note. I read it and cried. It made me very happy to read her note. I know I may not make a difference in all of my students (hopefully another teacher does) but it is nice to hear from a former student. Unfortunately I have not seen her in over a year and hope she continues to do well in school.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that as of this morning I am 33% into my goal of running 1,200 miles this year. I told myself that if I can get to 50% by the end of June then I will it at 1,200 instead of changing it to 1,000 miles. I can do this!

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that yesterday was my nephew’s high school graduation. He enlisted in the Marines and will leave for Camp Pendleton sometime this month. Honestly I thought he would to college somewhere in IL. I am very happy for him and cannot wait to celebrate with the family this weekend.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that I know it’s been warm these past couple of days but I’ve been EXTRA warm at night. I remember being able to sleep comfortably at night with just a blanket. Now even a blanket is too warm for me. I wonder if it is me or it feels warmer in my apartment since I live on the 2nd floor. It has to be the latter. 😅

Thanks for linking up with us again this week! We’ve got FIVE incredible co-hosts, and we are ready to link up every Friday to share YOUR weekly fitness favorites! Join hosts My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and Zenaida every Friday for Fit Five Friday! Please add your link below. I am also linking up with Running with Perseverance and Confessions of a Mother Runner for the Ultimate Coffee Date.

01
Jun
2021

Tuesday Topics: 2021 Global Running Day

categories: Tuesday Topics

This week’s Tuesday Topic is: How will you celebrate Global Running Day? You can write about this topic or feel free to post any running related blog post. 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!

This year Global Running Day is Wednesday, June 2nd. What is Global Running Day? “Global Running Day is a worldwide celebration of running that encourages everyone to get moving. This day plays an important role, reminding us of the positives that running can offer and the power of unification. It’s mission seems more important than ever right now, as people everywhere attempt to stay active and healthy. During these challenging times, many people are turning to running as a solution to help release anxiety, gain perspective, cope with cabin fever, and keep up wellbeing.

Our physical Global Running Day events may be paused, but it’s important that we all keep active in a safe and responsible way. This year, Global Running Day 2021 will be digitally uniting people across the world in a global effort to encourage physical wellness and strengthen community.” (Source: https://globalrunningday.org/)

On Wednesday I am planning to do a speed workout for a total of about 6 miles. I am excited but also nervous about it.

What can you do on this day?

👟 Participate in a virtual event. There are many of them taking place so that you can get involved either by running or walking. Below are the events listed on the Global Running Day website. If any of these aren’t your thing, you can submit an event and others can sign up.

👟Sign up for a race. Run Rock and Roll Marathon Series is having a 24 hour sale. There will be races in various U.S. cities as well as in other countries. You can pick from a 1 mile, 5k, half marathon, or marathon.

👟 Do your own thing. Just do what I am doing and run. Or go for a walk. It may be a day of running but so what if you walk? The most important thing is that you move and enjoy some fresh air.

How will you celebrate Global Running Day?

30
May
2021

Weekly Run Down: A few days off and cats on my runs

categories: Running, Weekly Recap, Weekly Run Down

What a week! It started off hot then it was cold. Yesterday and today it warmed up again but I still have the heat on. So weird how last week I wrote that it was very hot and the AC was not working.

After 3 days of not sleeping well because of a broken AC, I slept very well on Sunday night. I ran 5 miles with 4-45 second surges on Monday morning. Splits were 8:24, 8:15, 7:54, and 7:40. Yay! My run on Wednesday was great too. I ran 5 x 1/3 intervals and managed to get negative splits again (11:11, 10:56, 10:53, 10:32, and 9:55).

It was cold and raining on Friday. Nope, didn’t not get out till the evening for 1 mile.

It was much better on Saturday and I went out for 7 miles. It felt good being out there. It was definitely warmer than the day before but I still wore tights and a jacket. I did 2 Peloton runs and it was just the right mix of music to make me smile.

I saw lots of cats while out on a run! I see them here and there but they all run away from me. This time I stopped to take a picture and then I looked over to my left and there were more cats relaxing on the front steps of the house. But darn I was so happy to see them that I did not take a picture of all of them. Instead I will post pictures of my cats.

Saw these too! Aren’t they adorable?

I took 4 days off from work. Let me tell you that I definitely needed those days off but I am sure you knew that already. So what did I do? I RELAXED. I did take my mother to the doctor on Wednesday morning. I also watched LOTS of TV. I am hooked on the show “Rizzoli and Isles”. Anyone else watch it? It felt so good to be off that now I am really tempted to take off the rest of the school year. But if I’ve made it this far, then what is 7 more days? I can do this!

Here are the photos of my fur babies.

Linking up with Kim and Deborah for the Weekly Run Down.