Fit Five Friday: 5 fitness goals for 2024

We’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 fitness goals for 2024.”  Feel free to write about this or any fitness topic you’d like.

Run consistently – I am not going to set a mileage goal.  I only want to be able to run.  I have a few races that I am already signed up for and others that I plan to sign up for too.

Take care of myself – I need to make myself a priority.  I cannot take care of others or do the things I have to do if I am not doing well or feeling well.  There have been too many instances in which I have prioritize work instead of going for a run, going to bed early, resting, etc.  

Drink more water – I hate having to always go to the bathroom but drinking water is important.  Coffee and beer counts too, right?

Get enough sleep – I get cranky if I don’t get enough sleep.  Luckily my mom and my sister understand that and “let” me go to bed at a decent time in the evening.  Sometimes I take a nap on the weekends too.

Focus on recovery – I am bad with this.  I have the necessary tools (massage gun, foam roller, stick) but don’t take advantage of them.  I recently began training for the New York City Half Marathon and my legs were sore for days – it hurt to walk.  I began using The Stick and wasn’t too sore after my run.

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

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Tuesday Topics: The year 2023 in photos

This week’s Tuesday Topic:  Your year in photos.   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!

This is one of my favorite posts to write.  I wrote one in 20202021, and 2022.  I had fun reading those posts again and thinking about how much has changed since 2020.

Let’s recap this year.  

January:

⇒ Chose my word of the year:  Balance.  Next year I will let you know how I did.

Balance-1

February:

⇒ Got Covid.  Spent 5 days at home in bed resting with my cats.

Lola and Mateo-5

March:

Ran the NYC Half Marathon.

NYC Half Marathon-15

⇒ Ran the Bank of American Shamrock Shuffle 8k.

Shamrock Shuffle 8k-2

April:

Ran the CARA Lakefront 10 Miler.

CARA Lakefront 10 Miler-2

May:

⇒ Read “Choosing to Run” and loved it!

Choosing to Run-1

Ran the CARA Spring Trail Chase 10k.

Spring Trail Chase-2

June:

⇒ Finished the 2022-2023 school year!

Ms. Arroyo-2

July:

⇒ Read “The Longest Race” and made me love Kara Goucher even more!

The Longest Race-1

August:

⇒ Began the 2022-2023 school year.

First day of school-1

September:

⇒ Celebrated my mom’s 80th birthday with a big party.

Mom-1

October:

⇒ Spectated the Chicago Marathon.  It was a fun day!

2023 Chicago Marathon Weekend-1

November:

⇒ Ran 5.1 miles for my 51st birthday.

Zenaida-2

December:

⇒ Counting down the days till Winter Break!  Friday is my last day.

2023 Winter Break-1

The topic for next week:  What are your goals for 2024?  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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Fit Five Friday: 5 favorite fitness moments of 2023

We’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 favorite fitness moments of 2023.”  Feel free to write about this or any fitness topic you’d like.

The 2023 wasn’t the best one for me for running.  However, I did start walking (I just need to start again) and that is something that I haven’t done before.

Here are my 5 favorite fitness moments of 2023:

Running the NYC Half Marathon – I know I have mentioned this race a few times, but I think this might be the last time I will mention it.  

Spectating the Chicago Marathon – It was a great and fun day!  It is one of my favorite days in Chicago.  This year I was inspired by all of the runners and entered the lottery to run it next year.  Unfortunately, I was not selected.  That is OK.  It just wasn’t meant to be.  But it does mean that I will be there again as a spectator.

Negative splits on a run – It is a good feeling when that happens.

A “fast” average pace – I have days in which I finish my run faster than I expected.  I ran by feel or a good and comfortable pace but sometimes my legs want to go faster.

Good health report – I try to take good care of myself but sometimes I slip.  I think we all do.  Sometimes my cholesterol is a little hight but then my A1C is at a decent level.  Overall, I am pleased when I get the results from the bloodwork.

The topic for next week: 5 fitness goals for 2024.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

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Tuesday Topics: The year 2023 in bling!

This week’s Tuesday Topic:  Show us your year in bling!  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!

This year I ran a total of 5 races compared to 2 in 2022.  I ran one out of state, the NYC Half Marathon, and am planning on running it again next year.

Here are my races and medals:

NYC Half Marathon – It was a great race but hilly and also tough!  I know now to train for those hills.

NYC Half Marathon-34

⇒ Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle – This is one of my favorite races and I LOVE it!  For some reason I cannot find my medal.

CARA Lakefront 10 Miler – Another medal picture with beer.  You can say that I do like my beer after a race.

CARA Lakefront 10 Miler-5

CARA Spring Trail Chase 10k – My first time running this race.  I enjoyed the distance and the course.  It was sunny and warm day but liked that I ran in shorts and a tank top.  No medal and I am OK with it.

⇒ Elmhurst Running 4 on the 4th – No medal and no picture.  I remember my sister went with me but cannot remember why I didn’t take any pictures.  But I did run!

The topic for next week:  Your year in photos.  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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Fit Five Friday: 5 favorite fitness stocking stuffers

Fit Five Friday-19

We’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 favorite fitness stocking stuffers.”  Feel free to write about this or any fitness topic you’d like.

More holiday gift ideas!  Here is my holiday gift guide.  It has a variety of gifts that I have purchased for me or my students.  

Here are 5 additional items to use for stocking stuffers:

🎄 Gift cards – You can never go wrong with gift cards.  I know many people think they’re impersonal but I actually love them.  There is a gift card for pretty much every store.

🎄 Socks – One can never have enough socks.  I go through stages and have own pairs from Smartwool and Balega.  Currently, all of the ones I use now are Brooks Ghost Lite No Show Socks.

🎄 Pens – I love pens.  Everyone needs pens.  I have so many at home and school.  I told myself NO MORE PENS.  A few that I love are the BIC Cristal Xtra Bold Ballpoint Pens, Bold Point; Paper Mate InkJoy Gel Pens | Medium PointPilot Precise P-700 Gel Ink Rolling Ball Stick Pens, Fine Point; and the TUL Retractable Gel Pens, Needle Point, 0.5 mm.  I know these aren’t fitness related, but I still need pens to write down ideas and thoughts for my blog.

🎄 Kitsch Spiral Hair Ties for Women – They’re gentle on the hair and they prevent tangling and hair damage.

🎄SABRE Pepper Spray – Sad that women “have” to carry this while out on a run.  That is another conversation.

The topic for next week: 5 favorite fitness moments of 2023.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

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