Zenaida Arroyo

01
Mar
2020

Weekly Run Down: The Olympic Marathon Trials Edition

categories: Running, Weekly Recap, Weekly Run Down

I did not run one single day this week. I did rest as much as I could while getting things ready at school for my days off. Since I was planning two days worth of work for the substitute teacher, I decided to also work on my sub tub/emergency plans. While I did finish my sub tub, I did not finish my emergency plans. Oh well, next time.

Sub tub-1.jpg Friday morning I took a 7:10am flight to Atlanta. It was a quick flight and landed earlier than expected. Saw this at the airport and just wanted to share it with you.

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I shared an Uber with another Oiselle friend from Ohio. It took us maybe 20 minutes to get to the hotel (we stayed at the Atlanta Hilton). We quickly got our key and then went to get something to eat. There we met up with our roommates. There were a total of 5 of us. I was sharing a room with one of them and the other 3 were in another room. Then we went to the expo to get our bib and to listen to a panel discussion. The discussion was moderated by Mary Wittenberg and featured Alison Desir, Kara Goucher, Kara Finley, and Sally Bergesen.

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I was not impressed with the expo. Hardly anything but why am I complaining since I rarely buy anything. I did sign up for the Clif Bar newsletters and I got 3 different bars. As I was leaving I saw Kim and Charlyn.

Then we went back to the hotel. It was cold and windy. Oh, and lots of hills which I knew but still made me nervous.

That evening we went to Monday Night Brewery for a casual get together with other Oiselle friends. I wasn’t planning to stay too long since I was tired, but we ended up staying till about 9pm. I had one beer and a beef brisket sandwich and they were both yummy!

The next morning there was a shakeout run with Kara Goucher sponsored by Clean Sport Collective. I did not run but there were so many people there.

Then it was off to spectate! Spectating a race is fun. Spectating a marathon gives me chills. Spectating the Marathon Olympic Trials is a very different feeling. Unbelievable. AMAZING. Lots of goosebumps. Chills. Yep, you name it. I will post pictures and videos so you can see for yourself.

The way the course was set up allowed us to see the runners six times. Yes, 6!!

There were so many runners. What made me more happy was that there were twice as many women than men!!!! I was rooting for Desi to make it on the team but that didn’t happen. Hard to believe she missed it by 11 seconds. I will be rooting for her at the Boston Marathon next month.

This morning I will be running the half marathon. Maybe by the time you read this post, I would have finished or will still be running. I have no finish time goal but just to finish it and to have fun. Did I mention it is a HILLY course? I read that there are 23 hills in the course for the half marathon.

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

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27
Feb
2020

Random Thoughts Thursday 113

categories: Random Thoughts Thursday

Random Thoughts Thursday

• I did not know that anyone without a Costco card could eat at the food court. I read the other day that they will ban those without a Costco membership. Why are they even allowed in the first place? I pay for a membership so why should others be allowed to go in for free?

• Just one month till my trip to Mexico! I am beyond excited. I am happy and really looking forward to it.

• So true! I wake up between 4-4:30 and if I could, then I would respond to texts at that time.

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• We were supposed to get a lot of snow a few days ago. While we did get some snow, it wasn’t as much as it was expected. I am NOT complaining at all. You kind of have to laugh when it is about Chicago weather.

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• Sometimes I wished I had a garage. I always leave it outside and for the most part it isn’t that bad. I’ve been able to find parking in front of my house! I hate it when it snows and I have to clean it off my car. I know, first world problems. I just really hate snow.

25
Feb
2020

Tuesday Topics: A few things I am loving

categories: Things I Am Loving, Tuesday Topics

Hard to believe we are at the last week of February. For being a short month, it sure went by fast! I am leaving on Friday morning for Atlanta. The Trials are on Saturday and I am running a half marathon on Sunday. Should be a fun weekend! I will have a recap in next week’s linkup.

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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!

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

♥ Ritual – It is a multivitamin. Yes, I can get one pretty much anywhere. I got these based on another friend’s recommendation. These vitamins are vegan certified, gluten and allergen free, non-GMO, and no colorants or synthetic fillers. (Source: https://ritual.com/). There are 3 options to pick from: Multivitamin 18+, Prenatal Vitamin, and Multivitamin 50+. Each month you get a bottle with 60 capsules (you take 2 per day). You also get an email a few days before you get charged and before they’re shipped. You can then rush or delay an order. You can also cancel your subscription at any time. Each pill has 9 key ingredients such as folate, omega-3, vitamins B12, vitamin D3, iron, vitamin K2, boron, vitamin E, and magnesium. I like that everything is in one pill (versus taking multiple ones) and that they’re delivered to me. Have I noticed anything different? Well, lately I have noticed that I am more calm. Could be from the multivitamin or something else. If you want to try it out, let me know and I can send you a link to get $15 off your first order.

♥ Billie Razors – I have tried many different kinds of razors and I finally found one that I like a lot. These razors are inexpensive and leave your legs very smooth. At sign up you pay $9 and you get a shaver, a magnetic holder, and two 5-blade razor cartridges. Then for $9, every month or every 2 or 3 months (you select the subscription frequency), you get four replacement blade cartridges sent to your house. You can also delay an order or cancel your subscription. I shave once a week and replace my razor every month. Other products you can purchase are shave cream, body lotion, a travel case, an extra handle and holder, and body wash. Click HERE to order your razors.

♥ Prose Personalized Hair Care – Yes, I get my shampoo and conditioner through the mail. There are questions you answer (consultation) and based on your answers, Prose recommends the items for you to buy. There are questions such as age, hair texture and length, condition of hair, whether you have dandruff or dry scalp. They also take into consideration the city you are living in for humidity, pollution, UV rays, and water hardness. You can also pick if you want vegan, gluten-free, and silicone-free products. Yes, lots of questions! Finally, they recommend a fragrance but you can also change it (there is also an option for fragrance-free).

I received my first order in December. The bottles are really small. I was very impressed with the scent. I don’t wash my hair every day anymore and can say that I really like the shampoo and conditioner. My scalp doesn’t itch as much and my hair does feel very soft and smells nice. I also ordered the hair oil but I thought it was too greasy (turns out I was using too much). I let them know about it and they gave me a refund. They said I could keep the bottle and now I use it mostly as a deep conditioner. Other items you can get are leave-in conditioner, dry shampoo, pre-shampoo mask, curl cream, and a boar bristle.

If you subscribe, you save 20% off your order. You can change or cancel your subscription at any time. Even if you don’t subscribe, you can change the formula of your shampoo and conditioner by doing another consultation. Each bottle of shampoo and conditioner is $25. I know it isn’t cheap but I really like them and will continue to use them. If you want to try it out, let me know and I can send you a link to get $10 off your first order.

Just curious but how often do you shave your legs? Are you using any of the products I mentioned?

23
Feb
2020

Weekly Run Down: Race week and “taper” mode

categories: Running, Weekly Recap, Weekly Run Down

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It is race week! I ran one day and took it easy the rest of the week. I felt some discomfort in my right quad. Ugh! I am annoyed about it but there isn’t much I can do about it. Not sure if and when I will run this week before my race.

MONDAY: 7.33 MILES
I was off today and went to the gym. Watched “Narcos Mexico” while running. Felt good but tired at the end.

Not a very exciting week. Good news is that I cancelled my hotel reservation in Atlanta and will be sharing a room with another Oiselle friend. At least now I will have some company and my hotel cost won’t be expensive. School was the same with my students. I have my days when I like my job and then also days when I don’t.

While I am excited for Summer break, the other day I applied to teach summer school. I wasn’t going to do it but then decided to go for it since the work is easier than during the regular school year, there are fewer hours and fewer students. Plus, it is nice to earn some extra cash.

I went to see a house on Monday and I was so disappointed. It was a good price but it needed a lot of work. I don’t mind fixing a few things here and there but this house required a whole lot more. I found out the other day that the owners have accepted an offer. I did not think it would sell that fast since really I thought it was a horrible house. Anyway, back to looking. The goal is to move this summer. I don’t know how much longer my landlord will allow me to continue living in the apartment.

Thursday was National Love Your Pet Day. Both of my cats are rarely together and when they are, I make sure to take a picture.

How was your week? I am sure it was much more exciting than mine. 🙂

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

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20
Feb
2020

Random Thoughts Thursday 112

categories: Random Thoughts Thursday

Random Thoughts Thursday

• I understand the reason for cancelling the Tokyo Marathon but I still feel bad for everyone that was planning to go. The runners can defer to next year’s race but they would need to pay again. What?!?!? It reminds me of the 2007 Chicago Marathon that was cancelled while it was still going on and runners had to pay again to run the following year. What about the charity runners? They would need to raise money again? So many questions but I also understand runners being very upset about it. Updated: Check out the article: https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/news/a30867850/will-the-2020-tokyo-marathon-be-cancelled/

• My students do know how to make me smile. These are some of the gifts I received on Friday for Valentine’s Day. They’re truly the best!

• This was Friday afternoon after work. I knew it was cold and there was lots of ice. What I was not expecting is for the ice to be inside my car. Besides waiting, how does one get rid of that?

• Remember how last week I mentioned that I had left my iPad at the gym? Well, I also realized that I had left my water bottle. I love mine and was bummed that I had “lost” it. Well, I went to the gym on Sunday and my water bottle was there too. I am happy that someone was nice enough to turn in both items.

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• Honestly, I am tired of going to the laundromat to do laundry. I’ve been doing this for almost 2 years and now am resenting it. I cannot wait till I buy a house and have my own washer and dryer. OK, enough complaining. At least I have access to them and can wash my clothes, right? I do love the smell of freshly washed clothes.