Zenaida Arroyo

20
Jun
2023

Tuesday Topics: My Summer 2023 running plans

This week’s Tuesday Topic: What are your Summer 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!

Tomorrow is officially the first day of Summer. While it isn’t my favorite season, I do what I can when it comes to running. So far I am signed up for one race but hopefully, there will be more. This is what I have planned for this Summer – running and nonrunning.

☀️ Run the Elmhurst 4 on the 4th. It is one of my favorite races and I cannot wait. This year will be the 9th year running this race.

☀️ Continue walking. I’ve been incorporating a short walk after each run; longer if it is a longer run. I would like to do a few walks in the evening to unwind.

☀️ Continue to relax. Everyone has a different way to relax. I like to read and watch TV. I just finished reading my 12th book this year. I have already met my goal of reading 12 books by December. Thanks to Wendy for her list of recommendations! I get together a lot with family, but I hope that I can get together with friends.

☀️ Stretch and foam roll. I am not getting younger so my body isn’t the same as before. While foam rolling sometimes hurts, in the end, I do feel much better. I’ve been using my “free” Tiger Tail Roadster 11″ Foam Roller from Brooks everyday and that little thing is wonderful.

☀️ Be consistent with running. I would like to have a base before I train for a 50k. I still have my eye on the Chicago Lakefront 50/50, which will take place on Saturday, October 28. This will be the third time training for it, so the third time is a charm, right? Part of me wonders why I “insist” on doing a 50k. Why not just forget about it and focus on something else?

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

16
Jun
2023

Fit Five Friday: 5 favorite running gels

categories: Fit Five Friday

We’ve got FIVE incredible co-hosts My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and me for another Fit Five Friday link-up! This week’s topic is “5 favorite /fitness fuels”. Feel free to write about this or any fitness topic you’d like.

Happy Friday! I hope you are having a great week. This is my first week of Summer School and it’s been a busy one. I was very tired on Monday and wondered what I had gotten myself into. 🤣 🤣 I am working with 13 kindergarten students. Well, they will be in August. I also have 3 program assistants working with me. During the regular school year, the kindergarten teachers have more students in the room and no program assistants. It is an eye-opener and I wish more administrators could see these classrooms before deciding to put 20+ students in a classroom.

Anyway, back to the topic. I have a love/hate relationship with gels. I understand the importance of them but finding the “right” one is no easy task. I’ve tried many of them throughout the year and these are the ones I like.

✅ Hüma Gel – These are 100% natural and they taste great. There are two versions: original and plus (some with and without caffeine). The latter has double the electrolytes. I’ve tried many flavors and my favorite ones are Strawberry Lemonade and Lemons and Limes.

✅ Tailwind Nutrition – This is mixed with water to provide “all your calories, electrolytes, and hydration for sustained efforts. Simple to use with a clean, light taste. Just pour, shake, and go!” I like this for longer runs because I fill up a bottle with regular water and another one with Tailwind and carry them to use with my hydration vest. Sometimes I fill up the whole bladder with Tailwind and also carry another water bottle with plain water.

✅ UCAN – I’ve only used the energy powder to make the drink and energy gels. What I like about these is that one scoop is enough for 90 minutes of energy. I know UCAN has energy gels but I haven’t tried them yet.

✅ SIS Gels – I know a few bloggers that like these gels. I tried these at a race and like them a lot. I cannot remember what flavor it was but it wasn’t sweet – it was just right. What I liked even more is that there was no need for extra water.

✅ Other ones I’ve tried are Maurten, Clif Gel, GU, Honey Stinger, and Hammer Nutrition. I am sure I have forgotten a few. I know Maurten, GU, and Clif Gel are popular with the former being more expensive. I didn’t like the consistency and couldn’t get past it.

Have you tried any of them? What other ones have you tried that aren’t on my list?

The topic for next week: Half year check-in. We hope you’ll link up with us!

13
Jun
2023

Tuesday Topics: The race I would run if I win an all-expenses paid trip

categories: Tuesday Topics

This week’s Tuesday Topic: You’ve won an all-expenses paid trip to run a race anywhere in the world. What race would it be? You can write about this topic or post any running-related blog post. Remember to link up with Kim and me! Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier! Remember to come back for later linkers!

Oh my! I have written about the World Major Marathon I would run if I had a free entry. The marathon I picked is Boston. Let’s change it up a bit. What if it is an all-expenses paid trip? In that case, let’s go international!

I couldn’t narrow it down to one race so here is a list of a couple half marathons:

✈️ Sydney Morning Herald Half Marathon

✈️ Guayaquil Half Marathon

✈️ Media Maraton de Bogota

✈️ Kilimanjaro Trail Run

✈️ The Marakez Pyramids Half Marathon

✈️ Dead Sea Half Marathon Israel

✈️ New Balance Media Maratón Cali

✈️ Berlin Half Marathon

✈️ Athens Half Marathon

✈️ Dublin Half Marathon

✈️ Nice Half Marathon

I am thinking that for this race I would need 1 1/2 to 2 weeks because of travel time, time zone change, and time to explore.

Have you run or heard of any of these races? Which one would you like to run?

The topic for next: What are your Summer running plans and/or race schedule? We hope you’ll link up with us!

Tuesday Topics

06
Jun
2023

Tuesday Topics: Things I Dislike

categories: Tuesday Topics

This week’s Tuesday Topic: How will you celebrate Global Running Day? 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’ve written several posts about things I like or that are my favorites. I will deviate from today’s topic to write about things I dislike.

Shakira (I think her voice is very annoying)

Fish

Pee for like the 100th time before going to bed

Waking up to pee in the middle of the night

Summer and humidity

Leaving trash on the floor instead of the trash can

Mustard (but I do like honey mustard pretzels)

Whiskey

Sunday

Soda with ice

Too many gloomy and rainy days

Friends making dinner plans for 8 pm

Drivers blasting their music while driving

Watermelon with seeds

When your password requires a capital letter, numbers, and special characters

People taking over the tables at the laundromat and their clothes are still in the washer/dryer

Not responding to emails

Replying all to emails

People with their music speaker on while running

People being vague on social media just to get attention

Anyone who uses shortened words (vacay, vaca, obvi)

I know there are more things to add to this list. But for now, I will stop because then you will not like me anymore. 😀

The topic for next week: You’ve won an all-expenses paid trip to run a race anywhere in the world. What race would it be? Feel free to write about this or any running-related topic. We hope you’ll link up with us!

Tuesday Topics

02
Jun
2023

Fit Five Friday and June 2023 Ultimate Coffee Date

categories: Fit Five Friday, Ultimate Coffee Date

Welcome to the May edition of the Ultimate Coffee Date hosted by Coco and Deborah. It’s also time for another edition of Fit Five Friday hosted by My First 5K and More, Running with Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and me!

Now, grab a mug of your favorite beverage, and let’s chat briefly!

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that today is my last day of school. How many times have I mentioned that already? It will be an easy day today. However, I am running out of ideas with what to do with my students. After work, I have plans with my coworker to go out for drinks and dinner.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that I am happy that when I tried to sign up for a half marathon on Sunday, it was sold out. I have a graduation party on Saturday and know I will be up late. When that happens I struggle the next day. I need a full day just to recover. I will have little energy to run on Sunday. Well, maybe a few miles, but not 13.1 miles.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that I paused my Peloton membership (effective 6/15). I was using it for running and not worth paying the membership monthly fee. I know, I know, I need to use the bike. Sigh. I have no reason as to why I am not using it. Hopefully, I will once I get my life together.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that it is so fun seeing all of the graduation pictures on Facebook. It is also fun remembering my high school and college graduations from way back in the 90s.

If we were having coffee…
I’d ask you if you’re interested in running a half marathon in Fargo, ND with me next year. Let’s take advantage of the early bird special of $64 for the half marathon (regular is $99). I still need 8 more states to run in to finish my 50+1 state goal.

The topic for next week’s Fit Fit Friday – Your 5 favorite fitness power songs. Feel free to write about this or any fitness topic you’d like. We hope you’ll link up with us!

Author: Zenaida Arroyo