Author: Zenaida Arroyo

I am a 2nd grade teacher and a runner. I love coffee and cats.

Random Thoughts Thursday 132

Random Thoughts Thursday

• I went to Target and saw that they were already setting up for school supplies.  I quickly moved away from that area because it was depressing to see all that.  I am afraid that schools will be open in the Fall due to political reasons instead of the right ones.

• This weather forecast for the next couple of days.  Hello Summer!

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• This week I’ve been more tired than usual.  The weather?  Maybe.  On Monday I was even more tired than usual.  It could have been because I ran 5 miles that morning and was dehydrated.  I came home with a headache and drank so much water and still could not go to the bathroom.

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I’m annoyed that my some of my stars from Starbucks have expired.  Should I be penalized for not wanting to leave my house to get something from Starbucks?  You bet I am going to send them an email.

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I will admit that everything being said about opening schools again in the Fall does make me nervous.  I have so many questions.  Part of me does want to go back to the classroom because I am bored with remote learning.  I am sure the students are too.  However, do I want to risk it?

Tuesday Topics: My 2020 Mid Year Review

Happy Tuesday and welcome to another edition of Tuesday Topics!  Thank you to everyone that links up with us.  I want you to know that I do read everyone’s post and also leave a comment.  Sometimes I do it on Tuesday, or Wednesday, etc., and as late as Saturday.  It is the same for Sunday’s posts.  A little late but I do get it done.  🙂

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This week’s Tuesday Topic:  Your 2020 mid year review.  You can write about this topic or 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!

As many people have mentioned, this year is NOT going how we expected it to go.  It is a good thing we are halfway through the year because, frankly, I am just plain tired of how it is going.  I am trying to stay positive, but sometimes it is just hard to do.

Raise your hand

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So let’s review on how 2020 is going so far.  I remember on December 31st being excited about the new year (I also had a cold).  2020 sounded so cool!  What could go wrong?

January-February

✳️ I was training for the Atlanta Publix Half Marathon.  I was looking forward to the race as it would be state #43 for me.  Plus, the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials was taking place the day before.

✳️ I got sick and once I felt better, I went out for a run and I fell.  That brought a fear of running outside and I had to do my training on the treadmill.

✳️ Made plans to race in Kansas and then go to Boston to spectate the Boston Marathon.

✳️ Ran 20.50 miles in January.

✳️ On Super Bowl Sunday my cousins and I got together to watch the game, eat, and have a great time.  It was so much fun and that would be the last time we would get together.  

✳️ Ran 37.05 miles in February.

March-April

✳️ Spectated the Olympic Marathon Trials in Atlanta.  A very exciting day!

✳️ Ran the Publix Atlanta Half Marathon.  A very hilly and tough course!

✳️ Due to COVID-19 I cancelled my trip to Mexico.  My mom and I were excited and looking forward to this trip.  🙁

✳️ March 13 was my last day in the classroom.  My kids went home with packets of work to do along with instructions on how to log in Google Classroom.  I had NO idea that would be the last day I would see my students.

✳️ Stressed out and working overtime to figure out how to do Remote Learning.  Working from home is not easy.  I had no idea how to do it.  Learned to make a schedule and stick to it.  

✳️ Ran 35.10 miles in March.

✳️ The rest of my races were cancelled (Shamrock Shuffle, Garmin Oz Half Marathon, and Fargo Half Marathon). 

✳️ Signed up for the Un-Canceled Project.  I didn’t do all of the races but I was able to get out and run.

✳️ The Governor announced that schools would be closed till April 30th.  Excited to know there was a chance we would be going back to school but deep down inside I knew that was not going to happen.

✳️ The Governor announced that schools were closed for the rest of the year. 

✳️ My uncle, my mom’s brother, passed away due to Covid.

✳️ Ran 41.16 miles in April.

May-June

✳️ Began working with a new coach.  I was in and out of a funky mood and reached out to my friend, Juan, to help me get out of it.  🙂  Have been working with him since then and am loving my workouts!

✳️ Still no races so I signed up for the Un-Canceled Project 2.

✳️ Signed up for a RunBet Challenge and won.  🙂

✳️ Signed up for The Great Run Across Illinois with Marcia.  The goal was to run 210 miles (105 each).

✳️ Signed up for the California Coast 500 Virtual Challenge.  The goal is to run 250 miles by Labor Day.

✳️ Ran 72.05 miles in May.

✳️ School ended.  Had a week off and began Summer School.  

✳️ The Chicago Lakefront is open for running.  I’ve been there twice on a Saturday.

✳️ Ran 84.91 miles in June.  Highest mileage to date.

Tuesday Topics

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Weekly Run Down: A hot week and winning a RunBet Challenge

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Another great week again!  Ran 6 days for a total of 20.81 miles.  Running 6 days does make me tired but it is manageable.  Good thing Summer School is not too hectic so I can relax and take it easy.

Due to the weather I’ve been getting outside between 6-6:30am.  Most days I finish my run dripping with sweat.  I like to sit down on the steps to cool down before going inside to shower.  As you can see most of my photos are of me on those steps.

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I ended the month with almost 85 miles.  My goal was to run 100 miles.  So close.  Well, I am determined to get it in July.  

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Another great workout on Thursday.  It was similar to the one I’ve done for the past 2 weeks.  This time it was one set of intervals but each one was 15 seconds longer with a shorter recovery (80 seconds instead of 90 seconds).  Prior to that I did 3 surges of 15 seconds each with 30 seconds recovery.  I liked this workout even more because it was one set of intervals instead of two.  🙂

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I finished Deborah’s Run Bet Challenge and “won”.  I say that I won because I got the money back that I put into the bet.  Happy when that happens.  

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Wednesday was Mateo’s birthday.  He is one year old!!!  He is so dramatic but I love him.  Ask Lola and she’ll tell you something different.  Umm, she hisses whenever he is near her.

Saturday morning was another run on the Lakefront.  It wasn’t as humid as the week before but it was still a tough one.  Not sure why I am struggling with my Saturday runs.  I had to run 6 miles with the last 2 being my fastest ones (around a 10:00 pace).  Ha, not even close but not horrible either. 

And in non running news, our District sent a survey asking teachers for our thoughts and concerns regarding going back to school in the Fall.  I cannot imagine being an Administrator and having to make these decisions.  Many things were brought up such as sick pay, procedures for when a child gets sick, quarantine steps, who will teach music, art, PE, and cleaning/sanitizing steps.  My main concern is is it safe to go back to the classroom?  Do I want to risk getting sick?  There is NO way to social distance with that many students in the classroom.  I had 18 last year and it isn’t possible.  What if I do get sick?  What happens then?  How long will I be out?  Who will stay with my students?  

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

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Random Thoughts Thursday 131

Random Thoughts Thursday

• Who is excited about Hamilton?  I am.  It makes me laugh that I saw the show in September but left during the intermission because I was bored with it.  It was not what I was expecting but I am willing to watch it again on TV.

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• I love iced and cold brew coffee.  During the school year I would sometimes stop at Starbucks or Dunkin’ for either an iced or cold brew.  Anyone has good recommendations on packs to buy so I can make it at home?   

• I am stocking up on cleaning supplies for when we go back to school.  How many bottles is too much to have?

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I have so many apps on my phone to edit my photos.  Recently, I am loving B/W photos with a bit of color.  Snapseed is the app I am using now.  I had to watch a YouTube video to learn to do that.

This picture of Mateo makes me laugh.  It also makes him look dangerous. Or angry?

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Tuesday Topics: Goodbye June and Hello July

Happy Tuesday and welcome to another edition of Tuesday Topics! 

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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!

I cannot believe today is the last day of June.  Even more I cannot believe we are almost halfway through the year. In a way I am glad.  This year has not been going well…at all.  It does make me wonder how the rest of the year will go.  I have not done a monthly review in a long time so here is one for June.

Miles Ran:  84.91.  I did 22 runs this month for a total of 17 hours, 21 minutes, and 27 seconds.  So far this has been my highest month and I hope the next few months I can get to at least 100 miles.

June 2020 Mileage

Highest Mileage Week:  23.33.  I am slowly building up my mileage.  I am really impressed with those that run 40-50 miles each week.  I usually run 5 days a week but last week was the first time in a few months where I ran 6 days.  

Shoes: I started the month running on the Brooks Levitate 1 that I purchased last year.  This month I am wearing the Brooks Launch 5.  They’re very comfortable and so far one of my favorites of the Launch.  I don’t want to check and see how many new pairs I have in boxes.  🙂

Races Planned/Completed:  0/0.  No races at all this year (at least I don’t think there will be races for the rest of the year).  I remember at one point I was planning to go to Hawaii for the Kona Half Marathon which was supposed to take place on the 21st. 

Current Challenge:  I’ve been doing Deborah’s Run Bet Challenge and the California Virtual 500.  The goal is to run 250 miles by Labor Day.  So far I’ve run 61 miles.  I am the last one.  🙂

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Current Book:  Right now I am reading two books.  I started reading “Darling Rose Gold” which I heard about in Wendy’s blog post.  Then a friend of mine hosted a Zoom book club gathering to read “Fruit of the Drunken Tree”.  So far both are good.  

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Next Race(s):  At this point I have no idea.  My goal of running a half marathon in each state is on hold.  The last half marathon I did was in GA and it was state #43.  I am so close.

Current Excitement:  I have two weeks left for summer school.  I’ve mentioned before that it is going well.  I am looking forward to Summer break and hopefully do something fun.  I would like to travel but we’ll see how that goes.

I finished decluttering my closet.  Next is the kitchen, my bedroom, the living room, and the office/cats’ room.

What am I looking forward to next month?  Run more miles and finish reading my books.  I am watching “Madam Secretary” on Netflix but will put that on hold to read.  I’ve put in my application for a pre-approval to buy a house so hopefully next month I can start looking again and find something that I like. 

Tuesday Topics

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