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!  

Happy Friday!  April is almost over which means May is around the corner and that brings me closer to the end of the school year.  Why do administrators think it is a good idea to have lesson studies and walkthroughs during this time?  We have 25 days left of school.  I want to start packing up my classroom and have fun with my students.

Do you ever ask what if questions?  Do you wonder how different your life would have turned out if you had made different decisions?  I believe things happen for a reason but I still wonder.  Here are a few I came up with for now.

• What if I hadn’t made a career change?  I know I’ve mentioned here before but I wasn’t always a teacher.  I worked in a nonprofit organization for lawyers before I went back to school to become a teacher.  The reason I did it is because I wanted to do something different and more challenging.  Plus, there was a program offered by the state that paid for my tuition.  I was only responsible for my books and other fees.

• What if I would have married my college sweetheart?  I loved the boy.  I saw myself growing old with him.  We were supposed to get married on August 28, 1998.  It was a mutual decision to cancel the wedding and the relationship.

• What if I would have paid more attention to my studies in college?  I went away to college because I wanted to get away from home.  I knew my sophomore year of high school that I would be going to Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL.  It was far but not too far from home.  I will admit that I did the basic work to graduate, but it wasn’t my best work.  I did party a lot and had a great time in college.  I guess I let it all out because I never did any of that in high school.

• What if I lived alone?  I am in introvert and enjoy being alone.  I’ve lived alone twice before and loved it.  I know I mentioned that my life brings me happiness but sometimes I am unhappy.  Taking care of an elderly mom and living with a sister with a mental illness is not what I signed up for.  We have some good times together but sometimes after a long day at work, I want to come home to be alone and to a quiet house.  

• What if I would have married my high school sweetheart?  I was madly in love with the boy.  I met him my senior year of high school.  I had never seen him before in school but apparently he noticed me.  After high school he went away to Camp Pendleton in California for boot camp.  We tried to make it work but finally called it off in 1991.  I was heartbroken.  Aren’t we all after breaking up with our first love?

The topic for next week – Ultimate Coffee Date with Coco and Deborah.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

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!  

Happy Friday!  Today the 2nd and 3rd graders are walking to the local high school (about half a mile) to see The SpongeBob Musical.  Yes, over 200 students walking on the streets.  I am glad the weather will be decent for walking over there.  Hopefully, everything goes well and the students have a great time!

5 everyday things that bring me happiness:

• Coffee.  I drink it every morning.  It is the first thing I drink as I read email and catch up on blog posts.  It is quiet and when it is dark it feels very cozy.

• Sunshine.  I love the warmth.  It makes me feel as if it will be a good day when there is sunshine.  I like it when it is bright that sometimes I don’t even turn on the school lights in my classroom.  I have a few lamps and use those instead.

• My cats.  They make me smile and laugh.  Mateo is the silliest one and Lola is more affectionate.  She likes to follow me around when I am home.

• My alone time. It is always hectic at school.  I look forward to my time alone when I can read or watch TV.  My alone time is when I run too.  I am slowly getting back to running in the morning and it is going well.  

• My life.  It may not be perfect and many times I do question some of the things that are happening in my life.  I am healthy, I have a family, a job, and a place to live.  Do I want more things?  Absolutely!  I want to win the lottery so I can buy a house.  

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

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 things in your race kit.”  Feel free to write about this or any fitness topic you’d like.

My race kit.  It sounds bada$$.  Makes it sound like I am an elite runner.  😀 I have a bag that I take with my to my races.  It is usually a plastic bag given by the race organizers.  Or I take my own.  Below is what I have in the bag.

• BibSnaps.  I love these.  No more safety pins making holes on my race shirt.  Sometimes I put these on at home and other times I do it onsite at the race location.

• Extra jacket/pants.  Depending on the weather, I have this in case I get wet from the rain or cold after the race.

• KoalaClip.  I never run without it.

• Eyedrops.  I wear my contacts for a race and my eyes get very dry.

• Mylar blanket.  This is also depending on the weather.  I took one when I ran the Shamrock Shuffle this year but ended up not needing it.

The topic for next week – 5 favorite medals/races of all time.  Feel free to write about this or any fitness topic you’d like.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

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!  

Happy Friday!  I am off today for Good Friday.  Next week is Spring Break!  Time to relax and to take it easy.

For today’s post, I will write about the Shamrock Shuffle 8k.  I ran this fun race on Sunday and am happy I ran it again.

Here are some fun things about the race:

☘️ It was my 14th year running this race.  My first time was in 2006.  I’ve run it every year since then except for 2009, 2012, 2013, 2020 (it was canceled), and 2021.  

The photo below is from 2007.  I wished I had one from 2006.

☘️ I didn’t train for this race.  It didn’t matter.  I still wanted to run it because it is one of my favorite races.  I paid for it because I was very sore afterwards.  It’s taken me a few days to feel better.  Now I feel some tenderness on the top of my left foot.  I don’t know if it is from the race or from my shoelaces.  Today I will call to make an appointment with the podiatrist.

☘️ I knew it would be my worst time.  My PR is 48:38 from 2014.  All of my finish times have been less than one hour except for this year.  My finish time is 1:06:51.

☘️ Packet pick-up is very easy.  It is easy to get to via public transportation.  I drive to the train station and leave my car there.  One train with a few stops, walk about half a mile, and I am at packet pick-up.

☘️ I walked a lot before and after the race.  Prior to the race I walked 2.03 miles.  I got there early and I walked around Buckingham Fountain to warm up.  After the race, I walked 1.10 miles to get my gear bag and then to the train stop to go home.

The topic for next week – Ultimate Coffee Date with Coco and Deborah.  We hope you’ll link up with us!