Spring is here and Summer is two months away.  I know I am ahead here but thinking about Summer gets me excited because Summer means the end of the school year.  Yesterday was just awful.  No matter what I did, nothing seemed to be going right.  I know everyone is tired but I really need this school year to be over.

Anyway, let’s talk about Summer.  It isn’t my favorite season for running, but I don’t hate it anyway.

🌞 End of the school year – It has been an awful year.  It has been my worst year of teaching.  Part of it is the number of students I have but also the expectations from administrators.  Tests, tests, and tests.  Oh, and let’s not forget teaching the curriculum and the priority standards.  Oh, and make sure we give grades each quarter.  It makes no sense.  It is really hard to accurately assess the students.  By the way, my last day is June 9th.  I know technically it isn’t Summer but it still counts.  Also, I will be teaching summer school but at least it will be with different students and curriculum.

🌞 Running in shorts and short sleeve shirt – I wrote the same thing in my post about Spring.  I love running in shorts.  I dislike running in tights with a long sleeve shirt AND a jacket.  The less the better.  It gets me in a better mood and more motivated to run.  Gotta keep going with my run streak!  Today is day #231.

🌞 Reading more books – I love to read!  I am excited to sit out in the balcony or on the sofa with a glass (or two) of wine.  Please send me your book recommendations.  

🌞 Spending more time with mom – I feel so lucky that I still have my mom.  While sometimes it is so hard to take care of an elderly person, my sisters and I are doing the best we can.  Depending on how things are with the pandemic, we will either spend HOURS on the balcony listening to music and talking or hopefully visiting family.  I would love to take her on a short getaway.

🌞 Relax and maybe sleep in – Many days I want to do “nothing”.  Well, what I mean by that is sitting on the sofa while I read or watch TV (so many shows to watch).  I know in the Summer I have to run early in the morning to avoid the heat.  However, there are some days when I am so tired and just want to stay in bed and catch up on sleep.  If that happens then I will just run in the evening.

What are you looking forward to this summer?  Any summer plans?

Thanks for linking up with us again this week!  We’ve got FIVE incredible co-hosts, and we are ready to link up every Friday to share YOUR weekly fitness favorites!  Join hosts My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and Zenaida every Friday for Fit Five Friday!  Please add your link below.

Hello there!  I cannot believe it is already Friday.  Have I told you that it is my favorite day of the week?  Yep, usually by Friday I am excited and I look forward to the weekend. 

For today’s post I’m sharing 5 things I am loving.  

🌟 Sport Suds Sport Detergent – I found out about this detergent from Wendy.  I have tried a few other brands, but this one is my favorite.  I sweat a lot on my runs and my clothes are always soaked with sweat.  I use it each week and I love how my running clothes always smell clean.  This detergent is hypoallergenic, non-toxic, fragrance free and free from bleach, parabens, harsh sulfates and other questionable ingredients.

🌟 Colossal Pedicure Foot File – I get really bad callus on my right foot.  This foot file removes it all and I end up with soft and smooth feet.  Sometimes I also use it on my heel.  But be careful, it is sharp, and if you rub too hard, then you will remove more skin than you’d like.

🌟 ChomChom Roller Limited Edition Cat – My coworker told me about this and she heard about it on TikTok.  As a cat owner I have bought several rollers/brushes to remove the hair from my bed and sofa.  Don’t laugh but it does work.  My cats love to sleep on my bed and I have to clean it every single day.  It is easy to use and it doesn’t use any batteries.  

🌟  CRZ YOGA Women’s Stretch Lounge Pants – I’ve been eyeing these type of pants but didn’t have the guts to wear them.  I felt they were too short.  They’re actually not that short and I like wearing them with a pair of Tieks.  It is a great look and perfect for work!  They have an elastic waist and the fabric is soft and does not wrinkle.  They also come in other colors such as navy and savannah (reddish).

🌟 BURST Sonic Toothbrush – I think I found out about this toothbrush from an ad on Facebook or Instagram?  I know, I know, that I have been complaining about them in previous posts.  Well, I do not regret buying this toothbrush at all.  The toothbrush has three cleaning modes – whitening, sensitive and massage, 2 minute timer (30 second intervals) and a long lasting battery.  I get a new brush head every 3 months (free delivery) and the toothbrush comes with a lifetime warranty. 

Thanks for linking up with us again this week!  We’ve got FIVE incredible co-hosts, and we are ready to link up every Friday to share YOUR weekly fitness favorites!  Join hosts My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and Zenaida every Friday for Fit Five Friday!  Please add your link below.

I started running in 2005.  I didn’t know much about it.  I knew one other person that ran (he worked with me).  My friends that run now, didn’t run before.  I remember going to races and I didn’t know anybody there.  Fast forward many years later, and I know so much more about running and more of my friends are runners now.  On race day I would always see someone I knew.  Sigh, cannot wait till I can race again.

I am pleased with how things have turned out.  I’ve run many races and have met many wonderful runners.  However, if I could go back in time, there are a few things I would tell my younger self.

✔️ Be ready to invest good money for shoes, clothes, and gear.   Running stuff is not cheap.  Do you have to spend $150 for a pair of shoes?  No, but there is a difference between spending that amount of money versus $50.  However, there are a few instances in which you will find some great deals.  I remember a few years ago I bought some Brooks shoes that were on sale and they were around $60.

✔️ Make sure it is fun.  It was within these past few years that I finally realized it.  Running is a hobby and not a job.  When running is no longer fun, it feels like a burden.  There is no joy so what’s the point?

✔️ Don’t compare yourself to others.  It is very easy to do it, but one of the worst things a runner can do.  Comparing yourself to others will not make you feel better.  On the contrary, it will make you feel worse.  I don’t do that anymore because sometimes it would make me envious of others instead of being happy for them.

✔️ Never say never.  I remember saying that I would never run an ultramarathon.  It my mind 26.2 miles was more than enough.  Why go longer than that?  Eventually I did get the itch to run more than that.  Ha, I didn’t run just one ultramarathon, I did two.  Now I am thinking of doing another one in the next couple of years.

✔️ Don’t run all of the races and have a goal or goals.  In the beginning I would sign up for whatever race I could find.  It was in 2012 that I decided to run a half marathon in each state.  By then I had run about 20 half marathons.  Then about 2 years ago I decided to work on speed and get some PRs.  The ones I have now are a few years old and it is time for some new ones.  

I am not saying that any of these are “wrong”.  I am just saying that if I knew those things, then I would have done things a bit different.  But then maybe that’s how it was supposed to happen?  Life is weird.  🙂 What running advice would you give to your younger self?

Thanks for linking up with us again this week!  We’ve got FIVE incredible co-hosts, and we are ready to link up every Friday to share YOUR weekly fitness favorites!  Join hosts My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and Zenaida every Friday for Fit Five Friday!  Please add your link below.