Zenaida Arroyo

08
Feb
2018

Random Thoughts Thursday 6

Random Thoughts Thursday

Hard to believe it is Thursday already. The week definitely goes by fast! I am not complaining. Wednesday was a half day at school and while I’d rather have my kids for the rest of the afternoon instead of being in meetings, yesterday was actually pretty good. The 2nd grade team met and we were able to cross things off our to do list. That is always a wonderful feeling! Now let me tell you about my random thoughts.

• Do you watch “This is Us”? I feel like I am missing out on it. My Facebook feed is always full of posts from friends commenting about it. Do you watch it? Am I really missing out on it?

• I will admit that I watched Sunday’s game just for the commercials. This year I don’t think they were that good. I think the one I did like was the one from Budweiser. I am not a big fan of Justin Timberlake but did like his performance.

• I cannot stop watching the SNL Revolutionary War skit. Have you seen it? Haha. It is pretty funny!

• I haven’t had much luck finding a house to buy. Why is it so complicated? I’ve been looking since November and while I’ve seen some nice ones, a few are out of my price range. There were 2 houses that I was ready to buy and put in an offer. Unfortunately they were not accepted. I truly believe that things happen for a reason and I have to believe that those two were not meant to be for me. My house is still out there and I just to continue to be patient.

• I am over the snow. Ugh! I dislike winter and snow more than ever. Is it selfish to say that with that much snow it will affect my runs? I am enjoying my runs outside but now have to be even more conscious and careful because I don’t want to fall. Yesterday I went to the treadmill and it wasn’t so bad but for sure I’d rather be outside. We are expecting more snow today and Friday.

• And with the snow comes a snow day. I found out a few hours ago that there is no school on Friday. I just looked outside and it is already coming down. No bueno. I was really hoping for it to be a mild winter (I remember last year in February we had temperature in the 80s) this year. With this day off now I can finally finish grading my math tests from last week. 🙂

What are some of your random thoughts today?

04
Feb
2018

Illinois Marathon Training Recap, Week 10

categories: Illinois Marathon, Marathon Training, Running, Weekly Recap

Week #10, January 29-February 4

M Ran 3.89 miles
T OFF
W Ran 3.02 miles
TH Ran 5.32 miles
F OFF
S Ran 10.00 miles
S Ran 2.80 miles

This week’s marathon training began on Monday with 3.89 miles. It was windy and no matter which way I went, the wind was in my face. I was very cold after my run.

Wednesday was the end of the month and I ended January with 86.50 miles. Dang! My goal is to run 1,200 miles this year and was hoping to do 100 each month. I missed it by 14.50 miles.

February began with a bang! I was unsure on whether to run in the morning or after work. I did get up to run and am glad I did. It was about 10 degrees colder after work. My workout was to run 1.5 mile warmup, 8×2 intervals at 10:02 pace with 1 minute recovery, then 1.5 cooldown. Fun but tiring. And I nailed each interval! It was also so cool to be out there seeing the moon.

I knew snow was is the forecast for Sunday so I asked my coach to switch my long run from Sunday to Saturday. I am so glad I did. I did wait till 1pm for it to get warmer. It was 39 degrees by the time I finished my run. It was cloudy, dreary, and windy. Somehow I found the energy and motivation to push through the wind. I was rewarded with tailwind the last 4 miles and those were my fastest miles.

It started to snow Saturday night and by Sunday morning there was about 2-3 inches on the ground. With my tired legs from yesterday and the snow, it was tough. I was happy it was 35 minutes of easy running. We are supposed to get more snow this week and I am not looking forward to it all.

Total mileage for the week: 25.03
Total mileage for this training cycle: 183.39
Total mileage for the year: 104.60

Here’s how training has gone so far:
• Week 1
• Week 2
• Week 3
• Week 4
• Week 5
• Week 6
• Week 7
• Week 8
• Week 9

How was YOUR week? Any snow in your hometown? Did you watch the Super Bowl?

Link back to the host and let’s support other bloggers linking up as they train for a marathon, half marathon, or any other event.

An InLinkz Link-up

01
Feb
2018

Random Thoughts Thursday 5

categories: Random Thoughts Thursday

Random Thoughts Thursday

How is your week going so far? Can you believe that I got sick again?!? Yes, Sunday night I started sneezing again and also had watery eyes. I didn’t feel as horrible as last week but did feel tired on Monday. It didn’t last long because by Tuesday I was better. Can’t believe January is over. Let me tell you now about my random thoughts.

• How hard is it to make a good cup of coffee? I have a Keurig and love it. However, those pods are not cheap. I also have a coffee maker and bought Casi Cielo whole beans from Starbucks (haven’t done the math to figure out if that is indeed cheaper than the pods). The barista was nice enough to grind it for me. I have made coffee on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday and it isn’t good. I don’t know if it is the coffee maker or the water. For sure it isn’t the coffee. Now that I think about it, it can’t be the water because it is the same water that I use for my Keurig and that coffee always comes out good! Seriously, how hard can it be?

• I am training for a marathon in April but am already thinking of one in the fall. I would love to run the Marine Corps Marathon on October 28th. Lottery opens in March and hopefully I get in. I think that in my previous life I lived in DC because I love it there so much.

• My gas bill is out of control. I cannot believe how much it has gone up. I live in a 3 bedroom apartment but I don’t think it is big. My sister and I keep the thermostat at 67 degrees all of the time. I looked at my bills from last winter and I paid around $50-$60 a month. My November bill was $106, December bill was $162, and January bill was $222. I know it has been colder than last year but find it hard to believe that it is that much more.

• Fitness Challenges. Do you participate in them? I have tried. I am not very good at sticking with them. I’ve tried the kettlebell swings, planks, squats, and burpees challenges and have never completed them. At the beginning of January I started the planks challenge. I started with 20 seconds on January 1st and ended with 5:00 minutes on January 30th. I remember feeling proud when I got to 1:30. It did get harder and I had to alternate between the standard plank (high plank) and the forearm plank (low plank) but I am happy to say that I completed the challenge. I will confess that I missed one day. Only one day so that is definitely a win, right? I also did 100 kettle swings each day. On January 21 I began the wall push ups challenge. I like that one because I cannot do regular push ups. 🙂 Today I will start the Supermans, Squats, and Twists Challenge that is being put together by Rachel who blogs at Running on Happy. I’ve never done Supermans or Twists so we’ll see how that will go.

What are some of your random thoughts today?

28
Jan
2018

Illinois Marathon Training Recap, Week 9

categories: Illinois Marathon, Marathon Training, Running, Weekly Recap

Illinois Marathon-2

Week #9, January 22-28

M OFF
T Ran 3.76 miles
W Did not run
TH Ran 2.52 miles
F Ran 3.81 miles
S Ran 8.98 miles
S OFF

Tuesday’s run was done early in the morning. The temperature was in the low 30s but it didn’t feel too cold. There was some snow coming down so I was extra careful to as not to fall.

My students were coughing and sneezing early in the week and I ended up with a cold. On Wednesday I was feeling horrible and couldn’t wait to get home. Once home I kept taking medicine with Emergen-C and went to bed early. I missed my quality session workout but did one on Saturday.

I ordered a new headlamp (Black Diamond Storm) from Amazon and received it on Wednesday. I got a chance to use it during Thursday’s run. It is bright and I love it!

I had plans after school on Friday so I did my run in the morning. A 5am wake up call to get this done. I felt great! It was in the high 30s and I did get warm on this run.

Illinois Marathon-73

I was a bit nervous about my quality session run on Saturday. I had to do a 5 mile warmup, 2 x 10 minute intervals @10:45 pace with 3 minutes recovery then 1 x 5 minute interval @10:02 pace and then a 15 minute cooldown. I was afraid that I wasn’t going to hit the paces. It was sunny and a perfect day for a run. I hit all of my paces! I was so happy (and almost cried) when I saw my stats (10:34; 10:35; 9:47). I’ve never done a 5 mile warmup and was actually kind of bored with it but I simply took my time and enjoyed the warm weather. Oh, and I noticed this at the end of my workout but my run ended at 8.98 miles. If I would have seen this before, I would have kept on running to make it out to an even 9 miles.

Another great week of marathon training. My run on Saturday gave me a MAJOR confidence boost and that was exactly was I needed during this marathon training. I cannot believe that the Illinois Marathon is in 3 months!!

Total mileage for the week: 19.08
Total mileage for this training cycle: 158.36
Total mileage for the year: 79.57

Here’s how training has gone so far:
• Week 1
• Week 2
• Week 3
• Week 4
• Week 5
• Week 6
• Week 7
• Week 8

How was YOUR week? Have you been doing your runs inside or outside?

Link back to the host and let’s support other bloggers linking up as they train for a marathon, half marathon, or any other event.

An InLinkz Link-up

26
Jan
2018

Friday Five 2.0-5 New to Me Things That I Like

categories: Ambassador, BibRave Pro, Friday Five 2.0, Running, Running Gear

How is it that it is almost February? January is definitely going by fast. We’ve had our share of very cold but also mild days in Chicago. I am definitely looking forward to warmer days. Then I will probably be complaining that it is too HOT! That is why fall is my favorite season for running.

I always get excited when I read about something in a blog/Facebook/Internet/etc that someone else likes and recommends. Recently, I’ve learned about some new items (to me) that I like and have been using for running or everyday use.

1. Lily Trotter Socks. These compression socks are easy to put on and come in fun colors. They have the right amount of compression and are also comfortable. I’ve been wearing them on my runs and also to recover from my workouts. My legs feel great!

2. Detach. As a BibRave Ambassador, I have the opportunity to try out this product. Detach is is a coconut water-based drink with only a subtle coconut flavor, improved electrolyte balance, low glycemic energy & a micro-protein blend to help you have a great workout. The drinks are certified paleo, low GI and gluten free. I like that it isn’t sweet, with a very light flavor, but not artificial or overpowering. I’ve used it on a long run (100 minutes) and never felt thirsty. I actually found it to be refreshing and it was just what I needed on that run.

3. Smartwool Socks. I love the Women’s PhD® Run Ultra Light Micro Socks. They’re thin, they have enough cushion, protect against blisters, and feel comfortable. I can wear them for a few days without washing and they don’t smell. 🙂 However, these are not long enough and do not cover my ankles when running in tights during the winter. When wearing tights, I use the crew socks. They are just as comfortable as the micro socks and my ankles stay warm. I also have a pair of the Light Elite and these have more cushion and also keep my feet extra warm during the cold winter days. I was afraid that with the extra cushion my shoes would feel tight but that isn’t the case.

4. Black Diamond Storm Headlamp. Depending on how I feel or what I have going on after work, I do my runs in the morning or after school. I have a Nathan headlamp that I thought I lost but then found in my car. Someone recommended this lamp and I love it. It has 350 lumens of power, three-color RGB night vision and improved peripheral lighting for close-range tasks. I haven’t figured out all of those features but I just know that it is bright!

5. Orgain Organic Protein Powder. A few friends recommended this to me. This is plant based with 21 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, and no added sugar. I love the Creamy Chocolate Fudge but the Vanilla Bean is delicious. They both have a clean taste and is never too sweet. I make a shake in the morning for breakfast and it keeps me full till lunch (I drink it around 7am when I get to school and eat lunch at 11:35am). Another great thing about it is that with this protein powder you have proteins from grains (brown rice), seeds (hemp, chia) and legumes (pea) and is also gluten-free, soy-free and non-gmo. I purchased mine on Amazon but I know they’re also available at Target and Costco.

Have you tried any of these products? Any products you like that you can recommend to me?

I’m linking up with Running on Happy and Fairytales and Fitness for Friday 2.0.