Zenaida Arroyo

09
Apr
2024

Tuesday Topics: The 2024 Boston Marathon

Tuesday Topics-230 This week’s Tuesday Topic: How do you plan to celebrate/watch the Boston Marathon? You can write about this topic or post any running-related blog post. Remember to link up with Jenn and Zenaida! Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier! Remember to come back for later linkers!

This is one of my favorite days of the year! I know I will never run the marathon but I would love to go to Boston to spectate. Hmm, why haven’t I done so? Every year I keep saying “next year”.

In the past, I’ve watched it at home and in my classroom. Even Lola is interested.

This year I will be off on Monday to take my mother to the nephrologist. I made this appointment months ago so I cannot cancel it and didn’t realize when I made the appointment that it was also the day of the Boston Marathon. I will start watching it at home and then probably won’t continue to watch it since the appointment is at 10:10am. I remember in the past that the elite usually cross the finish line between 11:00-11:30am.

The topic for next week – Do you have a favorite race you run every year? Tell us about it Feel free to write about this or any running-related topic. We hope you’ll link up with us!

New Tuesday Topics

05
Apr
2024

Fit Five Friday and April 2024 Ultimate Coffee Date

categories: Fit Five Friday, Ultimate Coffee Date

Welcome to the April 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 ask you if you remember how last month I mentioned that I made an offer on a house but it wasn’t accepted. I offered $30k over the asking price. Well, I found out that the selling price was $35k over the asking price. I was outbid by $5k! Can you believe it?

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you I tried the Lavender Oatmilk Latte from Starbucks and I LOVED it. My coworker wasn’t too crazy about the lavender taste. I though it was mild but just enough for me to like it.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that today is my last day of Spring Break. It went by fast. I actually enjoyed it. I watched TV and read my book. I didn’t leave my house for two days. The weather wasn’t too friendly either so I had no desire to go outside.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that I am all caught up on Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. I started watching it from the beginning sometime last year on Hulu. Wow! WHAT A SHOW!! Now I want to see the original Law and Order, but on Peacock I can watch beginning with Season 13. The episodes are also available on Hulu but with Live TV and that is an extra cost. It is about $60 per month. Umm, no thank you. There are other shows to watch.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that I signed up for a 10 mile race for this Sunday. I asked to change it to the 5k. I am not sure if I want to do it anymore because of the weather. I know, I know. I am being a wimp. I am over this cold and gloomy weather. I hate that I paid for a race and will not show up again. Last year I paid for the NYC Half Marathon and didn’t make it to NY. Let’s see how I feel Sunday morning.

The topic for next week’s Fit Fit Friday – 5 things in your race kit. Feel free to write about this or any fitness topic you’d like. We hope you’ll link up with us!

02
Apr
2024

Tuesday Topics: My tried-and-true running gear

categories: Tuesday Topics

Tuesday Topics-229 This week’s Tuesday Topic: What are your tried-and-true running accessories? You can write about this topic or post any running-related blog post. Remember to link up with Jenn and Zenaida! Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier! Remember to come back for later linkers!

• Brooks shoes. I love, love the Launch. A few years ago I added back the Ghost into my rotation. Then last year I added the Brooks Hyperion Tempo because I got them for free at a Brooks event. The Ghost shown in the photo on the left are the most comfortable ones I’ve ever worn.

• Koala Clip. I run with my phone but don’t like to hold it while running.

• Apple AirPods. The sound quality is perfect and they do not slip off. Remember when we wore earphones with a cord?

• Garmin Forerunner. I have used several Garmin watches and have liked them all. Currently, I have the 265. I love the color and I can track my walks. Perfect for my 2,024 run/walk goal!

• Sport Suds Detergent. I know there are a variety of detergents but this is my favorite to wash my running clothes.

The topic for next week – How do you plan to celebrate/watch the Boston Marathon? Feel free to write about this or any running-related topic. We hope you’ll link up with us!

New Tuesday Topics

29
Mar
2024

Fit Five Friday: 5 things about the 2024 Shamrock Shuffle 8k

categories: Fit Five Friday

Race Recap-1 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.

2024 Shamrock Shuffle 8k-5

☘️ 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!

26
Mar
2024

Tuesday Topics: March 2024 Review

categories: Monthly Review, Tuesday Topics

Monthly Review-March 2024 This week’s Tuesday Topic is a FREE topic. Feel free to post any running-related blog post. Remember to link up with Jenn and Zenaida! Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier! Remember to come back for later linkers!

Let me tell you about how March went for me:

Mileage: So far I’ve run 8.41 and walked 3.65 miles this month. It’s been another nonproductive month of running and walking.

Run the Year 2024: I signed up to run and walk 2,024 miles this year. I have completed 71.74 miles (per the RTE Tracker). I know I have a lot of work to do here. Once the weather is better, I plan to walk to work a few times a week. It is 6.2 miles to work so I think it is doable.

Current Book: I finished reading “The Lincoln Highway”. I loved it! I still want to get in my car and drive along the highway. Road trip? Currently, I am reading “Unsettled Ground” and so far am liking it. This is book #5 for this year.

Unsettled Ground-1

Injuries: None.

Races: On Sunday I ran the Bank of American Shamrock Shuffle 8k. I have mentioned this race a few times so you know it is one of my favorite races. The weather was decent and I finished in 1:06:51 (my worst time).

Health: I am doing OK. Depending on how my day goes, I sleep well and on other days I don’t. I don’t know if it was my trip to San Antonio or DST or both but I was very tired when I came back home. I am struggling with hot flashes and weight gain and I am not happy about it. On Monday I saw the number on the scale and it was the highest number I’ve seen on the scale for me. I was upset and then everything else went downhill for me that day. I had a horrible day at work where everything just bothered me.

School: It is going OK. We have two months to go till the end of the school year. There are a few activities taking place in April and May that I am looking forward to. We are going to Brookfield Zoo and the Museum of Science and Industry. We’re also going to see (weather permitting because we are walking there) SpongeBob the Musical.

What I am looking forward to next month: Spring Break! One week to stay home and relax.

The topic for next week: What are your tried-and-true running accessories? Feel free to write about this or any running-related topic. We hope you’ll link up with us!