Zenaida Arroyo

25
Mar
2025

Tuesday Topics: Let’s catch up!

Happy Tuesday! Thank you for joining me and Jenn for another edition of Tuesday Topics. Remember to link up with us! Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier! Don’t forget to come back for later linkers!

Hello there! It’s been over a month since my last post. I want to tell you so many things but I am not sure where to start. Grab your favorite drink and let’s chat. I just finished drinking a bottle of beer and might have another one. Today was one of those days. Rough day.

• I finally moved! OMG! I didn’t realize I had so much stuff. I had boxes and boxes full of stuff. I even threw away a bunch of stuff too. I hired movers and I am glad I did. They moved everything for me. I was sick when this happened and almost canceled the move. I am glad I didn’t. I still haven’t finished unpacking. I am about 90% done.

• Next week is Spring Break. I will use the time to finish organizing my things. I also plan to rest and to take it easy.

• My cats are adjusting to the new space. I left my cats in the apartment when I left with the movers because they were hiding. I knew I had to go back for them. Mateo hid in the car and wouldn’t come out. Lola was fine but Mateo was being difficult. I managed to get him out of the car and into the house.

• Owning a house scares me. The bills are higher than living in an apartment. My first gas bill was a few hundred dollars and I wasn’t even living there! I closed on the house on January 17th and moved in at the beginning of March. I had the heat on (not too high) because it was still cold and I didn’t want the pipes to freeze. I received another gas bill and while it isn’t high like the first one, it is still high. I also have to pay a water bill. I received my first one and was shocked to see how it was.

What if something breaks (i.e. sump pump, water heater, etc)? Before when I had trouble in the apartment, my landlord would fix it. Now I don’t have that option. Now I need to figure it out.

• Owning a home is still a rewarding feeling. Now I can say “my house” and mean it. I can do whatever I want here. I can be as loud as I want to. I can decorate however I want. Even though it is a scary feeling (see note above), the good feeling outweighs the scary feeling.

The topic for next week – April Fools-share your favorite fitness pranks! Feel free to write about this or any running-related topic. We hope you’ll link up with us!

21
Feb
2025

Fit Five Friday: Five Friday Prompts, Part 2

categories: Fit Five Friday

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 is a previous post from October 2024.

Today I am using the prompts from the Jetpack app.

• What countries do you want to visit? I want to travel all over the world but here are my top 5: Mexico, Greece, Egypt, Italy, and France. If I could retire right now and have extra money, I would travel. I would also pay for a friend to accompany me. I know I am a grown woman but traveling alone doesn’t sound fun.

• Have you ever had surgery? What for? I’ve never had surgery. I am lucky. I hope I never need to have surgery.

• What would you change about modern society? Technology. I like technology and how it has simplified many things. However, at the same time, it has made it worse for us. As much as I hated it, I thank remote learning for now being able to work from home whenever it is required. However, technology can also backfire in a school setting. My students have a Chromebook that they use in the classroom and home. Because of technology, many students are on their Chromebook and do not have basic motor skills (use a pencil, cut with scissors, etc). They also are not doing fun stuff like coloring. Sometimes technology doesn’t let kids be kids.

•What do you love about where you live? I think by now it is how comfortable and familiar I am with everything around me. I am familiar with the routes going to and coming home from work. My neighbors to my left and right are awesome. During the Winter, they sometimes use their snow blower to clean up the snow. I still want to move because I want more space, but at the same time it scares me.

• What does your ideal home look like? I’ve always been fascinated with Georgian homes. I want a big bedroom with my own bathroom. Right now I have a small bedroom and one bathroom in the apartment. I also want a room for my Peloton bike, and eventually get a treadmill and a rower. My home will also have a dining room so my family can get together to eat and talk. Let’s not forget a cat room for Lola and Mateo!

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

11
Feb
2025

Tuesday Topics: Five Tuesday Prompts, Part 3

categories: Tuesday Topics

Happy Tuesday! Thank you for joining me and Jenn for another edition of Tuesday Topics. Remember to link up with us! Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier! Don’t forget to come back for later linkers!

Here is another post with some interesting prompts in the Jetpack app. Ready?

• Name the most expensive personal item you’ve ever purchased (not your home or car). Years ago a friend and I went to NY. Somehow we ended up at the Coach store and purchased a bag/purse. I don’t remember why I thought I needed it. I think I spent close to $500 for it. I still have it but have no need for it, but don’t want to get rid of it either.

• If you didn’t need sleep, what would you do with the extra time? Right now I would use the extra time to train for my race and pack/declutter to move. Just thinking about the packing stresses me out. I told my sister that I will need to tackle one room at a time so that it isn’t overwhelming. But the extra time would help too.

• Is your life today what you pictured a year ago? Yes and no. I finally bought a house and last year I was still looking for one. I am still at my job, taking care of my elderly mother, and living with my sister.

• What are your thoughts on the concept of living a very long life? Personally, this isn’t something I wouldn’t want to do. The thought of living over 80, 90, or 100 doesn’t sound appealing to me. Maybe if I didn’t have any health issues it might be something I would like to do. But then I remember where this country is headed and it brings me back to reality.

• What do you complain about the most? My job. I try not to because it doesn’t help me and it makes me more unhappy, but I cannot help it. If I didn’t have to work, I would travel around the world, and volunteer at a school. I know teachers could use the extra help. I would also read. I have a long list of books that I want to read.

The topic for next week – How to fall in love or fall back in love with running. Feel free to write about this or any running-related topic. We hope you’ll link up with us!

07
Feb
2025

Fit Five Friday and February 2025 Ultimate Coffee Date

categories: Fit Five Friday

Welcome to the February 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!

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you (and I know that you know) that I FINALLY bought a house! I don’t know when I will stop saying that so be patient with me. I haven’t moved in yet but slowly have been moving some things there. On Saturday I received the living room furniture and kitchen table. The plan is to move in by the end of the month.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that Menards is my new favorite store. Move over Target. I have been there twice and have walked out with over $100 in stuff. All of it is for the home and I need it all. I applied for their credit card and I can see myself going there even after I have moved in.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that I received my corral for the Shamrock Shuffle next month. I am in Corral D. I know I have never been in A or B but cannot remember if I’ve been in C. Am I ready? Nope. That is OK because I only want to finish and have fun. I hope it isn’t too cold that day.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you I don’t know if I will be ready for the first two half marathons I signed up for this year. For sure not the one in Myrtle Beach on March 1st. The next one is April 5th in Albuquerque. Or maybe I will be ready for the one in Albuquerque? I haven’t been running but can start….soon. What do you think?

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you in my excitement when I bought my house, I didn’t take into consideration the height of the basement ceiling. It isn’t high but not too low either. I don’t know how I will be able to run on a treadmill without hitting my head. I guess that is a job for the contractor to figure out, right? Speaking of treadmills, I know I want a Peloton one but the Tread+ is $6,000 while the basic is $3000. I don’t have to get the Tread+, and have heard that it is worth it, but it is so expensive. I may need to check and compare both of them before I purchase one.

The topic for next week’s Fit Fit Friday – 5 Things You Love About How You Feel After Your Run/Workout. Feel free to write about this or any fitness topic you’d like. We hope you’ll link up with us!

28
Jan
2025

Tuesday Topics: January 2025 in Review

categories: Monthly Review, Tuesday Topics

Happy Tuesday! 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 how January went for me:

Mileage: In January I ran 4.02 and walked .68 miles. I started off the new year on a good note and ran on the 1st and 2nd of January, but then stopped. I went back to work, was stressed about the closing for my new house, and then it got cold.

Remember how a few years ago when I did my run streak, the cold or the snow didn’t stop me from running outside?

Run the Year 2025: I signed up to run and walk 2,025 miles this year. So far I have completed 4.07 miles (per the RTE Tracker). I know I have a lot of work to do here. This year I am determined to meet this goal.

Current Book: I am currently reading “Honor”. I know Wendy has read this book, but anyone else? I like it, but reading about the mistreatment of women makes me angry.

Injuries: Nothing new. Some days I have less plantar fasciitis pain than other days. Sometimes I wake up feeling stiff and walk like a penguin when I go to the bathroom. I haven’t been to the chiropractor or have gotten a massage since November. I had to stop because my mom was in the hospital, then the rehab center, and then at home. I do plan to go back again.

Races: None.

Health: For the most part I am feeling OK. I rarely get any hot flashes. They are worse and more frequent in the Summer.

I don’t bring work home like I used to. And if I do bring it home, there is no guarantee that I will do it. I spend my days after school either setting up things in the new house, reading, and watching TV. Currently, I am watching “The Blacklist” and am liking it.

School: It is the same song here. I have OK days, bad days, and awful days. Yesterday was our 100th day in school. I cannot wait to be done with this school year.

What I am looking forward to next month: Move to my new house! I bought a kitchen table and living room furniture. Both will be delivered on Saturday. I bought many new things (plates, cups, silverware, etc.) and have been setting it up slowly. Moving is quite a task. I haven’t even started to pack up my stuff in the apartment.

The topic for next week – Ways that running helps the Winter blues. Feel free to write about this or any running-related topic. We hope you’ll link up with us!