Tuesday Topics: My focus this month

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! 

It is August!  To me that means the end of Summer Break and back to work.  I know it will be busy the first couple of weeks.  This will be my 16th year working as a teacher and it doesn’t get easier.

Here are a few things I plan to focus on this month:

• Self care.  I come first.  I have to take care of myself.  I am making sure to run and/or walk in the morning, get plenty of sleep, read, drink water, eat “healthy”, etc.

• Settle into work.  This week I am planning to go to school to set up for a few days.  I start on Monday and the students start on Wednesday.  I am not planning to stay late this week.  Once school starts I will do what I can during the day and work a few hours at home.  In addition, I plan to leave at 3:30 pm unless I have a meeting after school.  Work will always be there.  I will never catch up so why stress about it.

• Marathon training.  My long runs have sucked big time.  I need to figure out why.  I’ve done these runs before so I know I can do them again.  Sometimes I wonder if it is because I am older.  It could also be because of the weather.  I ran my last marathon in 2016 using the Hansons Marathon Method.  I cannot believe I was running 6 days a week!!!!  

• Patience.  I know this is throughout the year, but I need to continue to have patience.  One reason is for work.  It will be easier for me and for my students.  Second is at home.  I’ve mentioned it before that I help take care of my mom.  I also live with my sister that has a mental illness.  Those two sometimes take a toll on me.  There are times in which I just want to be alone.

• To listen.  I listen but do I really listen?  Sometimes the answer is no.  Sometimes I find myself listening to the other person talk but in my head I am already thinking of a response.  I want to stop doing that.  I want to hear what the person has to say.  I owe it to that person.

The topic for next week – Share your race fueling plan.  Feel free to write about this or any running-related topic.  We hope you’ll link up with us!