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!