This week’s Tuesday Topic:  What are your goals for 2024?  You can write about this topic or post any running-related blog post.  Remember to link up with Kim and Zenaida!  Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier!  Remember to come back for later linkers!

I wrote about my goals for 2023 but also am writing this post to talk about December. 

December, the last month of 2023.  What a month and what a year!  I am currently on Winter Break.  Two weeks off which I desperately need.  I brought some work home and want to get it done this week so I don’t have to think about it next week.  But, if I don’t get to it, then oh well.  

Let me tell you about how December went for me:

Mileage:  So far I’ve run 36.98 and walked 0 miles this month.  I began training for the NYC Half Marathon.  Again, I am following one of Hal Higdon’s plans and will be running 5 days a week.

Current Book:  I love John Grisham and read “The Exchange.”  I was looking forward to it and read it in 3 days.  However, I didn’t care too much about it.  While the story was interesting, I didn’t like the ending.  I know that many times we don’t like the ending, but in this case, it left me confused and with many questions.  Now I am reading “We Are Not Like Them”.  So far so good.  I want to finish it this week.  That will leave me with reading 23 books this year (I am including one that I began reading on 12/30 but finished it in January).

2023 Running Goal:  I said goodbye to my goal to run 800 miles.  This year wasn’t my year for running.  I did the best I could and am OK with it.  As of this morning, I’ve run 493.97 miles this year.  The good news is that that number is higher than last year.

Injuries:  None.  

Races:  None.

Health:  I am doing OK.  Depending on how my day goes, I sleep well and on other days I don’t.  I did feel very tired on Saturday and Sunday.  I took a few naps while taking breaks from reading my book.

School:  Winter Break!

The topic for next week:  What’s your word for 2024?  Feel free to write about this or any running-related topic.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

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

I feel like November is going by fast.  What a month!  A few of us celebrated a birthday – 51 for me!.  I was off for a few days for Thanksgiving Break.  The time off was wonderful and I didn’t want to go back to work yesterday.  Now I am looking forward to Winter Break.  

Let me tell you about how November went for me:

Mileage:  So far I’ve run 20.98 and walked 0 miles this month.  I couldn’t get it together to be consistent and run on more days.   

Current Book:  I finished reading “The Maid” and am currently reading “The Truth and Other Hidden Things”.  The former was good and it took me longer than expected to finish it.  There were times that I lost interest and put it down to watch TV.  I am enjoying the other book but sometimes get annoyed with the main character.  It is still a good book.

Next year my goal will be to read 24 books.    

2023 Running Goal:  I said goodbye to my goal.  This year wasn’t my year for running.  I did the best I could and am OK with it.  I will continue to run and will be happy with whatever number I end up with on December 31.   

Injuries:  None.  How can I have any when I am barely running?  🤪  Sometimes I have some pain/discomfort in my hip.  And depending on which shoes I wear and how long I am on my feet, they hurt too.

Races:  None, but am hoping I can run a 5k in December.  This year I ran a half marathon, 10k, 10 miler, 8k, and a 4 miler.

Health:  I am doing OK.  Depending on how my day goes, I sleep well and on other days I don’t.  

School:  It is still an up-and-down situation.  I am still overwhelmed with a lot of work to do and not enough time.  I like my students and sometimes I like my job.  A few weeks ago I got a new student from El Salvador.  She is sweet and shy and is excited to be in school.  I like my principal.  She is very supportive and understands where we (teachers) come from.  

Still, I will end this post with what I said last month:  Each day brings me closer to another year of teaching and then to another year closer to retirement.

The topic for next week:  Holiday Gift Guide for runners.  Feel free to write about this or any running-related topic.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

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

October seemed like a LONG month.  Most of them do feel that way but this month just felt longer.  No?  At least we are closer to November which brings us to Thanksgiving Break.  I am looking forward to it and to the time off.  I know I can take time off pretty much whenever I want, but honestly, many times “it isn’t worth it”.  It takes a long time to plan and write lesson plans.  Anyway, again, at least I know I can take the time off.

Let me tell you about how October went for me:

Mileage:  Sigh.  Weird how at one point running was a huge thing for me.  I ran everyday or almost everyday.  Now, I can barely get in a run.  And it is getting colder now.  We had some very warm days towards the end of October, but now it is down to 30 degrees.  I know, I know, I can run in this weather, but sometimes I don’t want to.  I am too cold.

This month I ran 20.48 and walked 3.14 miles.

Current Book:  I am still reading “The Guide” and was determined to finish it in October.  I have a few pages to go.  There are 5 books that I got from the library that are waiting for me.

2023 Running Goal:  I said goodbye to my goal.  This year wasn’t my year for running.  I did the best I could and am OK with it.  I will continue to run and will be happy with whatever number I end up with on December 31. 

Injuries:  None.  Though sometimes I have some pain/discomfort in my hip.  And depending on which shoes I wear and how long I am on my feet, they hurt too.

Races:  None, but am hoping I can run a 5k this month or in December.  This year I ran a half marathon, 10k, 10 miler, 8k, and a 4 miler.

Health:  I am doing OK.  Depending on how my day goes, I sleep well and on other days I don’t.

School:  It is an up-and-down situation.  As much as I care about my students, many days I find no joy in my job.  I get angry and am exhausted.  I know I have mentioned this before, but seriously, this year is the worst.  Or maybe it was the year I worked from home – that was horrible too.  

Even though I do a lot of work at home, I cannot seem to catch up on schoolwork.  I did my grades over a week ago but still need to review and finalize them so they can be available to parents.  I wonder how many of them actually check them.  I have a pile of paperwork that needs to be graded and entered in PowerSchool.  I get one planning period (45 minutes) every day to review lessons and plan for the day, make copies, do my lesson plans, grade, etc.  On Thursdays, we have a grade-level meeting.  Sometimes I substitute for another teacher who is absent that day, so I still don’t get all of my planning periods each week.

We have parent/teacher conferences on Monday and I know many won’t go well.  Many are not on grade level and it will get worse as they get older.  I hope I am wrong and these kids and parents get their act together.  It is just so sad to see these kids not motivated and have no desire to learn.

Each day brings me closer to another year of teaching and then to another year closer to retirement.  Sad that I am thinking this way, right?

The topic for next week:  Let’s go down memory lane again and tell us about your best childhood memory.  Feel free to write about this or any running-related topic.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

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

Yay for September being almost over!  I am rarely ever excited for a month to be over.  Now I am because it has been one heck of a month.  As I’ve mentioned, school is a circus, and I am learning to walk carefully on the tighrope without falling.  I haven’t been lucky.

Let me tell you about how September went for me:

Mileage:  September was not a good month of running.  I went out running yesterday for 20 minutes.  Before that, my last run was on September 1.  To date, I’ve run 2.48 and walked 16.29 miles.

Current Book:  I finished reading “The Guide” and was very happy when I finished it.  It wasn’t that exciting but I also didn’t want to stop reading it.  I was determined to finish it.  

I am currently reading “Beautiful World, Where Are You”.  So far it is OK but more interesting than The Guide.  😀

2023 Running Goal:  I am saying goodbye to my goal.  No way will I run 386 miles in 3 months.  This year wasn’t my year for running.  I did the best I could and am OK with it.  I will continue to run and will be happy with whatever number I end up with on December 31. 

What I would like to do now is run or walk every day.  

Injuries:  None.  I am sore from yesterday’s run.  I know I need to keep showing up to either run or walk and I will no longer be sore.

Races:  None.

Health:  I am doing OK.  I am sleeping better but now need to watch what I eat.  I’ve noticed my shorts feel a bit tight.

School:  I was looking forward to the new school year.  I began the school year with 21 students and now have 20.  One student came in 2 weeks after school started and then two students were moved to a GE (English-only) classroom.

It’s been a rough 5 weeks.  My students talk a lot and don’t follow directions.  When I ask them a question, many do not answer.  I am left wondering if it is me or them.  Regardless, it is frustrating.

We have a new Reading curriculum.  We’ve had minimal training yet I was expected to assess my students in English and Spanish.  Luckily, one of the interventionists helped me.  I have to teach Reading in both languages (remember, no training) and have spent HOURS reviewing lessons and trying to figure out what to do.  The assessments are long and they’re pen and paper so I have to manually grade each assessment.  Then we enter the data into one program (MasterConnect) and then into another one (PowerSchool) for grades.  I do this for 3 different components of the curriculum (Knowledge and then Skills in English and Spanish).  Let’s not forget that I also teach Math, Science, and Social Studies.

New this year is an extra 30 minutes we spend with the students either helping them in Reading or Math.  I am doing Math.  Each day is a different lesson and thankfully I don’t have to write the lessons but it is another session I need to prepare for every day. 

I am mentally exhausted.  I have been neglecting myself.  I am actually surprised I haven’t quit yet.  Yesterday was a good day for me.  I went out for a run.  I had a good day with my students.  We couldn’t go out for recess because of the rain but had fun doing various indoor activities.  We did the Chicken Dance and the Macarena (school version).  I think they were surprised to see me have fun with them!

Thanks for reading.  I hope that for next month’s review, I will write more positive things about school.  Or maybe write about something more exciting.

The topic for next week:  Tell us what you love about living in your town/city/state.  Feel free to write about this or any running-related topic.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

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

Back to school always wears me out.  I have spent HOURS setting up my room and figuring out what I need to do.  There was minimal running, but I did a lot of walking.

Let me tell you about how August went for me:

Mileage:  As of yesterday, I’ve run 15.30 and walked 47.74 miles this month.  It is my lowest month of running miles (in February I ran 19.76 miles) but my highest in walking miles.  I still stay that’s a win!

Current Book:  I finished reading “The Guide” and am halfway done.  I am not too crazy about it and stubbornly I don’t want to stop reading it.  I know it doesn’t make sense.

Current Shoes: Still running in my pretty blue Launch shoes.  Well, I should say walking.  

2023 Running Goal:  At this point, I seriously doubt I will make my goal.  I am 51% done.  I need 388 miles and there are 124 days left this year.  I need to get back to running mode and hopefully, I can do it once I get settled in school.  But, any advice as to how to get back to running?  I feel like I need to start over again.  My last run was on August 7.

Injuries:  None.  My feet don’t hurt as much since I haven’t been running.  They did hurt the first two days of school when I was walking back and forth in my work shoes.  From now on I am sticking to gym shoes.

Races:  None.

School:  Last week was my first week.  It was chaotic, interesting, and stressful.  I will write more about it in Friday’s post.

Health:  I am still not sleeping well.  I nap when I get a chance.  I am going to the doctor on September 8 for a physical and will ask for blood work to be done to check my A1c, glucose, iron, cholesterol, etc.

I think I have mentioned this before but my last period was in January.  I thought I was done with periods.  Guess what showed up two weeks ago?  Yep!  ¡Ay caramba!

Not a very exciting month but I am trying to make it through each day.  I am sure once I am settled in with school, I will start running again and I can write about more exciting stuff.  😀

The topic for next week:  Tell us what you are excited about this week.  Feel free to write about this or any running-related topic.  We hope you’ll link up with us!