Welcome to the first edition of Tuesday Topics for 2023!  Kim and I have more fun topics for this year and are excited for you to join us every week.  We will continue to have the last Tuesday of every month to be a FREE Topic.  

This week’s Tuesday Topic:  Your word for 2023.  You can write about this topic or 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! 

Below are the words I’ve had in the past.  I thought I had more than two, but I must and never wrote about them.

2022-Patience

2021-Joy

Last year my word was “Patience”.  It wasn’t easy but I did well last year.  I am working on a post about it and will have it ready by the end of January.

For 2023 I decided my word to be “Balance”.  It was hard to pick a word.  I thought about happy, smile, and enjoy.  I want to be happier.  I want to smile more.  I want to enjoy more things in life.  Then I realized that I could be happier, smile more, and enjoy more things in life if I can find a balance in my life.

Something that I definitely need to do is to stop spending so much time working.  It leaves me exhausted and frustrated.  I care about my students but no matter how much I do, it will never be enough.  I can only do so much. 

There have been times when I wouldn’t go for a run in the morning because I was doing stuff for school.  I need to do more fun stuff (travel, meet with friends, go to the movies, etc.).  While I know work is important, it shouldn’t consume my life.

I found these suggestions to help me find and keep my balance:

• Build healthy self-esteem
• Receive as well as receive
• Create positive parenting and family relationships
• Make friends who count
• Figure out your priorities
• Get involved
• Learn to manage stress effectively
• Cope with changes that affect you
• Deal with your emotions
• Have a spirituality to call your own

Here’s to 2023 and to find a balance!

Topic for next week – What are your Winter running plans and/or race schedule?  Feel free to write about this topic or any running related topic.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

This week’s Tuesday Topic:  What are your goals for 2023?  You can write about this topic or 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 can’t believe 2022 is almost over.  And what a year it has been!  I know I said this before.

Time to start thinking about next year.  Last year I wrote my goals for 2022.  I will update you on how I did and then talk about my goals for next year.

❇️ Stay injury free.  I was doing good until plantar fasciitis decided to visit.  As if that wasn’t enough, hip pain came too.  They’ve both overextended their stay and they need to leave.  

❇️ Buy a house.  I came really close by making an offer but then decided not to move forward.

❇️ Travel.  Does it count that I traveled downtown for a race and to the suburbs for another race?

❇️ Continue to be patient at home and at work.  I did good here.  It wasn’t easy.  It also helped that I picked my battles.

❇️ PR in my 50k.  I tried twice to run a 50k but it didn’t happen.  I guess it never will and I am OK with it. 

❇️ Run 1,200 miles.  This was not my year of running.  I ended up with 481.71 running miles and 7.37 walking miles.

❇️ Complete 300 Peloton rides.  Done!  I am currently at 359 rides.  Is it cheating if I am counting my warmup and cooldown rides?  The Peloton instructors tell me I need to take them so I am listening to them.

2023 Goals:

➡️ Complete 500 Peloton rides.  

➡️ Run 800 miles.

➡️ Run at least 5 races.

➡️ Do one Peloton activity each day.

➡️ Read 12 books.

And that is our last Tuesday Topics of 2022.  A HUGE thank you for joining me and Kim each Tuesday to talk about running and other things not related to running.  I love this group of bloggers!  

Wishing you an (early) Happy New Year!

Topic for next week – Your word for 2023.  Feel free to write about this topic or any running related topic.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

This week’s Tuesday Topic:  Your year in photos.  You can write about this topic or 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!

This has been one of my favorite posts to write.  I wrote one in 2020 and 2021.  I had fun reading those posts again and thinking about how much has changed since 2020.

What a year this has been!  Thanks to everyone for linking up with us this year.  Kim and I are already planning for next year.  Let us know if you have fun topics you want us to add to the linkup.

Let’s recap this year.  

January:

⇒ Went back to work after a nice 2 1/2 weeks of being at home.

⇒ Chose my word of the year: Patience.  Next year I will let you know how I did.

⇒ Ran once (and last time) on the treadmill in the gym in a mask.  It was awful!

February:

⇒ Had a couple of remote days because of the snow.  It was tiring preparing for them but it was nice to be home teaching without a mask.

March:

⇒ Ran the Shamrock Shuffle 8K and had a great time!  I had forgotten that I ran two races this year.

April:

⇒ Met up with my former coach for dinner.

May:

⇒ Began packing up my stuff.  Received official notification that my school will be closed and I would be moved to a different school.

June:

⇒ Finished the 2021-2022 school year!

July:

⇒ Ran the 4 on the 4th Race.  It was my 2nd and last race of 2022.

⇒ Met up with Wendy and Marcia for lunch.

August:

⇒ Taught a group of kindergarten kids.  There were 7 in my class and they were adorable.  The goal was to make it fun for them and excited to start school.  Read for the first time the book “The Kissing Hand”.  Adorable and it made me cry.

⇒ Saw a few actors from Chicago PD.  Fun!  Not sure why I wrote ‘characters’.  I meant actors.

⇒ Began the 2022-2023 school year.

September:

⇒ Celebrated my mom’s birthday.  We made mole.

October:

⇒ Spectated the Chicago Marathon.  It was a fun day!  I met Renee.

November:

⇒ Got excited to participate in a month long challenge for National Blog Posting Month.  I stopped after 12 days.  While posting wasn’t that difficult, it was the reading and commenting that took most of my time.  I lost track of the posts I read, fell behind, and then I couldn’t do it anymore.  I tried.

⇒ Celebrated my 50th birthday.

December:

⇒ Counting down the days till Winter Break!  Thursday is my last day.

⇒ Soon will say goodbye to 2022.

Topic for next week – What are your goals for 2023?  Feel free to write about this topic or any running related topic.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

This week’s Tuesday Topic:  Show us your year in bling!  You can write about this topic or 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 am deviating from this week’s topic because I have no bling from this year.  Nada.  No races at all.  I know next year that won’t be the case.  So far I’m signed up for the NYC Half Marathon in March and am planning to add a few more races to my calendar.

For today’s post I am writing a few things that come to my mind that start with the letter “M”.  Why that letter?  Well, it is the 13th day in December and the 13th letter of the alphabet.  Ready to see what I come up with?

➡️ Mail – Right now I am getting impatient with the US Mail.  I ordered $500 worth of Target gift cards and received an email notification that they were delivered on Thursday.  No they weren’t.  I reached out to Target and was told that sometimes carriers mark packages as delivered before they are actually delivered.  I will wait till Thursday and then reach out to them again.

➡️ Music –  I listen to it every single day.  On the way to school, in the morning before school starts, and on the way home.  I like Christmas music but cannot stand listening to it all day.

➡️ March –  The month of the NYC Half Marathon!  I am excited and looking forward to it.  I made my flight reservation and now need to plan what to do there.

➡️ MAP – Seriously the worst standardized test that students need to take.  My students take 4 tests – 2 in English and 2 in Spanish.  One of my students arrived from Mexico about a month ago.  He took a Reading test in English.  How is that fair to him?  

➡️ mile – Would love to do one mile time trials like Kim did.  But Winter is coming and you know I dislike running in the snow.  But I need to train for my half marathon so I guess I can do it.

➡️ Monday – I dislike Mondays and wish we were off that day.  

➡️ moody – Yesterday I experienced being happy, sad, angry, and annoyed.  And that was in a span of about 2 hours!

➡️ mother – As tiring as sometimes it is to take care of her, many times I am glad she is still with us to keep enjoying life.  I know it hasn’t been easy for her, but family members are always happy to see her. 

➡️ move – Will 2023 be the year I move?  Everyone please cross your fingers and toes for me.

󠁍󠁍➡️ movie – The last time I was in a movie theatre was in March 2020.  Right now there are two movies on my list-Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.

󠁍󠁍➡️ Mexico – Oh beautiful Mexico!  I haven’t been there in over 10 years.  I’ve been to Cancun but that doesn’t really count.  Haha.  It’s been so long since I’ve been to the state of Guerrero (where I was born) and am not sure but I think the last time I was there was in 1991 when my dad died.

I know there are more words that start with M.  I ran out of time last night.  I got home late, ate dinner, and then was ready for bed.  

Topic for next week – Your year in photos.  Feel free to write about this topic or any running related topic.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

This week’s Tuesday Topic:  Holiday gift guide for runners.  You can write about this topic or 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!

Thanks for everyone that entered my Birthday Giveaway.  The winner has been notified and I am curious to know what prize she will pick.

Also, I am behind on reading and commenting on posts from last week’s Tuesday and Friday linkups.  I promise I will get to them.  It will be late but I will do it.

It is time for this year’s Holiday Gift Guide.  My list has items that I use and love.  Oh, and it isn’t limited to runners.  Hopefully you’ll find something for you or to gift to someone else.

🎁 Koala Clip – Every runner needs this.  I take this with me on all of my runs.  

🎁 Noxgear Tracer 2 and/or Tracer Lamp – These are perfect for those that run in the dark.  I feel like I look like a Christmas tree with all of the lights/colors.  The photo on the right is to show how bright the lamp is.

🎁 Athena Club Razors – I’ve been using them for a few months and still love this razor.  I signed up for the subscription plan so I will never run out of razors.

🎁 OOFOS Recovery Sandals – I love putting these on when I come home from work.  They’re soft and comfortable!

🎁 Jot Ultra Coffee – You know I love my Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks coffee, but I am also a huge fan of it too.  Recently I ordered a bottle of toffee caramel and it is delicious.

🎁 Lululemon Clean Lines Belt Bag – I bought this after I saw so many people with it.  I don’t carry a purse anymore and take this with me wherever I go.

🎁 Turkish Linen Waffle Knit Lightweight Kimono Spa & Bath Robes – The robe is lightweight and highly absorbent.  It also comes in various colors!

🎁 Shiatsu Back Massager – I have this at work.  I’ve used it to massage my neck, upper back, lower back, and calf.  I love that it comes with a heating function to soothe my aching muscles.

🎁 Slim Minimalist Front Pocket Wallet – I found out about it from Kim.  The wallet is slim and it goes perfect with my lululemon belt bag.  

Topic for next week – Show us your year in bling!  Feel free to write about this topic or any running related topic.  We hope you’ll link up with us!