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!

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!  

To recover is the time for the body repair itself.  “Proper recovery can help: Avoid injuries like strained tendons or stress fractures, Reduce soreness in the legs after running, and Improve overall performance.”

Here is what I do to recover from my runs:

• Drink a Fairlife protein shake.  It has 30 grams of protein and is delicious.  I drink one everyday.

• Massage gun.  This feels good after a good run.  Sometimes it hurts too but I know it is helping my recovery.

• A walk.  This used to be the last thing I wanted to do but I’ve found that it speeds up my recovery.  I remember a few years ago I ran the Rock ‘n’ Roll New Orleans Marathon and was very sore afterwards.  I walked back to the hotel (about one mile) and wasn’t too sore the next day.

• Drink water.  Sometimes I am very thirsty and I drink a couple of glasses after a run.  I like Nuun to replenish electrolytes and prevent muscle cramps.

• Sleep.  I am exhausted after my long run.  Saturday is also when I do laundry so as soon as I get that done, I have lunch, and then take a nap.  My cats also know when I am tired.

Next week is a FREE topic.  Feel free to write about any running-related topic.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

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! 

I like running outside and on the treadmill.  I know many people don’t like the treadmill.  In fact, many people HATE it and call it the dreamill.

Here are a few reasons why I like running outside:

• I love running outside because I can leave the house and get some fresh air.

• Sometimes I like running when it is dark because it makes me feel safe and alone in my own world.  I know it sounds weird but this way I tend to not think about all of the things going on in this world and just focus on ME.

• I like checking out the neighborhood.  It makes me happy to see some of the cats.  It makes me sad too because I wonder why they are out there.

• When I run in the neighborhood, I look for any houses that are for sale.  I also like to pick a house and imagine me living there.  Silly?  Maybe.

• I get my vitamin D.  

I haven’t run on the treadmill in years but here is what helped me get through treadmill running:

• Listen to fun music.   I have a variety of Spanish and English music and various playlists.  Depending on how I was feeling is the music I would pick.

• Watch TV.  Sometimes music gets on my nerves so I prefer to watch TV.  I’ve watched whatever is playing on the television or a show on my iPad.

• Change incline and pace.  I did my runs at 0% incline but made sure to change the pace.  I would set a timer for 1:30/2:00 minutes or 3:00/4:00 minutes and then change the pace (I would have 3 different paces) at the sound of the buzzer.  Or I would change it after each song.  This would make the run a bit more exciting and made the time go by faster.

• Break up the run into parts.  I never did a run without stopping.  Who wants to run 10 miles without stopping?  Not me.  For a run of that distance, I would run 2.5 miles, take a quick break, and run again 2.5 miles.  Then I would use the bathroom and/or get more water and repeat for the rest of the 5 miles.  Something similar could be done for 12, 14, or 16 miles.  The key is to not think of it as a LONG run of 12, 14, 16 miles but instead as short and quick runs with breaks in between. 

• Reward myself.   For me it would be a coffee, food, beer, or a new piece of gear.  Of course I wouldn’t do this for every single run but mainly on days when I had ZERO desire to run and needed some motivation.

The topic for next week – What are your favorite recovery aids?  Feel free to write about this or any running-related topic.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

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!

Running in the Summer is not my favorite.  I dislike the hot weather but I do like running in shorts and tanks or short sleeve tops.  But I have no choice this Summer.  I am training for the Chicago Marathon!

Here are some Summer running tips that work for me. 

• Start early.  It is already warm at 6am.  I get up at 5 and then check email, read blog posts, while I drink my coffee.  Then I use the bathroom and get ready to head out.  I’ve told myself that I need to wake up earlier or drink fast my coffee and save the reading for later.

• Hydrate.  I make sure to drink water every day.  Sometimes I will freeze some water in my handheld and then add more the next day.  I have cold water to cool me during my run.

• Wear a hat or visor.  A hat helps keep me cool and blocks the sun from my eyes. 

• Use sunscreen.  I want to protect my skin to prevent sunburns, wrinkles, and even skin cancer. 

• Take it easy and listen to my body.  Running in the heat will make you run slower.  During the hot weather I’ve also had to take more walk breaks.  Nothing wrong with that. 

The topic for next week – Treadmill vs. Outside running.  Let’s talk about it.  Feel free to write about this or any running-related topic.  We hope you’ll link up with us!