This week’s Tuesday Topic is:  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!

What a year this has been!  Thanks to everyone for linking up with us this year.  

Let’s recap this year.  As I was writing this post I realized that I didn’t have photos for everything that I mention here.  

January:

⭐ Began a new linkup with Darlene, Michelle, Jenn, and Renée. 

⭐ Went back to work in the classroom.  Still no students so it was me, myself, and I in my room.

⭐ Inauguration Day!!  One of the best days this year.

February:

⭐ Lots of snow this month.  Ran in one of the coldest days.  You can see the ice on my eyelashes.

⭐ Got my first covid vaccine.

⭐ Fell again but only scraped my knee.

March:

⭐ Began a new hybrid schedule at work and had some students in my classroom.

⭐ Got my 2nd vaccine.

⭐ Made it to 200 days of my run streak.

⭐ Did my 100th bike ride with Cody.

 April:

⭐ Celebrated Lola’s birthday.  My precious!  I love her.

⭐ Dislike Nike even more after reading the book “Win at all costs”. 

May:

⭐ Teacher Appreciation Week!

⭐ Did my 200th Peloton run!
⭐ The AC stopped working and we all struggled.  Even the cats!

June:

⭐ Celebrated Global Running Day!

⭐ Done with school!  One of the worst years of my teaching career.  

⭐ Started 4 weeks of Summer School.  Luckily it wasn’t remote and I enjoyed having students in the classroom.  Oh and it was a beautiful school (not the same one I currently teach in).

⭐ Nephews from San Antonio and Seattle came to visit.  Hadn’t seen them in over 2 years.  Went to Tzuco.

August:

⭐ Did my 300th Peloton run!

⭐ Bought some new shoes.

⭐ Went to school to set up my classroom.  Excited for a new year with all students in the room.

⭐ Saw Chicago PD being filed close to my house.  I saw Jay and Hailey.  The episode aired on October 7th.

⭐ Began a new school year with 21 students.  

⭐ Completed my running streak!  

September:

⭐ Celebrated my mother’s birthday!  Grateful for another year she is with us.

⭐ Cheered for Cody in Dancing with the Stars.

⭐ Did a virtual Open House with my coworkers.  All teachers had to be at school till 8pm.  We could have done this at home.

October:

⭐ Began training for my 50k.

⭐ Survived the Facebook and Instagram blackout.

⭐ I saw with my own eyes the world’s tiniest pencil.  One of my former students was using it in class.

⭐ Got my booster and flu shot with my mom.  

⭐ Went to the airport with my mom to pick up from nephew.  He came home for 2 weeks.

⭐ Spectated the Chicago Marathon.

⭐ Bought another pair of shoes.

November:

⭐ Virtual parent/teacher conferences.  I was all alone in my room.  

⭐ Last pair of shoes for this year.  

⭐ Celebrated my birthday.

December:

⭐ Counting down the days till Winter Break.  Two more days to go.

⭐ Realized I need 60 miles to meet my goal of running 1,000 miles this year.  Coach said I will run 36 miles this week and 32 the following week.  Looks like I will make it.

This week’s Tuesday Topic is:  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’m deviating from this week’s topic (I didn’t run any races this year so no bling) to write about a topic that was talked about a few weeks ago.  I missed the linkup that week and am now writing about it.  

I do not own a treadmill.  I really wished I did.  Once I have more room, I plan to get a Peloton treadmill.  I know Kim has one and she loves it.  I do like running outside but sometimes the weather is not the best.  Also, training for a 50k requires longer runs and I am not sure how much earlier I can get out in the morning to get it done and be on time for work.

Anyway, I’ve done many, many runs on the treadmill.  There was one year where I did a lot of my runs on it while training for the Chicago Marathon.  I actually do not mind the treadmill at all.  I do like it.  I know many people don’t and that is OK.

Here are some tips that worked for me.  

• 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/or 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.

Yes or no to treadmill running?

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This week’s Tuesday Topic is:  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!

Hey there!  Welcome to December!  It is time (or maybe you already did) to start thinking of gifts for your runner friends and for you too.  Here are a few of my suggestions of items that I use.

Koala Clip – I love mine and use it on every run.  It is perfect to carry my phone.  Use code ZENAIDA10 for 10 percent off.

ROAD iD – I’ve had mine now for a few years.  I wear it all of the time and never take it off.  

SABRE RED Pink Pepper Spray Keychain – I hate that I have to carry this with me but I know it is necessary. 

Noxgear Tracer 2 – I LOVE, LOVE it!  This is seriously the best running gear I purchased this year.  It provides maximum visibility, lots of different color modes, and it is rechargeable.  If you run in the dark, then you need to get it for you too!

BALEAF Women’s Fleece Lined Winter Leggings High Waisted Thermal Warm Yoga Pants with Pockets – These may be advertised on yoga pants but they’re the perfect running pants for the Winter.  They’re soft and warm.  Plus, I use the pockets on the side to store my small water bottles.

Billie Razors – These razors are inexpensive and leave your legs very smooth.  At sign up you pay $10 and you get a shaver, a magnetic holder, and two 5-blade razor cartridges.  Then for $10, every month or every 2 or 3 months (you select the subscription frequency), you get four replacement blade cartridges sent to your house.  You can also delay an order or cancel your subscription.  

Massage gun – I’ve had mine for two years now (and I paid a lot more for it).  I’ve used it on my mom and my coworkers.  It is easy, quiet, cordless, and rechargeable.

Socks – A runner can never have too many socks.  A few of my favorites are Lily Trotters, Balega, and Smartwool.  

HEAD Women’s Gloves – I got these at Costco.  I have both the touchscreen running gloves and the waterproof hybrid gloves.  They’re perfect for the cold weather and they’re not too expensive either.  I bought a couple to have on hand in case I lose a pair.

Shoes – My favorite are the Brooks Ghost and the Launch.  Brooks has a variety of shoes for every runner and some fun and great designs.  I wish they would stop because I end up buying too many pairs.  🤣 Have you seen the holiday shoes (Levitate 5)?  Adorable!

➡️ Other ideas include gift cards to Amazon, Zappos, and Running Warehouse.  

What else would you add here?  Which one of these gifts would you like to get?

This week’s Tuesday Topic is:  Tell us why you’re thankful for running this year!  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!

Thank you everyone for entering my birthday giveaway!  I am seriously the worst blogger and have not read your post and/or comment from last week’s post.  I will do that soon.  However, Rafflecopter picked the winner for the giveaway and that lucky person is Darlene!  

What a year this has been!  However, I will say that I feel like it is better than last year.  Would you think so too?

At the end of August I finished my one year running streak.  When I first started I didn’t think I would make it to a year.  There were a few times that I wanted to quit.  But I kept going.  I remember that in the beginning of August I felt tired and exhausted.  I wasn’t feeling as motivated anymore.  But I still did not want to quit.  I kept going.  Now I am training for a 50k!  I told myself I didn’t want to run a marathon anymore.  🤣 🤣

Running has brought me joy.  It has also brought me peace.  It has given me more confidence.  It has brought me some of my biggest supporters (YOU)!  Thank you!

Running is my ME time.  I think about life.  I make plans for the day.  I think about what to do with my students.  As I am running in the dark, I feel like I am in my own world.  It is a strange but comforting feeling.  

Running got me through some of the toughest months of the school year.  This past school year was definitely the worst year for me.  I wanted to quit.  I cried a lot.

I plan to continue running for as long as I can.  I still have my 50+ states goal to finish.  Just a few more states to go.

Thank you again for being there for me.  Thank you for your encouragement and support.  ❤️ ❤️