This week’s Tuesday Topic is:  How do you stay mentally motivated during a long run?  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!

Wow, long runs.  During marathon training a long run would be a run between 12-20 miles (to me).  I am not training for a marathon.  Thank goodness because I don’ think I want to run that long anyway.  Right now my long runs have been between 5-7 miles and those are long enough for me.  I did run a couple of 9 milers last year.  

So how do I stay motivated during these runs?  Let me tell you what woks for me. 

🏃🏽‍♀️ Break up the miles.  If I am running 8 miles I like to break them up in 2 milers.   When I am done with 4 miles then I remind myself that I am 50% done.  If that doesn’t work then I take it one mile at a time.

🏃🏽‍♀️ I get to run!  No one is making me do this.  It is my decision.  I know I’ve said this before but I am fortunate that I can run, walk, etc.  I hope I am still doing this for many more years.

🏃🏽‍♀️ Have a good playlist.  I like to run with music but have also run without it.  I am a huge fan of 80s and 90s pop/dance music.  Matty from Peloton is my favorite to listen to during my long runs.  He always has something exciting to say about him, the song, the artist, etc.  

🏃🏽‍♀️ Enjoy it and take it easy.  For me it wasn’t easy to run “slow” during my long runs (I wasn’t running that fast anyway).  I think it was last year that I learned to let it go and run slower.  No one is chasing me and I am not competing with anyone else.  My paces are usually between 12:00-13:00 minute miles and that is OK with it.

🏃🏽‍♀️ Change my routine.  I used to run by the lake and around the airport but haven’t been there in months.  I run close to where I live but vary the route depending on my mood.  Right now I like to do this to find houses that are for sale.  😀 

🏃🏽‍♀️ Reward myself.  It could be the tamales and coffee waiting for me at home.  It could also be the shower that I will take when I am done.  It could also be the nap that I will take after eating and the shower.  

Running long miles isn’t easy but it isn’t impossible either.  The key is finding the necessary tools to start, continue, and finish the run.

This week’s Tuesday Topic is:  Show us your organizational skills.  How do you organize your running gear?  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!

In a perfect world I would hire a company to design and set up a walk in closet for me.  I live in an old apartment and, well, it won’t be ideal anyway.  The owner will rehab this place once I move out.

Isn’t this gorgeous?

So that leaves me with being creative to organize not only my work stuff but also my running gear.  Sadly I do not store everything in my bedroom but in various places in the apartment.  My bedroom isn’t big but luckily I have a decent size closet. 

➡️ My running shoes are in an armoire closet/chest drawer I inherited from my mother when she moved.  It is in the back porch.  I used to have 6 new pairs but now I have 2 pairs.

➡️ My favorite running shorts are the Oiselle long rogas.  I have over 30 pairs.  Yes, I love them.  Those shorts are also there.

➡️ Sports bras and socks go in a plastic storage cart and organizer.  

➡️ Pants and long sleeve tops go in the closet.

➡️ Tops go in a dresser drawer in my room.

➡️ Garmin and headphones are in a fruit stand in the kitchen.  We use it to store everything else except fruit.  

Each night I gather everything I need and leave it in the kitchen.  My bedroom is next to it and it makes it easy to grab it all in the morning and get ready.

It may not be ideal but this system works for me.  Cannot wait to organize it better once I have a house and more room!

This week’s Tuesday Topic is:  What are some of your disastrous running costumes or race outfits?  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 to write about a day in the life of a teacher during remote learning.  I will make it as exciting as possible!  😀

As you know, school is very different right now.  In the beginning of the school year I worked from home.  Then in January I taught in an empty classroom.  Since March I’ve had 3 kids on various days in my classroom while still teaching online to the rest.  It is a BIG mess and I do not like it.  I know it needs to get done so I make the best of it.

Here is a typical day for me (I chose Tuesday):

5:30-7:30 AM
I get up and make coffee.  Then I check my email.  I also read blog posts and comments.  Since it is Tuesday I make sure my post is up.  Then I go out for my run.  For the past couple of weeks, Tuesday has been a speed workout day and I run between 3-5 miles.  Today it was 6 miles.  

After my run I shower and get ready for work.  I get my coffee and breakfast ready and head out the door.

7:30-8:30 AM
I arrive at school between 8-8:30am.  I live 6 miles from my school and there is minimal traffic in the morning which makes it for an easy commute.

During this time I eat breakfast, drink coffee, check work email, and go to the bathroom.  Then at 8:30am I go downstairs to get my students.  I have 2 that come in on Tuesday and Wednesday and 1 student on Thursday and Friday.  

8:30-8:50 AM
My students log in their computer and work on Imagine Math or Imagine Español.  I finish up any last minute things that I need to do.

8:50-9:15 AM
I log in and then my students log in.  I take attendance.  We talk about what they did the day before.  We go over the number of days we’ve been in school.  This is all done via Google Slides.  Last week I added two slides to include the last day of school and the number of days left of school.  If time permits we also do “Would You Rather”.  I check if anyone else has logged in and submit my attendance.  I remind them to finish their breakfast and to take a bathroom break. 

9:15-12:05 PM
The first subject is Reading.  Currently we are reading John Chapman in Spanish.  The book is originally in English but it is a difficult book for them to read and understand.  Last year my coworker translated it and it is still difficult for most of them in Spanish.  🤦🏻‍♀️

Then we have Writing.  We are working on revise and edit sentences/paragraphs.  My students struggle with writing.  Many do not write complete sentences.  Many don’t start sentences with capital letters nor add punctuation at the end.  It is very frustrating!  The worst part is that they’ve been using their Chromebook for the past year and have not done any writing with pencil and paper.

Then we move on to Social Studies/Science.  The last unit I taught was on “How can one people make a difference?”  We talked about Garrett Morgan, Jane Addams, Luis Valdez, and Susan La Flesche Picotte.  Even I learned about Susan!

The last subject I teach is Math.  It is my favorite!  We have an hour for it.  I teach the lesson and then they work on their assignment.  Last week we finished the unit on even/odd and arrays.  Next week I will start the unit on fractions.

School with me ends at 12:05 pm.  I tell my students to have a good lunch and afternoon and that I will see them the next day.

12:05-12:25 PM
We finish up.  My two students use the bathroom one last time before going home (I do too).  At 12:15 we go downstairs so they can go home.  I stick around for door/playground duty until 12:25 pm.  Then I go inside for lunch.

12:25-1:00 PM
Lunch time!

1:00-1:40 PM
Meeting time with my coworkers.  Each week we alternate between Reading and Math.  We talk about assessments, assignments, students, etc, etc.  Sometimes we just vent on all of the BS that we have to do.  

1:40-3:00 PM
I plan for the next day.  I also review assignments.  I talk to my coworkers.  Sometimes I just put my head down and take a break.

After work I may stop at the store or go straight home.  On a good day I am home by 3:30 pm but sometimes there is more traffic than usual and I am home at 4pm.  Then I take a quick nap or rest for a bit before taking a Peloton bike class.  

Afterwards I shower and eat dinner while reading blog posts.  Sometimes I skip the blog posts and watch TV.  That is why sometimes I am very late is reading and responding to comments.  😬  By 9pm I am tired.  I give my cats a snack and go to bed.

How did I do?  Is my day exciting?  I realize the schedule is not ideal for students because I don’t spend enough time teaching the various subjects.  There have been many complaints about it.  However, I have NO complaints about it.