Hello March!!!  Thanks to Casimir Pulaski I had the day off yesterday.  It was nice to be off but still not caught up on the things I had to do.  

This week’s Tuesday Topic is: What did you think about on your last 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!

I will write about my thoughts from yesterday’s run.  It was my first workout working again with my coach.  Even though I was off, I had to be back in time to shower, eat breakfast, and head out by 9am to take my mother to get her vaccine. 

I started my run at 7:17 and ran 2.5 miles.  It took me 30:29 with an average pace of 12:12.  It was definitely faster than I was planning but overall no complaints.  I had forgotten to download a 30 minute Peloton workout and didn’t have time to do so and instead listened to music from one of my playlists.

Here is what I thought about on my run:

➡️ This article.  I read it on Sunday but obviously I was still upset about it.  The Superintendent said “It is not an ideal model, but I think it’s better than doing nothing with our kids.”  It is a slap in the face because he has NO idea how hard teachers have been working during the pandemic.

➡️ The snow is melting which is great but now there is so much garbage.  Some people are just gross.  I saw lots of empty bottles (some with yellow liquid??), plastic bags, masks, etc.  

➡️ It’s been over a month since I’ve run on side streets and could not remember if they were this bad.  There were so many holes and cracks.  I thought for sure I was going to trip and fall again.

➡️ It was colder than I thought.  I felt underdressed and wished I would have worn a long sleeve top instead of a short sleeve under my jacket.  

➡️ I love songs by The Temptations. 

➡️ Are any parents going to contact me asking why I was not logged in today?  On Friday the District sent a reminder and I did too but there is always one parent.

➡️ The snow is melting.  Why do people still have their stuff for dibs out on the street and sidewalk?  The city is supposed to go through the streets picking up leftover items.  

➡️ I am hungry.  What am I going to eat for breakfast?

➡️ Will I make it back in time for a class with Cody?  

So many thoughts in 30 minutes.  It isn’t like that for every run.  Sometimes I just zone out and listen to music while also paying attention to my breathing and my pace.

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!

Thanks to everyone that linked up with us two weeks ago.  It was interesting and fun to read everyone’s 5 words they picked to describe themselves.  It was also interesting to read that quite a few said they were introverted.  Today I will be sharing more and writing about a few things you may not know about me.  

I’ve never been hospitalized
I’ve been to the ER when I broke a glass with my arm and had to get stitches.  I spent a few nights with my mother in her room when she was hospitalized after her stroke.  Nope, nothing for me.

I was engaged 
We had our hall, church, and date picked out.  Things fell through.  I remember the day I was supposed to get married, it RAINED!  Do I see myself getting married in the future?  Definitely not.  Nothing wrong with it.  I am just used to it being me, myself, and I (with my cats too) and I am perfectly fine with it.  However, I do wonder what my life would be like if I had gotten married.

I eat A LOT when I get stressed out
Food relaxes me.  Sometimes I like to get a Big Mac with fries and a Coke with no ice from McDonald’s.  Who doesn’t like fries from McDonald’s?

There are 7 in my family and I am the 2nd youngest
There are 3 girls, one boy, and then 3 more girls.  All of us are about 2 years apart.  That is how I can remember the ages.  The oldest is 10 years older than me.  Rumor is that I was named after my grandmother (my dad’s mom) because I was supposed to be the last one. 

I cannot stand the taste or smell of whiskey
Just thinking and writing about it makes me queasy.  Let’s go back to 1993.  I was in college for summer school.  I was at a party and we were playing “Quarters”.   You know where I am getting at, right?  Yep.  I had too many shots that night.  

I was born in Mexico but emigrated to the US when I was 5
I still remember that day.  My mom and my siblings arrived on July 4, 1978.  We were supposed to arrive the day before but we missed our flight.  Well, that is the story my siblings tell me.  I have some vague memory of being in the airport and being outside.  I also remember being in a car and seeing the Sears Tower and the lake.  Now that I am older I know that was the Kennedy Expressway (I-90).  I have some memories of living in Mexico, but sometimes I do wonder if they’re real.

I wore braces and glasses in high school
High school is already awkward.  I got braces at the end of my freshman year and wore them till the beginning of my senior year.  The glasses I got at the beginning of my senior year too.  I was already a quiet and shy girl so it didn’t really bother me.  As a matter of fact, I had a great time in high school!  I was not a social butterfly but I still had many great friends.  

I have 3 tattoos
I have a panther, a butterfly, and a sun.  I would like to get another one but am not sure.  The last one (the sun) is on my ankle and that was painful.

I wasn’t always a teacher
After college I worked at The Lodge for 3 months.  It was a company owned by McDonalds’s.  Then I worked several years and different positions at the American Bar Association.  It was there that I received an email to attend an orientation for people wanting to make a career change.  I went because another friend of mine was going too.  I remember someone there telling us not to go into teaching just for the money.  A few months later I had an interview.  Then did a few years of graduate school.  As much as it is tough to be a teacher, I do not regret it one bit.  It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made!

My dad passed away when I was 18 years old
It was at the end of my freshman year of college.  I was never close to him.  He was a quiet man and we rarely talked.  I remember before leaving for college, he asked me a question.  I don’t recall what it was but I responded with “yes”.  He then told me to take care of myself.  

How is everyone doing with this crazy weather?  I saw on the news yesterday that over 40 states are under a Winter weather alert. At least here in Chicago we get snow and are “ready and prepared” for it.  States like GA or TX are not and, well, they are struggling.  Stay safe and be careful.

This week’s Tuesday Topic is: What are some of your running pet peeves?  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!

Here is what I wrote in a previous post.  

• Runners that post their pace all of the time (Garmin, Strava, and RunKeeper, etc.) 

• Walkers that start in the front of a race.

• Runners that make sudden stops.

• Runners that take up the whole path.

• Dog owners that don’t leash their dogs. 

• Runners that blast their music.

• Runners that talk non stop during  a race. 

Today I am adding a few more.

• Long lines at the port-a-potties.

• Running out of food or swag.

• People that honk or catcall while I’m out running.  

• Races that start late.

• People that spit.

• Shoe companies that think they are making their product better, but really they’re not.  Don’t change anything!

• Chafing and not realizing till taking a shower.

• An ugly shirt or one that does not fit properly.

• People that do not throw their water cups in the trash can.  Stop being lazy.  

• Races that do not have a refund or deferral option.

• Spectators with signs saying that I am almost there.  No I’m not.  Don’t lie to me.

• When I want to hit the pause button on my Garmin and instead hit the lap button.

This week’s Tuesday Topic is: Five words to describe yourself.  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 began writing this post on Sunday.  Not that I don’t spend time writing my posts for my other topics, but this one took me longer to write.  I am not saying that I had so many words and it was hard to narrow it down to 5, but it was hard to actually come up with 5 words.  Why is it easier to come up with 5 words for someone else than it is for us?   

This is what I came up with:

Introverted
I am a social introvert.  You might not believe this but I am a shy person.  For the most part I am a quiet person too.  I am comfortable in a group of 2-6 people.  More than that and I’ll probably take a raincheck.  I like being alone but sometimes do want the company of other people.  

Proactive
I think this comes from being independent.  I don’t like to wait around for something to happen.  If I can get it done, then I will do it.  Many times then I will become overwhelmed because I want to do it all.  I also know that sometimes it is because I want it to be done MY way.

Independent
I love this about me.  There is nothing wrong with having someone there with you or helping you, but for the most part I do many things on my own.  I remember being a sophomore in high school and knew I wanted to go away for college.  I was not the first one in my family to go to college, but I was the first one to go away.  Man, that was one of the best things I ever did!  More than 20 years later and I am still very independent.  

Hardworking
I word hard.  I have a strong work ethic.  I remember spending hours and weekends on various  projects when I worked at the bar association in Chicago.  Then I became a teacher and you know how that is going.  Many more hours and weekends working on lesson plans and activities for my students.  Then this pandemic made it even more interesting when I had to come up with a different way of teaching.  It is never ending and no matter what I do, work will always be there.  Yes, I am hardworking but I also find a balance to relax and have fun.

Beautiful
This one was hard to write!  I am not referring to it as what I look on the outside, but instead on the inside.  This word sums it all up.  🙂 I hope everyone that wrote about this topic also picked this word.  You are all beautiful!

This week’s Tuesday Topic is: Share your best running views from around the world.  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!

Last month I shared with you my some of my running views.  Today I will share with you some of my best running views from around the world.  

🌎 Mexico 

🌎 Ecuador 

🌎 Peru

This was a walking trek to Machu Picchu but still gorgeous views for running.

🌎 Alaska