This week’s Tuesday Topic:  Confession time: What are your worst running habits?  You can write about this topic or post any running-related blog post.  Remember to link up with Jenn and Zenaida!  Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier!  Remember to come back for later linkers!

I have been running for a long time now but there are still some things I do not do prior to or after a run.  Ready to hear about them?

• I don’t eat anything prior to a run.  I drink coffee so that has to count for something, right?  I drink it because I like it and it makes me go to the bathroom.  

• No warmup or cooldown.  After my coffee, I change, use the bathroom one more time, and out the door I go.  After my run, I drink a protein drink, take a shower, and get ready for work.

• Start a race too fast.  I think many of us do this.  It is the excitement that gets me going until sometimes it is too late and I get tired early on in the race.

• Comparing myself to 5-10 years ago.  I don’t compare myself to others anymore.  Sometimes I look at my stats from a few years back and see that I am much slower now.  Two things have changed for me: 1) I am older and 2) I am not consistent.

• No strength nor cross-training.  I know this is something I need to do and keep saying that I will.  

The topic for next week – Share some things you’ve learned to love about running?  Feel free to write about this or any running-related topic.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

This week’s Tuesday Topic is a FREE topic.  Feel free to post any running related blog post.  Remember to link up with Jenn and Zenaida!  Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier!  Remember to come back for later linkers!

My word for 2023 was Balance.  I found these suggestions to help me find and have some balance in my life.  Let me tell you how I did.

• 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

I think I did OK.  The main thing I wanted to do was find balance with work.  Once I did that, the rest would fall into place.  The way I saw it, the less time I spent on work, the more time I would have for the rest.  Right?  I am always very busy at the beginning of the school year.  This school year was awful because there were many changes.  Of course, we never get enough time to do all of the work that is required.

As much as I complain about school, I care a lot about the students and their families.  I became more involved in after school activities.  My coworker and I helped set up a few monthly Family Nights which were a hit.  It made me happy to see students and their families have fun.  But, it was a lot of work.  We didn’t organize an event in January nor will we organize the one in February.  

I am handling my stress better.  I did have to tell my doctor and she gave me medicine to help with my anxiety.  I know they’re not the same thing but in my case they seem to go hand in hand.  I learned to go with the flow with my mother.  She is 80 years old and taking care of an elderly is a lot of work.  Thanks goodness my sisters and I share this responsibility.

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

This week’s Tuesday Topic:  What are you looking forward to this year?  You can write about this topic or post any running-related blog post.  Remember to link up with Jenn and Zenaida!  Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier!  Remember to come back for later linkers!

A new year and a new word.  I am definitely looking forward to this year.  These past couple of years have been interesting; hopefully, things will pick up and become more exciting.

Here are a few things I am looking forward to this year:

❇️ Travel.  My last trip was last year when I ran the NYC Half Marathon.  I am planning to go again in March and am excited about it.  My nephew is getting married in March in Mexico and that is in the plans to go there.  If that doesn’t work out, there will be another reception in Minnesota.

❇️ Read more books.  Not because of my goal, but because I like to read.  My goal this year is to read 24 books.

❇️ Running more races.  I want to run a race in all distances except the marathon.  I would love to PR in one or two race distances.

❇️ Self-care.  I have to do more things for me.  I can’t help or take care of other people (and pets) and I don’t take care of myself.  I am important too!

❇️ The end of the school year.  Is it too early to think about it?  Every year it gets more and more difficult and exhausting.  I can’t keep up with all of it.  The end of another school year means another year closer to retirement.

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

This week’s Tuesday Topic:  What’s your plan to achieve your 2024 goals?  You can write about this topic or post any running-related blog post.  Remember to link up with Jenn and Zenaida!  Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier!  Remember to come back for later linkers!

In December I wrote about my 2024 goals.  Let me tell you how I plan to achieve these goals. 

➡️ Read 24 books.  I read 23 books last year.  24 books is 2 each month.  I think I can manage it.  I am impressed with people that read 50, 60, 70 books in a year.  I guess I can do it too if I didn’t watch so much TV.

➡️ PR in a race distance.  I haven’t decided if I want to work with a coach this year or train “properly”.  I know if I strength train that will help me be a stronger runner.

➡️ Run a half marathon in a different state.  I still need to run a half marathon in South Carolina, Kansas, Wyoming, South Dakota, North Dakota, Idaho, New Mexico, and Hawaii.  For now I have my eye on the Fargo Half Marathon in North Dakota and the Garmin Olathe Half Marathon in Kansas.  With these states (except Kansas) I need to fly with an airline that is not Southwest and out of O’Hare.  Logistics is a bit complicated and more expensive.

➡️ Don’t procrastinate (too much).  I guess I will do what I have to do and not wait.  But there have been times in which I did procrastinate and the end result was better.

➡️ Switch retirement plan and add more money to it each month.  I’ve been wanting to do this for years.  I think I signed up for my retirement plan during my 1st or 2nd year teaching.  Since then I’ve met the financial advisor/agent maybe 2 or 3 more times.  I plan to retire before the age when I will receive 100% of my benefits.  I am OK with that so I need to make sure I save as much money as I can in the meantime.  I am not waiting till I am 65 to retire.  That means I need money for insurance too.

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