Zenaida Arroyo

25
Jan
2018

Random Thoughts Thursday 4

Random Thoughts Thursday

How is your week going so far? A few of my students were coughing and sneezing on Monday and Tuesday and I also ended up sick. Wednesday was tough even though it was half day at school. We had meetings after school and wished I would have gone home. Oh well, enough complaining and let me tell you about my Thursday thoughts.

• I love running in the Brooks Launch 4. I have 3 pairs in rotation and 10 new pairs in boxes. I knew there were 2 pairs in stock at Running Warehouse and meant to buy them. I got distracted and forgot. On Wednesday I checked and my size was no longer available. Dang! I was kind of upset but also relieved. I guess I kept buying more and more pairs, not only because I love them, but because they were available and on sale.

• Isn’t it time to put away Christmas decorations? I’ve run by a few houses that still have decorations. It is almost February. Time to go, right?

• lululemon 40|80 Challenge. This year I was very excited to sign up. I missed it last year and there were GREAT prizes for those that completed the challenge. I didn’t complete 80 kilometers but did finish with 63. I ended up in 35,482th place. The prize was a 25% discount to any lululemon item. At first I was upset about it (I wanted a free shirt or shorts like last year) but then realized that while I didn’t get exactly what I wanted, I ended up “winning” because this challenge actually motivated me not only to run but to do it outside. It wasn’t easy because there were some very cold days that I wondered why I wasn’t on the treadmill. 🙂

• Jumanji. During Winter Break I saw the new Jumanji movie. It was actually pretty good and funny. I love Dwayne Johnson! Then I wanted to see the first one with Robin Williams. It wasn’t on Netflix nor Amazon Prime. My sister borrowed it from a friend and we saw it this past weekend. Great movie too! But I guess any movie with Robin Williams is a great movie.

What are some of your random thoughts today?

23
Jan
2018

Shoes, shoes and more shoes!

categories: Brooks Running, Race Recap, Running, Tuesdays on the Run

It’s no secret that I am a fan of Brooks running shoes. In the past I’ve worn the Ghost, Ravenna, Adrenaline, Pure Flow, Pure Connect, and Pure Cadence.

Lately my all time favorite is the Launch. I remember my first pair of the Launch 2. They hurt my feet and I sent them back. Months later I decided to give them another chance. Cannot remember the reason. I mean, they hurt my feet so why would I try them again? I am very glad I did because those were GREAT. I was upset when they weren’t available anymore. Then the Launch 3 came out and they felt different. I trained one summer in them and then sent them back to Brooks (they have a wonderful 90 day return policy). They just didn’t feel as good as the Launch 2. Then the 4 came out and they are just as good as the 2.

They are so good that I am stocking up. I have 3 pairs in rotation and have 10 new pairs in boxes. They’re still on sale at Running Warehouse and I am tempted to get more pairs. That’s how much I love them! I know the Launch 5 is available but I am going to wait a few months before trying them out.

I don’t just own running shoes. 🙂 I teach 2nd grade and am on my feet all day long so I need comfortable shoes. Last summer I invested in a pair of Tieks by Gavrieli ballet flat. I’ve been wearing them almost everyday and like them a lot. They’re comfortable but I am not too crazy about the price (the cheapest is $175 and the most expensive is $265).

Each pair comes neatly packed in a blue box with a cute bow. Tieks are sold in whole sizes only. Tieks typically suggests going down if you’re a half size unless you have a wide foot or sometimes size up. I’m an 8.5 but I have wide feet but ordered an 8 and a 9. Included in the box is a black pouch to store your Tieks and a small tote bag. There was also a handwritten personalized note which I loved.

I tried both pairs and kept the size 9. I love that they have FREE shipping. And if you want to return or exchange them, they also have free return shipping.

You’re probably wondering if they’re worth the price. For me they are. I’ve worn shoes from Aerosoles and Naturalizer but after a while my feet hurt. Plus, they don’t last long. I will admit that when I first started wearing them, when I went back to work in August, my feet did hurt. I thought about sending them back. I couldn’t so I kept wearing them and after a few more days they were comfortable enough to wear all day. Now, I am very pleased and happy with them.

I know they’re expensive but the next pair I want to get is the Chestnut. Black and brown are shoe colors that go with pretty much every outfit. But check how pretty the red, purple, and blue shoes!!

What is your favorite brand of running shoes? How many pairs do you have?

Linking up with Marcia, Patti, and Erika for Tuesdays on the Run.

21
Jan
2018

Illinois Marathon Training Recap, Week 8

categories: Brooks Running, Illinois Marathon, Marathon Training, Oiselle, Running, Weekly Recap

Week #8, January 15-21

M OFF
T Ran 3.09 miles
W Did not run
TH Ran 3.17 miles
F OFF
S Ran 100 minutes for 8.45 miles
S Ran 3.35 miles

Even with a 4 day work week, it felt like a LONG and exhausting week. Two tests (MAP) were given this week and my kids were all tired from them.

We got more snow on Monday so there was plenty of it still on Tuesday. I took it slow because I did not want to fall and actually enjoyed it. The sunset was beautiful!!

I had to do a quality session run on Wednesday (1.5 warm up and cooldown and 8×2 minute intervals at 10:02 pace). I changed clothes at school and made my way to the airport. I started running and then all of a sudden I got really cold and simply gave up. I did not want to deal with the cold weather. I did try to convince myself that it would get better and to just run. Nope, didn’t work. I went home.

Lola wondered why I was home early. She was not pleased with my decision.

By Thursday most of the snow had melted. It made the run a little easier. I have a Nathan headlamp but cannot find it. I have an old one I used during Ragnar a few years ago but don’t like it too much because it isn’t as bright like my other one.

I was supposed to do my long run on Sunday but asked my coach if I could do it on Saturday because it was supposed to rain on Sunday. It was GORGEOUS on Saturday! I wore my Oiselle Wazzie Wool top and a vest. I was a little afraid because I thought I was going to be cold but I was actually comfortable. The sun helped too.

I wore shorts for Sunday’s run! It wasn’t as warm as yesterday and cloudy but it still felt really good. Can you tell I love my Brooks Launch 4? 🙂

Another great week of marathon training. The warmer weather makes me happy and made my runs more pleasant. I am enjoying my easy runs and have managed to stay on pace. Just less than 14 weeks to go till the Illinois Marathon!

Total mileage for the week: 18.06
Total mileage for this training cycle: 139.28
Total mileage for the year: 60.50

Here’s how training has gone so far:
• Week 1
• Week 2
• Week 3
• Week 4
• Week 5
• Week 6
• Week 7

How was YOUR week? Any suggestions for a headlamp?

Link back to the host and let’s support other bloggers linking up as they train for a marathon, half marathon, or any other event.

An InLinkz Link-up

18
Jan
2018

Random Thoughts Thursday 3

categories: Random Thoughts Thursday

Random Thoughts Thursday

Another cold week here in Chicago! Man, I am ready for some warmer weather. Maybe not HOT and humid but definitely warmer than 20 degrees. I was off on Monday and it felt great to sleep in and do a few errands. Now read on to find out about my random thoughts.

• I got a night guard. During my last visit to the dentist, he noticed more wear on some of my teeth. I had one a few years ago but then it got old and dirty and I threw it away. I forgot about it and didn’t replace it till now. It feels weird when I put it on (sexy look) but it is actually quite comfortable.

• Have you heard about a PowerPoint Party? One day I was listening to the radio and they were talking about it. Basically you invite people over for dinner and they also do a presentation on a topic they like. I had no idea that was a thing. Me? I would use Google Slides. 🙂

• “Sex and the City” never gets old. Thanks to Amazon Prime I can watch again all of the episodes. Currently, I am on season 4. Charlotte is going through a divorce, Miranda is pregnant, Carrie is with Aidan, and Samantha is Samantha.

• I am loving my Popsocket. Bought one at Target for $2.98. I realize there are so many different ways to use it but mainly I use it as a stand. It is perfect for when I use my phone to watch movies on Netflix or Amazon Prime!

• Meat and beans in chili? I like meat but this year I am trying to not eat too much of it. I’ve been making chili on my crockpot with 2-4 different kinds of beans and I’m loving it. My recipe includes beans, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, quinoa, and spices. Very simple and sometimes a bit bland but am up for suggestions on what else to add to make it tastier.

What are some of your random thoughts today?

14
Jan
2018

Illinois Marathon Training Recap, Week 7

categories: Illinois Marathon, Marathon Training, Running, Weekly Recap

Week #7, January 8-14

M OFF
T Ran 3.32 miles
W Did not run
TH Quality Session (1.50 miles warmup, 5 x 3 minute intervals with 2 minutes recovery, 1.50 miles cooldown)
F Ran 2.53 miles
S Ran 5 miles
S Ran 100 minutes for 8.46 miles

I went back to work this week and it was tough! Even my kids struggled. Lots of coffee helped me get through the school day and my workouts.

Tuesday’s run felt warm compared to the earlier in the week. It actually felt great out there.

I missed Wednesday’s workout (30 minutes). Somehow I did not see it in my training calendar. I was focusing and planning for Thursday’s run. It wasn’t until 9:30pm that I checked my calendar and noticed that I had a run that day. Ugh! I actually felt bad for missing it and sent an email to my coach. It would have been a perfect evening to run because the temperature was in the high 50s.

I had a meeting on Thursday so I knew I didn’t have to get to school early. I went out for my run and it was awesome! I did overdress and I could have worn shorts. The goal for each interval was 10:02 and I nailed each one–even if almost all of them were positive splits! It was definitely a confidence booster and next week I get to do 8 x 2 minute intervals.

Since I missed my workout on Wednesday, I ran on Friday after school. Cold again. Thanks goodness it was “only” 30 minutes.

Saturday was my last day pacing my group. It wasn’t too bad. It was cold and windy and there was one section of the lakefront that was covered in ice. While it did look pretty, it was very slippery. I walked very slowly and finally made it to the end of the icy path. On the way back, I took another route to avoid that path.

The past few weeks Sunday has been my day off from running. Today’s plan was to run 90 minutes. Somehow I made a mistake and saw next week’s run and ran 100 minutes. The sun was out and with all of my layer I was warm. I did get cold when I had to wait for the train to go through. Once home a hot shower and cup of tea warmed me up.

Illinois Marathon-57

Overall, it was a great week. I am pleased that even with the cold weather (except on Wednesday) I did all of my runs outside. I participated in the lululemon 40/80 Challenge but managed 63 kilometers. But let me complain again. I am tired of this cold weather. And I am also tired of complaining. Sigh. I’ll stop. 🙂

Total mileage for the week: 24.69
Total mileage for this training cycle: 121.22
Total mileage for the year: 42.44

Here’s how training has gone so far:
• Week 1
• Week 2
• Week 3
• Week 4
• Week 5
• Week 6

How was YOUR week? What’s the weather like in your city/town? Did you participate in the lululemon 40/80 Challenge?

Link back to the host and let’s support other bloggers linking up as they train for a marathon, half marathon, or any other event.