Zenaida Arroyo

26
Dec
2023

Tuesday Topics: December 2023 Review

categories: Monthly Review, Tuesday Topics

This week’s Tuesday Topic: What are your goals for 2024? You can write about this topic or 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 wrote about my goals for 2023 but also am writing this post to talk about December.

December, the last month of 2023. What a month and what a year! I am currently on Winter Break. Two weeks off which I desperately need. I brought some work home and want to get it done this week so I don’t have to think about it next week. But, if I don’t get to it, then oh well.

Let me tell you about how December went for me:

Mileage: So far I’ve run 36.98 and walked 0 miles this month. I began training for the NYC Half Marathon. Again, I am following one of Hal Higdon’s plans and will be running 5 days a week.

Current Book: I love John Grisham and read “The Exchange.” I was looking forward to it and read it in 3 days. However, I didn’t care too much about it. While the story was interesting, I didn’t like the ending. I know that many times we don’t like the ending, but in this case, it left me confused and with many questions. Now I am reading “We Are Not Like Them”. So far so good. I want to finish it this week. That will leave me with reading 23 books this year (I am including one that I began reading on 12/30 but finished it in January).

2023 Running Goal: I said goodbye to my goal to run 800 miles. This year wasn’t my year for running. I did the best I could and am OK with it. As of this morning, I’ve run 493.97 miles this year. The good news is that that number is higher than last year.

Injuries: None.

Races: None.

Health: I am doing OK. Depending on how my day goes, I sleep well and on other days I don’t. I did feel very tired on Saturday and Sunday. I took a few naps while taking breaks from reading my book.

School: Winter Break!

The topic for next week: What’s your word for 2024? Feel free to write about this or any running-related topic. We hope you’ll link up with us!

Tuesday Topics

26
Dec
2023

Tuesday Topics: My goals for 2024

categories: Tuesday Topics

This week’s Tuesday Topic: My goals for 2024. You can write about this topic or 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 can’t believe 2023 is almost over. Thanks to everyone for linking up with us this year. Next year Kim will no longer be hosting this linkup with me, but I hope she will join in the linkup. My new partner is Jenn and we already have some fun topics for next year.

Time to start thinking about next year. Last year I wrote my goals for 2023. I will update you on how I did and then talk about my goals for next year.

❇️ Complete 500 Peloton rides. I have no idea how many I actually did. I cancelled my membership a few months ago because I wasn’t making time for the bike. Next year I am not sure if I want to start my membership again or sell the bike.

❇️ Run 800 miles. It wasn’t the year for running. I did a few races but then lost my motivation to run. I got busy with work and was lazy too.

❇️ Run at least 5 races. I did this! I am pleased with how I did too.

❇️ Do one Peloton activity each day. Nope. See the first goal.

❇️ Read 12 books. Yes! And I read many great books this year. Reading and watching TV is my time to unwind and relax. There were days in which I spent hours in bed reading a book or watching TV. When I got sick in February, I finished a book in 2 days.

2024 Goals:

➡️ Read 24 books.

➡️ PR in a race distance.

➡️ Run a half marathon in a different state.

➡️ Don’t procrastinate (too much).

➡️ Switch retirement plan and add more money to it each month.

And that is our last Tuesday Topics of 2023. A HUGE thank you for joining me and Kim every Tuesday to talk about running and other things not related to running. I love this group of bloggers!

Wishing you an (early) Happy New Year!

2024 Happy New Year

The topic for next week: Your word for 2024. Feel free to write about this or any running-related topic. We hope you’ll link up with us!

22
Dec
2023

Fit Five Friday: 5 fitness goals for 2024

categories: Fit Five Friday

We’ve got FIVE incredible co-hosts My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and me for another Fit Five Friday link-up! This week’s topic is “5 fitness goals for 2024.” Feel free to write about this or any fitness topic you’d like.

⭐ Run consistently – I am not going to set a mileage goal. I only want to be able to run. I have a few races that I am already signed up for and others that I plan to sign up for too.

⭐ Take care of myself – I need to make myself a priority. I cannot take care of others or do the things I have to do if I am not doing well or feeling well. There have been too many instances in which I have prioritize work instead of going for a run, going to bed early, resting, etc.

⭐ Drink more water – I hate having to always go to the bathroom but drinking water is important. Coffee and beer counts too, right?

⭐ Get enough sleep – I get cranky if I don’t get enough sleep. Luckily my mom and my sister understand that and “let” me go to bed at a decent time in the evening. Sometimes I take a nap on the weekends too.

⭐ Focus on recovery – I am bad with this. I have the necessary tools (massage gun, foam roller, stick) but don’t take advantage of them. I recently began training for the New York City Half Marathon and my legs were sore for days – it hurt to walk. I began using The Stick and wasn’t too sore after my run.

The topic for next week: Runfessions with Marcia. We hope you’ll link up with us!

19
Dec
2023

Tuesday Topics: The year 2023 in photos

categories: Tuesday Topics

This week’s Tuesday Topic: Your year in photos. You can write about this topic or 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!

This is one of my favorite posts to write. I wrote one in 2020, 2021, and 2022. I had fun reading those posts again and thinking about how much has changed since 2020.

Let’s recap this year.

January:

⇒ Chose my word of the year: Balance. Next year I will let you know how I did.

Balance-1

February:

⇒ Got Covid. Spent 5 days at home in bed resting with my cats.

Lola and Mateo-5

March:

⇒ Ran the NYC Half Marathon.

NYC Half Marathon-15

⇒ Ran the Bank of American Shamrock Shuffle 8k.

Shamrock Shuffle 8k-2

April:

⇒ Ran the CARA Lakefront 10 Miler.

CARA Lakefront 10 Miler-2

May:

⇒ Read “Choosing to Run” and loved it!

Choosing to Run-1

⇒ Ran the CARA Spring Trail Chase 10k.

Spring Trail Chase-2

June:

⇒ Finished the 2022-2023 school year!

Ms. Arroyo-2

July:

⇒ Read “The Longest Race” and made me love Kara Goucher even more!

The Longest Race-1

August:

⇒ Began the 2022-2023 school year.

First day of school-1

September:

⇒ Celebrated my mom’s 80th birthday with a big party.

Mom-1

October:

⇒ Spectated the Chicago Marathon. It was a fun day!

2023 Chicago Marathon Weekend-1

November:

⇒ Ran 5.1 miles for my 51st birthday.

Zenaida-2

December:

⇒ Counting down the days till Winter Break! Friday is my last day.

2023 Winter Break-1

The topic for next week: What are your goals for 2024? Feel free to write about this or any running-related topic. We hope you’ll link up with us!

Tuesday Topics

15
Dec
2023

Fit Five Friday: 5 favorite fitness moments of 2023

categories: Fit Five Friday

We’ve got FIVE incredible co-hosts My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and me for another Fit Five Friday link-up! This week’s topic is “5 favorite fitness moments of 2023.” Feel free to write about this or any fitness topic you’d like.

The 2023 wasn’t the best one for me for running. However, I did start walking (I just need to start again) and that is something that I haven’t done before.

Here are my 5 favorite fitness moments of 2023:

⭐ Running the NYC Half Marathon – I know I have mentioned this race a few times, but I think this might be the last time I will mention it.

⭐ Spectating the Chicago Marathon – It was a great and fun day! It is one of my favorite days in Chicago. This year I was inspired by all of the runners and entered the lottery to run it next year. Unfortunately, I was not selected. That is OK. It just wasn’t meant to be. But it does mean that I will be there again as a spectator.

⭐ Negative splits on a run – It is a good feeling when that happens.

⭐ A “fast” average pace – I have days in which I finish my run faster than I expected. I ran by feel or a good and comfortable pace but sometimes my legs want to go faster.

⭐ Good health report – I try to take good care of myself but sometimes I slip. I think we all do. Sometimes my cholesterol is a little hight but then my A1C is at a decent level. Overall, I am pleased when I get the results from the bloodwork.

The topic for next week: 5 fitness goals for 2024. We hope you’ll link up with us!