Zenaida Arroyo

08
Jul
2022

Fit Five Friday: 5 things about the 4 on the 4th Race

On Tuesday I ran my 2nd race of 2022. I knew I wasn’t going to get a PR so my goal was to have fun and finish. I did that and did better than expected.

This race is special to me because it takes place on July 4th. To me it is more than Independence Day (and that is a WHOLE different conversation). My family emigrated from Mexico to the US on July 4, 1978 – I was 5 years old. I remember seeing the Sears Tower and Lake Michigan. My father was already living here and finally he had his whole family together.

Here are some fun things about the race:

🇺🇸 I’ve been doing this race since 2013 – It was cancelled in 2020 and I skipped it in 2021. Almost 10 years of running this race. It is a fun race – there aren’t that many races that are 4 miles. I realized I need to get more fun gear for this race. Pictures below are from 2013 and 2014. I don’t have any of that gear anymore.

🇺🇸 My PR is 39:39 from 2014 – The closest I’ve come to beating it was in 2015 with a finish time of 40:47. This year my finish time was 45:46. My coach had asked me to do a progressive run with the first mile being between 12:00-12:30. I did it in 11:30. My last mile was 11:02 with an uphill to the finish line.

🇺🇸 It is not a flat course – Chicago is flat which is nice. I think this is the only race I do in the Chicago area that has hills. The first photo is from the race and the one below is from a 3 mile run by my house.

🇺🇸 Well organized with great volunteers – I had the option to pick up my bib before the race or wait till race day. I love that we have options! The race started right on time. There were a few water stops but I didn’t stop because I had my own bottle bottle. After mile 3 one of the race volunteers told me that the last mile was the shortest mile. I laughed. I told him that to get from 3 to 4 is only 1. He replied that it was all in my head.

🇺🇸 It is a huge confident booster – Why is it that many times we don’t always believe in ourselves? We are too hard on ourselves too. I did get tired and walked a little but still I was smiling. It helped me see that my training is going well and that makes me a bit more excited about my 50k.

Thanks for linking up with us again this week! We’ve got FIVE incredible co-hosts, and we are ready to link up every Friday to share YOUR weekly fitness favorites! Join hosts My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and Zenaida every Friday for Fit Five Friday! Please add your link below.

05
Jul
2022

Tuesday Topics: My 2022 Mid Year Review

categories: Tuesday Topics

This week’s Tuesday Topic: Your 2020 mid year review. 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 December I wrote my goals for this year. Since we are halfway through the year, let me update you on how it is going.

Stay injury free. So far so good but I’ve been noticing some pain that feels like plantar fasciitis. I’ve been using my mom’s leg massager. It has been helping a lot. I like to use while watching “Golden Girls”.

Buy a house. Still looking. Supposedly house prices are going to decrease?

Travel. Nothing yet but thinking of going to NY for my 50th birthday. Don’t want to be there when it is cold but I am sure it will still be fun.

Continue to be patient at work and at home. Going good. Though sometimes I have my days when I am so frustrated and sometimes lose it. I am human.

PR in my 50k. Last year I started training for a 50k in March. I stopped because of the weather. Yep, excuses. I am training again and that is still the goal. My race is on October 29th.

Run 1,200 miles. I thought about changing it but I decided to leave it to see how close I get to it. I am trying, but regardless I will still be pleased with whatever number I end up with.

Complete 300 Peloton rides. Very close to it. Right now I am at 274 rides.

So let’s review on how 2022 is going so far.

January-February

✳️ Picked my word for 2022 – Patience.

✳️ Took my first bike class with Camila and decided to do all of her classes. At one point I needed 34 classes to go.

✳️ I stopped running because of the weather.

✳️ Ran 11.10 miles in January.

✳️ Signed up for the Bank of American Shamrock Shuffle. My first race since February 2020.

✳️ Ran 1.49 miles in February.

March-April

✳️ Ran the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8k.

✳️ Got bloodwork done through Inside Tracker – low iron and high LDL cholesterol.

✳️ Ran 27.68 miles in March.

✳️ Thought about running the Marine Corps 50k in October to celebrate my 50th birthday in November.

✳️ Ran everyday in April.

✳️ Ran 68.13 miles in April. Highest mileage to date.

May-June

✳️ After over 10 years of not wearing contacts, I began wearing them again. I think eventually I will get Lasik surgery again.

✳️ Got a cold. First one in over 2 years. I had to stop my run streak. I was not upset about it.

✳️ Got my assignment for Summer School to teach 1st grade GE. I was not happy about it.

✳️ Found out my school will be closed for the 2022-2023 school year. Was moved to a different school.

✳️ Ran 55.40 miles in May.

✳️ School ended. Had 3 days off and began teaching Summer School.

✳️ Went to see “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations” and had a blast!

✳️ Decided to run the Chicago Lakefront 50/50 on October 29. I don’t have to travel, I can sleep on my own bed the night before, and I can actually train on the course.

✳️ Ran 62.42 miles in June.

✳️ Summer School ended.

Topic for next week – Brag Time: Share some of your most popular running related blog posts! Feel free to write about this or any running related topic. We hope you’ll link up with us!

01
Jul
2022

Fit Five Friday and July 2022 Ultimate Coffee Date

categories: Fit Five Friday, Ultimate Coffee Date

Hello July! We are half way done with the year 2022. And what a year it has been. I’m starting off the weekend with a little catch-up over the Ultimate Coffee Date hosted by Coco and Deborah. So grab a mug of your favorite beverage and let’s chat for a bit!

If we were having coffee…
I’d ask you to ask me how many gifts I received from my students are the end of the school year. Now, I don’t do this job for the gifts but it is nice to get them. Go ahead, ask me. 0. NOLLA. ZERO. NULA. NUL. I have been teaching for 13 years and every year (except 2020 and we know why) I have received gifts from students. I went out for drinks with my coworker that day and even she was shocked. Her husband and other friend that joined us were also shocked. I did receive a few thank you on Remind from parents, but still. Update: Receiving gifts is not an expectation. I was just surprised that is all. I am not trying to sound ungrateful.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that Summer School went better than expected. I started off with 22 students on my roster and ended up with 14. We took one field trip to the Adler Planetarium. They made me smile but no one made me cry. Teaching in all English isn’t that bad.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that my yesterday my mom and I went to Walgreens to get our 2nd booster shot. Crossing my fingers we don’t have any side effects from it. Our first one was in October so it was time for this one.

If we were having coffee…
I’d ask you if you rate a Peloton class based on the instructor’s playlist. I know I can check out the playlist before deciding to take the class, but sometimes I forget and then wonder how the heck they picked that song or songs. On Sunday I took a 90s Run and I only recognized the first two. I was so annoyed towards the end and was glad it was only 20 minutes. On Tuesday I took an 80s Run class. I’ve listened to plenty of 80s songs but only recognized one. 🤔

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that I am noticing more gray hair. They’re mostly baby hairs on the top right. I know I am at that point when I will be seeing them more often. I am just not ready for them.

Thanks for linking up with us again this week! We’ve got FIVE incredible co-hosts, and we are ready to link up every Friday to share YOUR weekly fitness favorites! Join hosts My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and Zenaida every Friday for Fit Five Friday! Please add your link below. I am also linking up with Running with Perseverance and Confessions of a Mother Runner for the Ultimate Coffee Date.

28
Jun
2022

Tuesday Topics: Would you rather?

categories: Tuesday Topics

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!

Today is a Remote Day for us. I still have to go to school but students stay home. Now, do YOU really think that makes sense? Our schools are used as a polling place but still not clear as to why students stay home.

Anyway, let’s have a little fun today. My kids love “Would You Rather?” Sometimes they would give me a 3rd option and I would have to explain that there is no 3rd option – they have to pick one or the other. Let’s do this!

Would you rather…

Run with someone chatty or silent? Definitely silent. You all know I cannot stand it when there are chatty people around me.

Run with no socks or no sports bra? Oh gosh, definitely no socks. I cannot imagine running without a sports bra. I am not well endowed but still need some support for the boobs.

Run a mile naked or in a snow suit? Definitely a snow suit!

Run in the freezing cold or sweltering heat? I dislike both of them but will pick freezing cold.

Run with an empty stomach or a full bladder? An empty stomach because I will pee along the way with a full bladder.

Run a hilly 5K or a flat marathon? A hilly 5k. I’d rather “suffer” for 3 miles instead of 26.

Run without music or without a GPS watch? Without music. As much as I enjoy running with it, I have also run without it and it isn’t that bad. Does my run count if I run without my watch? JK. I know Kim runs a lot sans a GPS watch but I just couldn’t do it.

Run the New York City or Boston Marathon? The Boston Marathon! I know both are great races but come on, Boston.

Run as much as you want on the treadmill or only once a week outside? I do like running outside but don’t mind too much the treadmill. I like it even more in the dangerously cold and hot weather.

Run a beer mile or a color run? I’ve heard about both of them but think the beer mile would be more fun. Run and drink? Sure.

Run on a trail or the road? Trail.

Run in shoes that are too big or too small? Too big.

Eat a slice of pizza mid-race or drink a milkshake? Cheese only pizza, please.

Run in the rain or snow? As long as it isn’t cold then the rain. Cold weather and rain is not a good combo for me.

Run alone or with a big group for the rest of your life? Run alone.

Run the same outdoor route every single day or run on a treadmill every single day? Same outdoor route.

Have a personal chef or running coach? A personal chef.

Get free running shoes or free race registrations for life? Free shoes!

Do only gentle yoga or intense boot camp classes for your cross-training? Gentle yoga.

Run in your favorite outfit every day but only wash it once a week or run in clean clothes that you hate every day? Clean clothes. I sweat so much and I stink. I cannot imagine wearing it every day and washing it once a week.

Questions are from an article in Women’s Running. Click HERE for the article.

Topic for next week: Your 2022 mid year review. Feel free to write about this or any running related topic. We hope you’ll link up with us!

Tuesday Topics

24
Jun
2022

Fit Five Friday and June 2022 Runfessions

categories: Fit Five Friday, Runfessions

It’s the last Friday of the month which means Marcia has opened the Runfessional! It’s also time for another edition of Fit Five Friday hosted by Darlene, Renée, Jenn, Michelle, and me! Let’s get started, shall we?!

I runfess…
That I thought Runfessions was next week. Early this week I bought a new wall calendar. I buy the academic July-June calendar though I prefer August-July but that is not the point. 😉 All week I kept looking at it since it is right above my computer monitor. I was even staring at the June 30th box because that is the last day of Summer School. And even with that I still didn’t realize today is the last Friday of the month. ¡Caramba! Am I working too hard? Or am I truly relaxing this Summer and it truly slipped my mind?

I runfess…
I tried to schedule blood work for my mother for September but the earliest appointment I could get was at 9:30am. Umm, why? She is diabetic and also has to fast and 9:30 is way too late for her to go without eating. Plus, she takes medicine. I was told that the technicians cannot draw blood unless there is a doctor in the clinic. I knew that already and in the past have been able to take her at 8am. The receptionist did tell me which doctor (and the days) goes in at 7:30. The plan is to walk in and get it done.

I runfess…
That after YEARS of taking my mother for blood work, I didn’t follow the same procedure for me. My mother has to fast, but on my past two visits to Quest Diagnostics, I did not fast. 🤦🏾‍♀️ 🤦🏾‍♀️ Now I know why my glucose levels were high! At least with the last results my HbA1c is lower so I must be doing something right. Below are the instructions I got. Check out the part about eating or drinking. Isn’t it confusing? How did you interpret it? Well I am not making the same mistake again! I already scheduled my next appointment for 7am in September.

I runfess…
That I got asked not once but TWICE to attend a PLC Conference for school. The locations are Seattle, Detroit, and Orlando. I was asked to go to Detroit and Orlando and both times I said no. I don’t like those types of conferences and all that mumbo jumbo stuff for school. Just let me do my job. Would I have learned something interesting? Probably. Next year I will be on the School Improvement Team and a PLC Facilitator for my team so I am sure it would be have beneficial. But no thanks. However, I did get a bit jealous when I saw pictures from those in Orlando. Yes, it was work but also a chance to get away. And that is why I should have gone! 🤣 But I would have missed two paid days of Summer School. Would you have gone?

I runfess…
That during my run this morning I had two additional items to add to this post (I wrote the first 3 before heading out). Now that I am showered and ready for work, I cannot remember. I knew I should have stopped and typed them on my phone so I wouldn’t forget. I use Google Keep to keep my notes, ideas in one place. Oh well. At least I was able to add this runfession to my post. I hope you have a great weekend!