Zenaida Arroyo

25
May
2021

Tuesday Topics: How I stay mentally motivated during a long run

This week’s Tuesday Topic is: How do you stay mentally motivated during a long 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!

Wow, long runs. During marathon training a long run would be a run between 12-20 miles (to me). I am not training for a marathon. Thank goodness because I don’ think I want to run that long anyway. Right now my long runs have been between 5-7 miles and those are long enough for me. I did run a couple of 9 milers last year.

So how do I stay motivated during these runs? Let me tell you what woks for me.

🏃🏽‍♀️ Break up the miles. If I am running 8 miles I like to break them up in 2 milers. When I am done with 4 miles then I remind myself that I am 50% done. If that doesn’t work then I take it one mile at a time.

🏃🏽‍♀️ I get to run! No one is making me do this. It is my decision. I know I’ve said this before but I am fortunate that I can run, walk, etc. I hope I am still doing this for many more years.

🏃🏽‍♀️ Have a good playlist. I like to run with music but have also run without it. I am a huge fan of 80s and 90s pop/dance music. Matty from Peloton is my favorite to listen to during my long runs. He always has something exciting to say about him, the song, the artist, etc.

🏃🏽‍♀️ Enjoy it and take it easy. For me it wasn’t easy to run “slow” during my long runs (I wasn’t running that fast anyway). I think it was last year that I learned to let it go and run slower. No one is chasing me and I am not competing with anyone else. My paces are usually between 12:00-13:00 minute miles and that is OK with it.

🏃🏽‍♀️ Change my routine. I used to run by the lake and around the airport but haven’t been there in months. I run close to where I live but vary the route depending on my mood. Right now I like to do this to find houses that are for sale. 😀

🏃🏽‍♀️ Reward myself. It could be the tamales and coffee waiting for me at home. It could also be the shower that I will take when I am done. It could also be the nap that I will take after eating and the shower.

Running long miles isn’t easy but it isn’t impossible either. The key is finding the necessary tools to start, continue, and finish the run.

Tuesday Topics

23
May
2021

Weekly Run Down: Hot in the city and some tough runs

categories: Running, Weekly Recap, Weekly Run Down

Remember how a few months ago I was complaining about the cold weather? I knew it would warm up again and it came in full force this week. I was not ready for it.

The week started off with a 4 mile progression run on Monday. The runs we don’t want to do are the ones that surprise us. I was tired in the evening and didn’t want to run. Now I cannot remember why I didn’t run in the morning.

Tuesday was 5 miles with 2 miles at a faster pace. Those two miles felt hard. Not sure I like the mile repeats. Mateo knew exactly how I was feeling.

I have no idea how I ran 5 miles on Friday because I did not sleep well the night before. In this run I also did 4-45 second surges. I also did a fun 90s Dance Run which I enjoyed. The best part was at the end when Rebecca thanked the teachers. It felt so good to hear that since right now I am burned out. Only 12 days to go!

Another rough night and I struggled Saturday morning. I had to run 6 miles and could not do it. I did run 1 mile for my run streak.

As I mentioned earlier, we got some hot weather. On Thursday I came home and turned on the AC. It turned on but there was no cold air. I had my cousin check it out thinking that it would be something simple. Nope. I told the landlord. Fast forward to today, Sunday, and someone came before noon to check it out. Yep, 3 days with no AC. I know many people don’t have it either and it is just awful. I am grateful he is here and hoping he can fix it today. Update: It is fixed!!! I will sleep so much better tonight.

Even my cats are feeling the heat!

My runs this week weren’t that horrible. I know these past few weeks ago they were all great and this week some were challenging. That is OK since I know not all runs will be great. Can’t wait to see what my coach will have me this this week!

Linking up with Kim and Deborah for the Weekly Run Down.

21
May
2021

Fit Five Friday: 5 pictures from this week

categories: Fit Five Friday

Happy Friday! This has been a LONG week for me. It warmed up yesterday and when I turned on the AC, it didn’t work. Well, it did turn on but no cold air came out. I told the landlord so hopefully he’ll send someone to fix it. It is supposed to be hot this weekend and cold air will be greatly appreciated.

Let’s take a look at my pictures from this week.

📷 The photo of Mateo cracks me up! He is giving me an evil look. Every evening before going to bed, he meows because he wants a snack. He won’t stop until I get up. I love my little guy so much.

📷 I decided to organize my pens, pencils, highlighters, markers, etc. Wow! I didn’t realize I had so many. These are what I had in my classroom and at home. I definitely do not need more.

📷 Not exactly a photo but a meme. I think Kim had it in one of her posts. I had already saved it in my camera because I am planning to do something similar after Summer School. This Summer I plan to relax and rest.

📷 I did not want to do my run on Monday but did it anyway. My run was 4 miles with each mile faster than the previous one. I ran in the evening and was already tired. It wasn’t as fast as I would have wanted, but I did get negative splits. Made me feel good when I saw the numbers!

📷 My students are revising and editing paragraphs. Not as easy as I thought it was going to be to teach them. However, a few have surprised me and have been able to do it correctly. The challenging part now is writing it on paper. Many have not written on paper in over a year and it’s been interesting seeing their handwriting. 😬

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.

18
May
2021

Tuesday Topics: Organizing my running gear

categories: Tuesday Topics

This week’s Tuesday Topic is: Show us your organizational skills. How do you organize your running gear? 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 a perfect world I would hire a company to design and set up a walk in closet for me. I live in an old apartment and, well, it won’t be ideal anyway. The owner will rehab this place once I move out.

Isn’t this gorgeous?

So that leaves me with being creative to organize not only my work stuff but also my running gear. Sadly I do not store everything in my bedroom but in various places in the apartment. My bedroom isn’t big but luckily I have a decent size closet.

➡️ My running shoes are in an armoire closet/chest drawer I inherited from my mother when she moved. It is in the back porch. I used to have 6 new pairs but now I have 2 pairs.

➡️ My favorite running shorts are the Oiselle long rogas. I have over 30 pairs. Yes, I love them. Those shorts are also there.

➡️ Sports bras and socks go in a plastic storage cart and organizer.

➡️ Pants and long sleeve tops go in the closet.

➡️ Tops go in a dresser drawer in my room.

➡️ Garmin and headphones are in a fruit stand in the kitchen. We use it to store everything else except fruit.

Each night I gather everything I need and leave it in the kitchen. My bedroom is next to it and it makes it easy to grab it all in the morning and get ready. Bitmoji Image

It may not be ideal but this system works for me. Cannot wait to organize it better once I have a house and more room!

Tuesday Topics

16
May
2021

Weekly Run Down: My 200th Peloton run and getting ready for the end of the school year

categories: Running, Weekly Recap, Weekly Run Down

Happy Sunday! This week was another week where the weather was up and down. Yesterday it was cloudy with some rain and I felt like something was off. This week is supposed to warm up so that is exciting!

On Monday morning I did my 200th run with Matty. I signed up for this run the week before. It was a good class but imagine my confusion when all of a sudden it was over. I stopped and checked my watch thinking “no way is it already 30 minutes”. Well, it turned out that the class was 20 minutes instead of 30 minutes.

I didn’t sleep well Monday night and woke up on Tuesday very tired. My workout was run 5 miles, 4-45 second surges with 1 minute recovery, and ending at 6 miles with a cool down. I did the workout on Wednesday since I felt much better. It was sunny and no wind…just perfect.

The rest of the week went well too. I ran 7 miles on Saturday. I took it easy and walked when I wanted to. I listened to music and thought about home life and school. Excited because I am planning to take a few days off!

This week my students took their MAP tests. I thought all school districts in IL were required to have students take the test. One of my friends works in CPS and she said the students in her school were not required. Ugh! That is very annoying and frustrating. Whomever is making these decisions doesn’t know what they’re doing. Kids do not need more tests. Anyway, my students took 2 tests in Reading and Math in both English and Spanish. Let’s just say some were very tired and had no interest in taking another test. Some students clicked on any possible answer in order to finish it. Some were on the bed taking the test (I told them to get off the bed). Some were laughing and talking and looking at something else but the screen (one student said she was talking to her brother). One student logged off before finishing the test and never came back. What an exciting week! I am supposed to do makeups and heck no, I am not doing that. 😬 I already did 4 days of testing. If the school wants these kids to make up a test then they will need to make the arrangements. Bitmoji Image

I spent a few days packing up my classroom too. I know next year I will be a Dual Language teacher which means I would be using new Reading materials. Our District will also be using a new Math curriculum. Now I wait to find out what to do with said materials. Here are some pictures from Tuesday. More things have been packed up. My goal is to be complete done packing this week.

I also finished the Selena series. I do not know how much of it is accurate but I thought it was a good story. I enjoyed learning more about her. I do wonder how her life would be like if she hadn’t died.

Linking up with Kim and Deborah for the Weekly Run Down.