Zenaida Arroyo

23
Apr
2021

Fit Five Friday: 5 things to remember from April 2020

Somehow I was looking for an old post and ended up reading posts from last year. So many things have happened since last year! While we are still in a pandemic, some things are the same and some are different. Join me as I go down memory lane to remember a few things from April 2020.

🗓️ Martini – I do love my martinis but just recently finished that bottle of sour apple pucker. I have no idea why it took me so long. And even with that book, I have not made different ones. I’ve been been drinking more wine. 😬 Still no Martini Party. Maybe next year?

🗓️ Rainbow challenge – This was a fun one! It was also during this time that our Governor extended the stay at home order till May 30th and school was also cancelled for the rest of the year. It was a rough week for me and I cried during one of my runs. I am still having rough weeks but no crying.

🗓️ Remote learning – Who would have thought that I would still be doing remote learning? So much has happened and changed and I am really frustrated with all of it. I’ve been teaching from my classroom since January and I’ve had 3 students in my room since last month. I still send letters to my students. As a way to reward and motivate them, I send them $5 gift cards when they do well in class, a test, an assignment, etc. Will remote learning continue in the Fall?

🗓️ Zoom meetup with blogger friends – Can we do this again?

🗓️ My first Peloton run class – I am so glad I decided to take another class with him again. And then again and again. He is one of my favorite instructors. The constant chatting doesn’t bother me as much anymore. He always has something interesting to say during class. Many times I am learning something new from him. I love his laughter and the many motivating things he mentions. One of my favorites is “Wish for what you want and be ready to receive it”. I might have missed a word or two.

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.

20
Apr
2021

Tuesday Topics: The night before a race or long run

categories: Tuesday Topics

This week’s Tuesday Topic is: What do you do the night before a race or 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!

It was a busy weekend for me. I am late in reading and commenting posts from Friday and Sunday, but I promise I will catch up this week. 😬

I’ve been over a year since my last race. I am hoping either in the Summer or Fall I can do a race. So far I’ve been having some great workouts and I hope that translates to another PR.

It’s been a while since I’ve had a night before a race. Let’s see if I remember what I would do on those nights.

➡️ Have a good dinner. I could eat pretty much anything and be OK the next morning. Yes, to spicy food, but not too much of it anyway. Sometimes I have a beer too.

➡️ Get my gear ready. I don’t want to forget anything in the morning so I make sure to have everything that I will need for my race laid out on the sofa or next to me on the extra bed. Items include sports bra, shorts/tights, top(s), socks, body glide, watch, gels, watch, credit card, room key, and ID.

➡️ Set up the coffee maker. I need to have coffee in the morning. Sometimes the hotel doesn’t have coffee in the lobby or there is no coffee shop nearby so room coffee it is. I know it isn’t the best but it is better than nothing. The best has been where there was a Keurig in the room. I remember during some of the RunDisney races, there was NO coffee maker in the room and the dining room wasn’t open. I know, terrible. I was able to get some later on before lining up for the race.

➡️ Set my alarm. I remember having to use the room clock for my alarm. Does anyone remember also having to call the front desk for a wake up call? Now thanks to my iPhone I set the alarm there and go to sleep.

➡️ Use the bathroom again. And then maybe again. Being nervous always make me go to the bathroom multiple times.

As for a long run, it is pretty much the same. What I don’t do is set my alarm. My cats wake me up.

What about you? What do you do the night before a race or a long run?

Tuesday Topics

18
Apr
2021

Weekly Run Down: Ask and it will be given to you and cat pictures

categories: Running, Weekly Recap, Weekly Run Down

Hard to believe it is Sunday again! This week definitely went by fast. Work wise it was exhausting. I come home and I am mentally exhausted. I am trying very hard to be patient and stay positive. I know everyone is struggling but it is just so hard right now.

Bitmoji Image

This was another another great week of running. Let me tell you all about it. I had 4 days of recovery/easy runs and 3 days of speed workouts. I enjoyed them again!

This week’s workouts were the same as last week but my coach had me run an extra interval and mile. On Tuesday I ran for 3 miles, then did 5 surges each lasting 30 seconds and recovering 1 minute after each surge, then running easy till I hit 4 miles. I felt really good again. I asked my coach if I was going to do 6 surges next week. He told me no and that next week it will still be 4 surges and each will be for 45 seconds.

Another fun workout I did on Thursday was run four 1/4 mile intervals at a target pace with 1/4 mile recovery. My coach asked me to do them in in 11:15-11:30, 11:00-11:15, 10:45-11:00, and 10:30-10:45. I was flying! I ran them in 10:28, 9:58, 9:37 and 9:02.

Saturday was 7 miles with six 90 second intervals with a 90 second recovery (one in each mile). The interval and the recovery is about 1/4 mile so then I run easy for 3/4 mile before doing it again. I also enjoyed this workout and would definitely do it again. I have a feeling next week I will be doing 8 miles with 7 intervals.

Another week and I am very happy with all of my runs. I also did 4 bike classes with Cody, Jenn, and Robin. The classes I enjoy the most are those with 80s music. I wished there was a way to pick classes with that specific type of music.

I didn’t take any pictures during my runs so I have nothing to post here. But I did take some of my cats. I know Jenn likes my cat pictures. 🙂

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

16
Apr
2021

Fit Five Friday: 5 things I am looking forward to this Summer

categories: Fit Five Friday

Spring is here and Summer is two months away. I know I am ahead here but thinking about Summer gets me excited because Summer means the end of the school year. Yesterday was just awful. No matter what I did, nothing seemed to be going right. I know everyone is tired but I really need this school year to be over.

Anyway, let’s talk about Summer. It isn’t my favorite season for running, but I don’t hate it anyway.

🌞 End of the school year – It has been an awful year. It has been my worst year of teaching. Part of it is the number of students I have but also the expectations from administrators. Tests, tests, and tests. Oh, and let’s not forget teaching the curriculum and the priority standards. Oh, and make sure we give grades each quarter. It makes no sense. It is really hard to accurately assess the students. By the way, my last day is June 9th. I know technically it isn’t Summer but it still counts. Also, I will be teaching summer school but at least it will be with different students and curriculum.

🌞 Running in shorts and short sleeve shirt – I wrote the same thing in my post about Spring. I love running in shorts. I dislike running in tights with a long sleeve shirt AND a jacket. The less the better. It gets me in a better mood and more motivated to run. Gotta keep going with my run streak! Today is day #231.

🌞 Reading more books – I love to read! I am excited to sit out in the balcony or on the sofa with a glass (or two) of wine. Please send me your book recommendations.

🌞 Spending more time with mom – I feel so lucky that I still have my mom. While sometimes it is so hard to take care of an elderly person, my sisters and I are doing the best we can. Depending on how things are with the pandemic, we will either spend HOURS on the balcony listening to music and talking or hopefully visiting family. I would love to take her on a short getaway.

🌞 Relax and maybe sleep in – Many days I want to do “nothing”. Well, what I mean by that is sitting on the sofa while I read or watch TV (so many shows to watch). I know in the Summer I have to run early in the morning to avoid the heat. However, there are some days when I am so tired and just want to stay in bed and catch up on sleep. If that happens then I will just run in the evening.

What are you looking forward to this summer? Any summer plans?

13
Apr
2021

Tuesday Topics: Listening to podcasts while running

categories: Tuesday Topics

This week’s Tuesday Topic is: Do you listen to podcasts while running? List some of your favorite ones. 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!

I have mentioned before that I am not a fan of podcasts. I prefer to listen to music while running. Give me some Spanish songs and 80s and 90s fun music and I am happy. I tried listening to the audiobook “A Promised Land” and just could not get into it while running. I even tried listening to it while driving but got distracted. Yeah, not good while driving. 😬

One day Darlene told me about a podcast with Matty Maggiacomo. He is one of my favorite Peloton instructors. You bet I listened to it on my way to work. I enjoyed it a lot and it was not distracting at all. I found myself laughing and wishing that one day I could meet him.

I am still not listening to podcasts while running, but instead listen to them in the evening and sometimes in the car. Here is what is on my list.

🎧 The Michelle Obama Podcast – What is not to like about her? I have read her book and watched her documentary on Netflix. She is the type of person I would love to sit down and talk while enjoying a cup of coffee or a glass of wine.

🎧 Contrapoder, con Jorge Ramos – He is a well known and respected Mexican journalist. My mom and I watch his show (Al Punto con Jorge Ramos) every Sunday morning. Each episode covers the latest news and many controversial topics. There is something about his voice. I like it. I also like that they’re in Spanish so my mother can listen to it.

Do you listen to podcasts? What else should I add to my list?

Tuesday Topics