Zenaida Arroyo

11
Apr
2021

Weekly Run Down: Two months to go and great runs this week

categories: Running, Weekly Recap, Weekly Run Down

Happy Sunday. I am excited with how this week went. I had 4 recovery runs and 3 days of different workouts.

I was off on Monday and it felt good to be off. It was a beautiful day. Tuesday was awful because it was a professional development day. Yep, from 8am-1:30pm I listened to a speaker about who knows what. Honestly I was too annoyed to even pay attention. I have two months to go at school and seriously the last thing I want to do is learn something new. The good thing is that at least I did not have to go to school but instead worked from home.

A fun workout I did on Tuesday was running for 2 miles, then 4 surges each lasting 30 seconds and recovering 1 minute after each surge, then running easy till I hit 3.5 miles. I felt really good and told my coach that I could have done more intervals. I am sure he is going to do that for the next workout. Tuesday was a gorgeous day and after my PD I went outside to the balcony to read and enjoy some wine. I didn’t finish the book that day, but I finished it this week. Who else has read it? Let’s discuss!

Another fun workout I did was running three 1/4 mile intervals at a target pace with 1/4 mile recovery. My coach asked me to do the first two in 11:00-11:15 and the last one in 10:45-11:00. I don’t know what happened but I felt good and ran them faster in 10:32, 10:16, and 9:39. Finally I am seeing some numbers that I like (again)!

Saturday was 6 miles with five 90 second intervals with a 90 second recovery (one in each mile). The interval and the recovery ended up being about .25 mile so I ran easy for .75 mile before doing it again. I also enjoyed this workout and would definitely do it again. My paces for the intervals were 9:52, 9:46, 9:04, 8:35, and 8:53. My coach told me that I crushed it! 😊

I am very happy with all of my runs this week. The weather was great. I ran in shorts and felt awesome. Bitmoji Image

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

09
Apr
2021

Fit Five Friday: 5 things I am loving

categories: Fit Five Friday

Hello there! I cannot believe it is already Friday. Have I told you that it is my favorite day of the week? Yep, usually by Friday I am excited and I look forward to the weekend.

For today’s post I’m sharing 5 things I am loving.

🌟 Sport Suds Sport Detergent – I found out about this detergent from Wendy. I have tried a few other brands, but this one is my favorite. I sweat a lot on my runs and my clothes are always soaked with sweat. I use it each week and I love how my running clothes always smell clean. This detergent is hypoallergenic, non-toxic, fragrance free and free from bleach, parabens, harsh sulfates and other questionable ingredients.

🌟 Colossal Pedicure Foot File – I get really bad callus on my right foot. This foot file removes it all and I end up with soft and smooth feet. Sometimes I also use it on my heel. But be careful, it is sharp, and if you rub too hard, then you will remove more skin than you’d like.

🌟 ChomChom Roller Limited Edition Cat – My coworker told me about this and she heard about it on TikTok. As a cat owner I have bought several rollers/brushes to remove the hair from my bed and sofa. Don’t laugh but it does work. My cats love to sleep on my bed and I have to clean it every single day. It is easy to use and it doesn’t use any batteries.

🌟 CRZ YOGA Women’s Stretch Lounge Pants – I’ve been eyeing these type of pants but didn’t have the guts to wear them. I felt they were too short. They’re actually not that short and I like wearing them with a pair of Tieks. It is a great look and perfect for work! They have an elastic waist and the fabric is soft and does not wrinkle. They also come in other colors such as navy and savannah (reddish).

🌟 BURST Sonic Toothbrush – I think I found out about this toothbrush from an ad on Facebook or Instagram? I know, I know, that I have been complaining about them in previous posts. Well, I do not regret buying this toothbrush at all. The toothbrush has three cleaning modes – whitening, sensitive and massage, 2 minute timer (30 second intervals) and a long lasting battery. I get a new brush head every 3 months (free delivery) and the toothbrush comes with a lifetime warranty.

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.

06
Apr
2021

Tuesday Topics: My favorite time of the year to run

categories: Tuesday Topics

Hello there! Welcome to another edition of Tuesday Topics. Thank you to everyone for joining me and Kim every Tuesday. This week’s Tuesday Topic is: What is your favorite time of the year to 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!

Did you guess by the image my favorite season for running? Yep, it is Fall. I love it when I can run in shorts and a tank, short sleeve, or long sleeve top. I hate having to wear so many layers during the Winter. I remember a few years ago it was 80 degrees in February. You bet I ran in shorts.

I also like running in the Fall because I love seeing the different color leaves on the trees and on the ground.

I also enjoy running in the morning too. One of the reasons is because I get to see the sunrise. Even if there is no sunrise I like running in the morning when it is still dark (not so much in the Winter). It is just me alone outside while listening to music or just thinking about what’s happening, what I have to do, etc. I find it to be peaceful and relaxing.

After Fall, I also enjoy running in the Spring and Summer. Winter is my least favorite one because of the weather. However, over the years I have learned that the right gear will make running in the Winter more bearable. In the Spring I like to see the flowers. The warmth of the sun feels really good too. Summer is great when I am out early and beat the hot and humid weather. Summer running is also great when running along the lakefront and feeling that wonderful cool breeze. And of course there is those beautiful views!

I know I complain about the weather. But no matter what, I am happy, grateful and thankful that I can run year round. Whether it is hot and humid, raining, snow on the ground, windy, or freezing, I am out there running even if “just” one mile.

jogging

Tuesday Topics

04
Apr
2021

Weekly Run Down: Spring Break and windy days

categories: Running, Weekly Recap, Weekly Run Down

What a week it was! I relaxed, watched TV, and read a new book. Lola followed me almost everywhere I went. She is so sweet!

On Monday I did not leave the house until about noon because I was reading and watching TV. And the only reason I left the house is because I had to go to the post office and do laundry. I should have done those things on Saturday but I felt lazy that day. I also did my run in the afternoon. It was windy all day (23 mpg).

This was on Tuesday.

I ended March with 78.22 miles. I was really hoping it would have been closer to 100 miles but I am still pleased with how I did. I remember the month started off well but then I had days when I was just too tired and did not want to do my workouts. Plus, there were many windy days and I just did not want to fight it.

Wednesday was Lola’s birthday. No big celebration but she spent the day hanging out with me.

This book is so good! Thanks Wendy for the suggestion. I am kind of obsessed with Kara. I’ve learned so much about the Gouchers from reading the book.

Yesterday I had to run 5 miles. I really had no desire to run that long. That sounds funny because 5 miles isn’t really that long. I started off with 30 minutes and was feeling really good so I kept going. However, my last mile felt hard because it was all headwind and I was tired. Took it easy and walked as needed.

Today’s run was GREAT! No wind and it was sunny. I did overdress and I should have worn shorts. It was the first time doing an All For One Run. It was so good and perfect for a Sunday run. This is one that I will definitely do again. Check out that playlist!

Anyone else watched “Law and Order: Organized Crime”? I watched parts of it because my mother was here and I was helping getting her ready for bed. However, I watched it the next day on Hulu. It was so good. I cried. Now I am watching “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit” from the beginning. I never watched it from the beginning and would randomly watch it on Saturdays since it is on all day.

Overall, it was a great week. I left the house a few times to do errands while taking it easy. I would have liked to have traveled, but definitely enjoyed being at home.

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

02
Apr
2021

Fit Five Friday and April Ultimate Coffee Date

categories: Fit Five Friday, Ultimate Coffee Date

Hello April! Like Jenn mentioned in her post, we are 1/4 through the year. Wow! These past few months were a blur, well, except for February with that awful weather. 🙂

I am still on Spring Break, but today is my last day. However, I am also off on Monday and then Tuesday is a Remote Planning Institute Day (I can work from home). This week also went by fast. No complaints. So, grab your favorite drink and let’s chat.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that I want to go on vacation. I just want to go somewhere and get away. I have my good days and bad days and I am itching for some time alone. Is that bad? I know the pandemic has affected everyone but like everyone else I am just so tired of it. I want to travel to NYC and to Washington, DC.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that I want to buy anther Garmin watch (245) just because of the walking feature. My 235 does not have it. Do I really need a new watch? No. But I do want to have the feature when I do go out for a walk. There’s been a few times when it’s been so windy and I’ve had no desire to deal with it while running, that I’d just go for a 20 minute walk. You will then tell me that I don’t like to walk. You are right. However, lately, I don’t mind it. I usually do a Peloton class or listen to a podcast. You will be shocked because I don’t like podcasts either.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that I find this whole virtual Boston Marathon thing a bit crazy and silly. I get it that it’s been tough on the running industry but they are taking advantage of people wanting to supposedly race a Boston Marathon and get a unicorn medal. It isn’t even on the actual course. Plus, $125 is a lot of money for a virtual race. So am I a hypocrite if I tell you that, since I will never qualify for it, if I were given an entry to it, I will take it?

If we were having coffee…
I’d ask you “What do you do about all of the ads on Instagram?” This past week I spent some time going through quite a few of them and hiding them and either selecting “It’s irrelevant” or “I see it too often”. I’d ask you if I just wasted my time by doing that.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that I know you are tired of hearing about me wanting to buy a house. While I am excited about it, I am also nervous. I know the interest rates are low. Actually, they’ve gone up a little bit. House now are still so expensive. More than they were last year. I live on the south side of Chicago where it isn’t that expensive but seeing prices for a 3 bedroom, 2 bath for $250,000-$300,000 scares me. I remember years ago when I started looking I did not want to spend more than $225K (I thought it was too much). Now I have no choice.

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.