Zenaida Arroyo

10
Jan
2021

Weekly Run Down: Week #5 of training for a 10k and 21.99 miles

categories: Running, Weekly Recap, Weekly Run Down

I went back to work on Monday. Honestly, I did not want to go back. Everyone was tired and it was tough. Looking forward to Spring Break! 🙂

We got a little bit of snow on Monday but no way was I going to run 5 miles. I know it isn’t a lot but I didn’t have enough time either.

During the week the rest of the snow and ice melted. I hate going out in the dark while there is still snow/ice for fear of slipping. I wait till it isn’t dark anymore but then sometimes run out of time. Once I got back at 8:15 and was ready by 8:30am. 🙂

Saturday morning I had to run 7 miles but I was very tired and slept in till 7. Then I couldn’t run because I had to take my mother to the doctor. But I did get out later in the evening. Felt good being out there. I did not feel cold at all. But I did not run 7 miles either. Some miles is better than no miles at all.

I ran 7 miles this morning. I had to run the last two miles between 11:00-11:15. Both miles were done in 11:17 and 11:19. So close and both are positive splits. I still win because 7 miles is a lot to run. I am pleased with how I did because the last time I did this workout was on December 26th and those last 2 miles were done in 11:48 and 11:12.

I laughed when I saw my total mileage for the week. Oh gosh! How did I let that happen? It does bother me but it isn’t the end of the world. I need to pay more attention.

Tomorrow is the day that teachers are going back to the classroom. I keep changing my mind about whether or not to go. I have my substitute lesson plans ready just in case. I will know for sure tomorrow morning. This year is clearly one of my worst years of teaching. I do not feel like I am appreciated nor respected. I hate that our Board of Education does not have any parents or teachers to voice their opinion and make decisions. How is it that non teachers are making decisions for us? They really have NO idea what we are doing or dealing with this year.

A NEW link up – Fit Five Friday

It’s time for a brand-new Friday Five, and I am excited to be a part of the Fit Five Friday Link-Up!

Join hosts My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Runs with Pugs, Run Laugh Eat Pie and me, every Friday for Fit Five Friday! Who’s ready for some fun?

Here are the guidelines: Your link should center around some kind of fitness (exercise, wellness, mental health, nutrition… the possibilities are endless!) Please link back to your hosts! It’s the right thing to do! Share the link-up love by visiting and commenting on your hosts and at least two other Fit Five Friday bloggers! Feel free to share about Fit Five Friday on your social media! Tag #FitFiveFriday to get the word out! And let’s go! We can’t wait!

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

05
Jan
2021

Tuesday Topics: My word for 2021

categories: Tuesday Topics

Welcome to the first edition of Tuesday Topics for 2021. Kim and I have lots of fun topics for this year. We are excited for you to join us every week.

This week’s Tuesday Topic is: Your word for 2021. 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!

There are so many words and it was hard to pick one. I thought about everything that happened in 2020. I thought about what I was looking forward to in 2021. I then decided my word to be “Joy”. Then I realized that I had picked the same word a few years ago. But, I feel like this word will mean so much more this year.

Why this word? I know many bad and great things happen in 2020. I struggled a lot in my personal and professional life. I tried to be positive but many times it was hard. However, there were many times that that is what got me through. I had to find joy in things around me. It probably sounds corny but honestly I had no choice. I mean, there were times when I cried and was angry, but then felt better afterwards. I had to move forward.

Where will I find joy? This is not in any specific order and not everything is on this list.

My health.

My students.

My running.

Spending more time with my mom.

My friends.

My coworkers.

My cats.

My iMac.

My Brooks shoes.

My Oiselle long roga shorts.

My MAC patentpolish lip pencil in Ruby.

Cooking with my mom.

My new car.

My running playlist.

Making apple martinis.

My pens and highlighters.

Working with my coach.

My blogger friends.

My family.

03
Jan
2021

Weekly Run Down: Week #4 of training for a 10k and what defines a run streak?

categories: Running, Weekly Recap, Weekly Run Down

Happy New Year! How is everyone doing? We had another low key New Year’s Eve. My sister and nephew came over. We ate and played lotería and then they left. The rest of us ended up going to bed at 9pm.

I got off on the right foot this week but then towards the end it all went down. We got snow and it made it tricky to run outside.

On Wednesday I went to the gym but could not stand being there. The treadmill was shaking so much and the pace was way off between the treadmill and my watch. I ran 2 miles and left.

I went out the next day but then more snow was coming down. It got slippery and I didn’t want to run too long. Friday was the same. Ugh! I hate this weather. I hate even more that I don’t have a treadmill at home. The reason I went to the gym is because I got a free one week trial but it was very uncomfortable there.

I retired the Brooks Ghost 12 and am now running in the Launch 5.

I am sad Winter Break is over. I wished I had another week. These 2 weeks sure went by too fast. I spent time watching “Criminal Minds” and relaxing with the cats.

What exactly defines a run streak? I was hoping to do at least one mile but this weather is not being friendly and sometimes one mile is not possible. My streak, my rules, right? 🙂

I know I can stop any time I want but I realized that this run streak is not about doing said streak. To me it is about being able to run outside. Like everyone else I am so tired of being indoors. I look forward to running outside every day even if it is just half a mile.

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

29
Dec
2020

Tuesday Topics: My year 2020 in photos

categories: Tuesday Topics

This week’s Tuesday Topic is: Your year in photos. 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!

What a year this has been! Thanks to everyone for linking up with us this year. We’ve had many great conversations. We learned a lot from each other and made it through this year. It wasn’t easy but we did it.

Let’s recap this year.

January:

⇒ I started off the new year with a cold. I was on the sofa for 3 days feeling sorry for myself.

⇒ I fell and then was scared to run outside. Had to do my workouts at the gym.

February:

⇒ Traveled to Atlanta to spectate the Olympic Marathon Trials. Had lots of fun meeting up with other Oiselle friends and seeing the elite runners.

March:

⇒ Ran the Publix Atlanta Half Marathon. It was my first and only race of 2020. It was also a hilly and hard race.

⇒ After the race I went to The National Center for Civil and Human Rights. Definitely a great museum to visit in Atlanta.

⇒ Due to the COVID I cancelled my trip to Mexico. Later on United cancelled the flight.

⇒ Began working from home. Saw that my cats slept pretty much all day.

April:

⇒ Took my first Peloton outdoor running class and said that it would be my last one. Well, we know that wasn’t exactly true. Matty is one of my favorite instructors. I miss him!

⇒ Still doing virtual learning and mailed letters to my students. I also got a chance to talk to one of them and it made me very happy.

⇒ Participated in a car parade for my students and parents.

⇒ Did my first Zoom meetup with my blogger friends. Can we do this again?

⇒ My uncle died from Covid. My mother had talked to him on Friday and he died the following day. We couldn’t go to the wake/funeral but did see it via YouTube. Here is Lola also watching it. She definitely felt our pain.

May:

⇒ Teacher Appreciation Week!

⇒ Started working with a new coach. Happy to be working with him and have been seeing lots of improvement.

June:

⇒ Done with school! It was a rough and interesting 2 1/2 months of remote learning.

⇒ Started 4 weeks of Summer School. Yep, still remote.

⇒ Ran along the lakefront. The path has been closed and no one was allowed to run there.

July:

⇒ I did not sign up for this race but the Chicago Marathon was cancelled. I knew it would happen.

⇒ Signed up and completed the Pelothon 2020? I was on team #LegendsofFun. I liked that I was not only exposed to other instructors, but also encouraged to take different types of classes.

⇒ The world almost ended for us runners because Garmin was down for a few days.

⇒ Ran the Quad-City Times Virtual Bix 7 with a few bloggers.

August:

⇒ Found out the 2020-2021 school year would start as remote learning.

⇒ My sister and mother tested positive for Covid. My mother had a mild case but my sister lost her sense of smell and taste. Mateo sensed that something was wrong.

⇒ Without really thinking about it, I began a running streak. Of course this was after my quarantine and given the OK to run outside.

⇒ First day of the 2020-2021 school year. The power went out at 10am and I was done for the day. It was a great first day! 🙂

September:

⇒ Celebrated my mother’s birthday! She took another Covid test and was negative.

⇒ With no race goals, my coach approached me with the idea to train for 5k. Sure! Goal was 33:30.

October:

⇒ Went to set up my classroom. That day I found out a parent had complained about me to the Principal. I was so angry and I cried. Felt like quitting too.

⇒ Bought a new car. I loved my previous one and thought I would keep it forever.

⇒ I voted!

November:

⇒ Had virtual parent/teacher conferences. Out of 26 students, I talked to 13 parents. Disappointing? Yep.

⇒ Another stay-at-home order.

⇒ Got a new Garmin watch. I love it.

⇒ Celebrated my birthday along with a few other bloggers. Great birthday month!

happy birthday balloons

December:

⇒ Celebrated 100 days of my running streak.

⇒ Ran my virtual 5k and met my goal. Finished it in 32:22.

⇒ Got a new student in my classroom. Now I have 28. Angry and frustrated that the District would allow this to happen.

⇒ Began training for a 10k. My goal is 1:05-1:06.

⇒ Winter Break!

Clientmoji

⇒ Soon will say goodbye to 2020.

2020 dumpster fire

27
Dec
2020

Weekly Run Down: Week #3 of training for a 10k and Winter Break Week #1

categories: Running, Weekly Recap, Weekly Run Down

Hey there! How is everyone doing? Did you all have a nice Christmas? It was low key here again. I made mole with my mother and it turned out good. It needed a bit more chicken flavor so we spiced it up the next day and now it is even better. Mole always tastes better the next day.

It was nice to be off this week. I did relax and finished watching The West Wing. I wasn’t too crazy about Season 7 but overall enjoyed the show. It was so sad about Leo but it made me happy to see a Latino president. One day. One day. 🙂

I ate leftover pozole from my cousin.

Relaxed with the cats.

Wednesday morning was a “fun” run. I had to do 5 set of intervals (5 minutes/6 minutes) at different paces. It was windy that morning and didn’t think I would complete the workout. Once I was out there I realized it wan’t that bad. I did better than expected. My coach likes to remind me that I am tougher than I think and that I can do more than I think I can. 🙂

Thursday and Friday was COLD. I had to run 3 miles on Thursday but instead ran 20 minutes. Since I didn’t run the 3 miles on Thursday, I knew I had to do it on Friday. Ha, had to? No way. I talked myself into doing only 1 mile to continue with the streak. Today is day #121. I was this close to ending my running streak because of how cold it was.

Saturday’s run was 7 miles. I woke up very early and was out the door at 6am. It was 19 degrees but I had two tops, two pants, and gloves and felt comfortable. I felt tired but also good after my run. Such a weird combination.

Tuesday morning my coworker and I delivered presents for our students. It took us almost 3 hours to deliver 44 presents. I met a few of my students and almost cried because I was so happy to see them. I gave them a notebook, pencils, markers/color pencils, crayons, and highlighters. Students are supposed to go back to the classroom on January 25th but I don’t know at the moment how many of those will be my students.

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