Tuesday Topics: My Spring 2024 running plans/race schedule

Tuesday Topics-233This week’s Tuesday Topic:  What are your Spring running plans or race schedule?  You can write about this topic or post any running-related blog post.  Remember to link up with Jenn and Zenaida!  Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier!  Remember to come back for later linkers!

Happy Tuesday!  Today is the first day of Spring.  It is my 2nd favorite season – Fall is #1.  Also, today will be a long day for me.  I have parent/teacher conferences and need to be at school at 7pm.  I have appointments with 19 set of parents and hopefully all show up.

I am excited for my upcoming races.  I am bummed I missed the NYC Half Marathon on Sunday but I know it was the best decision.

Here are my plans for this Spring.

• Run the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8k (3/24).  This is one of my favorite races!  I will admit that I am not ready for it but will run it anyway.  It is only 5 miles so what can go wrong?  Did I just jinx it?  I know I will not set a PR since I plan to walk more than run it. 

Run the CARA Lakefront 10 Miler (4/7/).  I’ve run this race in the past.  Last year it was cold, windy, and rainy and at the last minute I wanted to run the 5k, but was told I “couldn’t”.  I sucked it up and ran 10 miles.  It wasn’t too bad once I began running but I was sore afterwards.

• Run the CARA Spring Trail Chase 10K (5/19).  Last year was the first time doing it.  I enjoyed it and decided to do it again this year.  I remember a few of us got lost getting to the race site, but this year I know the same thing won’t happen again.  

• Walk more.  I need to catch up on my 2,024 goal!  I made a chart showing where I should be now and I am way behind.  The chart is based on walking/running 5.53 miles each day.

• Be consistent with running.  I’ve been slacking the past couple of months.  I need a goal and a plan.  Last year I was toying with the idea of working with a coach and didn’t move forward with it.  Maybe this year.

Next week is a FREE topic.  Feel free to write about any running-related topic.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

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Fit Five Friday: 5 things I cannot live without

Tuesday Topics-1We’ve got FIVE incredible co-hosts My First 5K and MoreRunning With AttitudeRun Laugh Eat PieRuns with Pugs, and me for another Fit Five Friday link-up!  

Happy Friday!  It was a short week for me but I was very tired when I went back to work on Wednesday.  Two more weeks for me and then Spring Break!

Today I am writing about 5 things I cannot live without.  I will not include the main things one needs to live (food, clothes, shelter, etc).

• Entertainment.  I watch a few shows on Hulu, Netflix, and Peacock.  Don’t judge, I work hard.  I also enjoy reading books.  Both are a break from the stress of life.

• Healthcare.  I am lucky that I am healthy and I owe it to having access to healthcare and taking care of myself.  I saw my aunt this past weekend (she is 90 years old) and she looks great!  She was dancing at her birthday party and enjoys one beer a day.  Drinking beer is her secret!

• Technology.  I remember the days of writing school papers on a typewriter, doing research with encyclopedias, writing and mailing letters to family in Mexico, and having one phone in the house.  But thanks to technology, all of those things, and more, can be done faster and more efficient.

A car.  I know there is public transportation but for some of the things I do, I need a car. 

Coffee.  I like the taste of it.  I also like boost of energy.  I drink a cup in the morning while reading emails and blog posts, and before I head out for my run.  Depending on how I feel, I may have another cup in the afternoon and in the evening..

The topic for next week – 5 fitness things you’d love to try.  Feel free to write about this or any fitness topic you’d like.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

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Tuesday Topics: A letter to my 90-year-old self

Tuesday Topics-236This week’s Tuesday Topic:  How do you organize your running gear ?  You can write about this topic or post any running-related blog post.  Remember to link up with Jenn and Zenaida!  Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier!  Remember to come back for later linkers!

I was planning to write about this topic but realized that I wrote about it in 2021 and nothing has changed since then.  I have more gear but it is still stored in the same places.  

I am going to deviate from today’s topic.  I was in San Antonio for a few days for my aunt’s 90th birthday party.  She is my mom’s older and the last one of her sisters.  They are like night and day but yet so much fun to see them together.  My aunt laughed and danced on her special day.  She was surrounded by her sons and daughters, grandchildren, nieces and nephews and their kids, her sister and brother, and her friends.

Letter-1

Hola Zenaida:

Wow, 90 years old!  I know you look and feel amazing.  Taking care of yourself and going to the doctor paid off.  You are still running, not like before, but you are still active and that is what matters.

You are enjoying your retirement after working for over 20 years as a teacher.  Have you seen more of your previous students?  I am glad that many of them still keep in touch with you.  You made a difference in their lives.  I know teaching was not an easy job but you were patient, did the best you could, and loved your students.

I hope you are enjoying the condo life by the lakefront.  I know that it always want you wanted.  Owning a house is a lot of work and comes with more responsibilities, but I am glad you still bought a house because you looked for one for YEARS.

You love your nieces and nephews very much and I am happy that they visit you.  They make sure you have what you need and still make you laugh and smile.  

Do you remember when you turned 25?  You celebrated by going to Lalo’s with friends.  You were so happy because you were a quarter of a century.  Then 50 came along and you thought you were old.  But that didn’t last too long because you then said that age was just a number.  You were not old.  You were healthy, had a place to live, had a job, and was surrounded by family.

You lived a good life.  Things happen for a reason.  Your failures and your good choices shaped you into the person you are now.

Keep doing what you are doing.  You might see the year 2072.

The topic for next week – What are your Spring running plans or race schedule?  Feel free to write about this or any running-related topic.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

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Fit Five Friday: 5 of the best gifts I’ve received

Fit Five Friday-5We’ve got FIVE incredible co-hosts My First 5K and MoreRunning With AttitudeRun Laugh Eat PieRuns with Pugs, and me for another Fit Five Friday link-up!  This week’s topic is “5 things in your gym bag”.  Feel free to write about this or any fitness topic you’d like.

It’s been years since I’ve set foot in a gym but I still have my gym bag (Speedo Unisex-Adult Large Teamster Backpack 35-Liter).  It is easy to carry and big enough to store everything I need.  

Speedo Backpack-1

Today I will deviate from today’s topic and talk some of the favorite gifts I’ve received.

• A passport.  I was born in Mexico but came here in 1978.  I am thankful to my parents for getting a passport for me.  Yes, that is me on the left, the photo from my first passport from Mexico.  Years later I became a US citizen and got my US passport.

Travel.  I love that with or without a passport, I can travel.  I’ve been to many states and various countries.  

• To be active.   Whether it is running or walking, being active clears my head and sometimes puts me in a better mood.  I see how my mom struggles with walking and I hope that I can be active for a long time.

Noxgear-1

To be creative and patient.   I am not one to do DIY projects but I can do fun things with my students.  Being a teacher is a difficult job but I am glad that I am patient enough to do it.  We laugh, dance, play, watch movies, etc.

To get up and keep going.  I have fallen a few times but I’ve been able to get up and continue on with whatever I was doing. 

The topic for next week – 5 places you would love to run.  Feel free to write about this or any fitness topic you’d like.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

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Tuesday Topics: My running motivation

Tuesday Topics-227This week’s Tuesday Topic:  How do you maintain your running motivation?  You can write about this topic or post any running-related blog post.  Remember to link up with Jenn and Zenaida!  Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier!  Remember to come back for later linkers!

This is the perfect topic for me to write about because right now I am lacking motivation to go running.  My last run was yesterday and prior to that it was February 14. 

Below are a few tips I am following to get motivated:

• Sign up for a race.  I have a few races that I am signed up for.  Since I am no longer running the NYC Half Marathon, I want to sign up for a half marathon in Chicago.  There are plenty of those here, but this time I want to make sure I train for it.  

• Buy new gear.  One of my favorite reasons for running.  I ordered a pair of the Brooks Run Lucky Launch 10 and two luxe short sleeve tops.  

• Go outside.  It is warmer outside.  I love that it is light outside much earlier now.  The sunshine and warmer weather always makes me feel good. 

• Set a goal and keep track.  In my case, it is to remember my goals.  I still want to run/walk 2,204 miles and that won’t happen by itself.  I like the RTE Tracker to see how I am doing.  The bibs I get for meeting set goals are a bonus.

• Run one mile at a time.  Right now I am not training for anything (though I need to for my upcoming 8k in a few weeks) so I will run for whatever time/miles I want to.  This way I am not pressured and most likely will look forward to my run.

The topic for next week – How do you organize your running gear?  Feel free to write about this or any running-related topic.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

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