Some not-so-good news today.
First, I was origionally just going to write to tell y'all how lame I felt for all the walking I did today. I went back to my county park and started out, but those hills are tough. My town is flat-as-a-pancake, and I am just not used to any sort of elevation, even the really slight kind that looks flat, but isn't. My steps are tiny, my legs hurt, and the walking just takes over.
Now, I'm pretty sure I still ran more than half of the time. And I was out for 75 minutes. I did run a considerable bit on the return trip -- and didn't feel totally spent. Of course, that means I have far more energy than I am using on the uphills; I'm being lazy. It does make me think that I need to find a way to get some hill work in. Serious hill work. Like, run up the hill, walk down, repeat, ad nauseum (I'm only slightly joking about that last bit).
But then, while chatting with Shells this afternoon (she wants to come out and join me for the race), I found out some bad information. I waited too long to register and the race is full. :-( I was waiting to get paid, and then I had this issue with a new debit card... and now it's too late. So, Baby Mama is going to be disappointed. I might still go with her, but maybe not. It'll be a pretty expensive trip anyway (the race itself is $70 and that doesn't include the wine tasting at the end, plus travel and accommodations).
Shells however, not to be discouraged, immediately went and found more races. So we're thinking of doing a half a week later in Half Moon Bay, which is about two hours or so from here. We can do our own wine tasting in the area (for less money), and stay at my place (for less money), and the race is significantly less expensive ($35). I'm also looking at picking up a 5/10K in Santa Cruz over my spring break, to get a little race time in. It's a "challenging" course, which will probably kick my ass, but my ass could use a little kicking.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Arms
I was going to go running today, but I got a text at 1pm seeing if I wanted to hit up the rock gym. Well, the answer was an emphatic "Yes", so I'll save the running for tomorrow. Tomorrow was supposed to be a 30 min. cross-training day. Of course, rock climbing isn't a constant aerobic activity, it's more of an off-and-on thing, but I think that 2 1/2 hours at the rock gym is good enough to balance a 30-min. cross-training day. It also gives me a little balance -- getting in some solid upper-body work instead of all legs, all the time.
They also have a slack line set up (it's a piece of webbing about 2 feet off the ground that's stretched fairly taught that you walk like a tight rope), so I gave that a try. It's pretty fun, especially for a recovering gymnast like myself. I went from being totally shaky and not being able to stand on it to taking a step or two. I still have a ways to go, but I could see some definite improvement. And it was a nice way to take a break when my arms got tired from climbing. 'Cause my arms? Wimpy.
I feel like a bad joke in the Catskills: Any boy, are my arms tired.
They also have a slack line set up (it's a piece of webbing about 2 feet off the ground that's stretched fairly taught that you walk like a tight rope), so I gave that a try. It's pretty fun, especially for a recovering gymnast like myself. I went from being totally shaky and not being able to stand on it to taking a step or two. I still have a ways to go, but I could see some definite improvement. And it was a nice way to take a break when my arms got tired from climbing. 'Cause my arms? Wimpy.
I feel like a bad joke in the Catskills: Any boy, are my arms tired.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Ugh
I woke up yesterday morning at 5am. I was dressed and outside by 5:15. Boy, was I tired. And when I stepped outside, it was cold and windy. WINDY. Like I imagine Chicago, windy. So I turned around and went back inside. I knew it was a bad idea, but I did it anyway. Yes, after getting up and getting dressed, I went back inside and went back to bed for a whole 30 minutes.
Yesterday afternoon I drove to San Jose (an hour) to meet up with a friend (St. Paul of the Scree Slopes) from Portland. He was in town for One Night Only on business. So I drove up, went to the teacher store (where I scored BIG with big paperclips, an awesome green and beige metal Swingline stapler, dry and wet erase markers, a box of 100 transparencies for $6, and more manilla folders than even I might be able to use up in the rest of the year) which happened to be a few blocks from St. Paul's place of employment. Then we met up with his sister, hit the Trader Joe's (essential in San Jose) and had dinner. I didn't get back home until 11pm. Long day.
I didn't even try to get up at 5am this morning. But I did get home by 4pm so I could change and go running. I didn't make it the foull 3.5 though. I crapped out around 2 miles and walked home (maybe 1/2 mi?). So, I did get out and get some exercise, but it was not ideal. I do need to run the full 5 tomorrow (big sleep tonight). Also going to try to hit up the rock gym on Sunday with the bowlers.
I gave myself a sticker (I use motivational stickers on my calendar) for today, but it's a "Keep Going!" sticker, not an "A+" or "Great" sticker.
Yesterday afternoon I drove to San Jose (an hour) to meet up with a friend (St. Paul of the Scree Slopes) from Portland. He was in town for One Night Only on business. So I drove up, went to the teacher store (where I scored BIG with big paperclips, an awesome green and beige metal Swingline stapler, dry and wet erase markers, a box of 100 transparencies for $6, and more manilla folders than even I might be able to use up in the rest of the year) which happened to be a few blocks from St. Paul's place of employment. Then we met up with his sister, hit the Trader Joe's (essential in San Jose) and had dinner. I didn't get back home until 11pm. Long day.
I didn't even try to get up at 5am this morning. But I did get home by 4pm so I could change and go running. I didn't make it the foull 3.5 though. I crapped out around 2 miles and walked home (maybe 1/2 mi?). So, I did get out and get some exercise, but it was not ideal. I do need to run the full 5 tomorrow (big sleep tonight). Also going to try to hit up the rock gym on Sunday with the bowlers.
I gave myself a sticker (I use motivational stickers on my calendar) for today, but it's a "Keep Going!" sticker, not an "A+" or "Great" sticker.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Take it Easy
Today was an easy day, so I ran a mile on the track -- just me and The Masses (what was it you called them? I expect an email with the answer M&M). Sometimes, my bowling team runs on Wednesdays, not today though. Still, I had my clothes so I headed down to the track anyway. I ran in circles four times, and then walked one more. I figured it was enough to get up my heart rate and remind my muscles that they do need to work, whether they like it or not.
It was sorta cool being back at prack tractice. I reminisced about all my failed attempts at field events (high jump, discus, shot put, javelin), the races that made me puke (damn you 800 and 1000!), the races that were just embarassing (OK, that was all of them). All the kiddoes were doing their little things -- girls running in a pack, a few hurdlers (one kid had horrible form, it hurt to watch), sprinters practicing their starts, the relays practicing hand-offs. It was like being in a Bruegel painting.
The really cool thing was that I saw some of my students -- and they said hi! Obviously, it was students that I don't hate. One of them even initiated a full conversation with me. I could tell him that I used to run (15 years ago) and that I was training for a half marathon. It was sweet.
Maybe my bowling team will show up next week and I will go for more than a mile. But it gets a little boring after awhile with no one to talk to and no one watching.
It was sorta cool being back at prack tractice. I reminisced about all my failed attempts at field events (high jump, discus, shot put, javelin), the races that made me puke (damn you 800 and 1000!), the races that were just embarassing (OK, that was all of them). All the kiddoes were doing their little things -- girls running in a pack, a few hurdlers (one kid had horrible form, it hurt to watch), sprinters practicing their starts, the relays practicing hand-offs. It was like being in a Bruegel painting.
The really cool thing was that I saw some of my students -- and they said hi! Obviously, it was students that I don't hate. One of them even initiated a full conversation with me. I could tell him that I used to run (15 years ago) and that I was training for a half marathon. It was sweet.
Maybe my bowling team will show up next week and I will go for more than a mile. But it gets a little boring after awhile with no one to talk to and no one watching.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Three Point Five
I set the alarm for 5am... but I didn't get up. Funny, when I have a bad night's sleep, I use it as an excuse to stay in bed, but when I have a good night's sleep, I use it as an excuse to stay in bed. So, I stayed in bed.
But I did get home in time to run 3.5 miles this evening. I even ran my route backwards, because it's good to mix things up. Took me the 45 minutes I thought it would. And it seems that it's somewhere around the 1.5/2 mile mark that I want to stop running. If I make it past that, then I can finish. It's good information to have. I just have to make it two miles and my dreams of potato chip crumbs and pillows fade away.
But I did get home in time to run 3.5 miles this evening. I even ran my route backwards, because it's good to mix things up. Took me the 45 minutes I thought it would. And it seems that it's somewhere around the 1.5/2 mile mark that I want to stop running. If I make it past that, then I can finish. It's good information to have. I just have to make it two miles and my dreams of potato chip crumbs and pillows fade away.
Monday, March 2, 2009
And Some Rants
You know what I hate? Really, really, really hate? (And I don't hate a lot of things.)
I hate veteran teachers who tell me what to do. I don't mean veterans who offer advice or support. I don't mean veteran teachers who share what they've learned and listen to my concerns, problems, and ideas. No, I mean veteran teachers who tell me, in no uncertain terms, to not do whatever it is I'm doing.
And I'm not talking about illegal stuff (which I don't do anyway). But this isn't some "Don't take students home in your car" or "Don't give gifts to students" telling. This is the "Don't take work home, ever." "Stop getting to work early right now!" You know, I know I work too much. I know that it is not healthy to spend as much time at work as I do. But I have to do that right now in order to make it through this year, and probably next. If you wanted to be helpful, you'd ask me what I'm doing, offer some kind suggestions, and then give me a stack of curriculum that I can rip-and-read. Because without it, it's all hot air. Until I have my own stack of curriculum, it's going to be early mornings and late nights and Saturday with the red pen. It just is, so stop yelling at me already; you're not helping!
(BTW, this rant is not directed at anyone reading this blog.)
I've got some classroom management issues, so I'm trying some new things. Maybe I needed to tell my mentor more about the meeting with my principal (and he was very supportive), but still, I need to change some things, now. I need to at least TRY new stuff. But she immediately tells me don't do this and make sure you do that -- but never once does she really stop and ask why I'm making these decisions, what do I hope to accomplish, or where did I get my ideas from.
I am not an idiot. I have a Master's degree (she does not -- although she does have a number of years of experience on me). I have had wonderful mentors -- WONDERFUL. But she starts in on this and that and what she does. Well, I don't have a calendar from my department telling me what to teach, exactly, and by when. I don't have a book that I can pull out and assign any number of problems from and then grade in a black/white, yes/no, on/off, one/zero manner. I have essays and paragraphs and decisions about how many points this error is or that... and when it's late, it a0 takes me forever to remember the finer points and b) does not make for the most fair or accurate grading. And I LIKE getting to talk to my students, and my plan makes that happen.
Yeah, one-third of them might fail if I don't accept late work. And that looks bad on me, and I might get fired. But if I keep up what's going on, and let them be slack about everything and not hold them to deadlines so they are even more inclined to goof off in class, then I'll get fired anyway.
Not that she really stopped to figure that out.
Thank you to those of you who have truly listened to my problems and my ideas and have offered constructive, helpful, caring advice and suggestions. I really appreciate it.
I hate veteran teachers who tell me what to do. I don't mean veterans who offer advice or support. I don't mean veteran teachers who share what they've learned and listen to my concerns, problems, and ideas. No, I mean veteran teachers who tell me, in no uncertain terms, to not do whatever it is I'm doing.
And I'm not talking about illegal stuff (which I don't do anyway). But this isn't some "Don't take students home in your car" or "Don't give gifts to students" telling. This is the "Don't take work home, ever." "Stop getting to work early right now!" You know, I know I work too much. I know that it is not healthy to spend as much time at work as I do. But I have to do that right now in order to make it through this year, and probably next. If you wanted to be helpful, you'd ask me what I'm doing, offer some kind suggestions, and then give me a stack of curriculum that I can rip-and-read. Because without it, it's all hot air. Until I have my own stack of curriculum, it's going to be early mornings and late nights and Saturday with the red pen. It just is, so stop yelling at me already; you're not helping!
(BTW, this rant is not directed at anyone reading this blog.)
I've got some classroom management issues, so I'm trying some new things. Maybe I needed to tell my mentor more about the meeting with my principal (and he was very supportive), but still, I need to change some things, now. I need to at least TRY new stuff. But she immediately tells me don't do this and make sure you do that -- but never once does she really stop and ask why I'm making these decisions, what do I hope to accomplish, or where did I get my ideas from.
I am not an idiot. I have a Master's degree (she does not -- although she does have a number of years of experience on me). I have had wonderful mentors -- WONDERFUL. But she starts in on this and that and what she does. Well, I don't have a calendar from my department telling me what to teach, exactly, and by when. I don't have a book that I can pull out and assign any number of problems from and then grade in a black/white, yes/no, on/off, one/zero manner. I have essays and paragraphs and decisions about how many points this error is or that... and when it's late, it a0 takes me forever to remember the finer points and b) does not make for the most fair or accurate grading. And I LIKE getting to talk to my students, and my plan makes that happen.
Yeah, one-third of them might fail if I don't accept late work. And that looks bad on me, and I might get fired. But if I keep up what's going on, and let them be slack about everything and not hold them to deadlines so they are even more inclined to goof off in class, then I'll get fired anyway.
Not that she really stopped to figure that out.
Thank you to those of you who have truly listened to my problems and my ideas and have offered constructive, helpful, caring advice and suggestions. I really appreciate it.
Seems Like all I do is Rest
Well, at least I made today a working rest day. Yesterday I rested completely, no cross-training at all. It's partly my laziness to blame, partly my job. Again, it was a rough end of the week which lead to a lot of professional soul-searching. Sometimes can be good for exercising, but not always for stupid short exercises when there is still a ton of work to do.
Anyway. Today I did get up at 5:30am, just not to go running. No, it was to get to school early and finish everything I hadn't because I forgot all the really important stuff there over the weekend. (Self sabotauge, anyone?) Regardless, when I got home tonight I had some carbs. (Carbs=good, especially before a workout). Then I did some weights (arms, back, chest, legs, abs -- the usual) and a few light stretches. But by then it was 7:30 and I was FAMISHED. So I ate some protein (roast chicken with brown rice -- just so I can start buying white bread again, now if I could only find Pepperidge Farm sandwich bread in this Godforsaken land). And now at little blogging, and then bed.
Tomorrow is up at 5am for running.
Anyway. Today I did get up at 5:30am, just not to go running. No, it was to get to school early and finish everything I hadn't because I forgot all the really important stuff there over the weekend. (Self sabotauge, anyone?) Regardless, when I got home tonight I had some carbs. (Carbs=good, especially before a workout). Then I did some weights (arms, back, chest, legs, abs -- the usual) and a few light stretches. But by then it was 7:30 and I was FAMISHED. So I ate some protein (roast chicken with brown rice -- just so I can start buying white bread again, now if I could only find Pepperidge Farm sandwich bread in this Godforsaken land). And now at little blogging, and then bed.
Tomorrow is up at 5am for running.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
