Making a Temporary Exit

This week, I started my new job! I'm so excited about how great a fit this position is already and love the schools I'm in. (Although I still miss everyone at my old school and am a little sad not to be getting ready for a new classful of babies this year.) I really enjoy the work I'm doing and feel like it's needed and helpful to teachers, so that's pretty hard to beat!

However, between that, gearing up half-marathon training, reminding myself how to keep up with laundry/cleaning and work at the same time, and hopefully starting a Girls on Track team soon, my calendar (yes, I caved with the rest of the blogworld and got a Erin Condren planner (half off!) which I LOVE and don't remember life before...I may be working on a home organization binder too- you bloggers just have such good ideas!) is getting pretty jammed pack.

So, in order to keep me focused, I'm taking a little blog break. When I come back in a few weeks, I plan to have it all together, so blogging will seamlessly fit into my schedule, right? (Never mind that every other time I thought I would "have it all together" it never has worked...)

Because I know I just can't help myself, I'll probably be poking in to read a little, but my goal is to mostly stay off the computer in my free time, so I'll be desperate to catch up on all the little details of where you've been running/what you've been reading/what pictures you've taken/what you're dressing your babies in/what you're cooking and all the other details I'll miss!

Be back in a little bit!

Sounds of Nature = Slow

This morning I met up with my running club (still makes me excited to say that!), but a lot of people are out of town, so it was just me and another girl. It was really great to have someone to run with though and we got in a pretty brisk (for me) 3 miles.

She was done for the day so I kept trucking to get in 2 more for my "long" 5-miler. I didn't have my iPod because I had been running with her, and after about 0.3 of a mile by myself I realized I never run without music or talking anymore.

I didn't give into the whole iPod thing until late 2007, but I've gradually adjusted to running with music every time I head out alone. So it seemed a little eerily quiet without it today.

Which is what I blame my walking at least a mile of my run on.

I like hearing the birds and watching for squirrels and being "one with nature" and all that, but it really just makes me want to be slow and lazy. (It may have had something to do with me still being really out of shape too....)

I'll be getting the iPod back out tomorrow.

Do y'all run with music all the time, part of the time, or never? Maybe I'll FINALLY post my 25 Running Songs tomorrow!

Half Marathon Training Plan- Finally!

After a ridiculously hot and ridiculously low mileage summer, I'm really ready for a fall training plan.

I've decided to just go for a half this fall instead of a full marathon. Part of me is really, really wiggling to go 26.2 again, but I'm going to be practical this time and do a close-by, familiar 13.1 course. It's Battleship Half Marathon, round 3!

This course was my first half in 2004 and my PR in 2007. I would LOVE to break that PR and think I might have it in me if I get serious right soon. (Sidenote: I was run-streaking when I got that PR. At that point, I had been running daily for around 6 months. Maybe that's my best chance for getting back in shape?)

Inspired by L and her fancy marathon training plan, I whipped up my own in Excel for the first time. (I have been using a layer on my Google Calendar, but Google Calendar and I are not agreeing with each other as of late.) I was loosely following this plan because I liked that you got a 15-miler in there.

So, this is what I have in mind:

I included the triathlon swim I'll be doing in September and the one I might be swimming in October, but there may be a few little 5Ks sneaked in there too. If I actually keep up with it, this will be the best trained I've ever been for a half marathon, so the PR could be in reach.

Excited for fall training! Hopefully, the weather will be cooperating soon too! How do y'all make your training plans?

Big Excitement!

Okay, technically, this probably isn't big excitement to anybody but me, but...

I've kind of been here and there with my blogging and running and everything else lately. It's late summer when I get kind of panicky trying to decide how to spend my last couple weeks of freedom- Finish all those projects I'm supposed to be working on? Get ready for the coming school year? Just relax and save up my energy for back-to-school? (Obviously, when I take two seconds to think about it though, I remind myself just to be completely grateful that I have this time at all.)

I'm excited to announce though that as of last night, I'm feeling a lot more confident of the direction that things are going! I just found out that I've been "promoted" ("promoted" instead of just promoted because it's not a pay raise) to a position where I'll get to help teachers and plan curriculum instead of having my own classroom. It's a little bittersweet because I won't be at the same school (where I love the community, the kids, and everyone I work with) and part of me will really miss having my own classroom of "babies." I'm really, really thrilled though about getting to help other teachers with their teaching and technology and about being in more of a professional role. This also puts me in a better position to expand Girls on the Run in our county and I will probably be coaching two Girls on Track (middle school girls) programs this year!

The big question for the blog, of course, is: What effect will this have on my running?!

I'll keep you informed!