Happiness....

Happiness is new running shoes...Well, for me.
As I have previously mentioned, I am not a big fan of shopping. Shopping for myself is my least favorite shopping (unless we're talking scrapbook materials or books, the I could look for hours). And then there's the running items... You saw my watch and the joy I got from it. And my family's gift of running shoes that I loved. Thank goodness my husband spoils me. :)
Well, I got to get new running shoes today. Mine had over 600 running miles, not counting that I (this a big no-no in the running community:) wear them for my everyday shoes, too.... I couldn't get new shoes after hitting the 500 mile mark (the mark all sources say shoes are not good for running feet anymore) because I would need work at breaking them in for the marathon. Anyway, now that the marathon is over... I got some new, beautiful, comfortable, and did I mention new? shoes. :)))) They are orange. I like orange. :) They are great. Ahhhh. I might sleep in them....
Just kidding. :)
Here it is:They do have me dreaming of doing another marathon... spring or a year from now, with a half marathon in the spring? Hmmm, "what's next" is the running question to ponder.

Other Information

Marathon update: my body feels great today. Monday, as I noted, I was sore, stairs were painful and the mole surgery didn't help anything. Tuesday, I was tight. Bending down to help clean up children's spilled art boxes made it difficult to get back up. By Tuesday afternoon, I felt pretty good. Today I feel great. The sore from the mole removal is not much better, but the muscles from the marathon feel great. So great, I didn't even take an advil today and I felt like running in the rain! My MIT group said DON'T RUN due to many little muscle tears from a marathon, but wait until Saturday to begin again, slowly. The mole area is in the middle of my back, so any muscle movement is a bit painful (good thing I didn't run, hm? :)) but that will get better soon, as well.
The teaching has been very fun. I look forward to returning tomorrow. And my muscles have probably benefited from being on my feet most of the day: stretching without being too strenuous.
I have a "to-do" list of scrapbooks and crafts I would like to get done by Dec. 31 but we'll see. I have Thankful Feather Cards to finish up so I can get those mailed this week. (see October 27, 2006 for explanation.) My husband would like to change it up a bit this year, so I will keep you posted as to what "feathers" transpire this year. I am handmaking the cards this year. They all have leaves, acorns and "thankful" in some form or another.
That's all for now. Going to go try to get the last of the aforementioned cards done. Hope all is well for you, on this day.

Grade One

I have been a substitute in first grade the last two days, and am in first grade tomorrow, as well. I found some tidbits I may use when I get my own classroom. Here are a few of them:

1. To encourage the children to lengthen their stories and use more detail, they had gloves at their desks (the cheap, knit kind) that said "beginning" on the thumb, "middle" on the next three fingers, and "end" on the pinky. Then when they were rereading their stories, to see if they needed more, they could put the glove on to double check. A small thing, really, that just helps them not to get in a hurry to move onto their next work by making a two sentence story. This was a simple reminder to make it five. :)
2. In the calendar area of the room, where they meet everyday, there was a pocket chart. It had $$ in it. Fake coins, actually. The "helper of the day" had to make the amount of change four different ways for the day of school-example, it was the 39th day of school, so there had to be four different ways to make 39 cents on the pocket chart. :)
3. The teacher had a 30 sided dice so, when playing a game, reading aloud, etc, where kids all raised their hands and wanted to help, she rolls the dice. The number up is chosen.
4. On the word wall, the children's names were up under the first letter, and it had a picture of them beside it. :) A simple way to make them feel special.
5. For the lunch count (in the school system I am teaching in, they have to choose lunch A-today was pizza, lunch B-today was Chef Salad and breadstick, lunch C-is always peanut butter and jelly crustable, or packed a lunch) they had to choose a piece of (again fake) coin/money to tell what they were having. Lunch A is a nickel, B is a dime, C is a quarter and pack is a penny.
6. There was a very large construction paper pumpkin up in the back of the room covered with fall words, in case they were doing journals or story writing and needed to spell a fall word.

I have enjoyed first grade very much. They are a great age, eager to please and learn. And respond well to all the positive encouragement I like to give out. :)

Final Stats and Moles

My ipod said I had completed 591.05 miles since I began training in May. As well as 23,000+ calories burned, and 90+workouts.
Moles... not the furry, blind kind that dig in your yard. Nope, I had another skin mole removed today. My day to rest from the marathon marred by surgery. The dermatologist said he wanted to remove 3 in the same area, and I requested to wait after the marathon. He said I could, as it wasn't immediately necessary, but then I should come in the very next day... so surgery 1 of 3 today. It went much better than the surgery of a year and a half ago: this was 20 minutes at most, four stitches, still not super painful. Maybe doing it the day after the marathon helps by using the leg pain as a distraction? :)
I hope your fall day is as beautiful as mine is currently!!

Update... few hours later, after anesthesia has worn off...ok, now it's painful... :)

Finally the Marathon day!

Well, time wasn't what I'd hoped today. Truth be told, my MIT group said I was setting my sights a bit high for a second marathon. Husband had said that, too. I did, however, beat my last time by half an hour, so that's good. And I finished a marathon, which is a feat most cannot say they have completed. :) My calves quit/cramped up at mile 17, even though I thoroughly hydrated well last week. was drinking at the water stops, as well. I even gave up coffee and wine so that I wouldn't be depleting my water supply. Then, at mile 23, my quads joined the calves. I They cramped up, which is not a normal thing for me. I've had the calf thing before. Husband and daughters were four different places on the course, which made me feel great! Some neighbors, were there twice, which was so nice! It always helps to see familiar faces.
I tried to enjoy the ride this time. I took in the sights (like being on the Ohio State Campus) and people (there was a "princess" in a tutu, tiara and see through white tights! Ach! As well as a lady with MSU Spartan heads on her calves). The start was completely packed, downtown, from side to side, the streets were so full, I could not stretch, I only had room to stand! It was a sea of people running down the street in front of me, and it took me three minutes to get to the start line after the horn to "GO!" went off. The weather started out good at 58 degrees. It finished hot, however. :) Then I got sick on the way home. I don't think my stomach was ready for the "after" race, Gatorade.
I am very sore; arms, legs, abs, back... I haven't been able to catch the phone when it rang because I'm moving to slow and painfully. :) But, I've showered and napped. I slept the best during my nap that I've slept in the last few days, due to nerves. :)
I do still have all my toenails. :) I also still have the temporary tattoos the girls put on me last night: a snail on my calf, a star on one shoulder and a pair of wings on the other shoulder. Oh, my time was 4hours, 22 min. I was 641/1348 women, and 107/217 for my age group.
Anyway, I finished my second marathon and I'm happy about that. :) Thanks to the well-wishers!

Three more days, just three more days

Tomorrow I go to the expo center and pick up my "official race packet" because I won't be able to on race day. It will have my "bib" in it with the racing number and who knows what else. I will have to update you. :)
I've got a portion of my "gear" ready; the gu, the ipod, the outfit...
And wow, am I getting nervous! :) I'm ready for it to be here, to get it underway. Although, I'm sure the next few days will pass quickly enough.
We had a great time with family this past weekend. Got some great pumpkins from my mom and dad. (See right). I almost hate to carve them. The yellow one has stem on both sides, thus my husband said it was a Frankenstein pumpkin, so maybe it's found it's "to-be-carved face".
That's all for now. I will update more, soon.
Thanks for stopping by!

Blog Action Day: The Environment

I read on the always-informative-Ali Edwards'-Blog that today is Blog Action Day: The Environment. So, here are some new sites that I have found to help out or salute the environment:

• http://www.saveourenvironment.org/
• http://www.seql.org/100ways.cfm
• http://zenhabits.net/
• http://www.wikihow.com/Save-the-Environment-at-Home
  
• http://dave-lucas.blogspot.com/2007/10/blog-action-day-2007-salute-to-al-gore.html
• http://greendimes.com/
• https://www.directmail.com/directory/mail_preference/
• http://www.paperrecycles.org/recycling/index.html
• http://www.worstedwitch.com/
  
• http://www.fightglobalwarming.com/
  

Various Topics

I had a few days off from subbing this week, so I caught up on laundry, tackled the paper pile on my desk and made necessary phone calls.
I got my short runs in-twelve last weekend-and a few runs in during the week. The weather changed drastically to cold temperatures. My runs seemed long, slow and sluggish this week. I am worried about the marathon-its temps, as well as my ability. I just realized this week that my goal (3 hours and 45 minutes) is only five minutes off the qualifying time for Boston Marathon in the spring. Hmmm. If I make it, I will train in the winter, the dark and cold, to run a hilly, people-packed race right around my birthday... if not, well, I need a new plan. We shall see a week from Sunday.
My oldest daughter finished out her cross country season this week with a good, strong race on a hilly course with a distance longer than she normally runs: her race courses are usually 2 miles, this last one was 2.5. She did great.
My youngest will be finishing her soccer season tonight. She has found the position she loves is defense, and second best is midfield. We will see if that's the same in the fall.
Today my husband and I both blocked the day off from work/subbing and went to see the William Wegman exhibit at a local area art center. It was awesome-his postcard art, and my favorite: the weimaraner photographs. Wow. He has a sense of humor and great photographical eye.
Tonight I scrapbook after soccer, at my sister in laws,with the ladies. Then tomorrow we head to my parents' home in the town where I grew up for my niece's first birthday. Will be nice to see the family.
Hope your fall has started off wonderfully!

Smile

I saw a bumper sticker today that made me smile:
"What if the hokey pokey is what it's all about?"