Today's scheduled run: 4 miles
Today's completed run: 4 miles
Pace: 8:36, 8:29, 8:15, and 8:32 (Thanks, Garmin, for making me a numbers girl)
Megan is right - most of the battle is found in getting your shoes on and getting out the door. That could explain why it took me over an hour to get out of my house for this run.
I confess, it was pretty cool to run with my new Garmin Forerunner 405. I didn't worry about planning a route; I simply chose a direction and headed out. It was also helpful to watch my pace change and learn just a teensy bit about how I control that. Obviously I knew that I was controlling my pace, but I'm so bad about knowing whether I'm going fast or slow. I had a great run today, which was very encouraging given Sunday's yucktastic ick.
I also had some really sweet moments at field placement today, including a gigantic hug from a beautiful little first-grader and some laughs from a sixth-grader as she tried to incorporate my last name into a rap. Yup. I really enjoyed being a school social worker today.
In running/fitness related news, I finally got my act together and "joined" Operation Hardcore Fit, which was started by Megan over at Watch Me Go Run. I expect it will be fun to see other people meeting their goals, even as I hope to meet mine. Ah, the camaraderie of pain... I mean, success.
And finally, in completely unrelated, uninteresting and mundane news: currently, there are zero e-mails in my inbox. I sat down tonight with great focus to clean it out and I exceeded my own expectations. I normally try to keep it under 15, but I've been hovering around 25 for the past week now, including some that desperately needed responding. It's a relief. I know that those of you who keep hundreds or thousands of e-mails in your inbox at all times are shaking your heads right now, wondering what kind of weirdo I am, but I can't help it. I'm a minimalist when it comes to my inbox.
Goodnight, friends.
Showing posts with label social work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label social work. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Day 24 - Running All Day
Today's scheduled run: 6 miles
Today's completed run: 6 miles
Pace: 9:05 (consistently; I was treadmillin' again.)
In actuality, I feel like I ran about 15 miles today, as I started running as soon as my feet hit the floor this morning. P.S. 124 kept me on my toes, with a visiting presenter, a few crises, lots of paperwork, and my normal client load. I didn't actually get everything I needed done before I had to leave for a training, so I'll go in on Friday to see a few more kids and meet with another staff member. A few notable happenings:
I felt pretty strong during the run, and it went faster than I'd expected, which is always nice. I wanted to actually run close to the pace I'm aiming for (9:09), since this is supposed to be a pace run anyway, so the 6.6 mph on the treadmill was ideal. I rocked out to some Florence + the Machine, a favorite of mine lately, in case you couldn't tell. I also watched more of Planet Green. This time, they were airing a show on a new engine created by Airbus. This thing was gigantic and cost an absurd amount of money. It was actually very interesting.
On the screen next to that, which I watched during commercial breaks, was the show Right This Minute. I'd never seen it before, but it's my kind of show. Two of the features were especially notable: "Hiya! The Taekwondo Fighting Hand" and one in which a wife/mom serving in Afghanistan surprised her family by popping out of a box. One made me laugh, one made me cry -- I'll let you figure out which was which.
Although the TVs distract me from the boredom of treadmilling, I don't really like getting lost in them anymore. I used to enjoy that, but now I find they distract me from my stride and make me forget to breathe evenly. I look forward to this rain stopping soon, so I can get outside.
Until tomorrow...
Today's completed run: 6 miles
Pace: 9:05 (consistently; I was treadmillin' again.)
In actuality, I feel like I ran about 15 miles today, as I started running as soon as my feet hit the floor this morning. P.S. 124 kept me on my toes, with a visiting presenter, a few crises, lots of paperwork, and my normal client load. I didn't actually get everything I needed done before I had to leave for a training, so I'll go in on Friday to see a few more kids and meet with another staff member. A few notable happenings:
- An angry child put his foot (with a shoe, of course) right through the wall in the hallway.
- One of my students said to me, "You sound like one of those white chicks that talks." Okay then...
- Although I beat him twice at Connect4, I lost eight games of Tic-Tac-Toe... to a nine year old.
- We might be getting some back-up social workers! This is wonderful news, because two part-time and one full-time are not enough for P.S. 124.
I felt pretty strong during the run, and it went faster than I'd expected, which is always nice. I wanted to actually run close to the pace I'm aiming for (9:09), since this is supposed to be a pace run anyway, so the 6.6 mph on the treadmill was ideal. I rocked out to some Florence + the Machine, a favorite of mine lately, in case you couldn't tell. I also watched more of Planet Green. This time, they were airing a show on a new engine created by Airbus. This thing was gigantic and cost an absurd amount of money. It was actually very interesting.
On the screen next to that, which I watched during commercial breaks, was the show Right This Minute. I'd never seen it before, but it's my kind of show. Two of the features were especially notable: "Hiya! The Taekwondo Fighting Hand" and one in which a wife/mom serving in Afghanistan surprised her family by popping out of a box. One made me laugh, one made me cry -- I'll let you figure out which was which.
Although the TVs distract me from the boredom of treadmilling, I don't really like getting lost in them anymore. I used to enjoy that, but now I find they distract me from my stride and make me forget to breathe evenly. I look forward to this rain stopping soon, so I can get outside.
Until tomorrow...
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Day 23 - 10 am Gym Call
Today's schedule run: 3 miles
Today's completed run: 3 miles
Pace: 8:35 (consistently; I was treadmillin'.)
I found another ideal time to go to the gym: 10 am on a weekday. I had my pick of whatever treadmill I wanted and a lot of free mat space to stretch. Love that.
Normally I'm in class from 9-12, but I had an exam this morning that took less than an hour to finish, so I was free for some gym time. I thought an even 7.0 pace on the treadmill seemed like a good goal, so I pushed the up arrow, put Florence + the Machine on repeat, and ran. Every now and then, I would glance up at the TVs in front of me. My choices were Rachel Ray's cooking show or a show on Green Planet that featured volcanoes, man-made avalanches, tribal hunters, and sky burials... All that in one show!
All in all, a good run. I step up my Wednesday mileage to 6 miles tomorrow, and I'm looking forward to it. I only hope the weather in Baltimore isn't as yucky tomorrow as it is today!
To end on a nerdy note, I received two packages today, both of which contain reading I plan to get done over Christmas break.
- Inside box #1: four books from Ligonier (R.C. Sproul's ministry). I got the books plus shipping for just $23 on Black Friday.
- Inside box #2: six FREE resources from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Social workers can't turn down free resources... ever.
And, in case you did the bulk of your growing up in the 90's, like me, you'll be very excited to learn that Lisa Frank has a clothing line... for adults. Yup. I like the Rainbow French Terry Top, personally. Stylin'.
Until tomorrow...
Today's completed run: 3 miles
Pace: 8:35 (consistently; I was treadmillin'.)
I found another ideal time to go to the gym: 10 am on a weekday. I had my pick of whatever treadmill I wanted and a lot of free mat space to stretch. Love that.
Normally I'm in class from 9-12, but I had an exam this morning that took less than an hour to finish, so I was free for some gym time. I thought an even 7.0 pace on the treadmill seemed like a good goal, so I pushed the up arrow, put Florence + the Machine on repeat, and ran. Every now and then, I would glance up at the TVs in front of me. My choices were Rachel Ray's cooking show or a show on Green Planet that featured volcanoes, man-made avalanches, tribal hunters, and sky burials... All that in one show!
All in all, a good run. I step up my Wednesday mileage to 6 miles tomorrow, and I'm looking forward to it. I only hope the weather in Baltimore isn't as yucky tomorrow as it is today!
To end on a nerdy note, I received two packages today, both of which contain reading I plan to get done over Christmas break.
- Inside box #1: four books from Ligonier (R.C. Sproul's ministry). I got the books plus shipping for just $23 on Black Friday.- Inside box #2: six FREE resources from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Social workers can't turn down free resources... ever.
And, in case you did the bulk of your growing up in the 90's, like me, you'll be very excited to learn that Lisa Frank has a clothing line... for adults. Yup. I like the Rainbow French Terry Top, personally. Stylin'.
Until tomorrow...
Monday, December 5, 2011
Day 22 - Social Workery Things
It's another rest day. I'm getting a little tired of rest days. I'm sure I won't feel that way when the mileage increases, but for now, they're getting a little old. It's okay, though, because I'm still cranking out papers and studying for tests -- both of which I must do tonight.
I was at P.S. 124 today, and my day was a bit longer than usual. After the students had left, I got caught in a conversation with a teacher. I see four of her students -- three in a group and one individually -- and I've had an inkling for some time that she's a little upset about the morale at P.S. 124. As it turns out, she's more than a little upset. Teachers at P.S. 124 lack support and encouragement, making their already challenging job extremely hard. Because I'm an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) concentrator, my ears perked up at her wanting to talk.
We talked for about 45 minutes -- she discussed struggles and frustrations, I listened, and then we brainstormed about things we might be able to do together to create a support system for her and other teachers. It's probably the most satisfying discussion I've had at P.S. 124 since I started back in August. Don't get me wrong -- I love the kids. But therapy with children is just not my jam, it appears. So, this was awesome. I'm excited to see where we're able to go with it.
In other social workery news - check out this NPR article from 2008: "A Victim Treats His Mugger Right"
That's all for now; life feels pretty boring, but I did promise a post each day.
Tomorrow we run!
I was at P.S. 124 today, and my day was a bit longer than usual. After the students had left, I got caught in a conversation with a teacher. I see four of her students -- three in a group and one individually -- and I've had an inkling for some time that she's a little upset about the morale at P.S. 124. As it turns out, she's more than a little upset. Teachers at P.S. 124 lack support and encouragement, making their already challenging job extremely hard. Because I'm an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) concentrator, my ears perked up at her wanting to talk.
We talked for about 45 minutes -- she discussed struggles and frustrations, I listened, and then we brainstormed about things we might be able to do together to create a support system for her and other teachers. It's probably the most satisfying discussion I've had at P.S. 124 since I started back in August. Don't get me wrong -- I love the kids. But therapy with children is just not my jam, it appears. So, this was awesome. I'm excited to see where we're able to go with it.
In other social workery news - check out this NPR article from 2008: "A Victim Treats His Mugger Right"
That's all for now; life feels pretty boring, but I did promise a post each day.
Tomorrow we run!
Friday, December 2, 2011
Day 19 - A Busy Rest Day
As usual, today is a rest day, which is good because I am busy, busy, busy with a lot of fun things. I am headed to DC this weekend to spend some time with friends there, which is always a gift, because I have some wonderful friends there.
The weekend starts with volunteering at the race expo for the RAM Racing Hot Chocolate 15k/5k, which is tomorrow at National Harbor. I was supposed to run the 15k, but my plans changed. However, I'm still going to pick up my swag (because it's a jacket, not a t-shirt!) and volunteer. I've never been able to volunteer at an expo because of work schedules, so I'm looking forward to it. Happy running to those who are running this weekend, BTW!
After the expo, the weekend will be filled with visiting friends. It won't be all fun and games, as I have a 20-page paper to write for my Human Behavior class, but I've already planned a study party with a friend of mine who is taking classes right now. It's always nicer to study together, even if productivity drops significantly during that time. :) I'm also looking forward to the 6 miles I have scheduled for tomorrow. It's a drop from the last few weekends, and I'm feeling strong for it already. Let's hope that stays!
To close, I'll leave you with two very interesting articles from Runner's World.
Why Is Running So White? This article was so interesting to me, both as a runner and a social worker. In fact, I brought it up yesterday in my policy class, because we were talking about health disparities based on various demographics, i.e. income level, race, etc. Something so basic that I had never thought of before is that if you are living in an unsafe urban area, as so many people of color do, running is not an option. Running is a flight technique, not exercise. So interesting and so relevant for so many of our Baltimore residents and neighborhoods.
Transcendental Steps I read this article this morning, mostly because I've been trying to figure out if I want to challenge myself to run iPod-less. I'm not interested in the Buddhist meditation aspect, for obvious reasons, but I do think the principles are transferable in some ways. I could spend time meditating on the things of the Lord (Philippians 4:8), and I could simply talk with Him. I should relish that opportunity, not fill it with bad music. I'll let you know how it goes...
What are you up to this weekend? Anything fun? Any running?
Until tomorrow...
The weekend starts with volunteering at the race expo for the RAM Racing Hot Chocolate 15k/5k, which is tomorrow at National Harbor. I was supposed to run the 15k, but my plans changed. However, I'm still going to pick up my swag (because it's a jacket, not a t-shirt!) and volunteer. I've never been able to volunteer at an expo because of work schedules, so I'm looking forward to it. Happy running to those who are running this weekend, BTW!
After the expo, the weekend will be filled with visiting friends. It won't be all fun and games, as I have a 20-page paper to write for my Human Behavior class, but I've already planned a study party with a friend of mine who is taking classes right now. It's always nicer to study together, even if productivity drops significantly during that time. :) I'm also looking forward to the 6 miles I have scheduled for tomorrow. It's a drop from the last few weekends, and I'm feeling strong for it already. Let's hope that stays!
To close, I'll leave you with two very interesting articles from Runner's World.
Why Is Running So White? This article was so interesting to me, both as a runner and a social worker. In fact, I brought it up yesterday in my policy class, because we were talking about health disparities based on various demographics, i.e. income level, race, etc. Something so basic that I had never thought of before is that if you are living in an unsafe urban area, as so many people of color do, running is not an option. Running is a flight technique, not exercise. So interesting and so relevant for so many of our Baltimore residents and neighborhoods.
Transcendental Steps I read this article this morning, mostly because I've been trying to figure out if I want to challenge myself to run iPod-less. I'm not interested in the Buddhist meditation aspect, for obvious reasons, but I do think the principles are transferable in some ways. I could spend time meditating on the things of the Lord (Philippians 4:8), and I could simply talk with Him. I should relish that opportunity, not fill it with bad music. I'll let you know how it goes...
What are you up to this weekend? Anything fun? Any running?
Until tomorrow...
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