The 9er

I have nine glorious days away from teaching. In my giddiness over this fact, I decided to do something nice for my students...this is rare. I wrote a handwritten letter to my failing and near-failing students that told them of my concern for their success and how they need to make the decision over the break to return with a renewed desire to try. I also gave them each examples of what "trying" looks like, because I'm pretty sure they don't know how that works. I found myself repeatedly writing lists that included the following: 1. Come to class 2. Do the work in class 3. Turn in the homework 4. Do the essays 5. Stay awake in class and 6. Bring paper and pencil to school every day.

All of this could have been summed up by saying, "Do your job as a student," but I don't think they would have understood that. Writing these letters about their need to set some goals and try harder, made me want to do the same for myself. If I'm going to run this marathon in Napa (and I've already registered...so I kinda have to...) I need to do a bit better sticking to my weekly mileage goals. It's difficult finding the time during the middle of the week to run 8 miles, but I have to figure it out or I won't be successful come March. So I'm going to use this break to continue my training with renewed vigor and some new goals. Here's what I came up with...

1. Wake up at 5:00 A.M. twice this next week and run at 7:00 A.M. to practice race-day time.
2. Run my 10 miler on Saturday as called for in the schedule.
3. When I return from break, run one day a week BEFORE school to help keep my mileage up (AH!).
4. When I return from break, I will run one new site a week--starting with Florida Canyon or Cowles Mtn.
5. Order new running shoes and injinji toe socks.

So we'll see how that goes. Like I've said before, I love making To Do Lists. It's doing the to-do's that is sometimes the prob.
Have a great Thanksgiving.
I probably won't be posting for a 9er or so.