Well, I’m down to a week and I have my first adventure planned…stay tuned.

But today, I’m just going to ramble off another story.

It’s summer and as a teacher, I’m off for the summer. Well, mostly. Except this summer and last summer and pretty much all of them.

So far since school has been out, I’ve been to a conference and worked on a book study. I have several STEM planning meetings and I will be working on two online classes so that I can make it to the next step on the pay scale. When people say that teachers have the “whole summer off”, it’s not exactly true.

Teachers are always learning. They work on professional development and planning for the next school year. Some of them even have summer jobs.

I’m definitely not complaining. My time is super flexible and I get to sleep in, spend more time with my family and friends, take vacations and I’m still getting paid.

That was just a little shout out to all my teacher peeps…

So I have the summer (mostly) off.

How do I spend my time when I take my teacher hat off?

Watching stupid tv shows like Botched, My 600 Pound Life, and Worst Cooks In America (I’ll talk more about that another time because cooking…ugh).

I’ve also been going to the gym and running.

I’m trying to stay fit. I’ll never forget witnessing my 80 year old grandpa jogging from the campground in Grand Coulee to my Aunt’s house.  I told him how impressed I was.

He responded, “If you want to live to 100, you’ve got to keep moving!”

Way to go Grandpa…you inspire me.

I also have many teacher friends who motivate me. We are currently doing a Fit Bit challenge and I’m in last place. I should be walking around the neighborhood (playing Pokemon Go with Jaxon) to catch up, but instead I’m entertaining you.

So number 10 on my adventure list is running a 10k with my homegirl Bethany.

They say you get this thing called a runner’s high, but I think that is a lie.

It’s the runner’s high lie!

I’ve tried. I ran a 5k…the whole thing. Without stopping. It was awful.

They say you just need to run longer. I still think that’s a lie.

Today someone said to me, “If you can run 3 miles, you can totally run 6”.

Ummm…I beg to differ. Not without dying. Or puking. And definitely not without working up to it. Right?

I like to think I’m competitive. I also don’t like it when I’m not good at something.

Take softball. I tried it. I sucked. I quit.

I feel like quitting running too.

Then my teacher voice kicks in and all the things I say to my students runs through my head.

“The only way to get better at something is to keep trying”

“To FAIL is just the First Attempt In Learning”

“The only failure is the failure to try”

“Practice makes better”

“You can do it”

So I shall continue. My students will be my motivation. My competitive nature and my supportive friends will kick me in the rear when I need it.

Tomorrow I will meet Rachel and we will run 4 miles.

I will not puke.

I will not die.

I can do it.