Tri-training-teacher-mom mornings.

I had a fantastic run this morning, considering that I had to start it at 4:45 am.
I have to be at work at 7:10. However, I have to ACTUALLY be at work by 6:45, or I'll get stuck in traffic behind every parent who can't bear to put their precious darlings on the bus. (At our house, if you miss the school bus, then you better start jogging, triathlon boy)

Anyway, I'm actually starting to feel like a runner. Oh, sure, I've been running for a little over a year now, but it's been more like a kind of fast shuffling, really.
More like a little jog.
But now, I even get the little nods of greeting from other runners! I'm in their club! I am a runner. Bliss!

It was pitch black, and it was my "new" moderate run. My old one was a 5K, and my new one is about a 7.5 K, and includes hills, This was the run that, when I tried to do it in the spring of 06, I wound up crying because it was SO HARD and I couldn't catch my breath.

And today, it was easy.

It was 58 degrees outside, and for once this month, the humidity seemed to be below 50%. Also, the crud cold/allergy thing I had last week seems to be on the wane, although it is hanging around long enough so that I can contribute some really long, juicy throat clearing.
Often. while others are trying to hear.

After my run, a quick shower, jump on the scale where I am--surprise--just 9 pounds Athena legal. Then plenty of swearing and running around the house half dressed, Where the hell are my keys? Who took my--oh, never mind, I found them and--WHO THE HELL TOOK MY SUNGLASSES--oh, never mind--WHERE IS MY LANYARD??!?
etc.

Wake up Mini-me, who has overslept, so that he can catch the bus. Make sure he's got his bagel, lunch, and Gatorade.

Out the door by 6:30 to get to work. Run back in to give Sweet baboo a goodbye kiss.

At work, drink a sugar-free energy drink, and wound up bouncing around like Tigger in front of a classroom full of lethargic eighth graders at 7:30 in the morning.

"What's the matter with y'all? Why, I've already run over 4 miles this morning, and I'm old!. Wake up!" For emphasis, I ring my cowbell that I got at the end of the Deschutes Dash. I am the teacher from hell.

In approximately 15 minutes I'll have my first hot flash of the day and I'll be walking around the classroom, fanning myself.

About 15 minutes after that, the caffeinated energy drink will have worked its way through me, but my first opportunity to go to the bathroom doesn't come until 9 am.

By 10:40, lunch time, my stomach will feel like it's wrapping itself around my spine, desperate for some sort of food. During my 30 minute lunch period, I'll talk to 4 kids about their grades, 3 kids about the work they missed while they were on an impromptu family trip, eat my lunch, go to the bathroom, chat with some other teachers, chase some kids out of the hallway, check my email and phone messages, and get ready for my next class.

After that, I'll chase through some emails trying to figure out what new stuff I have to do this year to prove that I'm doing my job and not squandering taxpayer money, since, apparently, that's what teachers do; it's all about the money.

Later that day I'll call 3 parents, email several more, make several sets of photocopies, set up my classroom for tomorrow, and go home.

The highlight of my day was that 50 minute run at 4:45 in the morning, and it was enough to last the entire day, so, tomorrow, I'll do it all again.

In other news, Mini-me, who decided to join Cross Country, has 'shin splints'. I'm so new at this that I don't even know what those are, really, except that apparently it has something to do with whining and having your mother give you a LOT of sympathy and food.

...