WOO HOO!!!!

I ran 6 miles tonight!!!!

I'm starting to feel it thought. Hope I can bike to work tomorrow.


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Now playing: Supergrass - Never Done Nothing Like That Before

FIVE MILES!!! YEAH BABY

My goal is to run a marathon before my next birthday. I have been taking my running more seriously, but haven't been perhaps training as well as I could. There's a running group I used to go to in Kingston, but I haven't gone in over a month. It's easier to run longer distances when you have running mates. I find running solo much more of a challenge. At 3 miles I hit a wall when I'm by myself, but not today. Nope, today I RAN FIVE MILES ON MY OWN!!!! I even ran into 3 friends while running and stood running in place while I spoke with each for a few minutes. Needless to say I'm quite pleased with myself, but I think my success may have quite a bit to do with my choice of music. I lost my iPod a while back and am waiting to visit the US for the holidays to replace that. Until then I use my phone which has almost no memory, so I can only put a few select songs on it. I do believe the playlist I created was responsible for my distance today. As the lyrics in my first selected song stat, 'It's the music that we choose.' (set list below)

Five miles down. 20 more to go.

Gorillaz - 19-2000 (Soulchild remix)

Lamb - Sugar 5

G. Love & Special Sauce - I-76

Nikka Costa - Everybody Got Their Something

De La Soul - A Roller Skating Jam Named S..

Shriekback - Nemesis

My Week Thus Far

On Monday the shuttle to work smelled like it was burning. However, it was a cold morning so I convinced the other passengers that it was just the smell of the heater being turned on for the first time. I was wrong. As it turned into the narrow road leading to our school, it stalled and the inside began to fill with smoke. There was a small fire in the engine. We had to push the coach off the main road and up the smaller one leading to school. Then, we had to walk the rest of the way. There were a few kind people who stopped and picked us up as they drove towards the school. I got a ride the last 1/4 mile from a colleague. During the day I had a few students tell me that they had seen me walking as they went past in their parents' cars. I made certain to thank them for the ride they never offered.

On Tuesday the fire drill went off in the middle of our lessons. Apparently an electrical fault had set it off. We were outside for what seemed like forever in the balmy, October, English weather.

I regularly bike to the station where the shuttle picks up. It's about 3 miles each way from my flat. When I got home on Tuesday, I also went for a 3 mile run. Needless to say I was quite proud of myself. I biked to the station on Wed as well but didn't run.

On Wed parent/teacher conferences began. I actually said, "There is nothing wrong with a B. It is a very respectable grade," to four different parents. Get a grip people. They have the rest of their lives to stress over grades. Let them be a kid while they still can. Just because your childhood is over doesn't mean you should end theirs prematurely. In addition, there were far too many good tasting goodies in the staff room, and samples of each all found their way into my mouth. It's a damn good thing I have been biking to work.

Wed. eve I almost set fire to my kitchen while making appetisers for a girly night I was hosting for my neighbour Catherine's birthday. My kitchen was filled with smoke causing me to open all my windows. It was reminiscent of the shuttle fiasco earlier that week. All was well and good in the end, but I did end up throwing out an entire blackened baguette. Fortunately, Julia was at the store at the time of my mini-crisis and was able to grab me another before she arrived. Poor Catherine ended up stuck in her flat until almost 9 due to the idiot builders putting in her new kitchen. In the end we still enjoyed bubbly, nice snacks and a few episodes of "Sex and The City".

Today I woke up hungover (go figure) and decided to take the train to the shuttle instead of ride my bike. I again spent the entire day talking to parents and eating too much food from the staff room. When I came home the sun was shining, the temperature was warm, and it was a perfect day to run by the river. So, I took a nap on the sofa instead. I was just too damn tired and still a bit hungover.

I'm currently in my PJ's, watching telly and blogging about my oh so exciting life.

And that, my dear reader, is all for now. Stay tuned for another thrilling update soon....Yawn....I'm off to bed now.