I'm still here

I've been having a serious motivation problem lately.  Not about updating, but about getting out and doing my training runs.  Thinking back, I feel like it came on the heels of that awful 17 miler I did about a month ago now.  After failing to run the second half of that at an acceptable pace, I kind of let myself get defeated.  For a while, (read, until today) I really didn't even want to keep going with this whole marathon things.  Seriously, who in their right mind decides to run a marathon, just for fun?  It's not like I'm trying to BQ and I don't really plan on running anymore, so what was the point.  Luckily, thanks to a power hour at boxing today, I finally pulled myself out of that mindset and back into the marathon pump up.
Let's stick with what I know.  I KNOW I can run a half, in good weather, in 2 hours and 1 minute.  So, given the idea that I want to try and come in around 4:30, that leaves me another 2 hours and an extra half an hour to get in the last 13.1.  On top of that, if I can do 17 in 3 hours and 4 minutes, that STILL leaves me an hour and half (give or take a few minutes) to finish the last 9.2.  I know I've done a 15K in 1:34, which is almost exactly what I'll have left.  So, putting it all together, assuming the weather is good, I can make a good start and keep up a fairly regular pace without too many stops, I should be able to come in right around my goal time.  Of course, my goal time is an entire hour slower than what it would take to BQ, which is why I say I'm not even attempting it.  But, I am attempting to finish in a reasonable amount of time.  If for no other reason, I really don't want to run for 5 hours.  Who does?  Especially when I have the prospect of a 6 hour drive home ahead of me after the marathon.
So, I know I slacked, and I know I'll pay for it.  At least I've been boxing on top of my training, so I'm hoping that will improve my endurance.  If you're wondering how power hour got me back into my pumped for the marathon state, it's simple.  Usually there's a trainer or two walking around having people hit the pads while you work on combos. Today there was 4.  That's double the amount that usually circulate.  These four weren't going easy either.  It was always just one more round, just 10 more hooks, a 100% combo burn-out.  In short, there were no excuses.  If the trainer was in front of you, you were going 100%.  Lucky me, I got visited by all  four trainers at different times, therefore forcing me to dig deeper and work harder.  And on the heels of that push, came the push I needed for the marathon.  So, to the awesome trainers at Title, who won't let you quit, thanks for getting me back on track!
You know what else helped?  Ryan telling me that I should just not do it, because it's crazy and who wants to do crazy things.  I know he meant it and didn't mean it all at once.  I think he seriously means it, because he doesn't want to drive down there, and to be honest, I think that's the worst part of all of it, I don't want to make the drive either.  But, I know he didn't mean it, because he doesn't want me to give up, so when I'm whining about actually giving up, he pulls out the old reverse psychology and makes me NOT want to quit anymore.  He's slick, but he knows what works.  And I know even though he hates the whole thing, he'll be at the finish line, being disgusted by the runners and happy for me all at once. So, at least I have that motivation. Thanks Ry!
In other news, I got my donorschoose project funded, so that's all set and it's awesome.  School has been going great this year and all the children seem happy to be back.  I actually made some cool crafts for school, which I'll share later. Right now, I'm trying to stick to marathon training updates.  I want to try and run from heartbreak hill to Copely as a shorter training run, a few weeks before the marathon, just to get a feel for it, and be able to say I at least ran part of Boston.  Other than that, I think I'll stick to regular routes and aim for the 20 miler this weekend.  Here goes nothing!

I need your help to INSPIRE!

In a bit of a deviation from my usual blabber, tonight's post has a new and very important topic.  My wonderful school full of students and their (and my) desperate need for some new materials. For some quick background information, I teach math, all students grade 1-5, at an elementary school in an urban city just outside of Boston.  My school is old and we are missing a lot of new technology.  Most noticeably, we have no library, just some bookshelves in the hallway on each of the three floors.  Without a library, it's hard to keep these books organized and even harder to find books that are relative to the subject matter.  In an ideal world, I'd be a millionaire.  In the real world, I'm not even close.  This poses a problem most often when there are supplies I want to give my students, but lack the means to acquire the supplies.  Last year I noticed a major drop in mathematical literature for students above grade 2.  There are lots of books at the school about counting, sequencing, and ordering numbers.  Past those basic skills though, there is little to nothing.  I desperately want to give my older students new fictional, math centered stories.  Plenty of these books exist, the problem is getting them into the hands of those who need them.  Some of my favorite math centered books include the Sir Cumference stories and the other math adventure series.  Unfortunately, these books come at a price, and when added up, it becomes more than I can support on my own.
So, this is where your help become necessary.  I've set up a donorschoose project focused around fictional math literature for older students.  My project also includes a video recorder so that the students can practice, explain, and record math strategies, using the books, to show to other students.  You will also see a request for bins, necessary to store the books in a central location and provide an easy way to keep track of what is being used at the moment.  Donating money is a lot to ask, I know this.  But if you can't donate, there are other ways you can help.  One of the simplest ways is to share this blog post or my project link.  If enough people share, I am confident it will reach people that would be able to donate.  Remember, no donation is too small.  Even $1 will push the project along.  In fact, if you donate this week, and enter the code INSPIRE at the payment screen, donorschoose will even match your donation.  This code expires on August 26, but the project will be open until it is fully funded or until December, whichever comes first.
If you read this blog, please take a moment to share or donate, and help these students have a future in math!  Here's the link to my project, just click and go.  Flipping for math
Thank you!

The first Sir Cumference story