2:30 PM - Sunny and blue skies. Crisp and cool. Temp only in the low 60s maybe at best in the sun. It was windy and you could smell fall in the air. You know that smell you get with the leaves falling that it just smells like fall... Saw a lot of leaves that already were starting to change colors.
Friday was a long day for me. Woke up at 5am after not being able to sleep well. Had to get up and prep for my lesson. Was in charge of leading 5 lessons for 8th grade social studies and I didn't know what to expect, because it was my first formal observation by the rep from the College of St. Rose. I teach 2nd through 6th periods, and usually by 6th period the kiddos are either super hyper or just dead to the world before lunch. Everything went really well though, only two minor critiques. I have to try hard not to use "you guys" when referring to the whole class because I guess it is sexist and a no no. And I guess I missed a young lady in the back that had her hand up so I have to make sure not to let kids shout out before calling on whomever raised their hand. Other than that, she said my delivery was right on, I had smooth transitions, and she said that I was pretty much "a natural" and that it was a relief because some people she has observed I guess don't have the same presence in the classroom and have a long way to go to get to that satisfactory level by the end of the student teaching experience. So overall I was pretty happy! Then I had to go right to work in my school clothes and worked 4pm to 1130pm, and then 9am to 2pm today (Saturday). Was pretty tired. Only got about 7 hours max sleep last night, though it felt good to "sleep in" until 7:30am this morning!
Wanted to take a minute to mention a book I read on Friday. Read it during lunch and couldn't put it down so I read it and finished it before heading to work during my kids's learning lab period. It is called T4 and is a novel in poem format that recounts the life of a young lady during WWII that is targeted by the Nazis not for being Jewish or a Gypsie, but because she is considered "disabled" since she is deaf (result of a bad fever and ear infection when she was 16 months old). It recounts her struggles as well as her relationships, romantic and familial. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good read or that has a high schooler.
Went to the 5k course in Wilton Wildlife today after work. Changed in my car and then hit the trails. Way too many people were using the trail. Normally at most I see one other person walking a dog. But today I saw no less than 6 groups of people! Saw five dogs, a bunch of kids, including a couple boys going the opposite way that kept saying "Hi! Hi!" when I went past them the first two times, and then the second time, the older was carrying a stick like a samurai sword and pointed it at me as I approached. He goes, "Wait! You're still running?! Man I feel lazy!" Haha. Kiddos are cute. One little dog was off a leash at the start of the run, a little thing. I was approaching it and three ladies at the crest of a big downhill so I said "On your left." One girl jumped. Then the dog started following me, and I was a little nervous because of the whole dog attack thing on Thursday before Open House. Don't know why I was afraid of that little puny thing today though. Then one of the girls yells "Benn! Benn!" after I passed them. I stop and turn around and I'm like "What?!" And the girl is like, "Uh, no not you. That's the puppy's name." I go, "haha that's my name too! How cool! See you, Ben!" And took off. Felt strong. Other than that didn't have to break stride at all. Ran the whole run continuous. Felt really good. Stretched afterwards. A small coughing fit just because still can't shake this dumb cold! Now time for a shower and mucho homework! Splits today were:
- Mile 1: 9:00
- Mile 2: 8:21
- Mile 3: 8:14
- Mile 4: 8:26
- Mile 5: 8:30
- Mile 6: 8:07
- Mile 7: 7:51
- .2: 1:28 (7:13 pace)
Total Time: 1:00:00 Total Distance: 7.20 miles Average Pace: 8:19 | 
