Preview of the Month Ahead

Knocked out two runs yesterday - four miles in the morning, probably about 3.5 at the track (well, really mostly through the park) last night. I am a little tired, but the good, over-taxed muscles kind. So far this week I've logged about 21.5 miles. I plan on four to five tomorrow morning and sevenish on Sunday. Next week I might lighten it up a bit for a rest week. I have a five mile race next week, so it seems like a good time to drop a few miles.

Today is the last day of preschool till next September. It's always nice to be finished and yet, I miss it during the summer.

I don't want you to think I'll be laying around and eating dark chocolate Doves though - let me give you a preview of what is planned for the next month:

I've got a four hour meeting next week, plus a retirement breakfast and party (both) on Friday for my boss. I still attend preschool board meetings all summer, plus I'll be teaching the Intro to Early Childhood Education class again this summer. That starts late in June, and I need to organize my notes and update my syllabus. Plus there is a new edition of the text out that I need to read through - and adjust a couple of assignments to. Plenty to do! Teaching a summer course is always a challenge. The class is three hours long, twice a week and I have less overall time to cover the same material that is covered in a regular quarter. For some reason, the students think the class should be easier since it is summer.

The other thing that I will be doing is applying and hopefully, interviewing, for the department coordinator position. That is my boss's position (she hates being called "boss" but it's so much shorter to write than department coordinator) - she's retiring after something like 14 years in that position, before that she was a Parent Education Instructor like I am. I've been waiting all spring for the job to be posted, and I've heard through the grapevine that it will probably happen next week. One other person from our department is also going to apply, as well as a former co-worker - those are the only two I know for sure. I find the whole thing a little scary - after all, it's been 12 years since I've applied and interviewed for a job.

I've also been asked to join the Board Development committee at the Y, in addition to my current role as chairman of the Program/Membership committee. I got a call yesterday asking if I would be willing to be interviewed by representatives from the National Y. They want to discuss our 50% membership increase in the last year - our Y opened six years ago with a goal of 8000 members and is currently at 18,900. That is stunning! As one board member mentioned, we are a small city all by ourselves.

Eric and I are also signed up for a hamstring stretching study by physical therapy doctoral students at one of the local universities. That will be two nights a week for four weeks. The bad news is that it will interfere with our Thursday night track workouts!

The Rainier to Ruston Relay and Sound to Narrows races are coming up, and the finally, our trip to Alaska for the Midnight Sun Marathon (and for Riley and I, the five miler).

As you can see, I won't be slacking during the next month!