Hard Time Adjusting...

[Veronica]

The beginning of school is always hard. I woke up this morning at 3:30 with my mind abuzz with ideas for my class. In some ways, that is a good thing. I did my video this morning. But by the time the afternoon rolled around, I was exhausted and had a headache.

This happens to me every September. We debated at my grade level meeting today whether it was lack of caffeine (no morning coffee, because I'm doing the videos), lack of sleep, dehydration, doesn't feel like that kind of headache, or allergies. Yeah, my grade level is really cool!

I'm looking at my schedule for the month and thinking, "How am I ever going to get my milage goal this month?" My weekends are packed with other stuff. Today I got home and slept for 90 minutes. So no outside ride today. Tomorrow I have an afterschool meeting...

Goals are supposed to be difficult to attain. I gotta work on my plan this month.



V.

[Trekhawk]

Mate I dont know how you girls that work fulltime manage lots of things including riding. I help out at the kids school on Wednesdays 8-30 to 12-30 in the school library then 1pm to 2-45pm in my youngest boys class. I got home today feeling exhausted from the effort of keeping Kindy kids from gluing themselves to desks, books and each other. As you can probably guess no riding for me on Wednesdays. I have plenty to do the other days but as Im the boss I can arrange a few hours off for riding to keep the staff of one (ME) happy.

I hope you manage to find some time in your busy schedule to fit some riding in. As I mentioned above you working girls have my admiration for working a fulll day and still getting your rides in.

[kelownagirl]

I hear ya - I have been SO tired this week and today was our first full day. By noon, I thought it must be almost home time... I didn't ride today or yesterday. Hoping maybe tomorrow. I need to come up with a realistic mileage plan for Sept / Oct.

[DebW]

V, don't get yourself run down due to lack of sleep and other stress. Sometimes biking has to take a back seat to other things in life, at least temporarily.

[Veronica]

Hence the nap today!

Tomorrow I'll be bringing a Red bUll or two to get me through the afternoon meeting. It's Leadership. Someone from every grade level to discuss various schoolwide issues. Not nearly as efficient or on task as my grade level team.

V.

[DirtDiva]

..I got home today feeling exhausted from the effort of keeping Kindy kids from gluing themselves to desks, books and each other...

Trek, dear, you've got it all backwards! Let the kids glue themselves into immobility then kick back and catch up on Thread Drift. You can use that solitary child that hates getting dirty and avoids the glue-fest to bring you tea and bickies.

[songlady]

We just started back on Wednesday of this week and you all speak the truth, it IS exhausting. And as a special area teacher who sees her kids once a week, this basically means I have 5 first days!!!!

[Veronica]

Well I'm happy to say I got out for a ride this afternoon. I was out less than an hour and only did 13 miles. But, it was so nice to be outside. Afternoons are still hot here - 85 degrees. So I'm happy I got myself out - especially AFTER a meeting.

V.

[Kano]

The beginning of school is always hard. I woke up this morning at 3:30 with my mind abuzz with ideas for my class. In some ways, that is a good thing. I did my video this morning. But by the time the afternoon rolled around, I was exhausted and had a headache. V.

Take it easy for a few weeks Veronica! I don't work in a school, haven't in many years, but I remember that the kids always brought home colds and such the first several weeks too. And what the heck is the deal: Kids hate to share, except for the icky stuff! They were always MORE than happy to share the crud with each other and us!

Karen in Boise

[rocknrollgirl]

Hey fellow teachers!!!!

Every September I am so tired when school starts that I am convinced I have some horrible disease that has not yet been diagnosed by my doctor. We roll right in to the school year trying to keep up our summer training and racing schedule and forget how tiring the start of school can be.

Just standing in front of a class taking for 40 plus min five times a day wipes me out.

yep.....September disease.....and I have an offroad tri next Saturday.....

Ruth

[Bad JuJu]

I remember that the kids always brought home colds and such the first several weeks too. And what the heck is the deal: Kids hate to share, except for the icky stuff! They were always MORE than happy to share the crud with each other and us!

And remember to wash those hands a lot! Kids don't do it nearly as much or as well as they should, so we have to be more diligent about it ourselves. I wash my hands several times a day, and especially after collecting papers, etc. from my students--don't want to "collect" any unhealthy microbes along with their papers.

[eclectic]

I am right there with you. We started 21/2 weeks ago.

My goal is only to get another 170 miles in by freezeup and I don't know if I am going to make it. Between other activities starting again and funerals (They have all been elderly - 90+ - relatives of the BF) there isn't much time to spare.

I have to realize that some goals just may need to be modified and other priorities set.

Often I have a tension headache by the end of the day and the last thing I want to do is exercise when in reality it is the best thing I could do.

I bit the bullet last March and quit caffiene totally - Best decision I made - I feel so much better all day.
Water is the beverage of choice (except the odd adult libation on certain occasions like Wed night football picks and Friday night outings, and dinner parties, and Sunday football and . . . )

One of my main goals this school year is to get to bed at a decent time. So far I have been able to acheive it.

AND a long time ago I learned to say NO a fellow teacher said "we are not the workhorses for the district" (We were always getting calls for special projects from banners to programs that they would want us to work into our curriculum - like we don't already have meaningful work planned) The first question I ask now is "what would you be willing to pay?" Usually that ends the conversation

Good luck and stay healthy!

[Bad JuJu]

exercise ...
and quit caffiene totally...
get to bed at a decent time
learned to say NO
Good luck and stay healthy!

Wow, eclectic--now that's a recipe for success! And one I need to follow. Since school began, I'm still getting plenty of miles in on the bike, but I'm also ingesting (inhaling? ) far too much caffeine, almost never getting enough sleep, and have taken on the responsibility for two programs that I probably should've left to someone else (though I am getting a small additional stipend for each one).

Two weeks into the semester, I'm still feeling OK, but I really do need to cut back on the caff and get more shut-eye. Was it tough to ditch the caffeine totally? Any tricks you used?

[Crankin]

It's good to know I am not alone. I've ridden more this summer than any year before and I am definitely having withdrawl. Usually, I get sick in Oct./Nov. but it already started. Yesterday I had a chest x ray, blood work, but it is all allergy based...maybe an allergy to work! I just feel worn down from all of the riding (I know it's nothing compared to you, Veronica), getting up at 5 every day and grading papers at night. I usually ride 1-2 times a week after school until it gets too dark to do that. Then I walk, hike, or go to the gym. I have yet to get back on my weight lifting schedule. Plus, I have a pretty challenging ride to lead on the 17th and my first century on the 24th.
One of our math units has to do with planning a bike tour! The math teacher asked me to do a lesson with the kids in Lang. Arts on my bike trip, etc. So, I will bring in my new bike (they haven't seen it yet) and pictures from my tour. I haven't commuted to school because it's too dark in the AM already for me to get here at an hour that will give me some breathing room before the kids come in.

Honestly, I am looking forward to this being my last year. I am not burned out and definitely don't want to turn into one of those teachers that doesn't care, but I feel more stressed out than when I had 2 little kids, was working, and doing volunteer work.

[Veronica]

I just feel worn down from all of the riding (I know it's nothing compared to you, Veronica), getting up at 5 every day and grading papers at night.

Oh man... don't remind me of papers to grade. I've got math Diagnostic Tests to look at and yesterday I had the kids write out their goals, and they definitely need to be edited for spelling!

Be glad you're not crazy like me Robyn. I really want to do Paris - Brest - Paris next year... Life really is easier when you're not trying to fit insanely long rides into it.

V.