Ran my second half-marathon of the season on Sunday, in Prince Albert. A hot(for me) day and I melted in the heat over the last 6 km. Went from running only to walking a lot. 2:12:05 Not anything close to what I wanted but I put everything into it so I am happy with the result. My problems really started on Saturday when I spent all day out at the farm sitting on the flooring peeling up old Linoleum. My Quads were killing me that evening, and I know that the Ben-Gay eased the pain but didn't solve the tiredness. Still, very much a fun run and, as always it is good to see old friends and make new ones. The Credenda team did well, Lori G. running a strong 10k and Steven C. doing his first ever Half-Marathon. Now to seriously focus on getting ready to do the Half at the Queen City Marathon in September. I would very much like to get under 2:05.
On other fronts, school is finally over and grades are in. What a super year it has been! I have not had this much fun teaching, nor worked this hard, in years. I certainly see lots of areas where I can improve my teaching, and the content of the curriculum. So I have lots of work to do before next year starts. I feel like I especially need to learn more about using the technology as an integral part of the teaching, yet I am altogether too aware how little mastery some of my students have of even the basics of technology, although they are not generally as intimidated as some of the site teachers are. But back to my original thought; I need to learn more and become more comfortable with the technology tools, rather than asking the students to use them when I am myself shaky in their use. Typewith.me being a good example. I was trying to do things with it that it couldn't do and not teaching the students how to use it. My bad!

School is winding down, but as always, as it winds down it speeds up. Putting together final exams and creating review materials for the entire semester are both relatively stressful activities. I am always concerned that I am asking too little or too much of the students. Still, it is a rewarding time as in so many courses that pieces that have seemed so disparate all start to come together. When the students start to assemble the bigger picture and get beyond the small fragment to the whole then so much of the learning jells. That is an exciting time for me as a teacher to see that happen.

On other fronts, I ran the half-marathon in Saskatoon last Sunday as part of the Saskatchewan Marathon. The weather was chilly and windy but at least it was not raining or snowing as had been forecast. the race itself was great fun; I ran a 2:08:59, which was well short of my 2:05 target but a lot better than what I thought I would do. Now to slowly ramp up my mileage to about 40 miles per week. I am running the half-marathon in Prince Albert on June 20th, so no great ramping up before that. But after that my next race is the River Run in S'toon on August 15th and then the half-marathon in Regina on September 12th. Probably traveling to Seattle in July and I don't think there will be many races to run there, not in July. Who knows, I might luck out!