Back to school

Well I am officially back to school!  The kids don't come in until next Monday but all of us teachers have been there bright and early every day this week setting up our classrooms, making sure we have all of our student's textbooks (and the teacher's editions that go with them), and all going to all of the boring informative meetings that we have to attend.

This year I've decided to do a red, white, and blue theme in my classroom.  I will actually have a real class so I need to do more than just general bulletin boards.  Because I teach special education and I generally do inclusion, I didn't use my own classroom often.  This year however, due to the Class Size Reduction Amendment, my school is doing things a bit differently and I will have a class of 18 second and third graders (some of them Ex. Ed. and some of them General Ed).  It will be a challenging year, but hey, if I can run a marathon... I can do this!

The biggest problem is trying to find a time to run.  Early morning runs were my preference all summer, however, now that I have to drop off Baby Girl then be at work (a 20 minute drive) by 7:00am every day, an early morning run just isn't feasible.  On the other hand, I get off at 3:00pm.  However, this is FLORIDA!  Florida this time of year is excruciatingly hot and humid.  With 90+ degrees and humidity that make the temperature well like over 100, running after I get off of work isn't a great idea either.  I don't have a hydration belt (yeah, I need to get a good one that doesn't jiggle and annoy me as I run - suggestions?) so running too far/long is not a safe option.  Hubby is working nights at the moment so running in the evening once it cools down isn't great either because by the time it cools down enough, it is too late.  I would have to take Baby Girl with me in the stroller and it would put her getting her bath and going to bed too late.

Saturdays are no problem as I can still get up early and run with Baby Girl in the stroller, but that is about the only day that I have a fool-proof running solution.

I know it sounds like a lot of excuses, and that is exactly what it is.  However, I feel they are some valid excuses.  Other than obviously getting a hydration belt, what would you do if you were in this situation? It's not going to cool down for a good while down here...