Still spreading the word...

Please don't stop!

Wow...life didn't slow down after the marathon like I thought it would. Things just got so busy at school that I couldn't seem to get ahead. I've been coming home from school at around 8pm every night and I basically just pass out on the couch. For the last two weeks I haven't done any exercise and I haven't been eating the best as well. I think I'm ready to get back to normal this week. I'm going to bring my running clothes to school tomorrow and go running around there. Here's hopin' for a good run!

I just wanted to share this article with all of you that I was hoping to post awhile ago, but now I'm finally getting around to it. Sorry. Anyway, this was the story published in the Star Tribune about the marathon that I'm doing with my kindergarten kids. There was a picture of us in the newspaper alongside the article so I hope most of you got to see it. If not, at least here is the article to read. The kids are doing great with their marathon. They look forward to running for Larry every day and the two times we had to cancel the run for the day because of the rain many tears were shed. This will actually be the last week of the marathon for the kids because on Friday they will complete the 26th mile. Like this article says, Friday is my dad's birthday and we will also have a celebration. What a great way to honor him. Truly how all of this has turned out...this blog, the support, the marathon, the kids marathon, etc....has more than exceeded my expectations. This has been an amazing journey and I thank you all for sharing it with me. I love you very much and please don't stop spreading the word. This adventure surely isn't over yet!!

ps. I will be posting pics of the marathon very soon. I will also be writing another blog on Saturday to let you all know about the marathon party and show you some pics. Please keep checking the blog!

-Lacy

West metro school briefs
, Star Tribune

MINNETONKA DISTRICT
Pupils help teacher train for marathon

The Spanish immersion kindergarten class at Minnewashta Elementary School in Excelsior helped Señorita Lacy Hladky train for her first marathon by running a kid-sized marathon of their own -- and tracking their progress in Spanish.

Hladky ran the Twin Cities Marathon on Sunday in memory of her father, Larry Hladky, who died Oct. 6, 2007, after he was diagnosed with the brain disorder, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Lacy Hladky said she wanted to raise awareness of the disease and found a good way to involve her students.

"Not only does it help with numbers and Spanish, but as a teacher, you look for meaningful experiences for your kids that relate to everyday life," Hladky said.

Each day during their math lesson, Hladky's students broke into teams of four. After stretching to counts of one through eight in Spanish, each team ran a one-mile relay, or one-quarter mile each. Students didn't have to run if they didn't want to, but most of them were excited to participate, Hladky said.

The students understood that Señorita Hladky was running for her father, and they wanted to help. After each run, they shouted in unison, "Corremos por Larry" -- "We run for Larry."

Then came the math. After the kindergartners counted their miles, they calculated the distance left to complete a marathon. The students compared their finish times with each other and marked off their progress on the classroom marathon map, all in Spanish, Hladky said.

"It's given me the extra motivation when I'm out there running," Hladky said. "Not only do I think of my dad, but I also think of my kids who run every day around that track for my dad."

On Oct. 24, Hladky's Minnewashta Spanish immersion class will have a fiesta to celebrate. Then they'll sing "Feliz cumpleaños a Larry," (happy birthday to Larry) because Oct. 24 was Larry Hladky's birthday.