Birth of a Runner

1st birthday wish: run my age in kilometers this week

Since I will be turning a year older tomorrow, I decided to start on a birthday tradition. It should be a running birthday tradition – what else? To attain this, I must follow the training schedule that Isko was kind enough to provide, after I told him that my dad has been giving me the face every time I had to run up and down the stairs at home. Treadmills are a no-no with Candice around – my sister’s toddler is an athlete in the making. And of course, I will also work on those muscle strengthening exercises that Jonel (aka bugobugo) advised, climb another mountain, and probably take up on a duathlon challenge with Ian (aka seabiskwit)…ok, hold on…I may be having too many plans all at the same time. I think I better stick with Plan A first before I run out of birthdays.


my one year old niece at work

PLAN A
MONDAY – Rest
TUESDAY – 5K easy run with plyometrics with gym workout in the evening for 30-40 mins max (focus on legs and core)
WEDNESDAY – Speed session (80% then 5 mins jog or walk for recovery)
THURSDAY – 5K easy 5K fartlek 10K recovery (talking pace)
SATURDAY – long run 20-30K relax pace around 7-8 pace
SUNDAY – 5K recovery with pylometrics. Gym workout in the evening 30-40 mins max (LEGS/CORE)


2nd birthday wish: run 15k in the next race

During the recent Botak Paa-tibayan run, Isko asked me if I was running a 10-miler and my head shook from left to right that I swore a mini-tornado passed by the UP grounds before the race started. This made me think - I have been running a number of 10kms for a month now and I should be upping my ante. But of course, I won’t be able to achieve this unless I follow the proper training. The 15k masters is coming up in two weeks (aaakkk!…I gave you a hint on my real age – yup, just got qualified for the women’s division…now I wish I was born a week after the masters…hehe), but I doubt I will be able to keep up with the ‘masters’. Maybe, next race…opted to support the Baldrunner on this endeavor instead.

3rd birthday wish: keep fit and healthy

JC is very supportive whenever I have to go to the nearest gym – well, mainly because it’s near the internet café. Partially because he wants mommy to be an all-around athlete like himself – playing and winning medals in soccer, basketball, volleyball, badminton, chess, and swimming at only 13! I have yet to convince him to run though. CJ is supportive as well, especially if it meant accompanying me uphill to Timberland for a 6 kilometer run and back, which we did last Friday – with my cousin Cathy in tow, who has been complaining of pain and exhaustion all the way up (and down). Both girls had the same goal that day – to gobble up on the sumptuous congee that they have ever tasted in years. CJ plays soccer and volleyball like his brother and has won gold medals in swimming as well. Unlike me though, her passion is swimming.


early olympians

My sister, who used to join races before Candice arrived, would frequently give me tips on how to beat her 1:20 time for a 15k – whew! I hope to race you soon sis! Plus she never misses a beat when she scolds me on what I eat. My brother, on the other hand, stopped being a basketball player when college got tougher than he was. He recently joined a 3k run in Manila and was not keen at joining again, so his job is to tell me how I look (figure-wise) at every opportunity that he can get.

Fortunately for me, I renewed my gym membership just last week – after the cramp incident at Mckinley – and I started on the cardio exercises plus a 30-minute run on the treadmill this evening (ey, it’s my birthday tomorrow so be kind).


with my loving tita in HK last winter, one of the reasons why i'm still celebrating