Swim and Run

Yesterday, I trooped to Fitness First Platinum RCBC so I could squeeze in a little swim to my routine. I have to warn everyone though that I am not really a swimmer so excuse my squeals of delight if I reach a distance and I get happy with it. So much so that when I relax underwater and stop being so conscious of what I am doing, I swim farther. Heck,I don't even know what stroke I am using but I think it is leaning towards freestyle. LOL! Anyway, I stayed for about 30 minutes inside the pool wearing the Speedo swim cap so I don't get chlorine all over my hair and the Speedo Merit goggles I bought to motivate me to learn how to swim.

It was eventful...I was able to swim the entire length of the pool without stopping and I literally gave myself a pat on the back. I made exactly 16 rounds and my legs were killing me after so I had to relax in the hot tub after. A bottle of Gatorade and one of the granola bars I brought fueled me up.

I then changed to my running outfit and clocked in a good 20 minute interval training on the treadmill. I was both happy and disappointed that I am still stuck at the 10.30km/hr doing the intervals. I wish I could improve this pace. I know I'm getting there, I just put too much pressure on myself especially that November 15 is just around the corner. I then did some ab crunches using the ab machine so I could rest my legs while I tone the midsection. I felt my core fully engaged and I was happy about the 100s I did. I then headed to the stepper and climbed 30 floors total. I was huffing and puffing after. All these I did before heading to work.

While at work, I felt so sleepy but managed to get it through the day and then after shift, I run at the Mall of Asia esplanade stretch again. I did a run/sprint/brisk walk routine from Tram 1 to Tram 5 stations five times. I brought with me the Hammer energy gel (chocolate and it's just 90 calories) and a bottle of Gatorade. I am beginning to like how the gel taste and I think it's starting to become a favorite.

I love it when my energy is just surging. I am ready to roll again tomorrow...

Pushing My Limits

Wow! Today was crazy...looking back at what I have done. I ran about 7 miles (6.99042591267 miles to be exact --- I get nerdy like that). I could not believe myself. A friend I talked to after the outdoor run commented I was starting to be a machine already. I still felt like I had so much energy stored that I could still run for another decent distance. I rested for a good 20 minutes or so and then decided to row using the rowing machine. But I changed my mind and decided to just run in the treadmill again, after all I am building my endurance. I however ended up not running anymore because a Physical Therapist approached me and so we just talked while I brisk-walked. I did a 2% incline 5 speed walk for 40 minutes. I registered another 1.8 mile. What fueled me up this morning? Let's see:

Breakfast:

• 1/2 cup Nestle Fitness and Fruit
• 1/2 cup skimmed milk
• 2 hard-boiled eggs

Breakfast:

• 500mL Pink Gatorade
• Clif Bar Chocolate Almond Fudge
• 500mL H2O
  

All those fuel plus a very good sleep last night caused me to run like I have never run ALL MY LIFE!

After working out, I did some stretching and then stayed in the sauna for 15 minutes or so. I had a little talk with Anna (the PT) and then headed for home. I felt hungry again so I cooked some of the vegetables I bought the other day. I rubbed the chicken slices with marjoram and rosemary and coated them with garlic powder. I knew it was going to be a hit. I then cut up some tomatoes, bell pepper, cabbage, and a granny smith apple for some sweetness. I mixed 'em all up and then tossed in the bean sprouts and I got me a healthy and filling lunch shared with Joyce and Uncle Don. Delish!

As advised by my Nurse Little Sister, I am typing this while my legs are elevated. Hmmm, I think it's doing wonders. It felt like jello earlier but now they're so much better. Thanks Lil Sis, I owe you one!

Marathon Training Day 10

I woke up a little too early today because well I slept a little early too. I wasn't even able to watch the evening news anymore. I did not report to work last night because I was on compensatory time off and so I stayed home and brainstormed for this week's meal plan. As of this writing, I haven't laid down the plan yet but I already have a few goodies from Healthy Options (yes, I eat organic!) as well as the supermarket (fruits and all).

I went to the gym this morning and took advantage of the perfect weather. As planned I ran outside the gym, just by the bay. It was not chilly and the ocean breeze and the wind was super cooling to the face. I brisk-walked for 1 kilometer and then run back the same distance. There were a few people out there that early that I got distracted so I went back to the gym. I was able to run 3 miles today on the treadmill at 3% incline and average speed of 7. And I am super ecstatic to announce that after the little injury I had last week I was able to reach my goal of finishing a mile in 10 minutes. I had a big smile plastered on my face while I was nearing the 10 minute mark. I finished 1.04 mile in 10 minutes. So yes, I am getting myself the Nike Sportband! Yay to that!

After the run I squeezed in some exercises using the lat machine while I rested my tired legs. My arms kinda hurt right now but I think I'll be okay.

I have my new playlist to thank for reaching target...finally! The David Guetta remixes were kick ass (I liked I Wanna Go Crazy the most). I will write another post after I eat some lunch about the new playlist. In the meantime, I'll fix me some california maki. Yum-ohhh!

Marathon Training Day 5

There was an event at the gym today so I really did not enjoy my workout. The gym was brimming full with people who attended the 2nd anniversary of the branch (Fitness First Mall of Asia) but I was still able to squeeze in 10 minutes of stair stepper and 10 minutes of wave machine as well as a quick 15-minute run. I will try to work harder tomorrow.

Marathon Training Day 4

Wow! Wow! Wow! = is all I can say. I impressed myself today. I stayed in and out of the gym running with occasional breaks for 4 hours. Yes, four hours. :-) Before the workout, I saw an ad about the Nike Human Race Run and I immediately took the opportunity to sign up and take advantage of the training programs. I got me an online coach and the training started yesterday. I was tasked to run 3.21KM and I can proudly say that I did it and a little bit more.

I've also seen some improvement in my time in reaching a kilometer. I am still relatively slow but I am proud of my couch to running experience. I can now finish a kilometer for 11 minutes using interval workout. It's a big improvement from 13.35 minutes. I am just on my second week and I am positive I would be able to improve this speed as we near the Timex Run.

I ran for 3KM indoors and then went out to run by the bay for a good 30 minutes so yay to that. I ran more than my target today and I still have more energy to spare. I got back inside the gym when it started raining and did 100 reps of ab exercises, 100 reps each of adductor and abductor machine, 5 minutes on the stair stepper machine (roughly equivalent to climbing 17 floors), and another 5 minutes using the wave exercise machine. Of course, I did not forget all the stretching pre and post workout. After taking the needed rest, I stayed in the sauna and steam room for a good 15 minutes each. It was all too relaxing.

The rest of the afternoon was spent looking for "the" shoes I am planning to buy on payday. I am torn between the Nike Air Pegasus and Nike Air Max but I am leaning to the Nike Zoom Victory. I still have five days to decide. I picked up a pair of training gloves and a Nike Distance Long Airborne Women's Tank Top in Blue.

Marathon Training Day 3

I decided to move my rest day today because I was too sleepy to be able to muster a few kilometers and run. I will resume full interval workout tomorrow early in the morning. I will just be dropping my gym bag in my locker at the gym and then head straight beside the bay to have some outdoor running session.

I was actually discussing with someone earlier today that I think I needed an outdoor environment to simulate what I am going to encounter for the real day. I can't always be inside the gym running on the treadmill. I plan to run at least 5K tomorrow outdoors and then run for another 5K max indoors if I could still cut it. Or just simply replace the indoor run with the following depending on my energy level tomorrow:

The Perfect 20-Minute Workout Plan

*2 minutes March in place (or from locker room to weight bench).
*2 minutes Squat (butt, legs): Hold a dumbbell in each hand, arms by sides, and squat. Do 20 reps. Rest for 30 seconds.
*2 minutes Full or modified push-up (arms, chest, core): Do 25 reps.
*2 minutes Alternating lunge (butt, legs): Hold dumbbells, arms by sides, and lunge, alternating legs each time. Do 20 reps on each side
*2 minutes Jog in place.
*2 minutes Deadlift (back, butt, hamstrings): Hold dumbbells with palms facing thighs, knees slightly bent and back straight. Bend forward from hips. Stand up, pushing through hips. Do 20 reps.
*2 minutes Dumbbell press (shoulders): Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, back straight, dumbbells at shoulders, palms forward. Push arms overhead; lower. Do 15 reps
*2 minutes Jumping jacks
*2 minutes Bent-over row (shoulders, back): Hold dumbbells, palms facing in. Bend knees slightly and hinge forward from hips, back straight. Pull elbows up to ribs, keeping arms close to sides; lower. Do 20 reps.
*2 minutes Basic crunch (abs): Do 25 reps.

Quick Tip

Run with a friend. If she's slower than you, focus on perfecting your stride by landing lightly on your heels, then rolling forward to push off on your toes. If she's faster, pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone one or two days per week will help you get stronger. Either way, distraction and conversation will help the miles fly by.

***If anyone out there is interested to be my running buddy, let me know.

Tomorrow will be shopping time for some running gear and a pink workout gloves. Shopping by the way, is another form of exercise. :-)

Marathon Training Day 2

Today is the second day of my preparation for the Timex Marathon.

I initially planned to just run for 2 miles but I ended up finishing 6K of interval workout and some rowing and ab exercises on the side. Guess you can tell I am really serious now. No more going to the gym for show or just because I am meeting a friend to chitchat with.

You might ask if I am really joining the full marathon. No, I am not joining it just yet. I will just join the 5K leg. I am training now to avoid any untoward injuries and I might not last and finish the run if I slack off. I will try so hard not to miss any scheduled run and try to up the ante everyday and challenge myself and surprise every muscle I use when running. I am hell-bent on putting this motivation to good use.

I promised to share my Week 1 playlist yesterday to you and so here goes:

1. Can't Fight It (Ne-yo) 3:36 - this should be good for some stretching and waking up my sleepy nerves (oh yes, I come from a graveyard shift and then head straight to the gym)

2. I Know You Want Me (Pitbull) 4:00 - this I listened to while alternating between brisk walking and running, 3 incline 5 speed for 2 minutes, 2 incline and 10 speed for 1 minute and 4 incline and 5 speed for another minute

3. Right Round (Flo Rida feat Keisha) 3:26 - this is a happy song. I loved it while running. 5 incline 5 speed for the entire duration of the song

4. Boom Boom Pow (Black Eyed Peas) 4:13 - some more interval madness. 3 incline 5 speed for 2 minutes, 2 incline and 10 speed for 1 minute and 4 incline and 5 speed until the song fades

5. I Gotta Feeling (Black Eyed Peas) 4:07 - by this time your endorphins don't want you to stop anymore and you feel so pumped up you just wanna go on and on. 3 incline 5 speed for 2 minutes, 2 incline and 10 speed for 1 minute and 4 incline and 5 speed until the song fades

6. Go Girl (Pitbull and Trina) 3:52 - easy brisk walking for the entire duration of the song

7. Bojangles Remix (Pitbull with Lil Jon) 4:35 - 3 incline 5 speed for 2 minutes, 2 incline and 10 speed for 1 minute and 4 incline and 5 speed until the song fades

8. Spotlight (Ne-yo) 4:05 - time to go easy and just brisk walk 5 incline 5 speed for the entire duration of the song

9. Whoop D Whoop (Pitbull) 2:32 - one last hurrah 2 incline 7 speed for the whole duration of the song

10. Stay With Me (Ne-yo) 3:53 - walk slow as you cool down and do some more stretching

I will update my playlist on week 2 of training. I will for sure increase the intensity and choose faster songs.

An interval workout, which alternates between moderate and fast speeds, not only blasts fat, it also keeps the burn going. You'll knock off 9 percent more calories for up to 14 hours after 30 minutes of high-intensity exercise (Florida State University study).

Marathon Training Day 1 (My First 5K)

I am starting my full-on documented training today. I'm going to kick-start it with a 3KM interval workout using the latest playlist I have created. I will post the list in another article when I get home. And yes by the way, I was able to convince two friends to run with me on November 15 and we are more than stoked to join the marathon. We will be registering tomorrow and will try to as much as possible train together as well. In the meantime though, I'm all set to do my training today and I am amazed at how pumped up I am. I have never been this motivated ever.

I told JSL about this and I think I got his support. :-) We just have to wait until the 13-marathon on air is done on that one fine day in March. While that is still high up in the air, lemme go pick my gym bag up and head to the gym and sweat this excitement away.

Here's my plan for the week though: Run For Distance = Test the Endurance and Stamina

Week 1

Saturday - Rest. Rest is an important part of any training program.

Sunday - Run 1 mile easy. Run at an easy "conversational" pace. If you cannot talk clearly, you are running too hard.
Monday - Run 2 miles easy. Run at an easy pace.
Tuesday - Rest or cross train. Rest or engage in a non-running activity.
Wednesday - Run 2 miles easy.
Thursday - Run 2 miles easy. All of these easy runs are performed at the "conversational" pace.
Friday - Run 2 miles easy.

This program will allow me to comfortably finish a 5K. It is not intended to run a fast 5K or to improve my speed. The next few weeks will be more rigorous but yeah I won't torture myself...

Is Marathon For You?

Training for a marathon is no small matter. With an official distance of 26.21875 miles or 42.165 kilometers a marathon is not a race to undertake if you are unprepared. That said, people have been running marathons for more than one hundred years, and the marathon has roots in greek history, where it is said that after the Persians had been defeated at the Battle of Marathon, Pheidippides, a greek soldier ran all the way to Athens to announce the victory, and then promptly expired. These days people no longer die while running a marathon, but it is still quite an accomplishment to complete a marathon, let alone be competitive while doing so. The current world record time for completeing a full marathon is a scant 2 hours 4 minutes and 55 seconds, held by Paul Tergat in 2003, but most people are generally happy finishing in a more reasonable five hours or so.

Marathons are becoming more and more popular these days. Marathons in large cities around the United States have started lotteries to pick the participants because of overwhelming registrations.

Proper Running Shoes
The most important decision you can make is proper running shoes for the biomechanics (way your foot moves) of your feet. The number one cause of injuries while training is improper shoes. There are three types of running shoes: stability, cushion, and motion control. Stability shoes are designed for those that have neutral to slight pronation (rolling your foot inward) during running. Cushion shoes are designed for people with high arches, and motion control shoes are designed for people that over pronate or roll their feet too far inward. Find a running shoe store that can test your biomechanics and recommend proper shoes for you.

Eat carbs
We don't need to over eat carbs, just make them 60% of your daily diet. Carbs don't make you fat, they are actually your major source of energy. Often people running marathons for weight loss don't eat enough total calories for the amount of exercise they are doing. This puts them into an exercise starvation mode that shuts their bodies' fat burning properties off and people actually store more fat. If you are not losing weight with your marathon there is a good chance you are not eating enough. Use a heart rate monitor to measure your calories you are burning and add every calorie burned over 500 back into your diet.

Get electrolytes
Drinking water is good enough. Electrolytes we eat and drink absorb water to keep us hydrated. Especially running in heat people sweat out tons of electrolytes and without replenishing them stay dehydrated even if they drink water. Electrolytes are found in salty food, sports drinks, and many of the running gels you can purchase.

Interval Training
Most marathon training programs only put interval training into the advanced programs. Interval training is actually great for people at every level. Interval training is workouts where you repeat short durations of high intensity followed by short durations of low intensity running. Interval training is the most efficient way to increase your speed and your body's ability to produce more energy. With proper heart rate training any person can do optimal interval training.

One Long Day
You actually only need to do one long run a week. If you can do it once you can do it for your race. Most people do too many long runs each week, which puts too much extra toll on your body. This extra toll causes so many of the marathon training related injuries. Most injuries occur from people doing too many miles, not running to fast.

Plenty of Sleep
Your body needs the rest from all of your training. The best way to have a poor race is not to give your body adequate amounts of sleep. Getting rest the week before your race isn't good enough. To be in peak shape for your marathon you need to get a good night sleep for the entire training program. One night of bad sleep isn't going to do anything though consistent lack of sleep will greatly damper your results.

Train with a Heart Rate Monitor
The best way to train at the correct pace for you is using a heart rate monitor. Training each week at different heart rate zones optimizes your speed and your body's ability to produce energy. Liveleantoday.com, an online personal trainer and dietician website, customizes your heart rate zones for optimal marathon race results. Secondly, noticing changes in your heart rate from day to day can tell you if you are overtraining, not getting enough sleep, or you are dehydrated.

Training Partner
To run your best marathon it is good to get a training partner. A person that will help you be accountable to your training program and get out of bed on some of those tough days. If you are unable to find a training partner on a regular basis, find a person you can do interval training workouts with to push you and challenge you to become faster.

Rest
You want to be in peak shape for your marathon race day. A good taper for a month before you race is ideal. A taper is a slow decrease in the mileage each week allowing your body to recover. You are not going to make any training improvements that will matter for your race, so give your body the rest and run the fastest race for you.

Finally, go easy on yourself. We all want to start fast and look good at the start of the race. Most people take off too fast and burn a high percentage of their stored energy in the first mile. Taking off to fast will drastically slow down your pace for the whole marathon. To run a fast time start even slower than you think and gradually pick up your pace until you get to a good pace for you. Starting slower will give you energy to go at a fast pace for the entire race and even go faster at the end. The greatest way to run a poor time is to be slowing down the whole second half of the marathon.

Timex IronMan

When: November 15, 2009
Where: Bonifacio Global City (beside NBC Tent)
Categories: 3K/5K/10K/21K (download race maps here)

Regular Registration is from Oct 4 - Nov 1, 2009

* Selected Timex Shops: SM North Edsa, SM Megamall, SM Mall of Asia (MOA), SM Southmall, Glorietta 3
* Nike Bonifacio High Street
* The Trion Towers (Site Showroom): Mckinley Parkway cor. 8th Ave, Bonifacio Global City
* Grand Showroom: Robinsons Land Corporation, Robinsons Galleria
* AmiSa Showroom: Robinsons Place Manila (ground floor)
* Online registration via Finishline.ph - Click JOIN NOW
Note: Corresponding delivery and online processing fees will be applicable for online registrants. See pricing matrix here. All online registrants (local residents only) will automatically have their race kits delivered.

Late registration is from Nov 2 - Nov 9, 2009

* Timex Shop SM North Edsa, The Trion Towers (Site Showroom)

Important Reminders:

* Singlets will be given to the first 3000 registrants only. There will be no singlets for late registration.
* Disposable timing chips will be used by all participants during the race.
* Medals will be given to all 21KM finishers.
* All finishers will be given free loot bags courtesy of Nature Valley.

Part of the proceeds will go to the Timex-Unicef school in Masbate.