The measuring tape is my friend.

Two weeks after setting my goal of getting fit again, I come face to face with my measuring tape. The number just across my belly button:

29 1/2

Pretty good considering I haven’t been going full blast yet with my fitness routine.

The first few days had me going on and off: one meal I’d be eating so healthy and so controlled, then the next I’d binge. As for exercise, I think I was only able to do one 15 minute yoga workout within the first week. I was totally sedentary for the rest.

To quit or not to quit?

I was thinking of quitting and accepting things just the way they are.

I’m a mom, I’ve had two kids. This is just the way mom’s bodies are. Better accept it.

That’s bull, my better self would say. There are a whole lot of moms who get even better bodies after they give birth, it can be done.

But they’ve got personal trainers to help them workout and personal chefs to cook them healthy meals. And they’ve got plenty of time to exercise.

Double bull! If you want it really bad, you won’t have excuses. Just actions. And more importantly, results!

Can you imagine the turmoil going on in my head? And so I did the next best thing I could think of at that moment. I downloaded a calorie counter app on my Android.  

Calorie counter anyone?

Sample diary from My Fitness Pal Android app.

MyFitnessPal helped me to set my goal weight and to determine how many calories a day I need to consume to achieve that. The magic number: 1,200 calories.

I know for most, calorie counting can be limiting. But for me, it was an eye-opening lesson into just how much I eat in a day.

A cup of white rice, for example, can amount up to 205 calories. So if I eat rice three times a day, that’s 615 calories — already more than half of my calorie requirement.

Just the act of logging meals into the app made me more aware of what and how much I eat. Not to mention, I was more wary of eating chips and chocolates because that would surely make my calorie intake for the day to skyrocket.

Thats not to say I didn’t eat some though. I still did but I was more controlled.

If you want to eat more, run more

For the past two days, I finally mustered the discipline to run again. Kernan was home for two straight mornings and we were able to go to UP early.

I only ran four kilometers each time but it was enough to make me want to go running regularly again. As an added incentive, when I logged my run into MyFitnessPal, it showed that I can eat around 400 more calories worth of food.

Lesson is: If you want to eat more, exercise more.

Seriously though, of course the goal is to exercise and to stick to the calorie requirement. Even better if I can consume less than the calorie requirement and still feel full.

A new plan for Week 3

Now that I’m moving into the third week, I’m planning to kick it up a notch. Time to commit and to be more serious about getting fit.

I like things to be spontaneous but if I want to get better results, I realize I need a more organized plan.

So I dug up my copy of Fit Yummy Mummy which I bought two years ago. It features a workout plan consisting of 15 – minute routines you can do everyday in the comfort of your own home. It also teaches some tweaks and tricks for eating food that nourishes your body.

I’ll try to do the workouts everyday. But even if I don’t do it perfectly, I’ll just keep doing it. I’ve read the success stories of moms who got even better bodies after doing the workouts. Hey, that could be me too.

One of the things that FYM recommends is to keep a journal of your progress. That would help you be more accountable and more motivated especially when you’re already tracking results.

I missed out on this one for the first two weeks. I can’t really tell you I ate two bags of chips in one day, can’t I?

But this time, I’ll try to blog more regularly. Hopefully, that would help me become more disciplined too.

Week 3 begins tomorrow, here we go!

Round.

That’s how my face is shaped now, or so it seems to me.

Work has caused running to take a back seat and my body is showing the sign of it. Okay, I should probably say, the proof of it.

I’m generally doing okay. I still have the energy to do things I need to do at home and at work. But I feel sluggish sometimes and my clothes have been feeling a bit snug.

I have no excuse, just an admission that I’ve forgotten to make my health a priority.

I don’t feel good physically, and that’s already a red flag that I need to get fit again.

I have no plans yet of going on a diet or doing a drastic workout.

We all know that doesn’t always work.

The goal

What I do intend to do is take one step at a time, one day at a time. I’m not a fan of routines, but I can make small steps to achieve my goal.

The last time I weighed myself, I was 125 pounds.

The last time I measured my waist, I was at 31 inches.

And no, I’m not ashamed to reveal my weight or my waistline. I’m thinking being open about all of this would help me be more accountable.

My fitness goal is to weigh 105 and measure 25.

That means I need to lose 20 pounds and six inches.

The plan

For food intake, my initial plan is to replace dinner with a glass of Herbalife chocolate shake.

I will still eat breakfast and lunch like I usually do. I will try to cut back on the rice but I won’t pressure myself into doing it. I will see first if this works, if not, then I’ll tweak the plan.

For exercise, I intend to spend at least 15 – 30 minutes on physical activity that feels good to me. The fun factor is very important, it has to be a workout that I like to do.

I  just don’t subscribe to the saying “No pain, no gain” because the moment something feels painful for me, then I have to stop doing it.

Right now, I like walking, jogging and yoga. I can walk or jog around our neighborhood first thing in the morning or I can do yoga exercises in our room. I’ve also been searching for some fun and simple workouts online so I will mix things up as I go along.

The daily log

The only way this will work is if I commit to it and if I keep myself accountable so I will post a daily log of what I eat and what I do.

I’ll take weekly measurements to keep track of my progress and to see what is working.

This all begins on May 1. I am giving myself three months to accomplish this goal which means I expect to see results by August 1.

Wow, now that I’ve set this goal and committed myself to it, I actually feel positive about accomplishing it.

I don’t expect the journey to be perfectly smooth, but I think, as long as I keep going, I will get there.

Here’s to better health and sexier bodies.

Let’s do this!

BGC Parking Lot
April 10, 2011 @ 4:00 am

An hour before the race, I’m sitting here in the parking lot, chilling out and setting my intention for this run.

I had no practice again. You could tell I haven’t touched my running shoes since my last race. How would you know? My old DTAG was still attached to my right shoe when I wore it awhile ago.

So I’m taking it easy again. Will just enjoy the race and finish strong.

Right now, it doesn’t matter if I’m fast along the course, what matters is I cross the finish line running.

The yellow bib

I’ll take pictures after the race when my face looks vibrant. Vanity prevents me from doing so now because I feel bloated and sluggish.

Blame it on the humongous plate of pasta I devoured last night for dinner. Plus, days of eating rice and fried foods.

Yeah, common sense is knocking: Listen to your body. Get a move on and eat healthy.

That’s why I promise, I resolve that I am taking my health seriously. Starting right now.

The race

I went to the assembly area half confident. My stomach was feeling heavy and it didn’t help that the energy drink I had with me was carbonated.

I braced myself for the long run, and tried to squeeze a few stretches and high knees amid the crowd.

When the gun start fired, I started calm and strong. I let all the others run past me and fought the urge to run faster.

Relax. Enjoy. Breathe.

Around the fifth kilometer, I was starting to feel exhausted. I needed to focus on something else to take my mind away from it.

I thought of looking for guide posts, markers that I could use to focus on my progress. I imagined the electrical poles, lamp posts, trees, stoplights and footbridges were finish lines that I crossed again and again.

I tried to avoid looking at the road ahead. I just kept looking up and up. I kept going and going.

And before I knew it, I could see the arc with the big bold letters: FINISH.

A burst of adrenaline shot through me. I used all the energy I could muster to speed up and run past everyone else.

Before I crossed the finish line, I glanced up the timer: one hour and twenty.

Ah, sweet, sweet victory.

Took this photo minutes after I crossed the finish line.

Despite severe lack of sleep and practice, Kernan made it to the finish line. Though he didn’t get a new PR, I’m proud of how he triumphed over his body to finish the race still running.

He was in pain as we made our way to the parking lot, but no cramp was gonna spoil our moment.

We’re both winners.

Winners!

When I achieve a sub 60 for my 10k, I’m going to aim for a 21k to push my limits again. Oh yeah, it would be nice to get some of those medals too.

That’s Kernan’s medal and that’s me visualizing.

Visualizing my 21k medal.

Tomorrow, I will go running.

My first 10k race kit

As to how fast I was, I didn’t care. So much. Well, I aimed for a modest 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Kernan and I were up early. He wanted to have some warm ups, I just wanted to catch a bit more sleep in the parking lot. I wanted to preserve all my energy, I had a long run ahead. At least for my beginner standards.

When I finally went to the assembly area, it was refreshing to see a different set of runners. There was something different about runners in the higher categories. They look more serious. More determined.

I felt confident even a few minutes before the gun start. And when I finally stepped on the starting mat, I smiled. This is it.

I let all the other runners run past me. I used to feel bad when that happens and I’d try to run faster. But this time, I had more important things to do than to satisfy my ego. I wanted to finish this race. And I wanted to finish it strong.

I looked at the road ahead, I glanced at the buildings around me. If I wanted to finish this race, I gotta enjoy and do some sight seeing. I needed to take my mind away from how far away I still was from the finish line or I’d easily get tired.

When I had to run on the first flyover, I was still smiling. It was still dark and the air was cool. I had plenty of energy to burn.

Running on the Skyway was exhilarating. I mean, how many times can you run on a Skyway? Even when I saw the faster runners already running at the opposite side, I just felt all the more motivated to finish.

Exhaustion hit me around the 8th kilometer. The sun was almost up and the air was getting warmer. The run on the second flyover found me slower but I cut myself some slack. I decided that whatever energy I had left would be spent running fast across the finish line.

And run fast, I did.

It was the day before my 29th birthday.

My gift to myself was another challenge conquered and my first running medal.

My first running medal

I made it in one hour and 26 minutes.

I made it!

And I can only thank my running partner for life, Kernan, for believing in me first. For supporting me during the training and assuring me every time that I could do it.

We made it!

Ironically, I was feeling so energized after the race. And in honor of my first 10k , I just had to paint a dolphin. A yellow one with my name painted in blue.

A dolphin named Jayme

And right then, I just knew, I couldn’t wait to run my next 10k race.

Relax and enjoy the view.

That was my mantra for my 5k run at the Subic International Marathon. It was our first run for 2011 and we wanted to have fun.

Kernan and I brought the kids along and we went to Subic as early as Saturday so that we’ll have time to go to Ocean Adventure and Zoobic Safari.

On the day of the race, our schedule consisted of Kernan’s 21k race in the early morning, a trip to Zoobic during the midday and my 5k run in the afternoon. I would have wanted to run in the morning too so we could enjoy the rest of the day but I guess the organizers can only manage so many runners along the route.

We went back to the hotel from Zoobic just an hour before my assembly time. I was so hungry when we got back, I made the mistake of eating a hefty late lunch: rice, fried chicken and spaghetti. Yeah, I know, big mistake.

My big realization

When I got to the assembly area, I was quite disappointed by the crowd that turned up. I could only spot a few serious runners, and when I say serious I mean people who really joined the race to run.

Most of the participants seemed to go just for the sake of being there. Some even had make – up and jewelry on!

I think it’s great that a lot of people are getting into running. I believe running is for everyone. But when you join a race, at least take it seriously. Some youngsters who joined were running as if they were playing habulan and they were rowdy along the road.

I wouldn’t mind so much if they were at the sidewalk, but they were doing it in the middle of the route, distracting everybody else.

Anyway, that’s when it dawned on me. Five kilometers is a relatively short distance and I guess that’s why most people don’t take it seriously. Parang alay lakad lang.

So right then and there I resolved that it was time to move up the running ladder. Subic International Marathon would be my last 5k race. My next one would be a 10k.

The race

The route was quite enjoyable since we passed by the yacht club. My technique was to keep looking at the sights surrounding me so I won’t be thinking about how long I still have to go.

The road was well marked and there were enough marshalls to ensure that all runners ran safely along the main road.

I chose one runner ahead of me to be my pacer. For about 3k, I was running just a few steps behind her. I admired how she was so relaxed while running, I don’t even remember her stopping to take a sip.

As we were starting the fourth kilometer, I suddenly felt a little acid in my throat. Acid reflux!

I was tasting the chicken, the spaghetti and gravy all at once, and not in a pleasant way. I had to slow down to calm my stomach and my throat. Whenever I would try to speed up, the reflux would start again so, whether I liked it or not, I had to go slow.

My pacer just kept going and going until she was almost out of sight. I just focused on calming myself and finishing the race strong. Slow run but fast finish.

I thought about my hubby and babies waiting at the finish line, I knew I was going to make it.

My energy surged when I saw the final bend toward the finish line. When I saw the FINISH banner, I managed to go faster and faster. Ironically, Linkin Park’s “Faint” was blaring in my ear, but I was getting stronger and faster by the second.

I sprinted the last few meters to the finish line with a new PR.

Time: 36 minutes and 30 seconds.

My last 5k run at the QC International Marathon was 37:20.

I came away from that race with three big lessons:

1. Never eat a hefty meal before a race.
2. Always aim for a strong finish.
3. Nothing beats seeing your family cheering for you at the finish line.

I’d still say it was a great experience for my last 5k. I wouldn’t miss running a shorter distance. I was ready to be a more serious runner.

Next up: My first 10k race at the Condura Skyway Marathon

Yes, I am running again. And I know I’ll keep running.

I’ll keep blogging about it too. Or at least, I’ll try to.

When I started running last year, I made some mistakes that caused me to almost quit. I got shin splints. I got chafed. I got sick running in the rain.

But I also learned important lessons that kept me going. I learned how to focus. I learned how to put strength first before speed. I learned the value of determination.

I finished 2010 running a 5k and I’m proud of my progress.

I’ve finished my first 5k race of the year at the Subic International Marathon, an experience that convinced me it’s finally time to step up to 10k. I’ll explain why in a later post, but one thing I realized, the longer the run, the more serious the runners get. And I think I’m ready to be a serious runner.

My first 10k race will be the Condura run on February 6, a day before my birthday. I have a modest and realistic goal of finishing within one hour and 30 minutes. I aim to finish this race strong and I want to enjoy it.

Shall I set a 21k goal by the end of the year? We’ll see. What’s exciting about that prospect is I’ll get to race alongside my hubby, finally.

Will you start / continue running this year?

I can tell it’s gonna be a happy running year.

Wake up.

I opened my eyes and glanced at the clock. 6:45.

Still too early for my usual 8am wake up call.

I glanced at Kernan and he was already awake too.

“Tara, jogging tayo. Check ko kung umuulan sa labas,” je said.

I curled up in bed, my mind battling between getting an hour more of shut eye and an hour of running at UP.

“Basa yung daan,” he reported.

The bed seemed so hard to leave. After all, it felt good to finally have someone to cuddle with especially on cold mornings.

:Jogging tayo,” he urged again.

“Five minutes,” I said.

As if on cue, I heard my inner drill sergeant shouting in my head, “Oh come on, remember that bulging belly you need to get rid off? Up! Now!”

And I was up in an instant. We quietly prepared our stuff and we were off.

Oh my running shoes, how I missed you.

I was so glad to be with my favorite running buddy again.

I was surprised to see this row of flowers in front of the Music building. Just goes to show how long I haven’t run.

We started slow, walked a few meters then jogged the rest of the way.

I knew right away we made the right decision. I felt so good.

I had no Ipod and I was only holding a bottle of water in my hand. Strangely enough I was caught by the different scents around me.

It was good to smell the wet earth and the fresh air.

As other runners passed us, I could smell flowery perfumes, baby colognes, and Safeguard. Thankfully, everything was pleasant.

A runner zoomed past us and I thought of running faster. But no. I took my time. I wanted to enjoy the moment. After we finished two rounds, I decided to rest while Kernan did another.

I so loved getting that rosy glow again. Oh my chubby cheeks, I definitely won’t miss you.

A lovely comment I received from Cheryl on a previous post prompted me to come back from my blogging hiatus and write this.

Wow, it’s been more than a month since I last ran and I can’t tell you how much I’m having a DNR: a Desperate Need to Run.

Since my running partner flew abroad for work, I can’t bring myself to go to UP and run. One, I feel uneasy going there and running alone. Two, and this is the main reason, I can’t run without missing him more because we always run together. I miss him enough as it is, running will just make it worse.

So now my lovely running shoes are just sitting there under the stairs waiting to hit the road again. Meanwhile, after more than a month of inactivity, I’m feeling sluggish and the waist has expanded a bit. Okay maybe, more than a bit. My jeans are feeling a bit tight again and I know that means I need to get back into the running groove soon.

The good news is my running hubby is coming home in four days. Woohoo! I told him we should start running again the morning after he arrives. Besides, we only have a little more than a month to train for the Camsur Marathon in September. I’m actually just running a 3k though. He’s running 21k so he needs to train harder than I do.

I’m so excited to hit the road and get fit again. And when that happens, this blog is gonna run, run and run with posts and photos. More stories soon!

It was the first day of the week and I was excited to run. I was bent on doing another 8k.

It was Kernan’s rest day so he was just going to accompany me to UP.

Just as we were preparing to leave, our eldest daughter Jamaine stirred from the bed and opened her eyes. I tried to put her back to sleep but she saw a light piercing through the curtains. “Mommy, wake up na tayo, morning na.”

I thought, “Should we cancel our run?”

Weeks ago, when we let her tag a long with us, she cried when I had to run ahead of her and had a big tampo that morning. I wasn’t able to finish my intended distance.

But instead of not running at all, Kernan still decided to bring her along promising to distract her so I could have my run.

But I made sure to explain to her, “Mommy will run later okay. Just stay with Daddy.”

She said, “Okay Mommy. ‘Di ako mag-cry.”

We were doing fine as we did our warm up walk and she did not run after me when I broke away from them so I could run faster.

After finishing one round, she pulled me to the side of the road so she could hop on the mini yellow posts along the sidewalk.

I played with her for a bit so I could rest but I was intent on having another round. She ran along with me for a few meters when she suddenly asked to be carried. She clung to me so I couldn’t pull away.

That was it, that was the end of my run. DNF.

But then I was happy I did not finish.

There are things more important and more fun than running.

I realized the time I spend with my girl is far more valuable than any running time I could achieve.

When she’s older, she’ll be my other running partner.

I think she’ll like running.

In the meantime, we’ll tag her along and play with her while she wants us to. I know soon enough, she’ll want to spend less time with us and more with her friends. So we’ll enjoy her company now while we can.

I love her and she’ll always be more important than anything in the world.

Just like Daddy loves her a lot too.

After all, they’re the lookalikes.

I love running. But if my family needs me,  I’ll take a DNF any day.

At the end of the day, this is what I want to have on my personal record.

Have a great week everyone!

—

I wrote this post three weeks ago and found it stored in my phone’s file manager. Which reminds me, how much I miss my running partner.

I need to run soon.

And so the results of the Rock and Run 2010 race finally came out.

It was indeed the longest 3k race I’ve had so far.

I finished in 35 minutes! I was 263 out of 390 3k runners.

Hubby also finished later than his usual time but just a little bit.

He was 463 out of 760 10k runners.

Now that I’ve got the results, I can finally say I am moving on.

I am feeling better than when I wrote my last post but I still have bad coughs.

I’ve been so aching to run but I have to wait this out until I’m completely well.

Anyway, there will be more races to come and there will be more opportunities to make a new PR.

In the meantime, I must heal myself.

—

In case you want to see the rest of the results, you can check them at the Rock and Run 2010 race results page.

Promise, more positive posts to come.