I have been a delinquent runner this past week. Let me give you an update based on the running plan I made for this week:

• November 23, 2009, Monday – Cross-training by biking for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on how I fare. The ultimate goal is to do moderate biking for an hour.

What happened: I borrowed Ramil’s bike and tried several rounds around our subdivision. Living in Antipolo can be very daunting for beginner runners or bikers like me. The original plan to ride the bike for 30 to 40 minutes was reduced to a quick 15-minute-ride. I felt like such a loser after realizing that I simply have to settle for those 15 minutes. There’s no street in our subdivision that does not have a significant amount of inclination and a few rounds had my thighs screaming for rest. It made me realize that I like running better than biking.

• November 24, 2009, Tuesday – Run 5k: 1k running, 1k brisk walking, 1k running, 1k brisk walking, 0.5k running, 0.5k brisk walking.

What happened: We had deliberations in school in the afternoon and since the school is just in the next subdivision I decided to just run going to school and back home. Again, the hilly streets of Antipolo proved to be my undoing. I planned to do run the whole way going there but my body could only muster a run-walk-run strategy. I took me around 18 minutes each way which means I had a total of 30-40 minutes of run. Considering that most of it was uphill running/walking, I was satisfied with it.

• November 25, 2009, Wednesday – Rest day

What happened: After my challenging past two days, I savored my rest day!

• November 26, 2009, Thursday – Run 5k: 1k running, 1k brisk walking, 1k running, 1k brisk walking, 0.5k running, 0.5k brisk walking.

What happened: Ramil and I were able to run around our subdivision. We ran 4k in around 17 minutes.

• November 27, 2009, Friday – Another attempt at a tempo run.

What happened: We had to do grocery shopping and we got home pretty late which means I didn’t get to run.

• November 26, 2009, Saturday – Easy run

What happened: I did many chores the whole day and ended up not running at all. I told myself that I was pretty much tired from the household chores anyway.

• November 27, 2009, Sunday – Rest day

What happened: We had plans to go to several places and again, we got home late. Third consecutive rest day

I dragged myself last Monday even if it was just to run inside the house for 20 minutes then I took another rest day last Tuesday. Yesterday, I ran again for 20 minutes inside the house. I plan to run again today for 20 minutes.

The now-cold weather here in Antipolo is making it difficult for me to run outside. I’ve noticed that I’m having more difficulty breathing when I’m running outside. I hope to remedy that in the next few days but for the mean time, I’ll have to be content with running inside our house.

I’ve got more than my share of post-pregnancy fat which have now transformed into flabby love handles. Despite the slightly loose skin around my middle, I’m not as out of shape as I think I am. To challenge myself, I’ve decided to run my first 5k race just four weeks after I’ve started training myself.

What better race to try than a race for charity?

Ramil has grudgingly agreed to join the race with me, hehe! Since it will benefit the Bantay Bata Foundation, shelling out 300 pesos for registration fee won’t be that bad even if I’m one of the last ones across the finish line. Unfortunately, I get an ugly first race singlet.

I would have loved a singlet that I would like to reuse. Instead, I get to run looking like a billboard for Mighty Bond. I guess there’s just some things that has to give especially since it’s a race for charity.

I’m pretty excited for it and I’m wondering how my first race will be. How about you, how was your first race?

Last August, me and my husband found out we were pregnant so whatever irregular jogging/running schedule I had needed to be put on hold. My doctor advised me to take it easy and to limit myself to brisk walks. I had a miscarriage last October which also revealed that I had placenta accreta. I was again told by my doctor to rest and not do anything that would strain myself.

I haven’t been bleeding for more than a week already and have therefore been given the permission to exercise but to take it slowly. So I excitedly planned to go back to running since last week. Unfortunately, my two-month pregnant lifestyle has taken its roots on me. My mind and I guess my body as well refused to get into the groove. However, I couldn’t use pregnancy anymore as an excuse for my bulging tummy and I relented to starting my running routine once again.

So yesterday, after finishing our nightly chores and having dinner, my husband and I asked my sister to look after our son. We stepped into our running shoes and headed outside. We worked up to a run and continued running. After a kilometer, we slowed down to a brisk walk for another kilometer. Our last kilometer consisted of running for half a kilometer and brisk walking the rest of the way. All in all, we covered only a total of three kilometers which I think is good enough for a first run.

I was pleasantly surprised that I wasn’t as out of shape as I thought I was. The short run was not a struggle for me. I was able to keep a good rhythm even while straining during the uphill portions of the road.

I originally intended to run around our subdivision thrice a week to start it off but with how my run went yesterday, I can’t wait to do it again later today.

As a child, I fancied myself as a fast runner. I loved feeling the wind on my face and hair. I loved that the ground seemed to disappear as I run faster and faster. For the young me, it was the closest thing I could get to flying.

As the years passed, the mindless, carefree running also became less frequent despite the fact that there are more reasons for me to run and to keep running. As an adult, I would sometimes feel the urge to run to release some tension, to fight my frustrations, or to pretend that I could escape the usual worries in an adult’s life.

I hope to make running (or walking at times) a more permanent part of my life. It will not serve as an escape anymore but an essential part of my messed up weekly routine. I’m pretty sure there would be days when I would be very happy and content to just lie down on our soft, comfortable bed instead of pounding my feet on the brutal cement. On those days, I would need to remind myself of the reasons why I need to get off my ass.

• My post-pregnancy tummy. I feel very grateful to have a husband who says he will love me whether I get heavier than him or my tummy starts looking like several bread rolls squished together. However, I still have my own satisfaction to think of. I want to still be able to wear a two-piece swimsuit even when I’m 50.
• My health. Although I feel great now, I know that age is a cruel thing. It will sneak up on me and slowly lower my body’s efficiency. Running will be a futile attempt to ward it off but it will buy me more time.
• My moods. I can have the worst moods, ask my husband. Simple things can tick me off simply because I’m having an ‘icky mood’. Many times, I’d turn to cleaning some part of our house to de-stress myself – I have been known to clean the bathroom at 11 pm. Although there are perks like a cleaner bathroom, I would love a saner way to relieve stress or get out of that down feeling. The natural high that every runner feels is an added bonus.
• My outdoor side. Despite the fact that I spend more time indoors, I also love being outdoors. One of the reasons why I love living in Antipolo is the fact that there are more trees and the air is cleaner.
• My pockets. It’s definitely cheaper to go running outside than to enroll myself in an expensive gym.

What better way to maintain a hobby than to share it with others? So as I try to ingrain running into myself, I will share varied information on running that I find useful and you can read all about my successes and missteps.

Here’s to praying I don’t trip and fall.