number three: work out.
ah, finally, the long overdue workout post. not that i'm saying i'm an authority on it, but modesty aside, i would like to think that i know more than the average gym bloke. what's the use of a degree in physiotherapy if you don't get to use it right?
i have been working out now for a little over 8 years. i started working out primarily for health reasons since i was grossly overweight (220lbs at 5'9") and my body was no longer coping with the strain of my love-hate relationship with gravity. my legs hurt, my feet ached, i was steadily getting more and more kyphotic. my liver was bad, my blood sugar was high and i'm pretty sure, my arteries and heart weren't in good shape either. i was in many ways a very unhealthy boy... though cute i may be in a chubby kind of way. needless to say, my ike lozada-ish exterior no longer afforded me the notion that i was jolly as a bee. my folks, being as how they are (worry warts), eventually dragged my fat ass and enrolled me in the neighborhood gym. ah, i recall that day very well. my dad was standing behind me, looking over my shoulder as i filled up the membership form while a particularly vivacious attendant discussed to me the benefits of exercise. a particular point she stressed on is the wonders loosing weight would do to my sex life. the bitch. was she implying i don't get any?!!! the WHORE.
anyway, that was 8 years ago. a lot has happened since. for one, i'm much lighter. over the course of the years, i have lost about 50lbs. my waistline is now at 33 from a 40, and the symptoms i used to have caused by my weight and my ill lifestyle are now all gone. owing also to the boost of self confidence weight loss has given me, i would like to think i take more initiative now to try new things such as sports. i have been also now more experimental with clothing since, well, now clothes ACTUALLY fit me! :) i have to say, a by-product of all this weight loss is definitely developing one's vanity. i never really imagined i could ever look good. now that i realized it's possible, you can't help but try to get better! (done in a healthy manner, of course)
so... what is a typical workout week for me? owing that i currently suffer from hypothyroidism, i have to take extra effort to crank up my metabolism to keep my weight under control. working an office job and a mad love affair with chocolate doesn't help me do that either.
for starters, i try to hit the gym at least twice a day. yes... twice a day. i workout in the mornings before work, and after, after work. i would do cardio in the mornings and weight training one body part, then finish up with weight training another body part at night. on alternating nights in exchange for weights, i go running, at least run 10K. i used to do muay thai on tuesdays and saturdays but that eventually came out too expensive. running at least is free :) this rather insane schedule assures me that my metabolism stays pretty high, or in most cases, normal (compared to an average person).
my diet is rather plain. i basically follow the rule: eat to satiate, not to get full. meaning, eat so you won't get hungry, but when you do eat, don't eat till you're bursting in the seams. my food consists primarily of vegetables, the green and leafy kind. this is my main source of sugar, as well as fruits and my lemon juice (with cayenne pepper). i take in high amounts of fiber as well, like flax seed meal, psyllium and oats. i try to eat leaner meats like fish and chicken, but won't say no to a nice slab of steak as well. fats come from chocolate :) hehehehe, i need my happy drug. despite this, i do have cheat meals and do also pig out sometimes. i just bear in mind to up the ante with my workout the following day to compensate the surplus fuel i ingested. my portions are also small. i have been eating like this for more than 2 years now and surprisingly, don't really get hungry often (this despite my parents thinking i starve myself.... do i look anorexic BA??)
that all said, i am still no where near the looks of a chiseled greek god, nor the stamina of a stallion in the wild. i can however say i am now at my healthiest and fittest and i think i should learn to just maintain my current state. i could maybe challenge myself again by learning a new sport or setting higher goals for my fitness (like join a triathlon perhaps) but other than that, i think i'm doing ok.
farmer hoggette said it best.... that will do pig. that will do.
Showing posts with label fitness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fitness. Show all posts
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
behind closed gym doors
after having the ridiculous idea implanted in my head that my body can actually survive a 10K run, i decided to test my limits at the gym yesterday afternoon. i had been slaving over a couple of schemes for a client presentation the entire day already and after finding myself stuck in a rut, decided that a quick work out might do me some good.
i arrived at my gym 30mins earlier than my usual routine since i had planned running the 10K on the tread before hitting the weights. it takes me about 30 mins to do a 5K so i presumed, considering i don't suddenly DIE in my attempt, that a 30 minute head start would be enough. it was only 6pm then, gym buddy hasn't arrived yet and considering he hasn't texted me asking of my whereabouts, there was also a good possibility he wasn't coming at all. i went in to the locker room and saw a couple of the usuals i work out with. as i mentioned before, my gym is quite small and through the years, i have already befriended a lot of the regulars, even if just as mere acquaintances. at that time, there were only these 2 guys, whom from overhearing their conversations, were discussing techniques on how to bulk up, normal talk in these quarters. it was however that NORMAL only lasted until one of these guys took out a syringe and shoved the needle onto the other guy's shoulder. now, i have been fully aware of people using steroids at my gym for the longest time. it was only logical to assume since guys talk about it so much as well as seeing people blow up like a balloon in only a few months time, especially near competition season (like now). though i would have thought that i was comfortable knowing about people using it, to witness people actually shoot up however, well... was a different thing. i was changing at that time and i could have sworn that i never changed so fast in my life (wonder woman, 'te!). there was a sense of panic there and i really wanted to get out of the locker room as fast as i could. i couldn't really understand my reaction but seeing these guys just made me feel too uncomfortable, and even to a degree, disgusted.
i had been offered steroids before, much more now that i have lost a lot of weight and am lean enough to show cuts. the trainers, even some of the patrons here highly suggest it saying how it would make me look so much better, bulkier, leaner. though my vanity was admittedly intrigued with the possibility of finally achieving the physique that i had always craved for, my higher senses just could not be convinced. it may have taken me this long (7 years) to reach this point of reinventing my appearance, but i know i worked hard for it and earned every single bit of change, how undefined they may still be. i got into working out for health reason since i was quite sickly due to my sedentary lifestyle, and could not imagine why i would risk harming myself just to look "healthy".
(me, not too long ago)
though there is still much debate as to the effects of steroids (surprisingly), i believe there is a reason why shooters have to buy their loads covertly from horse vets and why they have to shoot each other behind closed doors (though, with what happened in my case, they seem to be getting bolder by the day). as i think about what i saw yesterday, i cannot help it but feel saddened by how ignorance and vain foolishness can lead people in doing the most horrible and stupid things.
i arrived at my gym 30mins earlier than my usual routine since i had planned running the 10K on the tread before hitting the weights. it takes me about 30 mins to do a 5K so i presumed, considering i don't suddenly DIE in my attempt, that a 30 minute head start would be enough. it was only 6pm then, gym buddy hasn't arrived yet and considering he hasn't texted me asking of my whereabouts, there was also a good possibility he wasn't coming at all. i went in to the locker room and saw a couple of the usuals i work out with. as i mentioned before, my gym is quite small and through the years, i have already befriended a lot of the regulars, even if just as mere acquaintances. at that time, there were only these 2 guys, whom from overhearing their conversations, were discussing techniques on how to bulk up, normal talk in these quarters. it was however that NORMAL only lasted until one of these guys took out a syringe and shoved the needle onto the other guy's shoulder. now, i have been fully aware of people using steroids at my gym for the longest time. it was only logical to assume since guys talk about it so much as well as seeing people blow up like a balloon in only a few months time, especially near competition season (like now). though i would have thought that i was comfortable knowing about people using it, to witness people actually shoot up however, well... was a different thing. i was changing at that time and i could have sworn that i never changed so fast in my life (wonder woman, 'te!). there was a sense of panic there and i really wanted to get out of the locker room as fast as i could. i couldn't really understand my reaction but seeing these guys just made me feel too uncomfortable, and even to a degree, disgusted.
i had been offered steroids before, much more now that i have lost a lot of weight and am lean enough to show cuts. the trainers, even some of the patrons here highly suggest it saying how it would make me look so much better, bulkier, leaner. though my vanity was admittedly intrigued with the possibility of finally achieving the physique that i had always craved for, my higher senses just could not be convinced. it may have taken me this long (7 years) to reach this point of reinventing my appearance, but i know i worked hard for it and earned every single bit of change, how undefined they may still be. i got into working out for health reason since i was quite sickly due to my sedentary lifestyle, and could not imagine why i would risk harming myself just to look "healthy".
(me, not too long ago)though there is still much debate as to the effects of steroids (surprisingly), i believe there is a reason why shooters have to buy their loads covertly from horse vets and why they have to shoot each other behind closed doors (though, with what happened in my case, they seem to be getting bolder by the day). as i think about what i saw yesterday, i cannot help it but feel saddened by how ignorance and vain foolishness can lead people in doing the most horrible and stupid things.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
resolutions
some of the reasons why i dislike the long holiday season. well actually, there's only a few, two to be exact.
firstly, it ruins my momentum, seriously. since january 2, i have been trying to gear myself up to work mode again but can't seem to pick up the speed. my entire body still feel heavy and sluggish (mostly in part to reason number two, but i'll get to that later) and it has been an utter chore to just move! it would have probably been ok if the world kinda moved in my sloth-like pace as i warm up after the new year, unfortunately, work went from zero to a full throttle, leaving me and my fattened butt in the blur. like Wile E. Coyote coughing his lungs out in road runner's dust! ugh! i just hate it.
mornings are a particular struggle since it's just heart breaking to get out of bed nowadays especially when the weather is just so perfect! cool air, warm sunny glow, cozy bed.... it's a crime to leave such indulgent comforts yet it has to be the first one i relinquish if i want to regain my pace. i shed a tear just saying that... huhuhu.
but seriously. i know breaks and vacations are healthy but having them in such long periods of time is just counterproductive! i felt like battery overcharged with nothing to discharge myself at. it's maddening i tell you!
so starting tomorrow (today was already too late), no more vacation mode for me. it's finished! done! kaput! tapos! kalas! no more waking up at my leisure. i will train myself to wake up at the crack of dawn again to jump start my system. no more moping around the house thinking of what to do. i will plan my day ahead with a goal oriented schedule. i will be strict. i will not be distracted!!!!!! this year should be started right and productive!
good, good. my, i can sure talk myself into getting motivated :)
now, the second reason why i hate long holidays. i pack in extra pounds.
long consecutive days of no work outs as well as gluttonous expeditions into the far east as well as down south has led me to once again grow my waist to, hmm, equatorial proportions. all those months at the gym of keeping my physique under control have instantly vaporized the moment i RAVAGED my first bowl of porkchop rice! that exercise of unrestraint heralded the beginning of a vicious cycle of cravings that has left me now in the state i am in.... heavy-er and constantly grazing, my brain's satiety center never fully satisfied.
it of course does not help that we have a fully loaded ref courtesy of all the well wishers of my kuya who showered him with food gifts, like a starving refugee hitting the jackpot! our ref has never been this full ever. kuya's gifts take so much space in the ref that mom had to relocate the less guilty snacks like the nuts and the skim milk and the dark chocolate and the rye crisps into the deepest recesses, tucked away from plain sight. open our ref now and you are immediately greeted by varieties of chocolate, cakes, specialty spreads and pate.
recall the story of the Odysseus' crew falling for the death trap of the sirens? meet the SIRENS!!!
going to gym the other day and i felt the full force of my binging. i noticed a marked decrease in my strength as well as my endurance. all lost in just a matter of a week and a half. my, the difference short term disuse can make. that and probably my arteries still struggling from all that duck i had last year!!! sigh.
so again, starting tomorrow, it's back to the health camp for me! eat good and eat right! no more junk is gonna enter in my mouth that's for sure! have to get myself back again to the habit of pushing myself in the gym and get my peak form back. maybe start running again. i missed running.
so again, no more junk! no more instant gratification my shoving foreign objects into my mouth and relishing how utterly delightful its texture is against my tongue. no more grazing. no more perusing into the dark corners in search for even darker sin.... godiva, lindt, guylian, royce... no more falling for into temptations for i will now be a glutton for punishment!!!! iron and sweat will be my meal and my drink!!!
call as much as you like devils, i will not listen!!!!!!!
so, a plan must be in order now that i'm all psyched up for success and beauty!
first thing's first. hate my bed. hate my giant, queen sized bed. nestled in the far corners of the house where my room only gets indirect sunlight, keeping its internal temperature to a mild toast. my bed, where i bury myself under mounds of pillows and blankets, where i have had many dreamy encounters with *ehem* and *uhum*, and who could ever forget *toot!* and his legendary *toot!* my bed.....
paksyet.... this is gonna be hard.
firstly, it ruins my momentum, seriously. since january 2, i have been trying to gear myself up to work mode again but can't seem to pick up the speed. my entire body still feel heavy and sluggish (mostly in part to reason number two, but i'll get to that later) and it has been an utter chore to just move! it would have probably been ok if the world kinda moved in my sloth-like pace as i warm up after the new year, unfortunately, work went from zero to a full throttle, leaving me and my fattened butt in the blur. like Wile E. Coyote coughing his lungs out in road runner's dust! ugh! i just hate it.
mornings are a particular struggle since it's just heart breaking to get out of bed nowadays especially when the weather is just so perfect! cool air, warm sunny glow, cozy bed.... it's a crime to leave such indulgent comforts yet it has to be the first one i relinquish if i want to regain my pace. i shed a tear just saying that... huhuhu.
but seriously. i know breaks and vacations are healthy but having them in such long periods of time is just counterproductive! i felt like battery overcharged with nothing to discharge myself at. it's maddening i tell you!
so starting tomorrow (today was already too late), no more vacation mode for me. it's finished! done! kaput! tapos! kalas! no more waking up at my leisure. i will train myself to wake up at the crack of dawn again to jump start my system. no more moping around the house thinking of what to do. i will plan my day ahead with a goal oriented schedule. i will be strict. i will not be distracted!!!!!! this year should be started right and productive!
good, good. my, i can sure talk myself into getting motivated :)
now, the second reason why i hate long holidays. i pack in extra pounds.
long consecutive days of no work outs as well as gluttonous expeditions into the far east as well as down south has led me to once again grow my waist to, hmm, equatorial proportions. all those months at the gym of keeping my physique under control have instantly vaporized the moment i RAVAGED my first bowl of porkchop rice! that exercise of unrestraint heralded the beginning of a vicious cycle of cravings that has left me now in the state i am in.... heavy-er and constantly grazing, my brain's satiety center never fully satisfied.
it of course does not help that we have a fully loaded ref courtesy of all the well wishers of my kuya who showered him with food gifts, like a starving refugee hitting the jackpot! our ref has never been this full ever. kuya's gifts take so much space in the ref that mom had to relocate the less guilty snacks like the nuts and the skim milk and the dark chocolate and the rye crisps into the deepest recesses, tucked away from plain sight. open our ref now and you are immediately greeted by varieties of chocolate, cakes, specialty spreads and pate.
recall the story of the Odysseus' crew falling for the death trap of the sirens? meet the SIRENS!!!
going to gym the other day and i felt the full force of my binging. i noticed a marked decrease in my strength as well as my endurance. all lost in just a matter of a week and a half. my, the difference short term disuse can make. that and probably my arteries still struggling from all that duck i had last year!!! sigh.
so again, starting tomorrow, it's back to the health camp for me! eat good and eat right! no more junk is gonna enter in my mouth that's for sure! have to get myself back again to the habit of pushing myself in the gym and get my peak form back. maybe start running again. i missed running.
so again, no more junk! no more instant gratification my shoving foreign objects into my mouth and relishing how utterly delightful its texture is against my tongue. no more grazing. no more perusing into the dark corners in search for even darker sin.... godiva, lindt, guylian, royce... no more falling for into temptations for i will now be a glutton for punishment!!!! iron and sweat will be my meal and my drink!!!
call as much as you like devils, i will not listen!!!!!!!
so, a plan must be in order now that i'm all psyched up for success and beauty!
first thing's first. hate my bed. hate my giant, queen sized bed. nestled in the far corners of the house where my room only gets indirect sunlight, keeping its internal temperature to a mild toast. my bed, where i bury myself under mounds of pillows and blankets, where i have had many dreamy encounters with *ehem* and *uhum*, and who could ever forget *toot!* and his legendary *toot!* my bed.....
paksyet.... this is gonna be hard.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
running... for life!
i seriously could not keep still. i found myself pacing my room like an expecting father waiting for the doctors to give me the low-down on my offspring!
doctor: congratulations sir, it's a baby boy!
me: it can't be! my partner's gay! he can't be PREGNANT!!!!?
doctor: ay! sowi! wrong patient. kabag lang pala, po, sir.
i eventually found myself doing jumping jacks and sit ups to tire myself out, just so to calm me a bit. my brain was racing at F1 speeds and i could tell my nervousness was bordering on giving me nausea. i turned on the TV and started watching nat geo, thankfully so, the topic was so brainy, it was good enough to keep me occupied till it was time for me to go.
registration for the race was scheduled for 530am. i wanted to be there by 430 since i wanted to give myself time for certain "emergencies" like a.) getting lost b.) finding parking space and finally c.) needing to go answer the holler of nature. i presumed that an hour grace period for myself was more than enough for these minor inconveniences prior to race time. by 350, i was out of the house and heading my way to meet my fate.as per plan, minor emergency "A" happened. i got lost. though i did scope the site a few days ahead to familiarize myself of where i had to go, i neglected to consider that things look different in the dead of night. for one, ALL my landmarks disappeared in the dark. hence, i overshot the designated assembly point. no problem.... i just needed to waste some more gas to make the LARGEST U-TURN ever, taking careful attention to not miss the site the second time. since i was crazy enough to get there so early, parking was a breeze. i found a great spot just in front of the starting line, ironically, underneath a "no parking" post. i was one of the first few who registered and had enough time to take a leak. refreshed and settled, i decided to start psyching myself to game level... as if i wasn't psyched up enough!?
i changed to my racing shirt, pined my number, wore my shoes and started to warm up. i walked around and tried to loosen up my joints, my ankles in particular. as i did, i also started to look around an see the other ppl who were slowly trickling in. since this was my first marathon, i thought that it would be nice to get a feel of how the other people, the pros especially, handled themselves prior to the run. you know, just in case i could pick up a few pointers here and there :)
the racers that started to gather there were truly a diverse bunch of people. young, old, male, female, local, foreign, pro, amateur, cute, ugly, commoner, celebrity! the people watcher in me was definitely THRILLED. in no time at all, i was relaxed, calm and slowly, starting to have fun.
as the sun slowly rose in the distance, the races were assembled and divided into 2 groups. those running the 10K were in front and us running the 5k were behind. despite the race time drawing nearer by the minute, i noticed that there were still so many who haven't showed up. typical of us i guess, late for everything, even a race. the announcer however was adamant, we WILL start promptly at 6am. i was already in front of the 5k pack as i awaited the start of the run. while counting down the minutes, i decided to do an over check on my gear. number, check! shirt, check! lucky underwear, check! shorts, check! comfy shoes, check! belt bag with keys, money and phone, check! that seems to be it i guess. i suddenly felt a bit under dressed since the people who gathered around me had all these fancy looking race gear and all i had was ur typical gym get up and a small belt bag. o well, i told myself, this isn't a fashion show anyways. let's see what good their designer duds and ipods can do :)
6am. it's time. the official gave the signal for the racers to get ready.... BANG! the first shot went off for the 10K runners, sending the mob in front of us scrambling ahead. it was a fun sight to see them run off since they sprinted away with such gusto. we waited around 5 more minutes before our turn came, i guess so that the track wouldn't be so congested. the signal was given... BANG! the second shot was sounded and we started running as well.
as i advanced forward, i started to form a strategy in my head. winning was not the goal really, but outlasting was! i was running beside pros, and well, PROS (all the novices were left far behind the pack) and my pride sincerely did not want me to look like the runt of the herd. a plan is needed, i said. if i cannot make it with brawn, then i can make it with brain! within the first few minutes, i was able to concur with the voices in my head (more on that in another post) on the following points on how to survive till the finish:
1. do not run after the guys wearing the pekpek shorts. those guys are WAY beyond ur league. but do run after them if they are cute. nothing beats eye candy as motivation!
2. do not entertain the tendency to accelerate. pacing is key.
3. use the downhill to add to ur speed. i am heavy... gravity is our friend.
4. use the uphill to your advantage. i have calves of steel! hiking uphill comes naturally.
5. stopping is NEVER an option. if when crossing the street and a vehicle comes ur way... THEY have to stop because YOU are running the race!
6. having kids, old people and girls overtake you is shameful.
7. having paolo bediones (who is running behind you) overtake you is even worse!
8. taking the water bottle is a death trap.
9. to add fun (like pounding pavement isn't fun enough!), play connect the dots with fellow racers. you are the line, the cute guys running ahead of you are the DOTS. go... connect :) if you can bag yourself a date in the process, then even better!
10. finish strong. crawling your way to the finish and looking like u got robbed is like making paolo bediones win!
with my steps to success in continues playback now in my brain, i ran the course, determined that i will have fun, that i will finish and that paolo bediones will eat my DUST!!!! (my apologies to mr. bediones, nothing personal. i just needed a focal point to channel all my aggression at. you seemed to be the best subject, ehehehe.)i got to the finish line in about 25:14 mins based on my watch, though the official clock said 29. i really couldn't care less since at that point, i was just RELIEVED that i got to finish. i finished and i didn't DIE as how my parents feared of happening. i finished with my bearings, balls and belongings intact. i finished without ever stopping to walk. i finished... and paolo bediones is NOWHERE in sight... YES! :)
i lingered along the finish line for a bit longer and watched the people start to come in, one after another. though exhausted from the run, i have yet to see one that did not look happy as they crossed. everyone, after they have recovered were in high spirits, a sense of fulfillment etched on their faces. we all congratulated each other for finishing and for a great fun run, for truly it was.
overall, despite the soreness and the fatigue, i honestly had a BLAST! it has been something i have always wanted to do and now, i have done it. i never would have imagined that i could after all these years of people telling me and me telling myself that i couldn't do it. but now i have! and i have no plans of stopping now. i want to run again! maybe run farther this time, 10k? 15 k? maybe, if God is willing, a full 42K! time will tell.
sore, exhausted, sun and wind blasted... but fulfilled nonetheless!
it's official: I'M NEUROTIC
i should be sleeping, but i kept waking up, my body cranked up already from the adrenaline surging through my body i speak, er, TYPE!
set my alarm to ring at 3am but was already up by 1:30. awake and fully alert. my head is aching still, probably since my body is trying to figure out what's the matter with me (i think part of my body is still asleep while the rest is already in full throttle). i have been trying to calm myself down but unfortunately, i have not yet mastered the technique to do so. i know this is a slight over reaction but honestly, my brain, the pituitary gland and my adrenal cortices, can't really tell the difference between a real emergency and me just stressed! proving the point that the mind really is over matter, but in my case, it's on the negative side.
so here i am, typing away, hoping that by blogging about this, would realize that i have, yet again, blown things out of proportion. i am wasting precious energy, and sleep for that matter, on something that really shouldn't be stressing me out so much. breathe, jamie, breathe.....
distraction, yeah, that's what i need. a distraction. unfortunately for me, i REALLY can't think straight, not even enough to figure out something to distract me. ugh! my head is spinning now. hmmm, that seems to be a good distraction. gosh... i noticed that i bit my nails again.
mental note: you're highly anxious. you're thumb is bleeding, btw.
i'm laughing now. this is soooooo stupid!!!!! think another morning jog, jame, just another morning jog!!!! no biggie! snap out of it!!!!!!
ok, ok... i'll be fine. i'll be fine. relax.... relax..... (blogging yoga, anyone?)
hmmm, so i guess me packing my stuff like i just got kicked out of the house is an over reaction too?
i desperately need professional help.
set my alarm to ring at 3am but was already up by 1:30. awake and fully alert. my head is aching still, probably since my body is trying to figure out what's the matter with me (i think part of my body is still asleep while the rest is already in full throttle). i have been trying to calm myself down but unfortunately, i have not yet mastered the technique to do so. i know this is a slight over reaction but honestly, my brain, the pituitary gland and my adrenal cortices, can't really tell the difference between a real emergency and me just stressed! proving the point that the mind really is over matter, but in my case, it's on the negative side.
so here i am, typing away, hoping that by blogging about this, would realize that i have, yet again, blown things out of proportion. i am wasting precious energy, and sleep for that matter, on something that really shouldn't be stressing me out so much. breathe, jamie, breathe.....
distraction, yeah, that's what i need. a distraction. unfortunately for me, i REALLY can't think straight, not even enough to figure out something to distract me. ugh! my head is spinning now. hmmm, that seems to be a good distraction. gosh... i noticed that i bit my nails again.
mental note: you're highly anxious. you're thumb is bleeding, btw.
i'm laughing now. this is soooooo stupid!!!!! think another morning jog, jame, just another morning jog!!!! no biggie! snap out of it!!!!!!
ok, ok... i'll be fine. i'll be fine. relax.... relax..... (blogging yoga, anyone?)
hmmm, so i guess me packing my stuff like i just got kicked out of the house is an over reaction too?
i desperately need professional help.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
reviving a morning ritual
we all have our rituals, most especially if you are like me who was labeled (by someone very observant, obviously) a "creature of habit". we have a process, a series of predetermined tasks that needs to be done in a particular order, else god forbid, our world of order comes crashing down faster that you can say "donuts in the fridge!".
i woke up ridiculously early this morning to go for a morning jog in the park. ridiculous since i slept near 1am that morning, not because i was having trouble sleeping but rather, i was on the phone with a client, WORKING! ugh... freelancing can be hard work sometimes. anyhuu, not really thinking straight anymore, it never really bothered me that i lacked sleep. in my mind it was already decided, i will run. not even a presidential inauguration would deter me :) true enuf, i woke up even before my alarm went off, psyched!
i left home at around 530 and got to the park quarter to 6am. gosh... it really has been a while since i have been to luneta this early. it certainly brought back a lot of memories.
my family, my uncles in particular, were jogging buffs. i recall when i was but a little fat gay boy (hahahaha!) that they would often drag me along to jog with them. fearing for my life that they would cause me bodily harm if i refused, i of course tagged along. unfortunately, despite their most earnest of encouragements, i really could not keep up with them. for one thing, i was well rather rotund back then. whale blubber really isn't the best of running accessories if you know what i mean. i also haven't really gone through my growth spurt either. shorter legs meant shorter strides, too short to keep up with locomotive uncles who really couldn't wait. then there was also the "i don't have any stamina" issue. not even barely around the block and my sides would cramp up, i loose breath and there was even one point that i really almost blacked out, er, REALLY!
of course, that was quite a long time ago. so long that it felt like we were running alongside dinosaurs still.
being in luneta felt like entering in shaider's (ang pulis pangkalawakan... man, the fact that i recall this means i really am old) time space warp. besides that eyesore of an ocean park looming behind the grandstand, luneta barely changed. its the same old, crumbling structures. same old, cracking paved floors. same old weed infested grass fields. same old, well, OLD luneta. it looked old, smelled old, felt old. don't get me wrong though, i really have nothing against it being such. i am a sentimental schmuck after all. old can be quite charming :)
running around the perimeter and you behold the familiar sights and sounds of luneta in the morning. there's the chinese "mafia" doing their tai chi and qui gong. you hear them actually first before you see them, their chinese opera music blaring out of portable stereos. there's the ang-kongs and a-mas walking around with there caregivers, trying to get a waft of fresh air, hoping to improve their chi. there's the aerobics troupe in the distance, congregating under the trees, with their flamboyant instructor. you see them move in unison, like mindless subjects hypnotized to the tune of very outdated disco music. and finally, there are the joggers. like asteroids, they go in revolutions around the park. some run fast, some run slow, some walk and pretend that they are actually jogging. the joggers obviously come in all shapes, sizes and skill levels.
this morning's jog, i found myself in the company of men. LOTS of men... DROVES of them. the PNP was having some sort of fitness activity today and hundreds of them in short shorts and tight shirts were scattered all over the place. i almost found myself slowly smiling as there were definitely a few who caught my attention and vice versa (and after some flirtatious undue stretching and flexing). but again... i had to slap myself back to FOCUS. train now, "breakfast" later :)
the run today was a bit more strenuous than i had expected. either my lack of sleep is causing it or i'm just really not used to running in the morning. when i ran with mark last sunday, i believe my body was already warm from the days activity. since i also work out in the evenings, i think my body is conditioned to exert more effort later in the day than in the morning. i think i would need to condition my body as well to morning activities.
i did one round again as my warm up run. i already felt out winded after that, though my feet did not feel as awkward anymore. my stride is starting to feel regular and i didn't notice "the gazelle" showing except when i'm managing curbs. round 2 was equally strenuous with me starting to feel my pretibials starting to sore. round 3, i found my that i was starting to loose my rhythm. good thing i saw 2 marathon runners zip me by. i used them as visual end points and tried to follow their pace. needless to say, my efforts were not enuf since they seem to get farther and farther away from me by the minute. o well, i shall prevail eventually.
by round 4, i decided i had enough for today. my shirt was wet and heavy with sweat and my shorts were starting to give me wedgie. i cooled down by walking around the park again, taking my time to closely inspect the "icons" of my past once more. i remembered my lolo. my uncles. the breakfast we would have after running. i recall seeing the sun rise. the sky changing colors. the trees. the tall fences. there are still lots to see and remember in luneta, but i have to go now. it started to rain and i still needed to get home to work.
another day, another time.
as i drove off, i took a look back again and said to myself.... syet... cute talaga ni mamang pulis! there. breakfast. bwahahahaha!
i woke up ridiculously early this morning to go for a morning jog in the park. ridiculous since i slept near 1am that morning, not because i was having trouble sleeping but rather, i was on the phone with a client, WORKING! ugh... freelancing can be hard work sometimes. anyhuu, not really thinking straight anymore, it never really bothered me that i lacked sleep. in my mind it was already decided, i will run. not even a presidential inauguration would deter me :) true enuf, i woke up even before my alarm went off, psyched!
i left home at around 530 and got to the park quarter to 6am. gosh... it really has been a while since i have been to luneta this early. it certainly brought back a lot of memories.
my family, my uncles in particular, were jogging buffs. i recall when i was but a little fat gay boy (hahahaha!) that they would often drag me along to jog with them. fearing for my life that they would cause me bodily harm if i refused, i of course tagged along. unfortunately, despite their most earnest of encouragements, i really could not keep up with them. for one thing, i was well rather rotund back then. whale blubber really isn't the best of running accessories if you know what i mean. i also haven't really gone through my growth spurt either. shorter legs meant shorter strides, too short to keep up with locomotive uncles who really couldn't wait. then there was also the "i don't have any stamina" issue. not even barely around the block and my sides would cramp up, i loose breath and there was even one point that i really almost blacked out, er, REALLY!
of course, that was quite a long time ago. so long that it felt like we were running alongside dinosaurs still.
being in luneta felt like entering in shaider's (ang pulis pangkalawakan... man, the fact that i recall this means i really am old) time space warp. besides that eyesore of an ocean park looming behind the grandstand, luneta barely changed. its the same old, crumbling structures. same old, cracking paved floors. same old weed infested grass fields. same old, well, OLD luneta. it looked old, smelled old, felt old. don't get me wrong though, i really have nothing against it being such. i am a sentimental schmuck after all. old can be quite charming :)
running around the perimeter and you behold the familiar sights and sounds of luneta in the morning. there's the chinese "mafia" doing their tai chi and qui gong. you hear them actually first before you see them, their chinese opera music blaring out of portable stereos. there's the ang-kongs and a-mas walking around with there caregivers, trying to get a waft of fresh air, hoping to improve their chi. there's the aerobics troupe in the distance, congregating under the trees, with their flamboyant instructor. you see them move in unison, like mindless subjects hypnotized to the tune of very outdated disco music. and finally, there are the joggers. like asteroids, they go in revolutions around the park. some run fast, some run slow, some walk and pretend that they are actually jogging. the joggers obviously come in all shapes, sizes and skill levels.
this morning's jog, i found myself in the company of men. LOTS of men... DROVES of them. the PNP was having some sort of fitness activity today and hundreds of them in short shorts and tight shirts were scattered all over the place. i almost found myself slowly smiling as there were definitely a few who caught my attention and vice versa (and after some flirtatious undue stretching and flexing). but again... i had to slap myself back to FOCUS. train now, "breakfast" later :)
the run today was a bit more strenuous than i had expected. either my lack of sleep is causing it or i'm just really not used to running in the morning. when i ran with mark last sunday, i believe my body was already warm from the days activity. since i also work out in the evenings, i think my body is conditioned to exert more effort later in the day than in the morning. i think i would need to condition my body as well to morning activities.
i did one round again as my warm up run. i already felt out winded after that, though my feet did not feel as awkward anymore. my stride is starting to feel regular and i didn't notice "the gazelle" showing except when i'm managing curbs. round 2 was equally strenuous with me starting to feel my pretibials starting to sore. round 3, i found my that i was starting to loose my rhythm. good thing i saw 2 marathon runners zip me by. i used them as visual end points and tried to follow their pace. needless to say, my efforts were not enuf since they seem to get farther and farther away from me by the minute. o well, i shall prevail eventually.
by round 4, i decided i had enough for today. my shirt was wet and heavy with sweat and my shorts were starting to give me wedgie. i cooled down by walking around the park again, taking my time to closely inspect the "icons" of my past once more. i remembered my lolo. my uncles. the breakfast we would have after running. i recall seeing the sun rise. the sky changing colors. the trees. the tall fences. there are still lots to see and remember in luneta, but i have to go now. it started to rain and i still needed to get home to work.
another day, another time.
as i drove off, i took a look back again and said to myself.... syet... cute talaga ni mamang pulis! there. breakfast. bwahahahaha!
Sunday, November 2, 2008
huff'n and puff'n
i just love the fact that the world wide web now serves as the reservoir of all my thoughts. not only is it absolutely super due to its almost unlimited capacity for storage (God only knows how many i need to clear out of my head), but it also keeps my thoughts very well organized, in chronological order even! (said ala Snaggle Puss)
a couple of days ago, i was reading through the blog i kept while i was in the middle east and came upon one of the later posts i made, about 100 things i would like to do before i die. the idea originally came from bespren vikki. she said since i liked to write so much, might as well write about this one. it also happened to be a good exercise for me since i wrote it down on my birthday and needed to reflect on my past as well as plan for my future. the post was written in parts and but was never finished (i really don't have a lot of expectations for myself obviously, i think i stopped at 75). anyway, allow me to add another item to that entry, run a marathon.
****
mark and i met up at the quirino grandstand this afternoon. he's been complaining how sedentary he has been and that he desperately wanted to get fit again. i told him about my aspirations for the endurance run and he said he used to run 5K before. BING! he was then immediately drafted as my running bud. though he originally wanted us to go to the UP oval at dili, i told him that i was in no mood to drive that far to just RUN. i said i'll go to luneta instead, a place to which he said would also be ok.
so it was set, sunday afternoon, at sundown... we rendevous in front of the carabao, the statue giving Rizal across the street the evil eye.
i got to the meeting point a good 30 mins before the time, a habit of my OCD to aclimatize myself first to any surrounding. i decided to stay in my car and wait instead of loitering around the premises. experience has taught me that having a pale white guy like myself walking around only gets me very uncomfortable stares, so much so that i'd rather just stay hidden until it was time for me to "surface". mark arrived at 4:50, panting since he walked all the way from the kalaw LRT station. after his routinary complaints and me shooting down his rant with bitchy remarks, we got changed for our run.
this would be my first run in years on open road. to be honest, i am not really a fan of running since my massive bone structure, coupled with my bulk makes the activity quite unpleasant at times. i have lost a significant amount of weight already and have increased my leg muscle stamina, now i can at least manage running without much fear of doing too much joint damage.
i run on the treadmill at the gym but only for short periods of time... though much kinder to the knees, something about feeling like a hamster in a wheel just doesn't make the most flattering of imageries. since getting familiar with the pavement was part of the marathon experience, i best get used to it now i supposed.
mark and i took a warm-up run around the perimeter of the park. he bragged he didn't need to warm up any longer since he already walked a great distance to get to me. i on the other hand felt that we still needed it. after one round, we paused to stretch. pilates had made me extra limber to the point that i had to exhert extra effort just to feel a slight pull on my legs. mark i presumed was just watching me turn myself to a human pretzel. after a few minutes getting all loosened up, we were then off again on round two.
the feeling, as expected, was definitely different running on the road. the ground was harder and i did not have as much bounce as compared to on the treadmill. mark also observed that i ran like a "ballerina", that i ran on my toes. i actually noticed this as well even from way back whenever i would run on the road. i run on my toes. i figured i did this since it gave me extra bounce when i run. it felt more comfortable on my knees and it helped me manuever around sidewalks, corners, trees and people. i also learned from a football playing friend that running on ur toes make u cover farther distances on every stride. i guess if this was a sprint, that would help, but for a marathon, i doubt my calf muscles would last the entire distance. i made myself conscious of this habit of mine and slowly forced myself to run on my heels again. it was slower and more impactful, but like running on pavement, something that i had to get used to.
mark and i chatted while we ran. it was quite fun really as the talk distracted me from the fatigue, much more from the stares i was getting (and i was getting a LOT). mark noticed it too, explaining that it was probably because, again, of my paleness. i however had a feeling it was more than that, these stares had malice in them. anyway... i didn't bother entertaining these thoughts, i was here to train.
after 2 more rounds, the effects of mark's sedentary lifestyle started to show. he was parched, out winded and beginning to feel achy all over. i however was just beginning to feel hints of runner's high. we paused for him to grab a drink and started to run again. the ground was terribly hard and we later discovered that the asphalt felt better underfoot. another 2 more rounds and mark gave up. he apologized if he slowed me down, he didn't realize he was this out of shape. i told him that all is fine. at least i got to run.
though the quality of our training is questionable (we never really had a solid round of non-stop running and we never timed it since neither of us had a watch at hand), i still felt it wasn't all that of a loss. i think i was able to gauge my endurance level and learn of what my resting pace is. i also am trying still to get used to running on my heels and try to avoid doing the "gazelle" :) hopefully a couple more days (or nights) like this, i will be in shape for the real thing.
i can't wait!!! :)
a couple of days ago, i was reading through the blog i kept while i was in the middle east and came upon one of the later posts i made, about 100 things i would like to do before i die. the idea originally came from bespren vikki. she said since i liked to write so much, might as well write about this one. it also happened to be a good exercise for me since i wrote it down on my birthday and needed to reflect on my past as well as plan for my future. the post was written in parts and but was never finished (i really don't have a lot of expectations for myself obviously, i think i stopped at 75). anyway, allow me to add another item to that entry, run a marathon.
****
mark and i met up at the quirino grandstand this afternoon. he's been complaining how sedentary he has been and that he desperately wanted to get fit again. i told him about my aspirations for the endurance run and he said he used to run 5K before. BING! he was then immediately drafted as my running bud. though he originally wanted us to go to the UP oval at dili, i told him that i was in no mood to drive that far to just RUN. i said i'll go to luneta instead, a place to which he said would also be ok.
so it was set, sunday afternoon, at sundown... we rendevous in front of the carabao, the statue giving Rizal across the street the evil eye.
i got to the meeting point a good 30 mins before the time, a habit of my OCD to aclimatize myself first to any surrounding. i decided to stay in my car and wait instead of loitering around the premises. experience has taught me that having a pale white guy like myself walking around only gets me very uncomfortable stares, so much so that i'd rather just stay hidden until it was time for me to "surface". mark arrived at 4:50, panting since he walked all the way from the kalaw LRT station. after his routinary complaints and me shooting down his rant with bitchy remarks, we got changed for our run.
this would be my first run in years on open road. to be honest, i am not really a fan of running since my massive bone structure, coupled with my bulk makes the activity quite unpleasant at times. i have lost a significant amount of weight already and have increased my leg muscle stamina, now i can at least manage running without much fear of doing too much joint damage.
i run on the treadmill at the gym but only for short periods of time... though much kinder to the knees, something about feeling like a hamster in a wheel just doesn't make the most flattering of imageries. since getting familiar with the pavement was part of the marathon experience, i best get used to it now i supposed.
mark and i took a warm-up run around the perimeter of the park. he bragged he didn't need to warm up any longer since he already walked a great distance to get to me. i on the other hand felt that we still needed it. after one round, we paused to stretch. pilates had made me extra limber to the point that i had to exhert extra effort just to feel a slight pull on my legs. mark i presumed was just watching me turn myself to a human pretzel. after a few minutes getting all loosened up, we were then off again on round two.
the feeling, as expected, was definitely different running on the road. the ground was harder and i did not have as much bounce as compared to on the treadmill. mark also observed that i ran like a "ballerina", that i ran on my toes. i actually noticed this as well even from way back whenever i would run on the road. i run on my toes. i figured i did this since it gave me extra bounce when i run. it felt more comfortable on my knees and it helped me manuever around sidewalks, corners, trees and people. i also learned from a football playing friend that running on ur toes make u cover farther distances on every stride. i guess if this was a sprint, that would help, but for a marathon, i doubt my calf muscles would last the entire distance. i made myself conscious of this habit of mine and slowly forced myself to run on my heels again. it was slower and more impactful, but like running on pavement, something that i had to get used to.
mark and i chatted while we ran. it was quite fun really as the talk distracted me from the fatigue, much more from the stares i was getting (and i was getting a LOT). mark noticed it too, explaining that it was probably because, again, of my paleness. i however had a feeling it was more than that, these stares had malice in them. anyway... i didn't bother entertaining these thoughts, i was here to train.
after 2 more rounds, the effects of mark's sedentary lifestyle started to show. he was parched, out winded and beginning to feel achy all over. i however was just beginning to feel hints of runner's high. we paused for him to grab a drink and started to run again. the ground was terribly hard and we later discovered that the asphalt felt better underfoot. another 2 more rounds and mark gave up. he apologized if he slowed me down, he didn't realize he was this out of shape. i told him that all is fine. at least i got to run.
though the quality of our training is questionable (we never really had a solid round of non-stop running and we never timed it since neither of us had a watch at hand), i still felt it wasn't all that of a loss. i think i was able to gauge my endurance level and learn of what my resting pace is. i also am trying still to get used to running on my heels and try to avoid doing the "gazelle" :) hopefully a couple more days (or nights) like this, i will be in shape for the real thing.
i can't wait!!! :)
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