Archive for October, 2010

A video break from running (although I’m clearly in my usual running gear in this video).  This is worth checking out…

Why am I posting about household cleaners in my running blog?  For two reasons:

1) Messy Bessy is a brand I strongly believe in and support. Messy Bessy products are non-toxic and safe for the environment.  Apart from that, it was actually created to support H.O.U.S.E. (Helping Ourselves through Sustainable Enterprises), a group of enterprises that employ and educate formerly abused, trafficked, incarcerated and impoverished young adults.  I still remember its founder, Krie Reyes-Lopez, conceptualizing businesses she could set up to provide employment to these kids.

2) It’s founder, Krie, had a lot to do with “creating” The Bull Runner. I always share the story about how I started running.  One  fairly ordinary day in 2006, I was having coffee with 4 of my bestest girlfriends when one of them, Krie, mentioned proudly that she could already run on her treadmill for 30 long minutes.

– Krie and her hubby are runners, too –

It was a lightbulb moment for me who had been walking on my treadmill for years.  Why didn’t I ever try running on it?!  That I did the minute I got home. I survived for around 5 minutes of running and later chanced upon the Beginners’ 5k Program on Runner’s World.  The rest, as they say, is history.

Hope you learned a thing or two from the video about caring for the environment and also for those around you.

Click HERE to visit Messy Bessy’s website.

Aaaah, can I just tell you? I deserve this vacation. For the first time in months, I finally get to think of nothing else but family, food, and running. It’s the way life should be, isn’t it?

We arrived in Los Angeles last Saturday. This gives us a full week to relax and tour LA (read: Disneyland, Universal Studios, and Lego Land with the kiddos) before things get serious and we fly off to New York on Nov 1 for the marathon on November 7.

– After a 10k solo run in wet and chilly Glendora, CA this morning. My favorite Nike Storm Jacket with a Mizuno long-sleeved top underneath and CW-X tights kept me warm and happy. Loved that run! –

I’m having a grand time.  But, I’m not at all losing my focus on the race.  I promised myself this.  And, I promised a few other people too who have been all too generous in helping me train:

On the last day of my gym workout, my trainer, Coach Pete, looked me in the eye and demanded a commitment: “Jaymie, stick to the plan, okay?” I smile and say “Yup!”  Not content, he adds: “Remember, this is NOT a vacation; it is a RACE. Don’t mess up the past months training and hardwork on two weeks of fun before race day.”  And, it hits me: He is so right.  Coach Pete teaches me four strengthening workouts I should be doing while in the US. I memorize it and promise to do them.

During my last tempo run with Alvin, my pace buddy, he reminds me: “Do not go too fast during the 1st half.  Hold your pace so you’ll be strong enough to run the 2nd half.”  I repeat his words over and over hoping that I remember his advice—or, if I do remember, I hope I don’t throw it out the window after Km 10.  I will however continue to run this week here in LA trying to imagine him pushing me to keep my pace and, just like him, I won’t be listening to all my silly excuses.

Then, finally, on diet, I am trying my darndest best to stick to Harvie’s nutrition plan which he taught me a few month’s back.  I hadn’t consulted with Harvie for over a month now, but his words still echo in my head: “All that sodium will stay in your body for 48 hours!” or “That is the devil’s food!”  It’s a challenge, I tell you.  I haven’t been a perfect student with all the good food to taste in giant portions, but I’m proud to tell you not an ounce of Doritos nor Cheetos has passed through my lips!

It’s serious marathon work over here.  But, hey, not THAT serious.  This runner has gotta live a little, too.  I’ll just let loose completely after November 7!

Hello, Glendora!  See you soon, New York!

Surprise surprise! We have a special offer for TBR Dream Marathon 2011 participants. As part of your training, lifestyle and weight loss management coaches, husband-wife team, and contributors of TBR Magazine, Armand and Mitch Felipe Mendoza, will be offering a WEIGHT MANAGEMENT PROGRAM for TBR Dream Marathoners. Yey!  Get this…it’s for FREE!

Here are the details:

WHAT? Weight Management Program by Armand and Mitch Felipe-Mendoza

WHEN? During the 5-month training period of TBR Dream Marathon

FOR WHOM? Exclusively for TBR Dream Marathon 2011 Participants. Program is recommended for those who want to lose weight safely and properly while training for TBR Dream Marathon

HOW MUCH? FREE

OBJECTIVE OF THE PROGRAM:

1. To guide participants in their weight loss journey (if this is their goal) by giving advice on balanced eating and exercise
2. To promote responsible running by preventing injuries while training and avoid overtraining
3. To prepare runners for weight maintenance even after the marathon

WHAT DO YOU RECEIVE?

• Group weight loss sessions (once a month)
• Weigh ins
• Monitoring
• Exercise and food program
• Tips on weight loss
• Tips on cross training

WHO WILL CONDUCT IT?

Armand and Mitch Mendoza will conduct the weight management program. While the program is exclusively for TBR Dream Marathoners, meetings, consultations, or group sessions will be coordinated and conducted by Armand and Mitch.

HOW DO I START?

Armand and Mitch want you to get started early, so first WEIGH-IN and meet up for those who are interested is scheduled for three days next week (choose one):

• October 25, Monday, 6pm
• October 28, Thursday, 7pm
• October 30, Saturday, 530am

Please choose one day and pre-register by emailing:

• Armand – askarmand@gmail.com
• Mitch – mitchfelipe@gmail.com

NOTE: Bring your TBR Dream Card as proof of your participation.  No card, no entry in the Weight Management Program.

Next WEIGH-INS and SESSIONS will be emailed to you by Mitch/Armand.

IS THIS REQUIRED OF TBR DREAM PARTICIPANTS?

NO. This is a special offer from Armand and Mitch.  They decided to offer this free service after noting the need for experts to guide and regularly monitor runners who joined the marathon while hoping to lose weight.  It is not mandatory for TBR Dream Participants.

WHO ARE THE COACHES?

Armando “Armand” Mendoza Jr., PTRP is a licensed physical therapist, an ACE-certified personal trainer and lifestyle & weight management consultant for 10 years. He specializes in weight loss programs that integrates exercise training, healthy eating, lifestyle coaching and behavioral modification. Armand is also a full marathon-running coach and a certified sports nutrition counselor. At present, Armand focuses on lifestyle modification/weight management coaching for private/corporate clients and is currently the weight loss columnist for Men’s Health Philippines.

Mitch Felipe-Mendoza is a lifestyle & weight management coach, fitness trainer and runner who has helped her clients manage weight and improve running performance by combining her background in psychology, exercise, nutrition, and injury prevention. She is a licensed physical therapist (DLSU), holds a masters degree in psychology (Ateneo de Manila University) and also certified by the American Council on Exercise. She is also a regular wellness contributor of Philippine Daily Inquirer, a weight loss columnist for Women’s Health Philippines, and nutrition contributor for The Bull Runner Magazine.

CONTACT:

Please direct all inquiries to:

Armand – askarmand@gmail.com
Mithc – mitchfelipe@gmail.com

Thank you to all of you who participated in the Guess How Many Sports Beans contest.  Imagine, out of 130 entries only 7 runners guessed the right quantity: 32 Sports Beans! We may be fast runners, but we gotta sharpen our counting skills, guys!  Sorry, I’m just teasing.

Among the 7 correct guessers, I then raffled off the 3 prizes.  Here are the names of the winners of 1 box each of Sports Beans:

• william
• JCo
• Eric

Congratulations! Winners will receive an email from me regarding pick up of prizes. Until the next contest!

Last week, I was invited to guest on Sports Insider, a sports show on Solar Sports hosted by Jinno Rufino and Noel Zarate which features the most happening and most talked about in sports.  (I say Solar Sports should produce a show just like that but specifically for running!)

As I watched Noel and Jinno, two of the most articulate sports hosts in my book, spew out names of basketball players and teams from their mouths faster than I could sprint a mile, I wondered: What the hell am I doing here?  And…what the heck are they talking about?! Basketball terms—especially the names of players—are a foreign language to me.

But, being the great hosts they are, I felt completely at ease during the interview.  We talked about the blog and the magazine, my running, and about the upcoming TBR Dream Marathon.  It was a lot of fun!

The show above was aired Monday.  There will be another episode on TBR Dream Marathon early next year.

One last thing: I promised Jinno that I would ask all of my running friends—that’s YOU, by the way—to click LIKE on their Facebook page.  You see, if they hit 50,000 fans, Noel Zarate will shave off his hair.  I say: if 1,000 likes come from runners, he should run 10k early next year, too.

Click HERE to go to Sports Insider Facebook page.

Sports Insider airs on Solar Sports every Mon, Wed, & Fri at 9pm (replays 6am) and on Basketball TV every Tue, Thu & Sat at 10pm (replays 6:30am).