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We temporarily interrupt your reading pleasure for a friendly reminder:

Please don’t forget to show up tonight for the last BULL CIRCLE talk.  It will be at ROX, 7 PM.  Click HERE for details.

Again, it is open to the public.  No pre-registration required.

See you there!

I lived like a TBR Dream Marathoner for a day and I loved it.

I had fever on Monday and Friday (I was well on Wednesday just in time for my birthday) so I had ZERO mileage all week.  When Sunday came and hubby was to run at NUVALI for his training run with his marathon training buddies, Lit and Jun, I made sure I was there to join in on the running fun.  I was so thrilled about this that I went on to invite other runners: the Solemates Jun and Mariel and Secondwind peeps who coincidentally were planning to run there too along with other TBR Dream Marathoners they were guiding.

16 runners showed up for our run, majority of whom were training for TBR Dream Marathon.

The TBR Dream Marathoners were scheduled to run 21km. One batch practiced the 8:1 technique (8 minute run, 1 minute walk) while another batch ran non-stop.  I ran with the 2nd non-stop running, non-stop talking batch and enjoyed every minute, especially Hector and Mai’s exchange of trivia!  Time and distance passed by so quickly that I forgot about my 10km sick limit that day and ran a little over 12km.

Most of the runners continued with their run but I stopped at the first loop to shower and enjoy some alone time with an iced caffe latte on Mother’s Day.  I sat there in Starbucks and pondered on my learnings from that run:

• Lesson 1: Never run when you’re sick. My 10k felt like a 20k.  And, by night time, my itchy throat had worsened to a painful sore throat.  They don’t call me bullheaded for nothing.
• Lesson 2: The run-walk technique works! I noticed that the distance between the two batches, the run-walk and run group, was only a few meters until the end.  If you’re not focused on time for the marathon, then the run-walk technique truly helps to conserve energy without slowing you down too much.
• Lesson 3: Training with friends is a great way to stay motivated. Others don’t need extra motivation. I am actually a loner, solo-flight kind of runner.  But, for other runners who need a reason to lace up and run, then running with friends is the best way to go.
• Lesson 4: Running has made me a better mom. Running puts some sanity into my day.  With all the to-do lists, errands, summer activities, and work to juggle, I often feel like I need 10 more hands and another 10 hours in a day to do accomplish every task.  One hour of running (or more) gives me time to focus on me, to organize my thoughts, to find myself hidden underneath the heaps of work, and to give myself a stronger body and mind to become a better person, a better mom.  That one hour of running that Sunday made such a big difference to my entire week!

– Notice my new running gadget on my waist? That’s called the POKE-WALKER. TBR Jr. asked me to wear it during the run. It earns points for his Pokemon for every tracked step. My run earned him almost 19,000 steps to empower his Pokemon. Wait till Daddy wears it during the marathon! –

First there was Valentine’s Day trail run and now a Father’s Day trail run.  I think it’s fantastic that we’re enjoying more unique and creative concepts for races—both on roads and trails.  Question: why didn’t anyone come up with a Mom’s Day Shopping and Spa run?

So, if you’re thinking of a more adventurous and fun way to spend Father’s Day this year, sign up for New Balance Trail Adventure Run. Definitely a great father-son bonding activity.  If the rest of the family wants to join in on the fun, they can watch the race and enjoy a great brunch with the entire family at Solenad in NUVALI.

New Balance Trail Adventure Run: Father’s Day Run 2010

June 20, 2010
5k (pair)/ 10k/ 15k

Congratulations to all the winners of the 5 to 5/5 Contest!

How time flies!  We will soon have the last talk in our series of Bull Circle talks which started last February.  (Sniff sniff)  We do hope you can make it.

BULL CIRCLE 4
TOPIC:  MARATHON DAY: FUEL UP AND FIGHT!

WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 2010
7:00 PM, ROX
FREE, Everyone is welcome to attend
No pre-registration required

• Brief update on THE BULL RUNNER DREAM MARATHON
• PROPER NUTRITION FOR MARATHON DAY (by Mitch Felipe)
  • Intro on energy balance – calories that you burn and you should take in during your training and 42K run
  • What to eat 10 days before a full-marathon (Discuss carbo-loading as well)
  • Will share nutrition tips based on successful marathon finishers
  • How to prevent cold sweats, cramps, dizziness while doing the actual full marathon
  • Preventing weight gain after the marathon
• HYDRATION PLAN FOR MARATHON DAY (by Dr. George Canlas) – The importance of proper hydration for race day.
• PSYCHING YOURSELF UP FOR THE MARATHON (by Mitch Felipe)
  • Top negative thoughts before and  while running the marathon: how to turn these into positive thoughts to finish the run
  • Effective self-talks applied by successful 42K finishers
  • Changing one’s attitude and behavior to stay away from unexpected marathon events which might tempt you to quit (ex: running with walkers, getting intimidated by other runners, weather condition..etc.)

• Q&A

BACKGROUND OF SPEAKERS:
Mitch Felipe-Mendoza is a lifestyle and weight management coach, a fitness trainer and a finisher of several marathons. She is a regular wellness contributor of Philippine Daily Inquirer, weight loss columnist for Women’s Health Philippines, and nutrition contributor for The Bull Runner Magazine. She holds a master’s degree in psychology.

Dr. George Canlas is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine. He was once a member of the National Track Team.  He is the Gatorade Sports Science Institute adviser.