Category Archives: Running + Triathlon

Many runners use a treadmill to get a good workout. It is one of the most effective ways to burn those calories without having to confront the outdoor elements—the harsh heat of the sun, torrential downpours, strong winds, dogs with no rabies shots, muggers—you get the point? The information provided by most treadmills such as calorie count, distance, time, and heart rate is an added bonus to runners who track their runs. Personally, I find that it’s a great way to watch The Today Show or Oprah without turning into a couch potato.

When I got home from my 45-minute road run early this morning, I realized I hadn’t touched my treadmill in two weeks. Mind you, in treadmill time that is pretty long considering they just sit there all day waiting for someone to hop unto them. Poor treadmill, I thought, it had seen more productive days when it was all I knew in the early days of my running.

– my treadmill gathering dust this summer –

With our running group meeting regularly four times a week, I have absolutely no time for my treadmill nowadays. Don’t tell my treadmill but I’m pretty happy about not using him because I’m completely thrilled with my road runs. (By now you should be saying “Oh that’s why she entitled this ‘The Velveteen Treadmill!'”) My worry is, when the rainy season starts and school begins, will I have the patience to cover a 1-hour run on my treadmill? Without the scenery, the wind, the chatter, how will I survive?

Oh wait, I forgot, there is always Oprah.

Some runners love to run alone. Others can’t even run around the block if their running buddies are absent. When it comes to running, it doesn’t really matter how you do it as long as you get the kilometers done.

I thought I would always be the happy lonely runner. I love running alone. I like the solitude, the silence, the opportunity to think without my clients or the kids hollering their next request. And I particularly like the fact that, when I feel the need to run, all I have to do is put on my trusty running shoes and head out the door or towards my treadmill. No need to set a play date with an entire team!

Call it fate or coincidence that I now find myself part of a growing runners group here in the South. Initially, it was just Coach B and I who ran together. I decided to invite a friend and she in turn invited another friend, and they plan to invite more of their gym buddies for future runs. The more the merrier!

– the wide, paved roads of alabang make it ideal for training –

I never thought group running would be this much fun. This was the first time a ran a full hour without feeling like I had to be peeled off the road during the first 5k. Time certainly rolls by quickly when you are with other runners who are enjoyable to be with. And it is true that—just like in a sports team—you can feed off each other’s energy, push the other to work harder, or provide motivation to finish the last five minutes. Of course, I’m still going to run by myself, but group running will now get a larger share of my running schedule.

 Most runners will get by without a coach. After all, running is a very simple sport—put one foot in front of the other and go a bit faster than you would while walking. Even serious runners can just create their own running programs, train by their lonesome, and still end up winning a race.

However, as in any sport—or anything in life for that matter—it is still better to learn from a mentor/guide/teacher/coach. Someone who can impart all his knowledge so that you won’t have to reinvent the wheel. One who can motivate you, inspire you, and basically just get you out of bed when you’re feeling lazy.

My decision to get a coach was mainly because I was stuck in a rut. After finishing my first running program (courtesy of Runner’s World), I felt like I was running towards no particular destination. My next goal was to run a 10k but I had no idea how to get there. I tried a new 10k program (again from Runner’s World) but it was way too heavy for me. So there I was running my 5k with ease and not feeling any challenge on my body. I tell you, it was extremely frustrating.

Luckily, I chanced upon Coach Bernardo’s brochure for his running clinic during my son’s enrollment. I called him on his cellphone and impulsively registered for 10 sessions as soon as I dropped the phone.

Last week, the day after I recovered from a rather painful bout of intestinal flu, I met with Coach B at 530am for the very first time. I insisted we keep our run light since I was afraid of getting a relapse, so we talked for the most part and ran only 20 minutes. Admittedly, I was “bitin” but I didn’t want to push it.

This morning, I met Coach B for our 2nd run. To say it was great would definitely be an understatement. We ran for 30 minutes around Ayala Alabang and I had so much fun that time passed by all too quickly. He is definitely better company than my ipod shuffle—no matter how much I love that thing!

 – Coach Bernardo and I after our 30-min “medium run” –