LONG POST! So, okay, here we go! Sixteen weeks of running, my happy suffering! I'm super duper excited for this cycle! It just got pushed a bit because of Bagyong Tino and the devastation it caused in our city and in other parts of the Philippines. Heavy times but we move forward.
I never, ever thought I'd be training for 21km but just like what I said in my previous blog, when I was doing my 10k training and my longest run then was 15k, I just thought, I can always walk that remaining 6k easy. So, here we are.
I've been through a lot health-wise, but I'm def stronger now, steadier as well. I know that some days will feel light, some days will feel like I'm dragging my entire life behind me, but either way, I'm doing it (happily!).
Sixteen weeks. LET'S EFFING GO! 😁
Week 1:
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By Bagyong Tino.
This is one of the pics sent to me by one of my team members. |
This felt easy, and I wish I could say it’s because I’m stronger, but honestly, most of it is because of the storm’s damages, which are so visible on the road.
Nov 5 - Tempo (Rolling 300s), 6km (logged 6.5 km)
Legs felt funky after 5k.. why??? Booo!
Nov 6 - Strength Training - skipped
Nov 7 - Intervals (400m repeats), 6.4 km (logged 7.41 km)
Finally on track with my training. I missed a strength session, but I’m all good with the runs. I still have a long run on Sunday though, and yoga and Pilates tomorrow. I realize my knees are too old for a 3-day straight run! 42. Not doing this again if I can help it but knowing me, I probably still will. I never learn.
Nov 8 - Pilates, Yoga (Strength and Stability) - skipped
Nov 9 - Long Run - Easy, 14km
I knew this wasn’t going to be an easy run. My legs were tired at 10km, but I endured the pain and completed it. Loved the wind though.
.jfif) |
Coffee with cream
One of my few indulgences, and a 12-ounce
cup like this is usually a two-day coffee for me |
Week 2:
Nov 11 - Easy, 7.5km
Yup, this was easy, although both legs are a little sore.
Nov 12 - Tempo (Rolling 400s), 8km
I promise to not skip strength training this week or ever! This was not easy. 😏 Bit of Vit D though!
Nov 13 - Strength Training
I love strength training than Pilates. Strength is hard but I enjoy it. I’m sure my legs and arms are going to be sore tomorrow. My left arms and legs are getting stronger too and my balance has greatly improved. Sooo happy!
Nov 14 - Easy, 9km
Surprisingly, there’s no soreness whatsoever in any part of my body. The cold shower worked. Anyway, yeah this was easy. I listened to Mac Miller (RIP). I loooovvee running in the rain!
Nov 15 - Pilates, Yoga (Strength and Stability) - Skipped
Nov 16 - Long (Progressive), 14km
So… this was NOT EASY and it’s my fault. I ate a 7/11 siopao about 4 hrs prior, and then my husband and I went to our usual hangout place where I ate a whole banh mi and had a 12 oz coffee. My body was HEAVY! I wasn’t able to hit the required pace during the last 3.5 km, but I willed myself to finish the run. Grabbed every opportunity to stop/walk, like when crossing the road and tightening my shoelaces. Tetta is tired!
Week 3:
Nov 18 - Easy, 9km
Wasn't really an easy run because:
- My body hasn't recovered from last Sunday's run
- Right knee felt wonky
- I left my headset so no music
But... I'm happy about my cadence as I was able to maintain it without following a beat!
Nov 19 - Tempo, 9km
I felt like I'm still not 100%, so to make my life easier, I used one of my plated shoes. I guess it worked because although this run wasn't easy (tempo runs are RARELY easy), it's definitely easiER than my previous 2 runs. So yeah!
Nov 20 - Strength Training (Done on 11/22)
This was hard and I'm sure my legs and arms are going to be sore tomorrow.
Nov 21 Intervals (Pyramid), 9km
Looove this interval and loove my shirt!
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| not today's run but this is the shirt I wore. This is from shein. Hi, Vin! |
Nov 22 - Pilates, Yoga (Strength and Stability) - SkippedI did the Nov 20 Strength Training instead.
Nov 23 - Long Run, 14km
It's my bana's birthday!!! Anyway, I walked the last 900m. I needed it. I was seriously thinking about switching my plan to an easier one (i had a stroke 7 months ago and still chose the most challenging one, go figure!). My right knee is hurting and my legs are tight. Could also be because i missed a strength training on Thursday and yoga (stretching). I'll see how next week goes.
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| Langlang kaayo! 😍💕😘 |
Week 4:
Nov 25 - Easy - 9km - skipped
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| one of my sinful post-run fuel |
Nov 26 - Progressive Tempo Run - 9km - skippedToo sick to run but not too sick to walk so i did the latter and soaked in some vit d for my immune system.
Nov 27 - Strength Training (Upper Body), Yoga (Mobility Session 4)
The side plank is always the hardest specifically on the left side . I did complete the 40sec plank on the 3rd set though so this is def a win! 🎉
I love the mobility yoga!
Nov 28 - Easy - 9km
Got sick and missed two runs this week, but i feel great. My right knee pain is very minimal now, maybe 5%, so i def felt stronger today.
Also, i was very sinful foodwise: 1 huge fried chicken, 5 (6?) slices of black sambo, and a whole plate of Bentang’s bam-e. I wanted more, but i stopped myself! 😁🙄
This was a great run!
Nov 29 - Strength Training (Going Heavy)
Did better on the side planks! 🎉
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| Had an amazing time with my husband’s team! ♥ We rode to Busay on a motorcycle and captured the whole trip on my husband’s new Insta360 cam. |
Nov 30 - Block Long Run - 14km
Right knee felt better! I went back to my usual Sunday route, even though i hesitated at first because of the knee pain. But honestly, i cannot do 7–8 rounds in the non hilly parts of ayala. So i hit the road and took on some hills instead. It actually felt good after! Im proud of this run!
Btw, i changed something in my half marathon plan. I added one more strength training session and opted for mobility yoga instead of Pilates. Should be better. 🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞
After this run, my husband and I did our usual Sunday routine and watched CESAFI and man.. that last game between USC and USJR was nothing short of amazing. I mean, 3 OTs??? Are you kidding me??? USC finally won and I'm so happy about it!
You know, I can get really passionate when it comes to sports. My husband just laughs at me. I'm not a toxic fan though. I don't boo and I respect the ref's calls (I'm a bit of a wuss like that hehe). Other people would shout, "Ref, kabalo ka mo baskit?" and all that. There was even a mom who trash talked a player for playing aggressive defense on her kid. I would never do that if I'm a mom but to each their own. Fans like that are wild and entertaining!
Anyway, I've had a change of heart. I am now rooting for BC (college) and UCLM (highschool) to win the championship. I'm also still partial to UV (college - my husband's fave), and of course, USPF (highschool) but they've already been eliminated.
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| look at that tetta nga naninghawak mura jud ug korek hahahaha yup, this was that game |
Week 5:
Dec 2 – 7 km - Easy
I followed Runna's AI advice to take it easy this week, so i opted to do this run on the treadmill, no elevation, relaxed pace, both knee-friendly. I kinda love the feeling of being in the gym alone. Plus i got to watch an episode of white lotus!
Dec 3 – 6 km - Tempo
Again, on the treadmill, 6km run. Theres about a 1km difference beween the distance on my watch and the treadmill itself. I was done with the 300s and supposedly had only 1.5km left for cooldown but I was just at 3.5km, so I ended up with a 2.5km cooldown because I followed the treadmill's distance.
I'm okay with it. In fact, I LOVE this run! Running is def easier on the treadmill. For the sake of my right knee, I'm going to stick to the treadmill this week and get back on the road next week. Im also thinking of doing my easy runs on the treadmill so lets see how that goes.
Anyway, I walked the last 500m with 15 incline.
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| i finally have a gym selfie (bucket list checked - char!) |
Dec 4 - Full Body Strength Session, Loading Up (Strength Training, 2 sessions)2 SESSIONS? Yes, besh! This looks like I'm overcompensating becaused I missed a lot of strength training before.. and I am, hahahha! I want stronger legs and arms! Anyway, I loved these 2 sessions. I was actually going to do mobility yoga after, but at the end of the second sesh, I was parched and hungry, so I ate my everyday monggos (with all the other utan in it), mais, and roasted fish.
Dec 5 – 7 km - Easy
My actual distance on the treadmill is 7km (I took the pic during cooldown hence the blur) but it registered 8.43 on my watch so I will have to figure out how to edit my numbers here. Anyway, this run is easy, still have a little pain on the right knee but def stronger. I should be ready to go back on the road next week. I have to be honest, I kinda love running on the treadmill.
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| took this pic during my cooldown hence the blur |
Dec 7 – 8 km - Long
I finally figured out how to edit the correct distance on my watch before it saves the run. Still on the treadmill, and today was supposed to be my Sunday long run but the bana and I have a lakaw, so here we go. Easy 8k, right knee is definitely stronger, and I got to watch 2 episodes of 48 hours. Both my ate and I are obsessed with this channel.
Distance - 8.01 km, Pace - 7:36 /km, Time - 1h 0m
CESAFI - Sad that Benidicto College and University of San Carlos lost today. They will be fighting for 3rd.
WEEK 6:
Dec 9 - Easy - 9km + 1.8km Walk + Full Body Strength Workout
Back on the road and couldn’t be happier! I went out of the subd for a little while to gain some elevation, not too far, just to test my knees, and they held up! Probably just 2% pain. Also stayed in Zone 2 despite my pace. I’m getting better! So much so that I walked almost 2km more and did a quick full body strength workout. I was on VL yesterday so this tetta is not only well-fed but also well-rested!
Distance - 9.02 km, Pace - 7:24 /km, Time - 1h 6m
Anyway, my heart truly breaks for the UCLM highschool basketball team. To me, they're the champs this season. They're just the strongest team, no doubt about that. I don't blame CESAFI, but I do blame the player who didn't follow the policy. Such a selfish thing to do. 💔😭
Dec 10 - Intervals - 9km
Gained some elevation and was able to stick to the pace requirement. Gotta say, this felt so good. It really gave me confidence in myself! Also, look what's parked beside me! Soooo gwapo!
Distance - 9.69 km, Pace - 7:15 /km, Time - 1h 10m
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| I had to take a pic from the side mirror ky maulaw si oks |
Dec 11 - Yoga Mobility Session 5 + Lower Body Strength Workout
The yoga was easy but felt some pain when I stretching my leg, particularly in the inner thigh. I also skipped the last Side Plank with Hip Flexion since my arms are already too tired from the strength workout.
Dec 12 - Easy - 9km
This didn't feel easy. I feel like I'm still adjusting to running on the road with longer distances after last week's shorter treadmill runs.
Distance - 9.02 km, Pace - 7:26 /km, Time - 1h 7m
Dec 14 - Long progressive - 15km + 1.5 km Walk
From yesterday's busy day:
9-hr shift with one of my busiest days at the office
Breakfast/Christmas party with L&ES Cebu Team - Quest Hotel
Coffee/Tabi/Pa-tattoo date with Leo
CESAFI Finals Game 3 between University of the Visayas & University of Cebu and UV won! Yayy!!! 🎉
Slept for 5 hrs.
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| watching CESAFI with this kyot-kyot!!😍😍 what a turnout! we both prayed that there'd be Game 3 so we could watch (it fell on a weekend) so this is an answered prayer |
And here we are. This run has pace demands and I went slower during the 14K and went fast during the last km. I MADE IT is all I really want to say. Walked for 2km or so to cooldown.
.jfif) |
| A selfie to send to fam GC and also because I felt cute hahahahha my younger brother Kab gave me my shirt and cap!!! |
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| Met 2 of my closest friends (Mads Van and Douey Gurl) for breakfast! I love these 2! The 3 of us worked in the same account before, and eventually Douey gurl and I became housemates in our little apartment, before my bana and I decided to live together |
WEEK 7:
This was super easy, on the treadmill, while watching Sex and the City 2 (don't like this movie but Abu Dhabi is nice!). I decided to run on the treadmill because I was thinking of catching up on my other workouts, of course, between work, CESAFI, and all the Christmas parties.
Distance - 9.01 km, Pace - 7:27 /km, Time - 1h 7m
Anyway, when I got home and was supposed to do my other workouts, I got tired and decided to nap. WHen I woke up, I decided to make yet another change to my training plan. I'm obviously overthinking this. I went back to my original plan (before the 1m changes) and just extended the time on my strength training.
Dec 17 - Tempo - 9km + 1.5km WalkBack on the road and so kugihan today. Logged a total of almost 12K including my walk. I DIDN'T EXPECT THIS TO BE A 5k PR (31:49)! Now I want to join a 5k race and do a sub-30. I KNOW I CAN DO IT!
Again, tempo runs are not easy but my right knee is definitely stronger.
Also, I had I MISS YOU by Incubus on repeat and kind of birit-ed while walking, other runners be damned.😁
Distance - 9.19 km, Pace - 7:11 /km, Time - 1h 6m
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| i love my shoes and shoelace!!! my youngest brother Makaryu gave me these! |
Dec 18 - Lower Body Strength + Mobility YogaWith strength training, I'm actually seeing mini abs forming on my belly. Thank you, diagonal toe taps! My core is always sore after that one. As for yoga, I used to love it, but now, it's just for compliance, for my running. I almost nailed the 40-second tree pose on my left (weak side from stroke), btw!
Dec 19 - Easy - 9km + 750m WalkEASY PEEZY! I'm back, bitches! hahahhah CHAR!
I'm wearing my NB 860 V14 and I have to talk about them because I think they're very underrated. They're not as cushioned as the 1080s but very stable and comfy. I wouldn't race in these, but I'd def do long runs in them.
Distance - 9.03 km, Pace - 7:35 /km, Time - 1h 8m
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| a big bite! I love whoppers and as much as i'd love to devour this whole thing, I only ate half post run, and gave the other half to my husband. |
Dec 20 - Strength Training + Stretch & Stability Session 11 (Yoga)
Strength training: The lunge hold calf raise was the most challenging, I felt a little right knee pain while doing it.
Yoga: OMG, so proud of myself for completing this workout! I really see now how important stretching, mobility, and strength training are in supporting and improving my running.
.jfif) |
| Marugame Udon - Their ramen is light and tastes really clean, none of that sticky, overly fatty broth you sometimes get. It feels light like a lighter, more refined version, but still super delicious. The noodles are thick, chewy, soft, and light. Honestly, everything about it feels light, and I love that it didn't leave me feeling heavy or guilty. I had the Chiken Paitan, and my husband ordered the Beef Udon. I'd definitely go back. |
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| I have this thing with chips, I have to try new ones when I see them in the supermarket. I haven't been doing this much lately since I'm trying to be healthier, so this was a once-in-a-while pick. It tasted a bit like cucumber and milk, and it was really light. I honestly forgot how much it cost, but I'm not that excited to buy it again. |
Dec 22 - Long - 16km
This was supposed to be yesterday's run.
Pre-run: Last night's dinner was 1.5 cups of rice, tuna panga, and half a serving of batchoy. One hour before the run, I had half a banana.
During the run: This felt easy overall. I got hungry around 6km and had half a banana plus about 100ml of Pocari Sweat. Hit the runner's high at 9km.
Got hungry again at 13km and had half a banana + 100ml of Pocari Sweat + 100ml water.
Post-run: Half a cup of rice, Bentang's pancit, and an egg.
This is my longest run ever and I feel good! I could honestly live off bananas!
Distance - 16.02 km, Pace - 7:59 /km, Time - 2h 7m
.jfif) |
| my prize for running 16km hahahaha |
WEEK 8:
Dec 23 - Easy - 7km - Skipped
Dec 24 - Tempo - 9km
So.. I didn't hit the pace requirement for both 2km intervals. I got tired and ended up walking for about 10 seconds in each one. I was out of breathe. Weirdly, my heart rate stayed pretty low. It made me feel like I SHOULD be running faster by now, I mean.. 7 weeks of training already, right??
I guess it's my fault because I didn't follow the plan to a T. Lesson learned. Or, just like what I always say, I never learn. Don't be like me! hahaha
Also, can I just say, I loooovvveee my Rebel V4s. They're the lightest, airiest, comfiest shoes ever!
Distance - 9.30 km, Pace - 7:27 /km, Time - 1h 9m
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| Christmas Dinner with our new hires, PDL Wave 14! |
Dec 26 - Easy - 10km
Last Cebu run before the grand vacay. Ran around the neighborhood. It felt great!
Distance - 10.01 km, Pace - 7:42 /km, Time - 1h 17m
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| Hello from the barko! With my tweetweet and my cousin, Titi. |
Dec 27 - Stretch & Stability Session 12 + Strength Supersets
I did all of these in our sala, while my mama's watching.
Anyway, today I started doing daily isnak with my nieces and my cousin's daughters (still my nieces), and this was episode 1. These look ugly, but they're good. We added bananas and the kids loved it!
Dec 28 - Block Long Run 17km + Walk 1.4km OMG! I never thought I'd be able to run around my hometown. You know, since I studied in Dumaguete for college, whenever I come home, I never really go out. I just stay home and soak in all the fam love.
So going out today during my long run was fulfilling, to say the least. I went around Freedom, then Lover's Lane, then Libertad. It was great. I gained some elevation, yet this felt easy. The weather helped too. It was cold, and I loved it!
Distance - 17.51 km, Pace - 7:29 /km, Time - 2h 10m
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| Daily isnak episode 2: pan (literal) pizza. The cheese didn't melt because we didn't have quickmelt but the kids made their own pizzas with toppings they loved. It was messy and fun! |
Walk:
It's been years since I last walked the outskirts of my hometown. Today, I walked the same road I used to take with my friends back in elementary and highschool on the way to school. It felt nostalgic. The roads used to feel so wide back then, but now they seem narrower. It felt special.
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| Daily isnak episode 3: S'mores dip. The kids went absolutely wild. This one was even messier than the pizza day and totally worth it! |
WEEK 9:
Dec 31 - Tempo - 7km
8K is now relatively easier, even with interval runs. I love the view! The town is all fogged up, and there were a few joggers around, didn’t know any of them. The husband joined me, enjoying 3-in-1 coffee at a sidewalk carenderia for only 15! I love running around Aurora!
Distance - 8.23 km, Pace - 7:21 /km, Time - 1h 0m
Click
HERE to watch the vid of our short ride around town. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Jan 2 - Easy - 8km
Took it easy, still ran around the rotunda. My niece joined us and we 3 had a short ride around town after.
Anyway, in the afternoon, we went to a sidewalk kapehan sa Lover's Lane. It was fun and we spent only Php125 for all our snacks! :)
Jan 4 - Long Run - 13km
Had a 2-hour massage last night, so I didn’t really feel like running, but my niece woke up early, and I promised we’d jog together with the camera. So nibangon ang auntie ug ni jog!
Click
HERE to watch our short vid.
Did 5km instead of my planned 13km long run, week 10 of my 16-wk Half Marathon training with Runna. Longest run so far: 17K.
This weekend’s Cebu Marathon run will be the longest of my life. No target pace, no pressure. If I get tired, I’ll walk. If I feel good, I’ll keep running. Wish me luck!!!
Also, here are some pics we took on that day:
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| Walked with mum around the rotunda |
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| Indulged the nieces with burgers and fries! |
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| My kuya's daughters who are also mine! 😁 |
The good thing is that I've been swamped with work, catching up on liquidations, observations, and the 2026 reset (goals, files, completions, etc.). It's the usual grind, I'm used to it, and honestly, it's a welcome distraction. Anyway, I didn't hit the pace requirement for a single interval in today's run. There were moments I was fast, but more often my watch just kept screaming, "Too slow!" I guess that macaroni salad, bodbod, and white rice from my 9-day hometown vacation finally caught up.
Not helping: yesterday I didn't drink a single sip of water during my shift and only had about 700ml when I got home.
Well, here we are! Am I excited for this weekend's race? YES. Am I ready? Let me get back to you on that! haHAHAH
So.. I missed another strength and mobility session yesterday. I opted for a nap instead. Lately, I've been having a hard time sleeping in the morning, probably because I slept at night the whole last week.
Early in this training, I was confident I'd sub 2:30 but now, not so sure. I'll try! 😁
Sad day. Tatay Goryo, my husband's grandpa, passed away. He was truly one of the kindest people I've ever met, and I love that my husband is so much like him. I loved that old man.
On the bright side, I managed 2 out of 3 side planks on my left (stroke-affected) side. So proud of that! Since I've already skipped a lot of strength training, I pushed through this session. I skipped Mobility Yoga because I just didn't feel like it, but went for a 2-km walk instead to get fresh air, think, and sit with the sadness for a bit.
Treadmill today because I wanted to get home early. I did this run during my lunch break at work and was short on time so it's not a full 9km.
I'm having breakfast with Jerny, and then later going on a motorcycle ride with my husband and his teammates! We're heading to some falls, don't know where exactly where yet hahahhaha adventure!
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