Late Post: 22km Long Run!

This is a late post, been meaning to write about this but just haven't found the time (actually, I'm supposed to be checking papers, but, yeah).  Did last week's long run in the Greenhills area with CA and Janine (new friend!) - 22kms! Did 20kms the weekend before and was fine but struggled for last weekend's 22kms! I know the usual training plans would require LSD over the weekend.  Unfortunately (or fortunately?), for CA, there is no such thing as LSDs.  Only LDs - dropped the SLOW part of the run.  Hence, we do the long runs at 7:00-7:30 pace! Phew! We finished our 22kms LD last weekend at 2:40! Not bad, huh! Aiming for 2:30 or less for this Sunday's Condura Skyway Run! :)



Anyway, so I re-discovered my love for FitFlops! I initially bought 2 pairs during my preggy days since I wanted comfy footwear.  Since mom wanted me to accompany her to the mall for her haircut right after my long run, I decided to use my Fitflops and boy were they heavenly!!! It gave me just the right amount of cushioning I needed for my super tired feet! <3 It felt like I hadn't ran at all! :) From now on, this pair will always be present in my running bag!

Everyday Is A Good Day

I was running with CA yesterday and while running, I was trying to distract myself by thinking about how happy I was it was a Wednesday already - mid week! Almost the weekend.  So it got me to think about what to be happy about for each day...

Monday - Start of the week, I get to go to the gym :D
Tuesday - I like my school schedule on Tuesdays, makes me productive.
Wednesday - Training day with CA, a chance to improve on my speed! Mid week!
Thursday - I can say "Friday na bukas" ;)
Friday - TGIF! :)
Saturday - Long run day, family bonding day
Sunday - Laze-around day, I get to sleep in!

It really is just about perspective.  You can complain about each day God gives you at the same time you can make the most out of every day! After all, in life we have choices and for me, I...

(photo from the internet)

By the way, only exactly 1 month to go before my FIRST FULL MARATHON!!!

(cropped from http://www.tbrdream.com)

EEEEEK!!!

Nine Months of Love!

Happy 9 months to my little Liam! <3

Mommy and daddy both love you so very much :) 

PS Don't grow up too fast, please :(

What Lies Ahead

I'm sitting in the classroom now, waiting for the girls to finish their reflection paper.  I've been thinking of what 2013 has in store for me, at least the ones I'm aware of and have planned for...

1) My 2nd Condura Skyway Marathon
Running 21k for this (this is going to be my third 21km and my 2nd, post Liam) :D Yay! Looking forward to the race.  I believe that compared to my QCIM half-marathon, I am way, way, waaaay more prepared this time, having ran LSDs much longer than 21km.  Hoping for a 2:30 or less for this.

2) TBRDM 2013!!!
According to the website, I have 39 days to go! My long runs have already been planned for until race day - that includes that half-marathon, another 32km, and 16km the weekend before the race.  And of course, speed training on the weekdays.  All thanks to CA who insists on a sub 5 hour marathon for me.  5:30 at the most.

3) March 1-3, La Union
Trip with husband's barkada.  It will be the first out-of-town/overnight trip for us without Liam - not that we've had one with him, haha.  I'm sure I'll miss him the minute I get on our shuttle, yes we hired a shuttle!!!

4) April 13-14, Cebu
Liam meets tai-ma, my dad's mom.  Since great grandma is turning 90 this year, and too old to travel to Manila, we decided to fly to Cebu with Liam so she could see him.  It's going to be Liam's first airplane ride.  Similar to me, the first airplane ride I took was also to Cebu to see grandma :) Too bad it's only one night, since H needs to be at work on the weekdays.  The best part of the stay is that we'll be checked in at the Shangri-La! :D Okay, fine.  That should be the second best thing since first should be seeing my grandma :p

5) Liam's 1st birthday! :)
I initially wanted to have it in Chili's, Alabang Town Center since it's a new and pretty branch.  But when I called, I found out that they only allow parties on the weekdays (Mondays to Thursdays) and their functions rooms can only hold a maximum of 70 people.  My guest list is already at 120 :| So, we decided to have it in good old Jollibee in Madrigal Avenue, Alabang.  I guess it's a blessing in disguise because this will definitely cut costs in half! Plus, who can resist a kiddie party and some Jolly Spaghetti? :p

6) Longer Runs
2-3 years ago, running over 42kms was never part of the plan.  I know it's crazy but I've been entertaining the thought of running BDM 102 (Bataan Death March, 102kms) lately.  So maybe this year will be spent focusing on getting used to the 42km distance and then eventually moving up.  The BDM 102 2014will probably be in March so I have lots of time to prepare - and decide, if ever :p

7) My 7th year of teaching
I already handed in my Letter of Intent for SY 2013-2014 so I'm most probably staying for another year.  My work best friend, Sharl, will be the subject area's supervisor and in as much as I would like to move to THE other school in preparation for Liam's education, I will postpone that for another year since I wouldn't want to leave Sharl on PAASCU year and in her first supervisor year :) What friendship can do! :p

8) 2nd wedding anniversary ;)

.... That's all I can think of for now.  Will add more next time.  So far, so good, looks like a pretty interesting year ahead! :)

The DREADmill

One of my school's activities, Days with the Lord, is a retreat that juniors have to take for 2 days and 2 nights (Friday night to Sunday night).  Since I'm the girls' junior teacher, I am also required to stay in school with them.  I used to be fine with having to sleep in school for a night (the other night is my supervisor's turn to make bantay) but not now that I have Liam + long runs on weekends! It's not just a sleepover since actually, there really is no sleep from Friday to Saturday - I wait for all the activities to finish before I get to sleep (usually around 5AM).

So I couldn't run last Saturday, right.  Since I badly wanted to sleep in Sunday morning, I had to bear the consequences of having to do my long run on the treadmill, or as I put it, DREADMILL :(( It's no biggie running 5km on it but 18.  EIGHTEEN LONG KILOMETERS.  GAHH.  Thanks to the podcast I just recently discovered (Running Wild by Coach Ige Lopez, Toby Martin and Chock the Great) ... I managed to finish my run in 2 hours, 11 minutes.  That makes for a 7:18 average pace, if I'm not mistaken.  Not too shabby for a long run, at least for my standards.

This weekend, I'm supposed to do 20 then 22 the next and 21 again for Condura Skyway half-marathon on February 3! Can't wait :D 

Back in the Grind

As you can see on top of this page, I wrote,

"Run, teach, change nappies - welcome to my world."

I'd say my life is segmented into those three aspects although I do admit, I almost always talk about running :p Last week Thursday, after 18 days of being off school, I finally had to go back to work.  It was a painful HELLO to all the papers I had to check and documents I had to prepare.  We had two days (Thursday and Friday) to prepare, ergo, no students yet.  Yesterday, Monday, it was the students' turn to feel the back-to-school pains.  I remember as a student I hated the Sunday night feeling when the reality of going back to school on a Monday kicks in.

Anyway, so I met the kids again and although I was longing to be at home, making silly faces to make Liam laugh, it only took me 5 minutes to get back into the groove of teaching - and to remind me all over again why I do what I do.  Within minutes of being around the girls, I instantly felt happy to be back and forgot all feelings of dread.    No, I work not for the money, after all, no one teaches to become rich! But the fulfillment that no other profession gives....and knowing that even in a teeny tiny way, I help change the world.

Some would question me for choosing to be a working mom, having to divide my time between papers to check, lessons to plan and being a mom.  More so adding running and training for a full marathon to that! But I cannot over emphasize how all these three aspects make me who I am and a better me at that.

I am so grateful to have students who make my time away from my son worth it :)

Re-posting from Instagram

It's amazing to see how much this little one has grown the past year.  I can tell you about how great a feeling it is to run kilometer after kilometer, or how fulfilling being inside the classroom feels... But absolutely nothing in this world comes close to being a mother.  I'd go through all the aches and pains over and over again for motherhood's sake.  

Cheers to more mommy moments this year and the years to come! :)

I love being a mom!