Before the year ends..

In 5 days, 2014 will end and another year will begin. I have been neglecting writing on my blog as priorities change. I am sorry. I used to love writing on my blog, but work have been very demanding this year, and when we moved to a new apartment close to work, AJ had to change school to go to a big school for Boys which demanded my time everyday afterwork to become "nanay-teacher" since they have assignments everyday. But since I am on break for the next 10 days, I'm going to do a wrap up for 2014 and a promise to keep this blog alive in 2015. That's one of my goals next year... adding it to my 21KM marathon by end of December 2015.

How about you, have you made your goals already?

New year's resolutions are so outdated.. so 80's.. sometimes we just go back to where we were last year... but goals makes us more productive because it means you need or forced yourself to start it if you want to achieve it.

xoxo,
Shenski

Milo Marathon: National Finals

This was our last race for the year 2014. The Milo Marathon this year had some controversies since it was postponed to December 13 instead of the original schedule of December 7. The cancellation was due to a weather forecast of a storm. However, December 7 was clear and no sign of storm whatsoever. But then again, I can't blame the organizers as they are responsible for the safety of the runners. Unfortunately, due to this cancellation, some where not able to run anymore due to prior commitments.

And what a great run to end the year with a new personal record. I finished my 10Km run at 1:25:30 as per my Nike+ Running app.

Cheers to the new year,  new goals and crossing more finish lines and running farther.

XOXO,

S

McHappy Day Stripes Run

Ever since I started running and then my hubby followed. My son has always been wanting to run with us. But since our runs are held early in the morning and long distance, he usually just gets the details of our run when he wakes up in the morning. He always asks me how was my run everytime he sees me return from an event or from training. And never miss to tell me "How I wish I can join you and run with you". That just melts my heart.

And so when a friend told me about the McDonald's Mc Happy Day Stripes Run, I signed up AJ to join the 1km run. I'm was not sure if he can finish the 3km and since its his first running event, he agreed to start small. He got his singlet and his bib after our registration with excitement.

Weeks before the race he's been asking me what time should he wake up, what food to eat, should he drink a sports drink too.. We ran several times together around our neighborhood and it seems that he will not have a hard time with the 1K run. He still had energy while I was catching my breath during our training session.

Come race day. He was up early, as early as 5am. call time was at 6:30am. He was in his running gear in no time. The whole family joined to cheer for his first running event.

With Ronald Mcdonald at the starting lane.

Mamita joined us to cheer for AJ. We were both sporting Red shirt to support the runners.

While waiting on the sideline for the gun start

The Mascots are getting ready to run with the kids.

And there they go.....

That's AJ in his best running form

I was suppose to run with AJ on the sideline but he ran so fast I couldn't catch up.

When I reached the finish line. I couldn't find AJ. I saw my husband at the finish line but he also did not notice AJ cross the finish line. I was beginning to worry as there are so many people at the area that time. We started to search for him and went to the medic to check if he was there, but he's not. He was not at the information station either. I was starting to get nervous and was asking myself where could he be? where will I go if I were AJ? After about 15 or 20 minutes, I got a call from my husband that mamita found him.. Oh thank God! Next time he runs... I'll make sure I'll run with him. 

After getting his free breakfast meal, we headed for some fun at the activity area... It was like a school fair where kids are given chits to pay or enter a play area.

First 1K Run Check!

Running with the family is one bonding experience. Let the kids join and have fun. Its good to make them experience fitness activities so at a young age, they'll know how to be fit and have an active life.


Happy Running Kiddos!

xoxo,
S

New Balance Power Run 2014

Running has started to make an impact on me and my husband's weekly itinerary. And we can also see improvements in our body. We are both on the heavy side, okay that's an understatement, both our APE (annual physical exam) results says that we are both obese based on our BMI. And physical activity and exercise are recommended for us both coupled with a healthy diet. And so we decided to join 1 running event every month and run for 10Km to get our healthy lifestyle in full throttle. And so came the New Balancan Power Run. As we are both fans of the shoe manufacturer, we registered for the run for the sake of that nice NB Dry shirt that they are giving away as a singlet. And looking forward for what's instore in our loot bags on race day.

NEW BALANCE POWER RUN 2014 was held on November 9, 2014 with 10km, 16km, and 25km race categories. All categories will have a start and finish at the Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. We registered for the 10km as we are not yet confident to finish that 16km run. We had to train harder for that goal. 

And so race day came. We were early. It was a bit wet as it has been raining the night before. We didn't have any jacket or cap to cover our heads as it started to drizzle before the 10km gun start. Running is a rain or shine event and so we brave the rain and started to walk to the starting line. This is my second time to run in BGC so I am familiar with the route. The rain and cool air actually helped me in regulating my body temperature and I didn't get tired easily and I didn't feel dehydrated too. 

As I reach the finish line it was an awesome feeling of accomplishment, that 'I can do anything' feeling once you cross it as I know I was struggling  when I reached 8km  mark because my legs are getting heavier every step I make.

The best thing of all is the loot bags :) I got socks and Adrian got a sun visor. Apart from that, we get a voucher worth P1,250 NB shoes and accessories for registering online.

Hubby finished with a time of 01:18:15 while, I finish with a new PR 01:27:41 (yes, I'm starting to use this kind of words known to runner haha!). Complete race results are available here.

As early as 4am we are at the assembly area waiting for our warm up to start.

rain drizzles as runners gets ready for the gun start. Since we didn't have a cap, we settled with bandanas to cover our head from the rain.

10km Runners in Red

Survived my 3rd 10km run

you did good my NB 750v2

I won't be running as often as I do if I don't have the support of my husband. Thank you Be

Vouchers for NB shoes and accessories. Yey! Shopping time!

Modelling the NB socks and sun visor that we got from our loot bags

Thanks Pinoy Fitness for the photo. Hubby looking good ey!

Gosh, I look sooo tired.. i think this is after 8km mark that I was telling you guys about. I am not yet conscious with these photographers and until now, I have not yet perfected that smile while running shot. haha! 

See you in the next race next month... It's the National Finals of the Milo Marathon.

xoxo,

S

Rexona Run to your Beat

After the July 2014 Fit & Fun Buddy Run, hubby and I joined the Rexona Run to your Beat event in October 2014. Its my second fun run event and his first. This is also the event that introduced me to runrio. Which eventually became the running event organizer of choice because of ample supply of hydration and bananas in every event, not to mention the sponsor's loot bag.

Rexona Run To Your Beat 2014 will be held on October 26, 2014 with 5km, 10km, and 21km race categories. All categories will have a start and finish at the Seaside Boulevard, Mall of Asia. I finished the race in 01:43:22, two ( 2) minutes longer than my first run in July but considering that I took lots of pictures while I was on race and danced to some Retro and Hiphop music played by DJs along the race route complete with laser lights and disco balls. I'd say it was a fun and a more relaxed run which should suppose to be since its not a competitive event at all. 

As for my husband, I cannot confirm his time as I couldn't find his name at the list of over-all finisher list. But he did finish the race, that I can guarantee. We capped the run with some great music from  Yael Yuzon and the rest of the SPONGECOLA.

Sharing here some of the photos from the event.

That's me enjoying the disco lights. Brought back some good old  memories of the 80's. Great Music!

Everybody seem to slow down in every music tunnel. No headphones can beat the live music while running

It like a huge galactic space ship with so many lights.

Couldn't hold my phone camera well, its hard not to dance to the hip hop music

Saw hubby at the information booth after I crossed the finish line,

First 10Km of my hubby was easy peasy... Never gonna let them see me sweat! (I think that's a nice tagline for Rexona haha!)

Enjoying the rock concert courtesy of Spongecola at 7am in the morning.

Someone proposed a marriage on stage during the concert.. Good thing the girl said yes!

Center stage: Yael and the rest of the Spongecola Band

Runaway with us.

xoxo,

S

The day I started running

was in July 6, 2014. It was at the Fit & Fun Wellness Buddy Run organized by (our then) sister company, Robinsons Supermarket. I was not supposed to run but was encouraged by officemates Keevee and Arlyn who are both into sports at that time (yoga and rowing). I partnered with my officemate Raymund who is also not a runner and not even sporty. We are just in it for fun (and the grocery pack when you finish the run). We were only suppose to join the 5K run as we planned to run alongside our officemates. But the line for registration was so long by the time I arrived at the venue and the 5K race kit were not enough.  I was 3 persons away from the last person who was able to register for the 5KM. What a bummer! The hard choice had to be made. I was constantly texting Raymund to make sure that he is still a go for a 10Km distance instead. Since i was already there and spent more than an hour in the line, we went for it!

I did not have proper training before the run, I think I only practiced twice at 3Km each 2 weeks prior to race day so I am not confident that i can even do it. 

Fast forward to race day. This is me and Raymund at the starting lane. My hubby was very supportive and accompanied me to the buddy run to meet my buddy and other officemates who also joined the fun run. They all however got to run the 5Km route.

The struggle is real. It was the first flyover that we had to pass and it was so hard to keep running uphill. Here, we started to walk until the incline was over.

halfway point... for the 5km runners haha! our U-turn slot is nowhere in sight.

Almost half way.... when I saw the 4km marker I knew I can finish this race.

 We are all smiles when we reached the 6km mark... we are more than halfway through. Running is really a sport of agility and mind control.

almost at the finish line...one last push!

Finishing at 1:41.. not bad for first time 10K runners haha!! Thank you to Robinsons and Nestlé for the experience and our pack of grocery goodies...we had fun! ... my partner Raymund did a great job for keeping up with my pace! I thought we'll crawl to the finish line but we did not!

certified 10km finishers

And so it began. My love for running. My husband waited at the finish line for me (he took that shot of me and Raymund almost at the finish line. I guess when he saw that I made it alive and in one piece after running (and walking) a 10KM route, he probably said to himself that " if she can do it, so can I"... and so he told me he wants to join me in the next fun run...

Sure! but for now, where do we eat? I'm starving! is all i can reply to him.

xoxo,

Mumshens

How to Stay happy at work

Interesting read i found online...i know ive shared a thing or two to friends and colleagues how to stay happy at work since i have been working for the same company for 13 years. There's really no secret according to this article...just stay positive, try new things, don't compare yourself to others and leave your personal baggages at the door. Oh yes and have a clutter free workspace. hehe!

Read along....

If Mondays are bad, Sunday evenings are even worse. The thought of returning to work the next day can easily dampen your mood, making it difficult for you to enjoy the last bits of the weekend. With such a mind-set though, you can’t expect to have a satisfying week ahead.   Work shouldn’t end up being something we dread, especially since we spend plenty of our waking hours at work. Here are 5 simple tips that could help you stay motivated and happy at work.  

1. Make your workspace special.   It doesn’t matter how many meetings you attend. At the end of the day, you’re still going to come back to your very own cubicle. A workspace scattered with unorganised documents and a heap of trash can be uninspiring. To make your workspace cozy and comfortable, try adding simple decorations and personal mementos, such as family pictures, motivational posters or even your favourite Star Wars figurine.

2. Surround yourself with positivity.  Do you have an incredibly optimistic colleague at the office? You might wonder what their secret recipe is to staying positive. Truth be told, this ball of energy is probably optimistic by choice. They have set their priorities right and that’s what you should do too!   A good way to avoid negativity is to dismiss baseless conversations, gossip and unhappy colleagues. Instead, surround yourself with supportive colleagues and pals.  

3. Avoid comparing yourself with others. Everyone begins from a different rung and has unique strengths. If you start comparing yourself with that highflyer from the office, you could lose sight of your strengths and abilities. Plus, it just fuels other unnecessary emotions such as jealousy and bitterness. Don’t put yourself down for a reason that doesn’t exist.   Remember that you are your own competition. Therefore if there is anything that you should be comparing, it is your past and present self.  

4. Leave personal problems at the door. A person who leaves his or her emotional baggage at home will always be more content at work than the one who is shackled by personal problems at the office. Unpacking your emotional baggage at work is not ideal as it raises tension amongst colleagues and hampers productivity. Remember that life is seldom smooth-sailing, so make it a habit to compartmentalise your emotions.  

5. Try something new.  Routine can result in boredom, which contributes to work dissatisfaction and unhappiness. This is especially prevalent in employees who have been at the same job for years. Get the enthusiasm back by trying something new at work. For example, you could volunteer to train or mentor new staffs. You could even ask colleagues from other departments if they need help. Such efforts will help you to gain new experiences and make your job scope more interesting.  

With that said, happiness is not something readymade – it comes from your own actions and how you choose to react to your surroundings. Sometimes the only thing stopping you from being happy at work is actually yourself.

From Yahoo! SG

http://ct.moreover.com/ct?haid=ab041d31c910d6511392357568967d8fc5c34fb54a98&co=f000000014336s-3420426311

There's always room for Desserts

Its always nice to do catch up with friends that you don't get to talk to nor see everyday. Mary, Raffy, Joyce, Kitchie and I  as busy as we are... make time to get together for lunch on Thursdays to keep in touch and enjoy food. However, our schedule just couldn't find a free time for everyone... (my friend Raffy even sent us a google calendar appointment to confirm our availability haha) we have postponed this lunch several times because of meetings and prior engangements, doctor's appointment and even traffic were some reasons of cancellation. But the only way to see each other before the end of the year is to break our usual Thursday lunch schedule to Sunday.. however, we are still not complete 'cause Kitchie couldn't make it... I always look forward to Thursday lunch with these guys...and since the first time Momma Mary is 6 months pregnant, conversations has been about baby tips and baby products...

Lunch was served at Casa Verde (beef ribs are very tasty just too much fat ) I was too hungry to take pictures and for us there's always room for dessert at Cafe Shibuya in UP Town Center in Katipunan Quezon City

Next Thursday Group Lunch will be about baby making tips.. as Joyce and  Hubby will be flying to the US for a much needed R&R and operation: project baby this January. Until next time guys