joeiandmichelle.blogspot.com

Road To 21K

by: Joei & Michelle

at

My First 16K.

I enjoy writing posts for 'Road To 21K', despite having almost no time due to campaign work and my other blog Joei & Me, because I get to track and see how I'm progressing so far.. This blog has become my online running and fitness diary! Not too long ago, I told you about my first 11K run. Last Monday, I was able to do 16.5K.




Unfortunately, I got sick that week so I wasn't able to run at all.  I'm actually still sick now but I haven't been putting in miles as all of my runner friends are telling me to do so I tried to run earlier.  It was a bad run. I started early but I was coughing almost the whole time plus I had to deal with a runny nose.  I was only able to run 10K at a very slow pace.  But it's ok.  I'll try again when my nose is clear and my cough is gone.  Hopefully by Friday!

I also want to tell you about the new pair of running shoes I got called the Nike Air Zoom Odyssey but I want to use it more so I can assess it properly. Maybe next week or after the half marathon. 
at

The Four Steps To Good Running Form.

I'm discovering more and more as I get into running. For one, I never knew that there was such a thing as 'good running form'. I thought that as long as I don't slouch, that's fine. Apparently, not being conscious about your form makes the run more difficult than it is and can even lead to injuries. So what is 'good running form'? I saw this illustration from New Balance. 


I got the first one right.. Posture. Feet straight, knees soft. Arms at a 90 degree angle with arms swings not overextending to the back. One of the things that I have to remind myself though is to relax my shoulders because it's usually tense, even when I'm just typing on my computer.

The second one is Mid Foot which means you land on the middle part of your feet, and not your heel or toes, every time you run. So far, I think I'm ok in this aspect because I don't have any issues with my toes or my heel whenever I run, which toe strikers and heel strikers usually encounter.

Third is Cadence which should be 180 steps per minute. I just learned about this term recently so I haven't really tested what mine is. Although I read somewhere that successful marathoners usually have three times more steps than others. Test your cadence by jogging for 1 minute and count the number of times your right foot hits the ground. Multiply this by 2 and your target should be 180.

Last is Lean which is another new tip I discovered from a runner friend. Leaning from the ankle without bending from the waist using gravity to move forward makes me run faster and with less effort.

So remember these four concepts and try it out during your next training.. Posture, mid foot, candence, and lean.  You'll notice a big difference in your running. 
at

Half Marathon Training Plan for Beginners.


We are running our first half marathon in May and like I mentioned in a previous post, I know this is something that I just can't 'wing'.  So I researched on half marathon training plans available online and found a few. Nike also sent a program through email right after we signed up for the half marathon.

I went through all of the plans and although they have similar goals, they differ in the frequency of the trainings (run everyday or 3x a week) and the length of the program (12 week training or 10 week training).  All of them are good plans but to be honest, I was a bit overwhelmed.

Luckily, I found a 'friendly' training plan (aka something that's feasible for a beginner like me) from Runner's World that I can follow.   I'm not claiming it's the best one but for someone who doesn't really work out or go to the gym, this is doable so I wanted to share it with you as well.




Don't be pressured about it though.  To be honest, I have not followed this training plan to a T.  We are supposed to be at Week 6 but the longest I've done is only 11km and I get to run only once or twice a week.  But starting Saturday, I'll try to follow it as religiously as I can.  The half marathon is only a few weeks away!
at

Runnr's Footworx The Science of Running.


Michelle and I are thinking of getting new running shoes and when we asked our athlete and runner friends for recommendations, all of them said the same thing.. To have our feet assessed first. So one weekend, Michelle and I went to Runnr in Bonifacio High Street to do the Video Gait Analysis.


We were first asked to step on a plate to determine what our arch is. Both Michelle and I have normal arches. All the while I thought I was flat footed!


Next, we were asked to run for 15 seconds at a treadmill speed of 9.0.  We just ate and I was so full that I was scared of throwing up while running :D


We were then shown our feet alignment. Michelle and I both need Neutral Shoes (cushion-based).



We thought that would narrow down our choices but then there's still a whole rack to choose from!





There are several shoes from Nike, Underarmour, and Adidas. But it's my first time to be introduced to Brooks and Saucony. I told you I'm not a runner.



Until now, I still don't know what shoe to get or if I should even get one. I want a pair that I can use for half marathons and marathons (eek!) since I already have sneakers in my house which I can use for quick 3K or 5K runs. Right now, I'm using the Nike Free 4.0 Flyknit and my feet are fine. But the longest I've used them is for 10K. I wonder how it'll fare for longer distances. 

How about you? What shoe can you recommend for long distance runs?
at

Running With Friends.


Last night, while everyone was in Paradise to see Kanye, my high school friends and I jogged around the village. Is this a sign that we're getting old?? :D  Not everyone in the group (including myself) is the running type but recently, everyone has been into fitness and it's helped me a lot towards achieving my goal.




Michelle and I have not yet trained together so I asked her if she wanted to join us that night. We ran together for the first five kilometers and I thought I wouldn't be able to make it so I told Michelle to go ahead. I was starting to head back to the house of our friend Steeve which is our meeting point when my Nike running app notified me that I had 4 kilometers to go. My initial thought was, "Sayang! Four kilometers na lang!". So I started running again and decided to do a fartlek (for more information about it, read my blog post about My First 11K). Before I knew it, I was already at the 10th kilometer mark. 




Here are the girls who finished 10K too..Michelle, Monic, and Ochie.




Since I joined the Nike half marathon, this is my first 10K outside. This is also my first run after I got sick. I was tired but it felt good! So I rewarded myself with my favorite steak from Bugsy's Alabang.






Before I end this post, I want to share my stats via the Nike Running app. I still have a lot to improve on, especially my pace and endurance, but now that I understand all these concepts, it's going to be easier for me. Michelle and I will talk about these terminologies and the Nike Running app more in our next posts.
at

Feeling Overwhelmed?




Don't you feel like this sometimes? I know I do. My professional schedule is erratic, I don't work out regularly so it's not yet in my system (physically and mentally) and although I don't go out as much anymore, I still have a social life which consists of blog events for Joei & Me and dinners with friends that I already can't keep up with.

What to do when you feel overwhelmed with all of these things?

First, relax. Take a breather then lay out your schedule. I'm not a morning person but I realized that starting the day with a workout is better than doing it at the end of the day.  When I wait until after work, I'm usually drained already so I end up pigging out then sleeping. This is true especially for those who have erratic schedules like me. 

Second, get a workout buddy or join a workout group. I'm lucky that my boyfriend T is now into fitness also because of our friend Wowie Aguilar.  So when they go to the gym, I try to go with them too. And of course, Michelle is always there to give me a push when I need it.

Third, if you don't feel like working out, find a fun activity or sport that will keep you up and about. Last week, I went hiking with a group of friends and it felt like a full body work out with all that walking and climbing! 

Fourth, go to a gym that offers different classes aside from the regular workouts. I recently enrolled in a gym that has spinning classes, yoga, Pilates, and kickboxing. So if I don't feel like running, I can just join those.

Fifth, just do it. Believe me, I am the laziest person when it comes to working out. But I realized that the hardest part is starting. Once it's in your system, once it becomes part of your routine, your body and mind will look for it. To be honest, I'm not there yet but that's what I aim to do before our 21K race in May.



Image credit: Facebook
at

My First 11K.


I'm not much of a runner. Frankly, I don't like running. Maybe because it used to be our 'punishment' back in the day when I was still part of a volleyball varsity team. It might also be because running doesn't have scores or wins.. Or so I thought. Apparently, you can set running goals based on your time, distance, and pace. Like I said, I'm not much of a runner so I have no idea about these things. 

The last time I ran was around 5 to 6 years ago and then came the fun run in the Senate last month where I surprisingly placed 2nd. But of course, I had no training beforehand so I owe all of that to Senator Pia whose pace I tried to follow.


And because of that milestone in my running life, I agreed to be Michelle's buddy for the Nike Philippines half marathon in May. I'm trying to train for it because this is the kind of thing which I know I just can't 'wing'. Granting I only have a month left, which is not enough time to do a good couch to 21K program, my goal is to keep up with Michelle and finish the race without any injuries. 

So last Sunday, despite being sick, I tried to run a 5K but at the 2.5 kilometer mark, my cough started to get worse. I only got to finish 3K and I was really disappointed with myself.

Yesterday, I had a fever and a really bad cough so I slept the whole day. But come evening time, I pushed myself to get out of bed and change into my running gear. What I did was to start slow for the first 2 kilometers. An easy run so I won't get pressured. After that, I felt the momentum building so I ran faster but only for a few minutes. I slowed myself down for a few minutes before running fast again. In runner speak, this is called a fartlek. I did this for as long as I could and before I knew it, I finished my first 11K!  Now I just have to work on my pace and time. Baby steps. 


Moral of the story: 


1. Anybody can run! Like I said, I'm really not much of a runner and the last time I ran (or even jogged) was eons ago.  But with the right pace, you can achieve your running goal.

2. We will all have bad days and good days. What's important is that you get over the not-so-good running day and move on.

3. Listen to your body.  I'm sick so my immune system is still weak. I already pushed myself yesterday so I'll let myself rest today.