Running a Breezy 10K for Beginners

If you have been running 5K for ages and felt that it’s time to challenge yourself a bit, then a 10K run is perfect for levelling up. 10K is a mid-distance run which can be comfortably completed below 90 minutes if you do a run-walk sequence. Faster runners can easily bag this below 60 minutes or a decent finish between 60 to 70 minutes, but we are not going into that territory for now.

I have been running 10K for a few months, every weekend in fact, since I decided to resume clocking more running hours to get fit and live a healthier lifestyle to compensate for my caffeine and junk food fix.  The upside was that my sickness-prone self improved significantly. 

It was not easy resuming the training after a seven-year hiatus. I started running when we lived in Singapore and my friends encouraged me into running for leisure. The effort to start all over again required patience and a great deal of commitment to get to a point where running 10K becomes a breeze. You need patience because you have to accept that running from zero for the first 200 meters would leave you breathless already on that first day; tenacity and determination- because running for 10K means making that time, whether it is on a hot summer weekday afternoon or waking up at 4:30 A.M. on a cold, rainy weekend instead of being able to grab extra hours of sleep.

500 meters away from the finish line of the Skechers Performance Run
where I ran my 3rd 10K and my best time so far!
photo credits: Starting Line PH

Here are a few tips I can share to beginners like me who decided to make that next big step and level up to 10K:

1. Find a comfortable pace and stick to it.  I started running for fun. In fact, I still do.  I happily run with my turtle-paced 9 min/km while listening to my favorite go-to music and simply enjoy watching life around me.  When running an official race, I stick to my training pace while everyone else were running past me.  Don’t give in to the temptation of trying to run with the bandwagon (i.e., everyone else’s pace) if it is simply not your pace. It will wear you down and zap all your running energy in no time.  I find that when I stuck to my pace, I finish the race while maintaining a healthy heart rate level and without any trace of muscle soreness the next day.

My husband who is also into running coached me into getting into a faster pace via this strategy that he researched about and tried it in his own 21K run which he finished below his targeted 2hr 30 minutes (!), but that is another story I will write about someday.

2. Consistency is the name of the game.  Once you made up your mind to run for 10K, be prepared that to finish it comfortably meant clocking in at least 50% of the distance for about 2-3 days in a week in training.  This will help build your strength and endurance which you will definitely need when hitting the grounds for about 60 minutes or so.  I wouldn’t recommend trying to wing it or train less than what is required as this leads to injuries and very sore muscles after the event. The target is to finish strong and not almost dead!

When I trained for my first 10K, I ran 3x a week for 4 weeks running 5K on a treadmill.  In my second 10K race, I was able to run up to 8K on regular training days prior to the event at my comfortable pace.   In my last 10K run at the very first Skechers Performance Run in SM by the Bay, I have been running 10-12K for the last 5 weeks prior to the event itself. I was very happy on the outcome of that run, ending 9 minutes faster than my usual training time and hitting my best pace so far.  I enjoyed the run and appreciated that my last 2K stretch before the finish were my fastest pace and more importantly, I sustained a healthy heart rate throughout the run with no shortness of breath, no fatigue or any other cardiovascular drama during and after the run. Note also that there are many apps that can be downloaded which can give you a training plan to follow.

3.  Maintain a healthy diet regimen.   I admit this is the most challenging part.  We are often psyched to believe that because we run and burn calories as we do so, it gives us the license to eat just about anything we want.  I make a conscious effort to not fall into that trap.  I realized though that when I started running consistently, the temptation to give in to sweet cravings went zap and it was easier to regulate the quantity of what I eat. Quality over quantity, as they say.  Same is true on the race day itself- stay hydrated at the right intervals.  If you have been training prior to the race day itself, you will have a good baseline on when to hydrate and when to take extra fuel.  Before running a 10K, my ritual includes eating a slice of toasted bread with peanut butter, banana and wash it down with water.  The part I found daunting was having to cut down on caffeine and chips several days prior to the run ☹ During the race day itself, we found that what worked for me was to refuel every 4K, so I bring power gel or chocolates with me.  It worked perfectly so far.

So, there’s my ten cents worth! If you are planning to level up to 10K soon, stick to the training plan with rigor but most importantly, enjoy the process! You are making an important investment to your health and well-being, and those are priceless.

My 1st  Philippine 10K run at the Runrio Trilogy 2018 races

My best 10K run so far.
I ran several weekends of 10K prior to the race day itself.
It was a very happy run day for me and felt light
and good through out the race.

Team Umale Runs

Getting started on running is quite easy.  But being able to sustain the passion for running requires rigor and commitment, more so, running together as a family especially in this age of social media when it is just so easy to lose oneself in the digital universe.

Finishing the Silakbo 2018 Run for the benefit
of the Sta. Rosa Laguna Watershed

We got started into joining fun runs in Singapore where we lived for about 2 ½ years. Our first fun run in 2012 was a 5K event with the theme “Daring to Dream” which was sponsored by the company I work for to as a benefit run for charity and to commercialize its sponsorship of the 2012 London Olympic Games.  We did sort of a run-walk sequence but nonetheless, ended to be an enjoyable way to exercise together and we agreed to do it again.

Our first 5K Fun Run in Singapore
P&G Olympic Games Day

This was followed by another charity fun-run, POSB Passion Run for Kids held in picturesque Gardens by the Bay which was on soft-opening that year.  Kyla had a chance to join the Singapore Standard Chartered Marathon’s Kids’ Dash event in 2012 and also raised funds for the Terry Fox Run for cancer research at the Canadian International School, even when she had to run with a broken arm.

POSB Passion Run for Kids at scenic Marina Bay.
We had to stop several times for photo-op.

Kyla finishing the Standard Chartered
Kids' Dash in Singapore

Completing the Terry Fox Run for Cancer Research
even with her broken arm

When we returned home in 2013, Kyla and I continued joining fun runs, limiting ourselves to 3K events which were mostly organized for the benefit of a chosen charity. Run for the Angels, Pink Run for Breast Cancer, SponsoRun and Silakbo Run for Sta. Rosa watershed – to name a few.  We consider this as our mom-daughter bonding time with no pressure of having to run faster and chase record time.  It was simply about running together, having fun and finishing the course.

On the other hand, Kevin and my husband wasn’t into running then.  It was a motor challenge for Kevin because running involves the coordination of feet, arms, body and breathing properly to sustain the effort for a stretch of time.  It was in November 2017 when we decided to sign up for the Hope Run for children with special needs as a family unit.  Alvin knew that Kevin and Kyla need to be properly trained for them to finish it without great difficulty.  And so, we started running together at Nuvali every weekend and holiday mornings.  We decided to continue running as a family after the Hope Run.  That meant pursuing the training even with school days and work days at helm. Some days meant getting up earlier than usual.

 

Opening the Year 2018 with the CDH Resolution Run 

Our first attempt for a 5K run was at the 2018 Resolution Run at Greenfield City, Laguna where Kevin, Kyla and I ran together while Alvin took his first 10K run. This was followed by the RunRio Trilogy Manila Leg 1 back in SM Mall of Asia upon the encouragement of a family friend (D. Eric Francisco) to try the RunRio races.  This time, it was Alvin’s turn to pace the kids while I ran my first 10K after a seven-year hiatus from mid-distance run from my Singapore running days.  We are so happy that Kevin and Kyla did well and continue to get better in their 5K runs, especially since this was quite an effort for my daughter given her spine condition.  We had to ensure proper training and pacing so that she can finish the run with a healthy heart-rate level.

Asian Hospital's Pink Run for Breast Cancer.
It was a rainy morning run.

Here are a few learnings we can share for families who wish to get started into running, and hopefully, continue the endeavor for a long time…

1.  Set clear, realistic goals for the family.  My husband and I were very clear that we want to run as a family as a part of our bonding time and for our children to have fun in the experience while keeping fit and healthy.  When we were just starting, Alvin spent time researching and testing techniques that will make it easier for Kevin and Kyla to transition into longer running time.  Kevin lost excess weight and baby fats from his daily in-house exercise and this made outdoor running easier because he became lean and lighter.  Even if we started to pursue our individual goals too as a sidelight, we agreed that our children will to continue to be a significant part of those goals. This is the reason why one of us always had to stay behind as a pacer for Kevin and Kyla during running events.  We alternate on pacing duties and carve out time for the week to continue training them.

2. Make running a fun affair.  When we first ran as a family for a weekend training, we probably just clocked in a few hundred meters and were mostly walking, before gradually picking up the pace and finish a 4K tune-up run in preparation for the kids’ first 5K run.  Key is to make it comfortable and repeatable before taking it a notch higher.  Alvin found a way to set up a pace that both Kevin and Kyla can manage, without burning them out.  The highlight of our weekend run is having brunch in any one of our favorite breakfast joints at the Nuvali area.  This is something that our two teenagers look forward to as well.  For Kevin, he can equate running with a healthy dose of reward afterwards (just don’t eat way too much, of course!).  In our last run, Kevin had a big smile on his face when we reached the finish line. He knew, there is a nice breakfast coming his way!  They also get lots of high fives after a good run.  We also set them up with appropriately tested running shoes and gear.

Weekend runs at The Fields of Nuvali

3. Continue investing on fun runs that is commensurate to your family goals and values. We started to run for charitable purposes as we believe it elevates running into a more than just a personal achievement, and these values hopefully stick with them even as they grow older.  As for our family, we still choose to support fun runs with a purpose. The Resolution run is an annual event for the benefit of Calamba Doctors Hospital.  We are on our 2^nd year with SiLakBo run which is organized by the City of Sta. Rosa for environmental sustainability.  Our next family fun run will be held for the benefit of children with cancer.  And of course, the annual finale will the Hope Run for children with special needs at the SM Mall of Asia which we dedicate to our son Kevin.

 

The Hope Run for Children with Special Needs

The RunRio Trilogy Manila Leg 1
See you at Leg 2!

Running is great way to pursue an active lifestyle and at the same time, create a bonding time for the family.  You need to invest time, the patience to train and do it properly, the commitment to help each other become a little bit better every day. And while Alvin and I do have our own personal running goals, running together as a family will always come first.  We pray that this is something we can all do together for a long time!

The Food Rules by Michael Pollan



The Cover Page

This book by Michael Pollan came to my attention while reading Daphne Osena-Paez' blog. I checked the book review and excerpts before deciding to buy a copy. I got the 2011 hardbound edition. Earlier editions of the same book would have the 'pea in a pod' cover art.

I must say it's a must read for people who care about their health!  I am no health expert but I daresay that what goes into our system significantly affects the outlook of our health.   Not so many years ago, I learned this the hard way.   For moms like me, it is never too early -- or too late -- to imbibe good eating habits to our children (and yes, to our spouses as well!).  Fortunately, my two kids have no qualms about eating green, leafy vegetables.  Something I could have benefitted from when I was growing up.

And, I really hate to say this, but let's face it --  at a certain age, we have to put extra attention to our health if we want to live long enough to enjoy life (and for my husband and I, hopefully long enough to enjoy our grandchildren, if not beyond). 

If those are not great motivations to begin with, I don't know what is!   I am personally guilty of having too many excuses for sticking to healthy eating and this book is exactly the extra jolt I needed.

"The Food Rules" are centered on 83 simple rules to live by for a lifetime of good health, good food.  It's a fun, lightweight read, if not quite chatty. Reading it is like having an afternoon chit chat with an old friend over coffee.  My kind of reading.  I hope you get the drift.   As a bonus, the refreshing illustrations by Maira Kalman were a joy to see.

The 83 rules actually condense into 3 main concepts / chapters:

Eat Food.

Mostly Plants.

Not Too Much.

After finishing the book, I realized there is nothing rocket-science about the food rules presented.  We learned most of these were stuff we learned from grade school sciences and home economics. But it doesn't hurt to be reminded from time to time.   There were also new ideas I've extracted from this book that I've decided to immediately put into good use and I must say I'm pleased!

Rule 76: Place a bouquet of flowers on the table
and everything will taste twice as good.
I agree!!!  

Run for Your Life

Everyone who knew me well know (by now) that writing/blogging/digital photobook are one of my passions. A totally non-atlethic activity for a klutz like me. It figures.

The most physical/active recreation I've done so far was the playing tennis and ping pong via Nintendo Wii; and my daughter would always beat me anyway.  And then there was Yoga when I was in the Plant. I got the hang of it and enjoyed being able to sweat it out but was cut-short when we moved.  Yoga clinics are popular in SG but you probably guessed it, excuses get in the way.

I discovered a new found wellness passion lately, totally unexpected if I may say so.
I have just joined the bandwagon for the runner's circle!

Looking at my race bib and realizing that I'm up to something serious.

Finishing my first 10K run!

There was a runner's circle at the Plant and they expanded rapidly and attracted wannabe-marathoners/runners. I'd hear them raving about their latest running events, the training they have to undergo before signing up for the real thing, the diet they had to adhere to (at least, for the serious runners).  Anyone who can run 42km for 4 hours or less (5 to 7 hours for the average folk, I suppose) is nothing short of amazing!  I never even imagined myself doing it.

So who would have thought I'd be caught (belatedly) by the running bug?

It all started with the P&G Dare to Dream Fun Run. It was a 5km event for all SG employees and family members were allowed to participate as well. So we all signed up just for fun and to help Beyond Borders' charity work for building a pre-school in Vietnam.  I never ran 5km before and ended up with aching limbs after that.  Kyla ran with my friend Leklek and they finished well ahead of us.

And then, Leklek suggested we sign up for the Shape Magazine's Shape Run 2012 10km event.  She assured us that we can walk the rest of the way in case we ran out of running fuel. This was, mind you, before we learned that there was a 5km and a 2.4km fun run.  There was no turning back because we already signed up for 10km.

Something portentious must have happened to me two weeks before the run.

Something that drove me to run 3-4 days in a week at the treadmill. In my fourth day I decided to run straight 5km. I added strengthening work out sessions as well- which I read from the special edition runners' guide from Shape magazine.    I think it was when I saw the 10km route when it finally dawned on me that I am up to something really serious.  That, plus the programme said that if you haven't crossed Republic Highway by 840AM, the runners will be re-routed and you might not receive the finisher's medal.  I sort of panicked that I may not make it.  Fear is a good motivator if you can turn it to courage and persistence.

I finished the Shape Run and my first ever 10 KM at 85 minutes (official time).  I thought that wasn't too bad for my first attempt considering I was only clocking 10mins/km during my training.  And yep, finished it before 840AM.  It also validated that while practically anyone can run, undergoing training before the run will make you significantly less sore-limbed after the event. My yoga breathing exercise also helped a lot especially towards the middle of the run.

And it all began from there. SG is a runners' heaven-- there is a dedicated website and group that manages running events in the country. I signed up for at least three more events for the next few months! My husband and I will be running together in the 100 Plus Passion Run and the whole family will be joining the POSB Family run. I now run regularly at the gym as well.

I won't likely show up in the 21km and 42km events anytime soon but I will definitely have a great time and a get natural high from running for as long as I can!

The prestigous Shape Run 2012 is an all-women's run event

The dawn of the run day

Finds

Well, it's that time of the year again.

I'm not really big on birthdays, at least not my birthday -- it is usually a family affair. We choose to either have a dinner somewhere or if time permits, my hubby volunteers to cook something special for dinner at home.

I decided to celebrate it a little bit earlier this year by writing down my so-called "Splurge List." Nothing extravagant really, but a few of my favorite things that I'd like to get for myself.

I am quite pragmatic when it comes to perfumes because I get migraines with the wrong scents. But I like perfumes so I have to choose the fragrance carefully when buying. I like mild, lavender-vanilla scents. Benefit's Crescent Row line of fragrances caught my fancy immediately because of the fancy, pop-art packaging that Benefit is known for. The ultimate first moment of truth. I sampled the scents and was drawn to Carmella. Each scent was named after a lady and each has their unique style and personality. Carmella is the epitome of lady-like elegance and mystery. The scent hints of vanilla essence.





One of the challenges of walking everyday from home to office and viceversa is that one has to find the perfect shoes. Classy enough for the office, comfortable enough to not ruin your feet with blisters, sturdy enough to withstand all that walking. After my 4-year old Naturalizer wedgies retired last 2010, I have tried several shoes but none seem to pass the criteria. I stopped buying shoes for a while out of frustration because I ended up giving them away out of discomfort. I believe I found my soul shoes at last.

Got this from Studio Tangs.
The leather is soft so I am optimistic I wont get murdered feet in the process.

I found the book The Food Rules by Michael Pollan while browsing Daphne O's blog. I googled this book, read an excerpt and decided to hunt it down in my next strip to the bookstore. After picking it up, another book next to it caught my eye -- Classy by Derek Blasberg.  I'll tell you more about it when I'm done reading.

 I would like to add more gemstone pieces this year. I did not have to think twice when I saw this rose quartz drop earring with swarovski. It's easy to pair them off with my other necklaces and would be great for every day wear and special occasions.

So there! Ticked off the items in my "out-of-the-blue" checklist!

Crowning Glory

I dont typically splurge for hair accessories. My everlasting brown plastic clip would do; matter of fact, that was the only hair style I've ever been known for since college. Or my red scroongie. If ever I lose the scroongie, I replace it with the same color and texture.

I needed an outlet that day and so when Kyla went out for our usual Friday night bonding, we decided to splurge (by this I mean more than the usual plastic clip) for hair accesories. We found this store that sells hair accessories with bling-blings.

This is what we ended with:

Kyla's new hairband. Looks cute and classy. She love this. She love hairbands in general. I dont.

This was mine with Kyla as model. Not really a fan of hairbands, it triggers my migraine but the saleslady assures me this is easy on the head. We'll see.





Love this look. Cool for the Summer days. And matches any outfit. My hair was longer when I bought it.



These are for a more serious glammed up look plus with blings. Saleslady says I can pouf the hair for a bit of volume.



These are my magnetic clips (Kyla as model). Still true to my clipped-look but classier. There is a dragonfly design but that may be a bit of too much for the office.

So obviously, I was stressed enough to allow myself to get sales-talked into all of this. I bought enough that I ended up being given a VIP card and a freebie for Kyla. But it was worth it. We went home happy.

The Kikay Kit Series 1

I read somewhere in Preview magazine that women are generally either a bag or a shoe fiend. And that the other category is either you are a make-up or fashion junkie.
I must say I am a make-up and a bag person. I like clothes too but of course I only get to dress up on weekends usually in a weekend-fashionista-mom kind of way. As for shoes, my criteria will be comfort first and so Naturalizer is the hands-down winner despite the style low-down. My love for bags started when my mom ventured on buy and sell of synthetic ladies bag and I get to snag a few samples for myself back in HS.

But when it comes to make-up, we can talk about it all day, shop all day and I will not get tired! I will even offer my services to find the right make up for you!
Here are a few samplers of my favorite stuff and why I adore them:
Whenever I pass by The Body Shop, I had to mentally warn myself to stay away, else I subconsciously gravitate towards the store! TBS carries an amazingly wide array of innovative cosmetics but what really got me in is that they are so easy to apply. Some may say it’s pricey but their make-ups can multi-task which makes it really worth your cash!

The Body Shop Lip and Cheek Stain is one of their best sellers! It doubles as a lip color and blush. I miss their cream blush though. Wayback in 2001 I bought this little pot of cream blush and all you had to do is apply them on your cheeks using your fingers and it would give you a natural-blushing cheeks look! Maybelline came up with a similar blush pot.

The best blush I always come back to is the L’Oreal Blush Delice (in Marhsmallow). It gives you an almost natural glow without looking like a clown! I use the famous Nars Orgasm for special occasions. The Face Shop Blushes are cool for daily wear. Lately I bought the Body Shop Shimmer Waves. Again, it doubles as a blush and eye color.

I don’t always bother to put on eye color but lip color will be a perpetual must have! I can never have enough lip sticks and end up giving them away . Estee Lauder is my IT brand for lipstick. You can also try colored lip glosses which are the rave these days! Lancome Juicy Tubes and Mac Lipglass are the award-winning lip glosses (I have tried both) but if you find them scandalously pricey, you can also find cool ones at Bloom, Maybelline and The Face Shop’s Jelly Tint and Lip Glosses.

Another must have is the eyeliner and mascara. They help frame the face and open up/brighten up your eyes! I bought my Estee Lauder eyeliner in Changi Airport in 2007 (I was with Gay who was at awe when I started getting technical and preachy over lipsticks) and I’m glad to say it’s still alive!
Maybelline is my loyal friend when it comes to mascara. I am using the Volume Express mascara these days and even when I’m too lazy to put on eye color, a dash of mascara works wonder for your peepers!

And ah… lastly, the eye color.
Due to the economic situation, I prefer to keep a daily eye make-up (The Body Shop, the multi-tasking ones above) and keep the posh ones (Nars, Estee Lauder) for occasions that require THE made-up look. I suggest buying in palettes so you have plenty of choices and only buy in single color pot if you are sure to use them almost always. I have a Lancome eye makeup palette which has cool daily wear colors. Colored eye pencils also make great substitutes for eye shadows.

I don’t always use liquid foundations and saved it for occasions. I keep a face powder for touch-ups. Clinique is by far the best but given its price, I settled for a more cost effective brand. VMV is also a dark horse when it comes to hypo-allergenic face powders and I used it in my younger days.
It may amuse you that through the years, I have tried several brands (most I did not mention anymore, space is precious) for various make-up needs. There are a lot of emerging budget friendly brands these days too! But so far, after scouring stores and magazines but those above are my tried and tested allies!

Coming Soon: The 5 Minute Make Up