This Is The Day We Get To Test Our Limits

Finally! The tine to test our strength and endurance is about to commence. While I was having a mental note of what else should I prepare for our much-awaited Luneta to Tagaytay 60km Ultramarathon, my favorite son was blabbering why I did not dye my hair hahahah . . .

I actually don’t mind being seen in public with my white hair but to preserve peace and unity in our household, I decided to give in to my son’s bickering. Praise God Ate Ella is still with us to lend a hand. No need to visit the beauty parlor. She colored my hair in a jiffy. 

Pansit Palabok and pork barbeque are my usual pre-race meal. They will arrive at 4pm. The whole family will attend the 6pm Anticipated Mass later because I am sure I would prefer to sleep tomorrow after coming from Tagaytay.

My cousin Wendel will drive our support vehicle and her wife Minerva will also be with him. So with Elvert, Ann’s darling husband. 

Dear God, give us please a favorable running weather. Send your angels and saints to protect all of us runners and our Support Teams. Mama Mary, please be with us every step of the way from Luneta to the Finish Line in Tagaytay. Cover us with the mantle of your maternal protection. Help us arrive there before 1pm tomorrow without any injury or accident or any mishap. These we ask in the name of Jesus and the mighty power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

(Thanks for dropping by. For comments, please email me at ndelr62@gmail.com or chat with me in Messenger. Stay safe everyone!)

Only 1 More Day And We’re Set to Go (Are We, Really?)

 One day left for our 60km Ultra and this morning’s post by the Organizer astounded me.

They gave us a list of Mandatory Gear that we should bring and among the 5 listed, I don’t have 3 namely: Reflective Vest, Blinker, and HeadLamp.

Thank God I don’t have high blood pressure or it could have rose to sky high. I immediately contacted my running buddy Ann and I was beyond relieved when she told me that her darling husband was already looking for them. Wow! Awesome! How could some women be blessed with loving and supportive hubbies?

After dinner Ann sent me the pictures of the gears they purchased from the Bike Shop of her husband’s co-teacher. Now I can sleep without any worries. Thank you Ann!

(Thanks for dropping by. For comments, please email me at ndelr62@gmail.com or chat with me via Messenger. Stay safe everyone!)

Last 2 Days

 Would you believe I survived the whole day yesterday without taking any solid meal, not kissing my First Love, and not indulging in any form of sweets?

The first thing I did when I went out of our bedroom was to grab our weighing scale and miracle of all miracles, I finally saw the much-anticipated drop in pounds! 

2 days before our Luneta to Tagaytay 60km Ultramarathon, I now weigh . . . 119 lbs.!

Nothing happened after 4 months of 16:8 Intermittent Fasting yet only 1 day of fasting and abstinence during Ash Wednesday, I lost 3 lbs. Hmmm . . . I should probably do this once a month.

What do you think?

(Thanks for dropping by my blog. For comments/suggestions, please email me at ndelr62@gmail.com or chat with me via Messenger. Stay safe everyone!)

Last 3 Days

 Only 3 days left before our Luneta to Tagaytay 60km Ultramarathon (which is actually 65.5km huhuhu....)

Today happened to be Ash Wednesday. For us Catholics, it is a day of fasting and abstinence from meat or your favorite food.

For someone who fasts everyday, how can this day be more meaningful?

Well, I plan to do the following:

1. No Coke until 12 midnight.

2. No solid meal until 12 midnight.

3. No sweets in any form.

Father Elmer suggested that we abstain from taking our favorite food/drink for the whole 40 days of Lent then we offer our savings derived from our abstinence on Easter Sunday.

For non-Catholics, think of it as killing 2 birds in 1 stone. You get to cleanse/detoxify your body and in the end, donate to a Charity you deeply love from the money you saved.

Last 4 Days

 Cross training this morning. Walked leisurely along the corridors of SM Supermarket for our bi-monthly grocery shopping. Eia was my capable assistant, making my life more comfortable.

After lunch, my massage therapist came to “torture” me. Angel is her name but she can actually bring you to hell, purgatory and heaven. With her magical hands, she can remove the lumps, bumps and nodules in your body but only after going through an excruciating  experience. While you scream at the top of your lungs battling the pain, she doesn’t stop until she could flawlessly slide her hands up and down your feet. 

Yesterday I suffered at the hands of the phlebotomist. Today I endured my massage therapist’s torment. I am curious what will happen tomorrow.

4 days before our Luneta to Tagaytay Ultramarathon, somebody posted in FB that he ran the whole route and the total distance was 65.5 km! Wow! My running buddy and I need to revise our strategy inorder to finish the race within the 14-hr CutOff time.  

Nope. I am not nervous. I am FREAKING nervous!!!

Last 5 Days

My last laboratory exams were conducted 5 years ago. So for my peace of mind that I am indeed totally fit  on Race Day this Feb. 25, I finally did what my dear friend Mimi Einanloo called “complete overhaul”. 

This morning I went early to a Diagnostic Center and I also brought my 2 precious jewels Gio and Eia for bloodwork, urinalysis, Xray, ECG.

As always, the phlebotomist couldn’t find the right vein where my blood could be drawn. I happen to belong to the very rare species of the human race whose veins are almost invisible. Though I was hoping that this time would be different, I wasn’t surprised anymore that she had to try the Venipuncture at least 3 times. It was a common occurence for me that blood stops flowing before it can even reach a quarter of the tube. Ah well. One can’t have it all.

After a series of needle coming in and going out of my arms and hand, we gloriously feasted at Tapa King (no way I would still patronize Intermittent Fasting after that traumatic ordeal!). Then we took home a box of SugarHouse’s mouth-watering Chocolate Bliss Cake and a jar of yummy Chocolate Chip Cookies. Hey, it’s that time of the year for CarboLoading heheheh . . .

Monday is hectic for Eia: Kumon in the morning, Drums lesson in the afternoon. Just dance at 5pm. I could probably squeeze a 5-10 km run tonight followed by gentle yoga.

Grabe, limang tulog na lang! (OMG, only 5 sleeps left for the Luneta to Tagaytay 60 km Ultramarathon!)

Last 6 Days

 I am overwhelmed with the number of people who signified their unwavering faith in me that I can make it to the Finish Line  of Luneta to Tagaytay 60km Ultramarathon on time. I couldn’t even trust myself, and yet they have full confidence in my strength and perseverance.

With only 6 days to go, I learned today that my running buddy encountered a motorcycle accident and she hurt her knee. I advised her not to run anymore this week and just rest for the remaining days before the race. Please pray with me that she will be completely healed ASAP. Running alone along Emilio Aguinalo High Way frightens me. That would be a chilling nightmare!

Last 7 Days

 Next Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023 at exactly this hour—11 PM, around 200 (psychotic?) runners will leave KM 0 in Luneta and attempt to reach the peak of People’s Park in the Sky, Tagaytay before 1PM the following day, Feb. 26.

My running buddy and I will be among those runners. Like them, we will move heaven and earth to reach the Finish Line within the 14-hour CutOff.

We trained for this since late October last year. I cannot believe there are only 7 days left before we finally test our bodies if they are strong enough to endure 60 kms of running/walking.

I was almot 59 when I did this the first time. I am almost 65 now. Honestly, I am already experiencing aches and pains here and there but the show must go on. Will I be able to make it on time?

What do you think?

Well, there’s only one way to find out heheheh . . .

I Did Intermittent Fasting Everyday for 4 Consecutive Months and This is What Happened

The initial plan was to divorce Intermittent Fasting but I had a change of heart. 

From October 18, 2022 up to this writing, I held on to 16:8 Intermittent Fasting: Last meal at 8PM, next meal at 12 noon the following day. So can you guess how much weight I lost?

This is what happened. (Drums roll please . . . )

Nothing. Zero. Zip. Nada. 

Tragic isn’t it?

But why for the love of God am I still doing it?

Yup, the stubborn weighing scale did not budge. BUT my household budget was pleasantly slashed. I actually saved a whooping ₱4,000 a month for not taking my breakfast! Enough money to invest in Jollibee and/or BDO stocks or follow my son’s advice to increase Eia’s drums lessons from once to twice a week.

So now you know why I am loyal to Intermittent Fasting.

(Thank you for still dropping by my blog, given the irregularity of my posts. You may get in touch with me via Messenger or at ndelr62@gmail.com. Stay safe everyone!)