GenSan Run Club Trail Runners Getting Bigger

photo credits: Arnel Joshua Lim

Alabel Eco - Trail Run

What started as two - pack eco - trail runners, the group now is getting bigger and from the most recent eco - trail run, we numbered as 18 with 3 lady runners.

The trail run has become a weekly habit and we aim to run on a progressive distance. The farthest distance was 22km and if we hope to achieve the full marathon distance this year.

With this new family of running enthusiasts, we wish to bond and run together. And, the GenSan Run Club has become active that we will be holding our First City Fun Run. I could only wish that organizers shall have their own official uniforms with matching lapel pins to boost.

So, if you want a diversion from the regular city run and want to experience the thrill of eco - trail running, come and join us. Enjoy the benefits of eco - running, mingle with local communities and add spice to your running training.

Happy Chinese Lunar New Year Everyone!

photo source: 123Greetings.com

January 23 is celebrated by the Chinese Community as the start of the Year of Water Dragon. And, since Philippines is swarmed by big communities of Chinese, the Philippine government has declared the day as a national holiday.

And, along with this holiday, most Filipinos are overwhelmed by the Chinese Culture including the passion for Feng Shui and Chinese food among others. My family just had to wear our lucky colors, cooked some tikoy for strong family bonds and some luck.

So, we wish you a Happy Happy Chinese New Year!

The GenSan Run Club Run Another Trail

It has been a weekly habit to run another trail and this time, we covered the Alabel's Terrain, one of the municipalities of Sarangani Province where the world renowned boxer Manny Pacquiao is the congressman.

We had 18 runners and the youngest runner was a mid-school lady who joined us to cover over 12km of muddy macadam - concrete road.

We were lucky too to have a video to document our passion. Video courtesy by iShots.

The Role of Music in Your Baby's Growth

When I first conceived my son, I simply had to read various articles on how we can practically raise a healthy, and smart kid. For one, we quite know that playing classical music from the works of Bach, Beethoven or Mozart can stimulate the brain cells of our newly born babies.

According to Diane Bales, Ph.D from EducationOasis.com mentions that music can't make our babies smarter but the unique music structure of classical music can improve our babies' spatial thinking and playing musical instrument with present technology including apogee jam can further enhance other thinking skills.

While debates still persist whether the "Mozart Effect" is really true, we can encourage music inclination among our babies through the following:

• play songs to your baby;
• sing songs to and with your baby;
• teach your kid at early age music lessons;
• encourage schools to teach music.

It's More Fun Trail Running in GenSan!

the growing trail running tribe

From a pack of four trail runners, our group continues to grow in number and the passion for trail running continues to persist that weekend is marked for trail running on new trails.

So, our latest conquest was on the trail from GenSan City Airport to Brgy San Jose, covering an 18km loop.

Trail running sparks a different thrill as we get to commune with nature, meet locals, enjoy smog - free run, and meditate. And, with the wide green vegetation of Sarangani Province and General Santos City, trail running is always fun! So, join us and let's have fun running.

How to Augment Your Family Finances

While 2012 seems promising for most of us, still we feel the pressure of financial constraints that another day or night job seems appealing and more compelling.

But, we can somehow augment our finances through cutting off our unwanted expenses and / or finding ways to earn an extra living.

If you are holding a day time job and have an extra time to hold a part time work, then, you can try the following salary - augmenting works:

• online jobs like writing articles, taking surveys, acting as virtual assistant;
• call - center agents at your very own place or at your local call center agencies;
• buying and selling of beauty products or online stuffs including Hats among others;
• middlemen for friends who sell stuffs;
• making money from your passion like cooking, wedding planning, photography, blogging.

Remember, we can always be hopeful that we can find ways to address our finances. A little imagination, and resources on hand, we can just increase our earnings.

Families and Runners Join BIMP - EAGA Fun Run

with the GSC Boy Scout marshals and fellow runners on opening prayer

running the 10km

Last January 12 was the first fun run for the year that I personally joined and over a hundred had joined me; some were students, families, and other professionals on their running singlet and race bibs.

There were 3km, 5km and 10km distances and although we wanted to join in their original plan of 21km category, we could only register in 10km instead of the 42km marathon.

This year shall be filled with countless fun runs and before February would end, there are about 5 runs pre - scheduled.

So, let us stay fit and continue running!

Why Running Can Be Good to Your Health

upcoming fun run on January 29 in GSC

Experts say that running provides not just health benefits but economical and physiological advantages too. As posted on GenSan Run Club website, according to Sean Fishpool, author of "Beginner's Guide to Long Distance Running," running can provide following benefits:

• You lose weights. You can lose 100 calories from a mile of running and can burn 250 - 500 calories from a 30 - minute run;
• You improve your health. Your immunity to illness is highly improved; you improve your blood cholesterol level and combat diabetes, arthritis and osteoporosis. Further, you decrease your risk of heart attack;
• You are recharged from stress. Running alone or with buddies improves your emotional state, thereby, reducing your chances of depression. It can be a good diversion from draining or routine works and can be a good avenue for support;
• You improve your confidence. When you are fit and healthy, your self - esteem is quite good and with that you affect your performance and relationship in work and society in general;
• You adopt a healthy lifestyle. When you run regularly, you develop a good sleeping habit, avoid vices like drinking or smoking, and eat healthy diet. All these make your running comfortable and health - friendly;
• You are in better shape. With running, your body works more efficiently with improved metabolism and cell regeneration. Further, you get stronger and beautiful calves, thighs, hips and buttocks to boost.
• You will know your body better. With pressure about beating the time or enduring long races, you get to know how your body responds to pressure and with that you help your body to be in better shape and make the run injury - free.

But over and beyond these, we believe that running can also help us do the following:

• Know our place better. When we do trail running, we cover new places that we never tried before (to date, we just covered almost 15km distance to / from Lemlunay - Tinoto) and it is only in running that we get to run through a remote community village, cross on creeks, see the livelihood of an area, and appreciate our place better.
• Be smarter. Activities that require oxygen like running can help both our brain and body. According to William Greenough, Ph.D, neuropsychologist at the University of Illinois, exercise can cause new blood vessels to form in the cerebellum. More oxygen and glucose or blood sugar are delivered to the cerebellum during the increased activity, thereby, increasing the organ's size.

  

  GenSan runners crusing a new trail

• Promote advocacies. Running has become a passion for us and what better way to appreciate it more than to use our passion to help communities (e.g. gift - giving among B'laan indigenous kids of Pao - Pao Elementary School of Sinawal), Mother Earth and other agencies who need assistance may it be through education, medical / dental mission, gifts.
• Inspire others. As we age, our metabolism slows down and with that, we begin to acquire all the wrong budges and when we see overweight people lost weight through running among other exercises, we become inspired to go through the same journey.
• Test our limits. We started with as short as few meters to running more than 10km. And when asked, if we shall stick with our distance, we generally say, "NO." As a 34 - year old lady runner/mom/teacher/entrepreneur, I wish to conquer 42km in a full marathon race. And while others say I cannot definitely finish it, the harder I go with my training.
• Widen our circles of friends and contacts for business and personal reasons. In the course of our running through fun runs or marathons, we get to meet doctors, medical representatives, soldiers, office workers, teachers among others. And, knowing them gives us an extra perk on moments we need assistance.
• Have fun. Running has given us a different kind of fulfilment especially if we reach the finish line after a long distance of running. And, when we beat our old record or win a spot, the pride and enthusiasm are all overwhelming. This state of positive attitude is even reflected on how we handle stress and challenge from jobs and families.

Family Acquired a New Bike

My younger sibling decided to stay within our family lot together with her partner and daughter and since she works now in a our family business, they decided to acquire their own motorcycle or bike to make the travel easier and budget friendly.

But, aside from the required national ordinance that motor drivers and alike shall have their respective licences and registrations, they are also mandated to wear helmets as protection gear against unwanted accidents or incidents.

Good thing though that motor bikers can purchase quality helmets like gmax motorcycle helmets from local and / or online stores.

Now that they have their on personal vehicles, they can just visit their old place or head back to us on any day.

Running with Sibling

running through a 16km trail run on Sinawal Road, humbled by the glory of Mt Matutum

Every December my younger sibling had to head to our home city to spend a two - week vacation to celebrate Christmas and New Year with us. And, since she likes running too, I can't help but dragged her too to our usual trail runs.

So, around 4am, we head to a remote barangay to cover 16km with a slope of over 52o meters above sea level. And, since we were joined by other runners, we could only enjoy the trail, the run and the entire running pack.

We can only wish that I can join her again in our future runs.

Kids are Back to School

We are now in our second week of January 2012 and after a long vacation of two - three weeks, students from all levels could only anticipate the resumption of classes. And, since I am a college teacher, the new year means resuming to my teaching and all associated tasks.

But, some schools set their major exams in January, and I am pretty sure that most students had used their vacation to review for their pending exams. Along with exam reviews, other paper works like essays can be due for submission. Good thing, students can use not just the public library but also the internet for references or assistance like essays online for prompt works.

So, now that 2012 has finally come and that students are back to school, we can only hope that the new year shall bring forth good tidings.

Happy New Year Everyone!

our most recent family picture on green and yellow theme

It has been our family tradition to take a family picture every year end. And, to welcome 2012 and to bring good luck to the entire family, we wore our best yellow and green tops. The family had our casual and wacky poised and you bet one of my well - loved shots is the picture above.

So, from my home to yours, happy 2012 to all!