iRun |
irun, a journey.
Welcome to my iRun journey.
This used be me. Phew. Posting this picture skyrockets the personal aspect of this blog.
I'm 1.63m (5'3'') and at the time this picture was taken, I weighed approximately 77kg. That's around 170lbs and A LOT for someone my height. I didn't exercise, and ate and drank with no limitations. As I approached my 30th birthday, my body started realising it was not a decade younger and my indulging lifestyle was starting to show. At my heaviest and unhealthiest I felt what anyone with a careless lifestyle feels: sick, fat, unhappy, tired, frustrated, ugly, unhealthy, sad, angry... But I don't remember those indulging days with regret like you'd expect. On the contrary, I had the time of my life and I don't regret them for one minute! And now, for six years, I have found equal joy in a healthy lifestyle, one that I never thought I could live let alone enjoy.
This blog is about a journey I'm currently on. A few months after this picture was taken, I decided to take on a better quality lifestyle. In a period of 6-8 months, I unsurprisingly lost over 10kg by combining healthy eating with exercise. I've gone from an unhealthy size 12 to a healthy size 8. Don't get me wrong, I know plenty of women who are a healthy size 12 and an unhealthy size 8 and don't meant to say a certain size or weight are the determining factor to healthy living. I know this all too well being lucky enough to be surrounded by strong and healthy women of all shapes and sizes. However I won't dwell on my weight loss so much because although the actual loss was what drove my transformation, it's not what has kept it going. It has been about the incredible power of my will. My will to make good lifestyle choices. My will to be patient and know that I wasn't going to wake up fit and healthy from one morning to the next. My will to work hard and challenge myself. Enter running.
I'm 1.63m (5'3'') and at the time this picture was taken, I weighed approximately 77kg. That's around 170lbs and A LOT for someone my height. I didn't exercise, and ate and drank with no limitations. As I approached my 30th birthday, my body started realising it was not a decade younger and my indulging lifestyle was starting to show. At my heaviest and unhealthiest I felt what anyone with a careless lifestyle feels: sick, fat, unhappy, tired, frustrated, ugly, unhealthy, sad, angry... But I don't remember those indulging days with regret like you'd expect. On the contrary, I had the time of my life and I don't regret them for one minute! And now, for six years, I have found equal joy in a healthy lifestyle, one that I never thought I could live let alone enjoy.
This blog is about a journey I'm currently on. A few months after this picture was taken, I decided to take on a better quality lifestyle. In a period of 6-8 months, I unsurprisingly lost over 10kg by combining healthy eating with exercise. I've gone from an unhealthy size 12 to a healthy size 8. Don't get me wrong, I know plenty of women who are a healthy size 12 and an unhealthy size 8 and don't meant to say a certain size or weight are the determining factor to healthy living. I know this all too well being lucky enough to be surrounded by strong and healthy women of all shapes and sizes. However I won't dwell on my weight loss so much because although the actual loss was what drove my transformation, it's not what has kept it going. It has been about the incredible power of my will. My will to make good lifestyle choices. My will to be patient and know that I wasn't going to wake up fit and healthy from one morning to the next. My will to work hard and challenge myself. Enter running.
My running journey started like most runners I know. I started on a treadmill at a gym and ran for 12-15mins at a time, about twice a week. I hated it and didn't see the point. I had friends who ran outdoors (!) for kilometers at a time (?!) and loved it. I didn't get that either. I quickly abandoned the treadmill. But when I was at my heaviest and unhealthiest and decided to start losing weight, I knew the 'easiest' way was to power through on a treadmill so I bought one and started using it regularly. 1k, 1.5k, 1.2k.. I was on a very strict diet to which I fully committed and joined a Zumba class, to which I also fully committed. No-carbs and cardio was my game and I was on my way to healthier living.
As I got stronger and lighter, my husband challenged me to run outside. I did my first 2k outdoors and quickly realized running outside and the treadmill are two completely different things. But I powered through. I remember running my first 3k without stopping and thinking, yes! That's it! From now on my rungs will be 3ks! It must've been a few months later that I broke my 5k wall... and it felt so good. As time went on, I started doing other things that benefited my running: Yoga, Pilates, juicing. What seemed impossible was becoming possible: I broke my 7k wall, and two months later, I ran my first 10k. In February 2014, I ran my first half-marathon in Hong Kong (Standard Chartered Half-Marathon) and followed with a second one in July in Guatemala (Medio-Maraton Las Rosas). In March 2015, I ran/hiked my first trail-run, the Translantau 15K in Hong Kong; and realised trail-running is not for me. In December 2015, I gave birth to my beautiful baby boy Lucca Gabriel which slowed down my running journey but didn't stop it. So now, here I am. A 35yo mom and runner. A wife and a teacher. A daughter, a sister and friend.
I'm absolutely LOVING this journey I'm on. Although I love sports and being active, I never thought that I'd feel this good while just running. Going for a run has become a life line, a mind-clearing zen moment. Every time I run, I train my body to adapt, and also my mind to not spiral me into insecurities before every run: "You won't be able to finish this time..." "You're going to get injured if you go, then you won't be able to keep running..." Constantly, like the stock market ticker, a non-stop reminder of my limitations and what ifs. In order to silence the loud voice of insecurity and of "I could NEVER do that", I need to continue challenging myself with new and unexpected things; and most importantly, to fill that silence with one that gives me strength and keeps me going.
As I got stronger and lighter, my husband challenged me to run outside. I did my first 2k outdoors and quickly realized running outside and the treadmill are two completely different things. But I powered through. I remember running my first 3k without stopping and thinking, yes! That's it! From now on my rungs will be 3ks! It must've been a few months later that I broke my 5k wall... and it felt so good. As time went on, I started doing other things that benefited my running: Yoga, Pilates, juicing. What seemed impossible was becoming possible: I broke my 7k wall, and two months later, I ran my first 10k. In February 2014, I ran my first half-marathon in Hong Kong (Standard Chartered Half-Marathon) and followed with a second one in July in Guatemala (Medio-Maraton Las Rosas). In March 2015, I ran/hiked my first trail-run, the Translantau 15K in Hong Kong; and realised trail-running is not for me. In December 2015, I gave birth to my beautiful baby boy Lucca Gabriel which slowed down my running journey but didn't stop it. So now, here I am. A 35yo mom and runner. A wife and a teacher. A daughter, a sister and friend.
I'm absolutely LOVING this journey I'm on. Although I love sports and being active, I never thought that I'd feel this good while just running. Going for a run has become a life line, a mind-clearing zen moment. Every time I run, I train my body to adapt, and also my mind to not spiral me into insecurities before every run: "You won't be able to finish this time..." "You're going to get injured if you go, then you won't be able to keep running..." Constantly, like the stock market ticker, a non-stop reminder of my limitations and what ifs. In order to silence the loud voice of insecurity and of "I could NEVER do that", I need to continue challenging myself with new and unexpected things; and most importantly, to fill that silence with one that gives me strength and keeps me going.
So again welcome, and I hope this blog will help you in your journey or whether you're staring/thinking of starting one. I blog regularly my journal. Please feel free to comment, make suggestions and share your expertise throughout this journey.
Ready, set, go!
Ready, set, go!