The Newest Kid on the Running and Multisport Block is Here

What was once a dream. It has now become a reality - Mascy Cabuhat, Manager of Team Total Fitness

The Beginning

When you get used to training and joining races as a group, you'd always dream about having to be able to run as a team.  It always starts with a dream and any dream can be a reality with a lot of hard work and then came Total Fitness Magazine seeking new avenues to channel its brand. Team Total Fitness is a fusion of a magazine that promotes Total Fitness in Mind, Body and Soul and passionate runners and multisport athletes.

Of course, everything doesn't come easy as sponsors don't immediately jump into a new band wagon but we are eternally grateful for Total Fitness and our maiden list of sponsors (Oakley, ON Cloudrunners, Brooks Apparel, Polar, Cep, i-pure, Chris Sports, Honey Stinger, Dermplus,  Epic Triathlon and Cycling Wear and Moving Comfort) and our Coach Andy Leuterio of Alpha Training System for giving us this shot.  The bulk of us have been training for some time now with Coach Andy and the best thing we can offer is our commitment to our sport and to carry the Total Fitness lifestyle and start chasing new PRs, longer distances and more sport disciplines.

The Team

We have a good mix at Team Total Fitness from sprint and long-distance triathletes who make it a habit to finish strong, to champion swimmer and hardcore cyclists, marathoners and ultra marathoners, to elite runners who consistently finish in the top tier of the races and to your regular passionate runners who strive to be better every race day.  We may compete on different disciplines and at different levels but the thing we have in common is that we always want to put our best running foot forward and that we'll contribute whatever we can to make the newest kid on the running and multisport block a successful one.

The Events

• Photoshoot

The first thing we did as a team was a photo shoot as the team would be introduced in the November issue of Team Total Fitness which would be available on your favorite bookstore and magazine retailers in November. Being featured in a monthly "total fitness" magazine is definitely an added motivation.  Of course, it does also mean we have to be good ambassadors of the Total Fitness brand.

• Contract Signing & Courtesy Call to Management

The formalities was next in line - 6 months as member of the first season of Team Total Fitness in a contract signing session held at Goldilocks, Shaw and a courtesy call to owners of Total Fitness Magazine.  It was indeed our honor to meet the people behind Total Fitness and it was nice of Mr. Mark Sosmeña, CEO of Total Fitness and Speed to share an inspirational talk on humility.  While we aim for new highs at Team Total Fitness we'll always be intact to our roots.  Greatness without humility is like skydiving without a parachute.

• Debut Race

And then the event we've all been waiting for - our debut race, Adidas KOTR 2011.  All 14 members of the team joined in both 16.8K and 21K category and it was a good one as we all had a good race and strong finishes and a member of our team even placed 12th in the 21K category.  We also had some photo opportunities at the Swim Bike Run (SBR) and Dermplus Booth.

And there goes the first chapter of Team Total Fitness.  Of course, you all know that this is just the beginning.  Catch us on our Team Total Fitness Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/TeamTotalFitness), monthly issues of Total Fitness Magazine and also catch us at the runs, marathons, cycling, duathlon, aquathlon and triathlon events near you.

21 Things I Learned Doing 21K

My first running goal was to reach sub60 for 10K and after months of training, I've finally reached that milestone. My next goal was completing a half marathon. It was something I never saw myself doing but you'll never how far you can go unless you try.  By the time, I decided to go for 21K, I was already able to do two 15K races at a decent time so I thought half mary shouldn't be a farfetched goal but somehow, I did hit a wall being struck with cramps towards the finish of a 10K run and then came vacation season followed by the rainy season and after all those breaks, I struggled and hit a plateau.  It felt like a restart but I finally decided to do myself away of all the excuses and go ahead with a training program I am bound to follow.
So there you go, three months worth of training program for me to level up to the 21K level.  No excuses was my mantra for that period and whether it rained, I was busy or I was traveling, I had to go with my program especially the long runs during Sunday.  I slowly built up my endurance and it wasn't easy but it was worth it.  Of course, there are a lot more fun alternative to do on a weekend but it's a matter of commitment to my training program and today I did hit my goal a 21K run and it was a solid debut and a decent time and a consistent pace with only water breaks as rests.
I'm half a marathoner and here were the things I learned the past few months.

1. Believe it is something you could do.
2. Love what you do.  Everything is much easier when you are enjoying it.
3. It's a long run. It's not how fast you run but how fast you recover.
4. There are no short cuts to building up endurance.  You got to run long and run consistently.
5. You got to love the hills. It strengthens your legs and increases your stride length.
6. You got to appreciate the easy runs.  It lets your muscles recover and at the same time, it keeps them from being stale.
7. Learn to rest and recover.  Your body will never learn how to recover unless given a chance to do so.
8. Conserve energy. Go for long and powerful strides.
9. Building up your upper body strength gives you additional stamina in the long haul.
10. Run high and run proud. A firm posture and consistent cadence does makes it a smoother run.
11. Listen to your body. It will tell you how far and how long you can go.
12. Take short walking breaks or do some drills a long the way.  It takes away the monotony of running.
13. Running conditions may change at an instant. Learn to live with it.
14. Learn to test your limits. You might fail at times but it'll make you better.
15. Experiment on what works for you on training runs - your gear, your gels and your pace.
16. Take the run a kilometer at a time. It's easier that way.
17. It's refreshing to run in the rain.
18. Compete with yourself to get better.  There is always a next level.
19. Feel good about yourself, nothing beats a positive outlook.
20. Try to visualize the finish line, it will give an extra motivation to go on.
21. When all else fails, it's your will to finish that would cross you through the finish line.

Thanks to my awesome running Coach Andy Leuterio for not only preparing me for my first 21K but also instilling some positive values in me that come a long way.  Thanks to my running team, Team Total Fitness and all our sponsors for the support.  This is just the beginning of the many races we'll have together.
Please support our team by liking our page.
https://www.facebook.com/TeamTotalFitness

The Real Life

“Having the time of your life is not the same as having a life.”

Fun is not the only ingredient that makes life a life.  We get the impression that we have a better life the more the fun we have but on the contrary having fun is just part of it.  The other part is that it is not bereft of problems and responsibilities and it is what makes it feel real.  It’s the same logic when we pinch ourselves just to know we are not dreaming.  No matter how we’d like to live our happily ever after, it won’t always go that way but not having it all is what makes life fair for the same reason that if you don’t have everything, then there will be something left for others and vice versa.

People do get the impression that I’m laid back with my travel-a-holic ways and some see me as a hardcore runner with the frequency of my training runs but there are also those who see me as intense and workaholic.  Well, I get to divide my time in the three endeavors and even more as I also get to spend some time with family and friends.  The ideal life is that you get to find time for all your endeavors but the fact would always be that you have to choose and prioritize.  Over the past three or four month, I’ve given up so much of my travel load just to fit my increasing training load.  Training has been a lesson on its own as you get to see the benefits on training hard – the more you push yourself, the better you become.  I’ve also tried to make the most of my time at work.  Though I’m way past the overtimes, in terms of stress… It does give the most.  My work is like being a breadwinner of a family with unlimited expenses. It’s kinda tiring endlessly sourcing funds and still always end up short and unappreciated.  Oh well, that’s the real life creeping in.

I get to have a challenging job with very minimal appreciation and satisfaction.  I just have to appreciate the milestones I’ve made and I know it should come handy in my future career alternatives.  That’s the thing about striving in the worst of condition, you are ready for anything that happens.  I’ll eventually move on to something better or at least that idea keeps me striving.  Even if life sucks at time, I’m still giving it my best efforts.  I’m lucky enough to be brought up in a condition where I always felt contented and responsible.  I’ll always credit my father for being strict enough when I was younger which has given me a grasp of ownership of my action.  Ok… Sometimes, I do hate my goody-to-shoes persona but knowing that it took you just 17 years to shape me as a person like that makes me appreciate it better.  Happy Birthday Papa and I wish you shared more than half a lifetime with me but you are part of who we are so I just have to make do with that.

I do hope I can do everything I want to do but that would be next to impossible.  I have fun at times, I take a breather at times, I indulge at times but for the most part, I am aware of my responsibilities and I know even if these are the things and people that weigh you down, it is what makes you going,  it’s what gives you purpose, it’s what makes you different.  The real life is not having what you want or doing what you want but taking choices, being a part of a whole and taking part in alleviating what makes life difficult. Sometimes, we really need those burden to keep us grounded and be able to reach out on things that matter.

If life feels a bit hard then your in the right track.  It’s not always easy but think about it, where you’d be if you always took the easy path.  It’s either you’d still be in the same location or probably asleep from boredom.  Life is like a cup of coffee, it’s the bitter taste that keeps us awake.

Welcome to Francramon.com

3 Become 1

I’ve moved to a new home and now all those post about my thoughts, my travels and my runs are now located in a single website, Francramon.com.  I started blogging way back in 2005 via Inkblogs with a day to day anything under the sun topic range. I then set up my own travel blog via Travel tales for those who’d like to hear more about the travel part of the adventure and less of the drama. Lastly, after being seriously hooked on running, I started to document my races via Run-A-Holic for those who’d like to take part on the running experience with each race.

And now… 3 become 1 as Inkblogs, Travel Tales and Run-A-Holic are all in a single dot.com site but the good part about it is that it’s sorted in categories and pages so you can just follow what you want at your own pace and at your own risk but I do hope you get to enjoy the site. 

I may not be blogging as much as I used to or want to as work-life-family-friend-travel-run balance is not the easiest of tasks to accomplish but I’m here to share a fraction of my thoughts, the excitement of my travels and the thrills of my runs or even some relevant topics that come in between.  The move to a new site has been months in the making as it does take time to migrate more than 500 blog posts in a span of 6 to 7 years but I’m glad that my work-in-progress is now complete.

Welcome to Francramon.com!!! 

The More Things Change, The More it Stays The Same

While I’m moving to a new home, I’d like to go back to the first blog, I’ve ever written.

” Busy days are quite common in existing as a young urban professional and taking an enormous load in graduate school… Somehow, events comes out with its heartbeat stopping twist… and the plot thickens… deadlines come and still come and still come (hey… why don’t they go)…

I always believe that each person has a story to tell and a life to live… Each one being a hero in his own story with all the twist and turns that unravel as we wake up day by day… each having to face conflicts and roadblocks… each story having its ups and downs… each story climaxing to a certain ending… The ending we create by the choices we make…

Decisions are made each moment… decisions which may impact a lifetime… The odd part is that we don’t always come up with the right choices… Being able to react positively or negatively to this defines our character… Success is not based on who gets the most but rather on who is happiest with what he got…“

Except for the part that I am no longer in Graduate School, most part of it could have been something I could’ve written even at the present time.  Makes me think, had all the past 6 or 7 years been such a routine.  It wasn’t.  It was in fact a rough and tumble emotional roller coaster ride but the good part is that even at the low points, I do manage to get back at a comfort level.  I guess that’s how to be resilient. No matter what life throws at you, learn to adopt and go back to your comfort level.

I’m now at a much different level right now and chasing different goals but my approach to life has always been the same.  Take life as it comes and make the most out of it.

Learn to Adopt to Changes, You’ll Acquire a New Skill in the Process
Things change.  There is no escaping that and most of the time it is beyond your control but change is good if you learn from it.  It’s always how you react that determines the outcome.  There are things I had no idea I could do until I tried it out and it turned out to be a better move.  I learned a lot of new stuff when I was left with no choice but do it myself.  Necessity is such a good teacher.

It’s really easier to let the Universe run its course than waiting in futility to have the Universe revolve around you cause it won’t.  Hold firm on the fixed stuff and be flexible on the variable stuff.  One key variable you have complete control is your attitude so next time you’re stuck with difficult situation or impossible odds just remember that whining about just delays you from finding the right solution.  Fate may not always swing in your favor but having a life without looking back with regret is a life well lived.

October Running
After being upbeat all September on big things to come, I am slowly getting to peak form for October.  It’s just a few long training runs before the big 21K debut.  I can’t wait to get over the hump and finish my first Half Mary knowing that it’s been worth several months of effort and sacrifices.  I am setting modest goals as of now but it’ll always be my best running foot forward for this run. Another thing that keeps me upbeat is that something new will also come to town and it is not much of a surprise but still I won’t spoil it all I can say is the next big thing is so close and things are heating up for its grand entrance.

Travel mode will be activated shortly as I’ve been idle on the travel scene to focus on my training schedule.  No details yet but this should shape up in the next few days and along the way, I should start to get my thinking cap on for future getaways.  I should plan early as I have to fit it in as much without compromising my busy schedule.

It’s gonna be back to those busy days at work as the year end approaches.  I’m stuck in a profession that has work building up towards year end and insufferable months after but being busy is part of my comfort zone so game on.  Bring in the hostilities!!!

Advocacy

"For life to matter, you just don't have to survive it... you have to make a difference."

Sometimes we are just content in surviving life and probably at times, it's the only choice we have but what does it matter to survive without a cause or a vision to believe in.  It's like groping in the dark or aimlessly wandering on the road without direction.  Making a difference is quite an ideal mindset and a part of me with always be an idealist but it's a simple formula, everyone does extend an extra hand and more people would be in a better position. That would be a better world but I for one should come up with a real advocacy to stand for.  I know I do my fair share of doing good but I'm caught with the idea of doing more on a consistent basis.

That would be the day but first things first, I have to shape up better financially.  I'm not well off nor am I on the short end but I do spend and spend a lot.  I guess, it doesn't matter how high you earn but the important part is the part you set aside.  I do have a fixed amount saved but it really isn't anything to crow about so I have to cut those unnecessary expenses and save more.  I've always had the 'today' mentality though it is also sound fundamental to equip yourself for today's battles as it builds on your instinct.  Of course, it does help that you also have a piece of your mind looking at where you're going and where I'm headed is quite exciting with big things coming.

Big things are coming!!! Changes are coming and it make each day something to look forward to.  I'm so excited, I just can't hide it but for now, I'll have to zip my lips, hold my posts and keep things in covert mode until the changes sets in.  Everything is moving at such a fast pace so it's just matter of time.  And with time moving so drastically fast, I may not be as good as I used to be in managing time.  I barely have time to update my blogs, kept travel at a minimum and have been less all over town as of late.  The reason being is that it's all systems go training for 21K and I can't afford too much slack.

And on that note, I still have to shed a few more pounds to bring in more speed and do more long runs to bring in more endurance.  It's quite challenging coming up with longer routes and digging deep in your energy reserve just to finish the run.  There's a lot of sacrifice to running but the upside is you build on your confidence, discipline and focus plus you get to lose a lot of weight.  I should be back to my writing roots and travel itch once I've done my half marathon or then again there's the possible shift to duathlon that's playing in my mind.

There's a lot of things thats playing on mind and like anything else, it's a step at a time...

Initiative

"If you have initiative, you'll always find a way to get the job done."

Initiative is the thing you get to learn when all resources are not available and you refuse to fail.  It's just a pity seeing people just comfortably hiding in a barrage of excuses just not to get the job done.  There's always an unlimited supply of excuses and probably just a few means but all these excuses are immaterial.  People get absolutely nowhere coming up with excuses.  No amount of ass-kissing and lies can cover up an unfinished task.  Merits are given on what is accomplish and not merely on profiles, statures or attention grabbed.  Failure does make one stand out but that goes with infamy.  It's always nice to keep a measure of pride as a doer but then again not everybody is driven by accomplishment nor self-respect.  

When things don't go your way, learn to be creative and innovative.  There's always a way.  It's not necessarily the easiest one but it's definitely something worth exploring.  Stuck on a deadline, do it a task at a time.  Trailing by a huge deficit, catch up a point at a time.  Going for a longer distance, take it a step at a time. Situations may vary but there'll always be tough odds to hurdle.  Winners take adversity as a challenge, losers see it as an excuse.  It's always a challenge and even if not all obstacles are surmountable, at least you won't look back and wished you could have done more because life does not go on that way,  Life is always happening onwards.

Initiative is something I haven't been missing on trainings despite the heavy rains lately. Let's see, I've been doused heavily once doing a 12K hill run.  I've been running under the drizzling skies. I was able to sneak some runs before heavy downpours. My room has also been my mini-gym with my Rotex machine. I was even able to pull off a big bang Rotex edition though I missed the running in the road badly.  It's a really wet rainy season this time.  You gotta be innovative just to stay fit.  Maybe I should just get a gym membership again to complete my training sets. The challenge now is just to start a run but so far I'm finding ways to fit it in my lifestyle.

It's the tail-end of the board meeting preparation and I'm off to China in a few days.  It won't be easy but I'll survive as I always do.  There's no other option really.  By this time, I'm used to things in disarray and eventually it does fall in place someway and somehow.  It's always good to think of positive things to come.  All the luck to me but it's on... Ready or Not, here I come.

Well, the fact that I'm able to come up with something on this site after weeks being busy is a good sign unless I end up whining endlessly here.  I really should consolidate my blogs in a website.  That leaves me something to look forward toand to do when I get back.  It's nice to setup mini-goals and things to look forward to.  It makes difficult times bearable.  There's more races... a running team... ... time with friends... a published article... a vacation or two... a trip back home and a whole lot of hard work.  Now, I can't wait to get back from my China trip.  I'm taking my initiative to have a good time.

Fractions

"The Mathematics of life is simple no matter how many fractions you divide your time it all boils down to 1... one life"

I've managed to split my time into several fractions. A fraction spent at work... a significant fraction spent training and running... another fraction spent traveling for work and play...  a fraction spent reviving my career as a writer... and those time I make to be with people close to me.  Somehow, this mix works for me.  It does create a meaningful balance.  I don't get to be pissed of at work that much as it is just a fraction of what I do. In a weird way, I function better when I'm pressed for time and have to balance a myriad of to dos.  Of course, I'll have to alter the mix anew when the situations are different. 

Don't get me wrong.  This is not to say you shouldn't focus your efforts on a single goal but this just means learn to see the bigger picture.  Don't get stuck on roadblocks.  There will always be something more meaningful thing to do when you feel that you'd hit a plateau.  Life is a game of reactions. The sooner you react, the sooner you make the most out of the situation.  You have one life to spend and the fractions may vary but it's how you maintain the balance that keeps you sane.

Training has been in full swing as of late.  I'm taking a shot at longer training runs. It has also been challenging trying to fit in the training with all the rain but it's also interesting trying out new routes for my weekly long runs.  I don't want to miss significant amount of time in training as I know first hand how it feels to struggle after taking it easy for several weeks.  Complacency is always a momentum killer.  One of the reason I'm so fond of running is that it mirrors life in so many ways.  Sometimes you struggle but when you persevere, you get a better shot at your goals.

Speaking of life goals, I'm about to resume my writing career and would have an article published in a travel mag soon. I'm thinking of my next piece already but since I'm taking a lighter travel load, it might take time. but the adventurer in me will always be there on the look out for new adventures.  I don't earn a cent here but I'm earning a lot of goodwill and personal satisfaction.  Not all everything you do has a price and those priceless acts you do are those that give you the most satisfaction.

With too much to happening by the moment, I almost forgot that I am now in the heat of a mid-year rush and in just a few winks it will be board meeting once again.  That makes things more challenging and that's where I'm at my best.  I guess that's how things should be viewed... Mark your goals, acknowledge your responsibilities and just go with it until it gets done. When you take ownership of what you do, you will always find a way to get things done even if the odds seem improbable. 

I get the feeling that good vibes hasn't been on my side this week as I missed my coding cutoff yesterday and today I got my eyes irritated by my contact lens and missed my training.  Even before that there are some few down moments.  I'm resilient. I'll just keep coming back until the tide has turned.  Time to toughen up.  We create our luck by trying the hardest.  No retreat. No giving up. No excuses.