Many are into running right now. Just joined a “run” with more than 10,000 runners a few weeks ago. I now bump into a lot of people during my triathlon run trainings.
As much as many people are into running or into triathlon nowadays, what will ultimately IMPROVE our running performance?
Yes, there are drills, core training, power training, dynamic flexibility training, and so many other types of body & mind conditioning. BUT the fundamental and the most vital component of running performance improvement is RUNNING VOLUME.
Research has proven that the training element that has the CLOSEST correlation to improvement of performance is still RUNNING VOLUME or the AMOUNT OF RUNNING one does over a period of a week/month.
Running is a NEURO-MUSCULAR skill, just like driving, riding a bike, dancing with hoola-hoops, and playing golf & being happy with your score!
As we RUN MORE, our brain and muscles find more ways to communicate more efficiently & effectively, better than our previous run, that would result in running faster and/or farther with LESSER energy and body stress.
Of course, there are factors like doing too much too soon, body limits and the law of diminishing run returns, BUT considering body health condition to be constant, this result is inevitable.
Our running body works and improves by a STRESS-ADAPT system. We train, our bodies get stressed, the brain adapts to the stress, signaling circulatory-muscular-skeletal system improvement – therefore, our BODIES WILL BETTER HANDLE STRESS THE NEXT RUN. The cycle repeats as we run, and run, and run.
What’s the RIGHT VOLUME?
Run close to as much running your body could handle. My subjective body feedback would be – as much as I still feel good that I will still wake up the following day EXCITED to run!
Saw this candy store/booth and realized that I REFUSE TO BELIEVE that this is who we have become.
I refuse to believe that this is who we are as a nation. This may seem to be what is happening, it may be CHRONIC, but this is not a picture of what is INHERENT. Hence, this blog series.
I’m reviewing my history now and admittedly, it’s only now that I’m beginning to really appreciate our godly, glorious and character-filled heritage. We are not the BAWAL ANG DUMUKOT PEOPLE.
So many politicians now, with so many promises, presenting their platforms…people are hopeful, some are sick and tired. Where is our country headed? What kind of officials we’ll we have after May? And so many more questions.
As I was researching my preaching, I realized that we have a rich and godly political heritage. This gave me hope. We have a good legacy. Here are some:
Diego Silang 
October 1762, Diego Silang submitted a petition demanding the elimination of forced labor by the Spanish Govt. It was ignored and Diego was persecuted. But passion rose. A righteous stand was required. Diego looked into Gabriela’s eyes. She understood and supported his decision.
The fight against the Spanish gov’t began, and on Dec 14, 1762, Diego Silang proclaimed the independence of Ilocos. He declared Jesus Christ as the general captain of the Filipinos and himself as the top chief of the independent province.
Carlos P. Romulo
*In 1948 in Paris, France, at the third UN General Assembly, Carlos P. Romulo strongly disagreed with a proposal made by the Soviet delegation headed by Andrei Vishinsky, who challenged his credentials by insulting him, saying, “You are just a little man from a little country.”
In return, Romulo replied, “It is the duty of the little Davids of this world to fling the pebbles of truth in the eyes of the blustering Goliaths and force them to behave!” leaving Vishinsky with nothing left to do but sit down.
* In his career in the United Nations, Carlos P. Romulo was a strong advocate of human rights, freedom and decolonization. During the selection of the UN’s official seal, he looked over the seal-to-be and asked, “Where is the Philippines?” US Senator Warren Austin, head of the selection committee, explained, “It’s too small to include. If we put the Philippines, it would be no more than a dot.”
“I want that dot!” insisted Romulo.
Today, a tiny dot between the Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea can be found on the UN seal.
These are just some of the many proofs that we a rich history of godly political legacies. This added to the hope I have, I’m praying this infuses hope in you too.
Saw this candy store/booth and realized that I REFUSE TO BELIEVE that this is who we have become. I refuse to believe that this is who we are as a nation. This may seem to be what is happening, it may be CHRONIC, but this is not a picture of what is INHERENT. Hence, this blog series.
We are currently in a very interesting preaching series – GOD & GOV. I don’t want to translate this title in Filipino so as not to be mistaken as endorsing a particular presidential candidate 
I’m reviewing my history now and admittedly, it’s only now that I’m beginning to really appreciate our godly, glorious and character-filled heritage. We are not the BAWAL ANG DUMUKOT PEOPLE.
BAYANIHAN - taken from the words “Bayan” + “Pamayanan“. Patungkol ito sa pagsasama-sama ng lakas, kakayanan at galing upang maisakatuparan ang isang mithiin para umunlad ang pamayanan. A very relevant thought nowadays, right? The answer is not the future president!
BALANGHAI - wooden boat adjoined by carved-out planks edged through pins or dowels. Used by early Filipinos living in coastal villages for fishing, trade, warfare, travel, communication and dwelling. This unique masterpiece can only be built through teamwork and unity that’s why we adapted this term to call the smallest civil governmental unit – Barangay. This engineering genius does not require blueprints. The construction style, called edge-pegged plank-built technique, is a cultural & family expertise that was passed on from one generation to another. This ingenious innovation by Filipinos was said to have influenced European boat construction. Balanghai speaks of our creativity, innovation, teamwork, unity and ingenuity.
Rich cultural heritages such as these give me HOPE.
And yes, history tells us that we can as a nation, we can as a people.
I am a Filipino, inheritor of a godly, glorious & character-filled past.
I wonder how it feels to die? 
That was my son’s (Joax) question a few days ago. Out of the blue, he just blurted that remark. I didn’t have an answer of course but it made me think. It reminded me of something I read a few days ago as well.
Genesis 25:8 He took his last breath and died at a ripe old age, old and contented…” CSB
Genesis 35:29 He took his last breath and died, and was gathered to his people, old and full of days…” CSB
Gen 25 talks of Abraham and Gen 35 speaks of his son Isaac. Both died but they died with fullness & contentment .
Many today feel like life has no meaning to it for many valid reasons. But in the same way, just as exemplified to us above, life despite of all its stresses and distresses, can still be lived with fullness and contentment.
Well, we will all die. Not a question of “if“ but “when“.
And when it happens, as for me… I will live life to its fullest with fullness and contentment.
Note: Thanks to Kezfun.net for the picture.
Day 7 and the FINAL day of our 7-Day Prayer and Fast.
Yesterday I found my lost ATM/Debit Card…whew!. It was lost since December, problem was – it’s not mine but the office’s! It was a Debit Card issued to me for funds that are needed! More than that, there is money inside for a major event we are preparing for! I know… how careless, silly, absent-minded, negligent and foolish of me to lose such an important debit card.
BUT I KNEW, WITHOUT A WHISPER OF A DOUBT, THAT IT WAS JUST INSIDE THE HOUSE, AND THAT I’LL JUST FIND IT THERE.
Came across this Psalm:
Psalm 9:10 Those who know your name will trust in you,
for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.
This Scripture, plus my irresponsibility made me realize that TRUSTING & SEEKING must go together.
I realized that there are 2 kinds of ”seeking” …
*Senseless Seeking – we seek but we are uncertain if what we are seeking can actually be found where we are looking
*Sensible Seeking – we seek and we are certain that what we are seeking can be found where we are looking…we can TRUST that the answer is just there.
Thank God that it was a Sensible Seeking for me. I knew that the card was just in the house. Now, as we SEEK FOR ANSWERS we can fall in either of the 2 “seekings”.
When we look for answers/seek in the world, it’s a needle in the haystack. It’s senseless and it’s hard to determine whether we can find whatever we are looking for since the world offers so many relative alternatives – money, nightlife, food, drugs, relationships, power, hobbies, shopping, internet, among thousands of other options. We are uncertain if we can actually find what we are looking for.
BUT, when we SEEK GOD, since HE is the CREATOR, MAJESTIC, POWERFUL, ALL KNOWING GOD (among millions of other things of course), we know that whatever we are seeking, we can be CERTAIN AND WE CAN TRUST that we can find it in HIM. HE is the all-in-one solution/answers to all our concerns and problems.
In fact, HE is the most logical, practical and sensible option that we can ever take when we are SEEKING. We just need to TRUST that we can find answers with HIM.
Where are you seeking for answers?
