Fitness Diary, Week 11 of 52

I was really touched by how you, my readers, responded to me writing about overtraining syndrome last week. Here I was trying to put on a brave face because I’m “The Kikay Runner”, when all I really needed to do was be honest about my struggles! I hope to continue having good news about my health and fitness to write about, though. I want to set a good example. 😉

Because I was still recovering from being ill, I really fell off the daily exercise wagon last week. But I had to keep reminding myself that it was constructive rest that would enable me to get back on the wagon faster than if I tried to exercise through being sick.

(I also went to Bangkok for a short getaway with my friend Jenny, so we got plenty of exercise anyway walking around shopping!)

You might have seen from my Instagram stories that I attended an Adidas Runners Manila session on Wednesday. Straight off the plane from Bangkok, I headed out there to pick up the new UltraBOOST X that I’ll be reviewing in about a month’s time. I also got to take it for a spin in an uphill speed interval session, and my first impressions are good. (For a shoe priced at P9,995, they better be!)

One thing I really hate about this period of recovering from a cold is that my asthma is more often triggered. So I’ll inhale wrong and then suddenly I’m coughing, and this coughing leads to shallow breathing and further irritation… So yoga definitely helps as it induces slower, deeper breathing during what is a pretty good conditioning workout!

I am currently in Boracay making use of a friend’s free room voucher, and I’m hoping the lower air pollution here will also help me breathe easier. The water is pretty cold even if it’s already summer, so I’m not swimming for now to avoid any relapses. Secondary water activities are a-okay, though, so I’ve been doing some stand-up paddleboarding which works my arms and core (while I get a wicked sunburn LOL). I’m going to go on a run tomorrow morning and I. AM. EXCITED.

Have you guys seen the Tomb Raider reboot yet? I did before I left Manila and can I just say Alicia Vikander is a badass and I feel like such a slouch now. I used to be able to dress up as Lara Croft for Halloween, but that was before the inevitable metabolism slowdown of hitting 30. Also, back then I was a group fitness instructor for a living, teaching two or three classes a day. Can’t do that anymore without doing any damage to myself. Health first before aesthetics. 😉

Noelle as Lara Croft, nearly a decade ago