In my previous entry, I mentioned how micro-flowing has been helping in coping with life’s overwhelmingness. One portion of my ikigai is to sustain a healthier lifestyle, not only for myself but also for my loved ones. Since I aspire to be THAT independent queen whom my loved ones can rely on, I got to stay holistically fit, at least.
Before this began, I wasn’t exactly fit to do any exercise. I’d easily shorten my breath and exhaust myself, which is why I never made it into an actual workout routine.
My colleagues suggested some cardiovascular activities for me to try on as I recover from being heartbroken, including hiking and running. Timely, these activities are becoming trendy, hence this could also be one way to reconnect with some of my old pals who have been in these sports for quite some time.
It was late in November 2024. Right after we ended our shift, my colleagues and I decided to hike from Coop Academy to Kristine’s Bakeshop in Tibanga, Iligan City. The hike lasted for approximately 15 minutes with a slow pace as we were discussing about many things.
That moment was when I realized I finally got the perfect kickstart. For about two weeks, I’ve gotten used to this route before I gradually extended the distance until the city proper which totals to 3.5 kilometers from Coop Academy.
As 2024 reaches its end, I challenged myself to continuously prolong the distance I walk. From my residence in Dalipuga to Kiwalan and back, I gradually changed the routine from hiking to intermittent jogging. It was tough, I admit. But it’s a worthy struggle. My cardio has improved a lot, my weight noticeably decreased, and my mental health has been easier to manage than before.
Since then, I’ve resolved to make this a regular thing to do. As of late, I’ve gone farther distances, with the following routes as my defaults:
- Dalipuga to Acmac and back
- City Proper to Dalipuga (or the other way around)
- Home to Centennial Park and back (when schedule’s too tight)
Malayo pa, pero malayo na (still far from the goal, but gone so far already), as the famous Filipino saying goes by. This microflow is not just about staying fit, but a way for me to contemplate about life as I roam around, and a connection to God. I’ve already had tens of thousands of steps, and I intend to have more in the future.
Here’s to hiking and running more distances, and living a better life, one step at a time.
[…] we discussed the benefits of doing cardio exercises. My colleagues were well aware of the breakup; hence they encouraged me to start hiking and jogging as a start. It got me thinking, “this could be a good microflow to at least keep me […]