It’s been a while since I talked about anything on here, let alone write about fitness (In Memoriam: The Manuelle’s Crossfit Career, 2015-2016). I was so obsessed about that part of my life that it seemed impossible for me to ever stop, but all it took was to miss one session, which turned into a week, then a month, and here we are, two years and 20 pounds later. Holy f*cking sh*t, self, you’ve really let yourself go.
I could go easy on myself and say that a lot happened in that time frame: I left my job (basically ending a five-year career in the media industry), dove headfirst into a new business venture and feeling my way around, oh and I got a high maintenance (but handsome!) doggo, among many other things. But they’re not really excuses—not when I managed to find the energy and time before. If I was able to do it then, why not now?
Funny enough, it was my dog who reignited my interest in going back to working out. Look, he’s a chow-chow, and they’re well-known to be the laziest dogs around these days, probably as retribution to the canine universe for making them war dogs in historical China. But my dog, my chow-chow somehow managed to complete a 1K run and all for charity. Gryffin = 2; Patty = 0. If that mindset won’t make anyone want to step up their game, I don’t know what will.
A week ago, Gryffin and I—along with my dog’s best friend Antonio Java of Rider’s Block—joined Marco Polo Plaza Cebu‘s Run for ERUF 2018. It’s an annual fun run they hold as a celebration of their anniversary, as well as to benefit the Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation. I’ve known about this event for years, but never participated in any because I actually hate running, even at the peak of my fitness journey. But who could resist when there’s a special dog category involved? So, here we are, all in full GoPro Hero5 Session glory.
