WeKenRun community members share stories of survival, success, and synergy amid COVID-19
For most of us, the new year opens doors for fresh beginnings, giving us a ray of hope especially during these difficult times brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
One of the most important aspects that we should focus on to start the new year right is good health, which can be achieved by not only eating healthy but also keeping an active lifestyle.
With the COVID-related restrictions becoming less stringent, engaging with physical activities in public places, such as running, is much easier than during the previous lockdowns.
WeKenRun, a team of like-minded individuals formed in 2020 amid the pandemic, is looking forward to continuing its goal of promoting running as a tool for self-improvement and community building not only this new year but also in the months and years to come.
"People who are resuming to achieve an active lifestyle anew after the lockdowns should start from scratch and build up themselves slowly and gradually so that they can see the progress," said Ken Mendola, the coach leading WeKenRun.
A nurse by profession, Mendola started running in 2010 and began coaching after joining a coaching camp led by the USA Track & Field, a national governing body in the U.S. Eventually, Mendola's coaching experience started with his friend’s wife, which was followed by celebrity couple Aga and Charlene Muhlach.
Currently, WeKenRun has around 50 to 60 runners, and the community is continuously growing, consisting of people from different age groups and professions.
Bouncing back
Like many Filipinos, members of WeKenRun also encountered challenges during the pandemic. Enzo Jabeguero, a brand manager at Dole, said some setbacks include the periods when he and his family caught COVID-19 in March and another round of it in September 2021.
“Recovery was difficult as it did not only affect my body conditioning but also my psychological health, as well as restricted movement in full compliance to quarantine protocols," said Jabeguero. "But again, everything takes patience, consistency, and hard work, especially when you’re on a mission to bounce back.
With the help of Coach Ken, Jabeguero aims to either match his pre-COVID level of performance or surpass it to quickly get back to his pre-COVID self.
Sienna Flores, a senior associate at Romulo Mabanta Buenaventura Sayoc & De Los Angeles, meanwhile, was struggling with weight and health concerns during the pandemic. "At the start of 2021, I could barely run three kilometers. I was also at my heaviest weight — I think I was borderline obese,” said Flores, noting that she was doing CrossFit regularly via Zoom and her doctor found nothing wrong with her health.
In May 2021, Flores decided to gain control over her life again. With the help of social media posts shared by a colleague, Flores took the opportunity to communicate with Coach Ken. “The first time I met Coach Ken, I told him my goal was just to lose weight — and hopefully run a sub-30 5km. He said, weight loss will just be the effect of running,” she continued.
“After finishing two training blocks with Coach Ken in 2021, not only have I been able to do a sub-30 5km and lost more than 20 pounds, but I was also able to do my first ever sub-1 10km! This was something I could only dream of before, and something I was secretly aiming to achieve by 2022," Flores added.
The difference
Police Lt. Col. Imelda Reyes, the station commander of Anonas police station in Quezon City, who has been running since her recruit days as part of her profession as a law enforcer, emphasized the difference of following a structured running program with the help of a coach.
“There is a difference if you have a coach as he will give you a program as a reference that should be followed every day and every week. We are even using the hashtag #TrustTheProcess as you cannot become a champion overnight and an athlete should start from somewhere,” said Reyes.
Estrella Elamparo, a lawyer and an experienced runner who has done a dozen of marathons, added: "Prior to training with Coach Ken, I was just running. I did not have a training plan and I simply signed up whenever there was a race. It was unscientific."
"When I started training with Coach Ken, he designed for me a personal training plan which is customized and different from others' plans. Following my training plan gives me the confidence that I am capable of finishing a race, which is far different from just guessing your training pattern," Elamparo continued, sharing her plans to join the London and Boston marathons after finishing world majors in Tokyo, Berlin, Chicago, and New York.
Beyond running
Richie Ramos-Pilares, a senior partner at Puno Law, meanwhile, sees another value of becoming a WeKenRunner apart from achieving new personal records.
“On days I needed to get a personal record, there will be WeKenRunners who ran long and slower than their own pace to push me and make sure I do not give up. There were days, I joined runs not to achieve a personal record, but, run slower than my pace and bear the brunt of an angry and tired fellow WeKenRuner, who eventually would post about a PR and undeservingly thank me," Ramos-Pilares shared.
“As human beings, we are meant to be part of a community. However, we have to choose what kind of community,” she continued. “Choose a community like WeKenRun, which is composed of really good people who are genuinely happy for each other’s successes and who are committed to building each other up.”
WeKenRun has also given back to the nation’s frontliners by raising funds through one of its Time Trials. Through the Challenge Series, the community extended its help to around 140 security personnel who are based in Filinvest, Alabang.
For more information on WeKenRun, follow its official social media account on Facebook.