STAYING FIT AT HOME
(Last of five parts)
SOUTHEAST Asian (SEA) Games bronze medalists Sonny Wagdos and Mary Pauline Fornea are both currently not in Davao City when the state of public health emergency was declared and the community quarantine was enforced in most parts of the country. Yet, just like other elite and amateur athletes, they have not stopped doing their best to stay fit and healthy while at home.
Former University of Mindanao (UM) standout Wagdos, who snatched a bronze in the 30th SEA Games men’s 5,000-meter run at the New Clark City in Capas,
Tarlac, last December 2019, said he continues to exercise and watch his food intake.
Although staying in Lipa, Batangas, the Air Force personnel native of Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur, still goes out to jog but he does so while wearing a mask to protect himself from Covid-19.
“Makadagan man gihapon ko pero limit lang, 30 minutes jog sa morning og sa afternoon (I can still run but I limit it to 30 minutes in the morning and in the afternoon),” he told SunStar Davao via Facebook.
He does not have a special diet but he eats just right as he is not into hard training. The health crisis has either postponed or cancelled races where he could have joined.
The 24-year-old 8th BIMP-Eaga Friendship Games triple gold medalist Wagdos suggests that those at home can do core exercises and calisthenics. “Kung naay ladder, pwede mag foot drills (If there’s a ladder or stairs, they can do foot drills).”
Meanwhile, SEA Games duathlon bronze medalist Fornea, a foreign schooling cadet of the Philippine Military Academy to the United States Naval Academy (USNA) taking up double engineering majors, is staying at her sponsor’s house in Rockville, Maryland since she is not allowed to go back to USNA due to the pandemic.
She keeps a very tight schedule each day.
“Everyday, I wake up at 6 a.m. for my one hour to one and a half hour indoor training. Then go to online classes and military duties from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. before another indoor training from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.. My indoor training includes bike and strengthening exercises,” Fornea told this writer.
Her daily nutrition is also managed by coach Val Lao of Happy Fit Nutrition Hub.
She said that indoor cardio exercises like using treadmill and indoor bike trainers with core strengthening exercises would be a good routine for triathletes, runners and cyclists.
Fornea, a University of the Philippines (UP) Mindanao graduate, added: “We need to keep our body healthy and fit so we can improve and/or maintain our immune system. We can still be fit and healthy by maintaning our physical fitness level and eating nutritious foods.”
This five-part series also featured the health and fitness habits of PBA Meralco Bolts pointguard Baser Amer, Rio Olympics marathoner Mary Joy Tabal, 2015 SEA Games double gold medalist Maiquel Jawn “Mikee” Selga and chess international master (IM) John Marvin Miciano.