What Running Means to Me

To be honest my friends, I don't know where to start. 

How do I create a post that really explains what running means to me without writing a book? I shall try. 

It all started when I just finished a workout program what was given to me by my brother back in 2010. Prior to that, I was in the nightclub business for over 8 years or so, which led me to a life of drinking, late night partying, and eating tons of junk food. My brother saved my life by sharing his fitness journey with me, I knew I had to do something, so I eventually committed to a healthy lifestyle for 90 days. With that, I was able to get my fit back, so fit that I think I was in better shape than when I was in high school, and I was in my 40's. 

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Living the healthy lifestyle is like an addiction as well. Most people I know, including myself were always looking for something to do to stay active, and not to get bored with the same workout routine. And yet again, my brother comes to the rescue and introduces a sport to me called "obstacle course racing". That was my formal introduction to running. Before that, the only running that I did was back in high school during P.E. I hated running with a passion! 

Long story short, I started incorporating runs into my workouts and started having even better results. I even won some podiums in running events of all distances, as well as obstacle course racing! This newfound interest led me to a project that I started called OCRTUBE. With this venture, I was able to travel around the world and film the fastest obstacle course racing athletes on the planet. It wasn't that easy. In order for me to create these videos, I had to also stay in shape, and do a lot of running and hiking. My quest for running led me to covering some of the most prestigious events around the world. 

On top of that, running and working out kept me sane. I say this because life isn't perfect, we all know this. Real life challenges, ups and downs always tend to show up and try to kill our mojo, and it has for me, so many times that it is quite impossible to count. You always hear about the "runners high", and I'll be straight up with you, because I'm not sure if I ever had that. What I did have was the feeling after the run that made me feel so good like after a workout that took hours to commit too! It was just that sense of accomplishment, like crossing the finish line at a running event, it just felt amazing....and addicting! 

And for the truth....=) I'm an average human being. I get lazy, and I don't always set goals. I know what I have to do, but don't always pursue them. But one thing is for sure, I eventually get off my ass with the help of the right people who I surround myself with. If there is one thing I can say about commitment.....it is this: find the right people who will support you no matter what. When I didn't feel like running or working out, I always had my friends text messaging me, or annoying me on some facebook support group telling me that I need to get my ass in gear, but it worked!  

With Ultra Marathon Man Dean Karnazes

Running isn't at all glamorous. Running isn't easy, but it's easier when you have a good support team keeping you accountable. Running isn't the magic pill to happiness, it's your mindset. 

For me, running is a great way to set yourself free from whatever is going on in your life. It will always be there for you if you want and need it. It doesn't judge you, or make you feel like crap (well it depends ha ha). Running isn't a way to run away from your problems, it's a way to help you conquer them. And I've conquered a ton since I started running in my life. 

Yes, so in a nutshell, this is what running has done for me, and what it means to me. If you're a runner, please share with me what it has done for you, I'd love to hear your story. 

WANNA RUN WITH ME?

I will be starting a FREE online group for people who would like to start running, or running again, you know who you are =). Whether you would like to train for a 5K, or you just want to run, this group will be for you. Heck it's really for everyone! =) 

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If you would like to join me, please feel free to contact me (fb connect here). Spots are always limited so don't wait, it will be fun. And don't worry, if you have any questions, I will help you with any questions that you may have. Stay safe, and see you all soon!

   

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Healthy Mango Ice Cream - Quick and Easy!

Hey guys, I just wanted to share this Healthy Mango Ice Cream recipe from my fiancé. We made this the other day and it came out perfect. You only need 3 ingredients, and a blender and you're good to go!

My Favorite Peanut Butter and Jelly Smoothie Recipe

Here's a simple video to watch, and you can get the FULL RECIPE in her video description. Please let me know how you liked it, see you all soon! =) 

Healthy Mango Ice Cream from home!

If you would like more recipes like this including some really good filipino food videos, feel free to subscribe to Arlene's channel here! =)

FAQ'S - New Updates for 2020!

Hi everyone, hope all of you have been doing well! 

I am posting this quick blog because I have had some questions lately asking me about what I've been up to, so I decided to make a quick post about some updates =) As with most of you, this pandemic has brought on challenges and has delayed many projects for me. The most important thing is that I am healthy and alive, not sick and able to stay strong for my family. Thank you all for always staying in touch and checking up on me, I am grateful to have friends like all of you!

So without further ado, let the FAQ's begin =)

1.  Where are you currently living? 

I am currently still in the Philippines. My original plan was to bring my family from here to the USA by the end of the year, but this has come to a halt due to the pandemic.

2. What are your plans for the rest of 2020? 

Most of my video projects have all been cancelled, and most international borders are closed for foreign travel, so the plan is to stay in the Philippines and just continue my work online as a freelancer. I have started a couple projects since the pandemic to help cover the loss of work from cancelled video projects. Fortunately, I have online work which helps produce income for me and my family on a weekly basis, but working on multiple streams is what I am focused on as a safety net. 

3.  Are you still a Beachbody Coach?

Absolutely! This year marks almost 10 years being an online Beachbody Coach. I still help people with their health and fitness, mostly providing online options that can help them live more active lifestyles. My recommendations are based on my past experiences, so I never encourage anyone to do anything that I have never done before. 

Being an online Beachbody Coach also helps me stay sane during this pandemic. If anything, being more active at home is what I've been doing, and it's definitely much more fun with all of you. Feel free to message me if you would like some health and fitness options with no requirements to purchase anything. It's never been a good time to start a fitness journey, so let's do this together! 

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4. What's going on with OCRTUBE.com? 

For those of you who are not familiar with OCRTUBE, it basically is a video project where I travel the world and spread the love about obstacle course racing through video media. This project has come to a halt as I am not able to travel. The goal is to resume sometime in 2021, and help these companies get back on their feet. I am definitely looking forward to filming all over the world again, but for now, safety first with my family. 

5.  When will you be back in the USA?

That is something that I am really not sure about at this time. It would have to be whenever the international borders open up, and I am free to travel, and come back to the Philippines. I am still in the process of doing paperwork to bring my family from here to the USA, but with the US Embassy and other offices here closed due to "in and out" lockdowns, it has been quite a challenge. So a very short answer would be "I don't know" =). Once borders open, maybe early 2021, and then hopefully bring my family to the USA with me at the end of 2021, or early 2022. We shall see! 

6.  What projects are you working on now?

Aside from my affiliate marketing and online freelancing business, I have started a couple new youtube channels, and have also been active with Cryptocurrency and Blockchain. The goal is to not spread myself out too thin, so I have been investing my time with things that I am more familiar with as to not take away from the channels that are producing income for my family. Creating multiple sources of income have always been in my blood, but at the same time, only dabbling in things that I know can and will produce. Feel free to message me about partnering with me on some upcoming projects! You can always connect with me on facebook here! 

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7.  Once the borders open up, what are you looking forward to the most? 

Well, there are a number of things, but the most important thing right now is to complete the paperwork in order for me to bring my family to the USA, and then I am very excited to see my daughter in Florida, it's been way too long. A big dream of mine is to unite my fiancé and my daughter here in the Philippines with my daughter in Florida, for me...that is the ultimate goal right now. 

I think that's about it guys! If i missed anything, I can and will most likely do another update blog. Until then, stay safe everyone and hope to see you all soon! 

Arnel

TRUE STORY

Today, like the many days leading up to this, I just wasn't feeling my workout. But when I came to a realization that I'm about to turn 50 this year, I said to myself, "I am not getting any younger!!!", and then I looked at my daughter like I have done many times with my first daughter Lauren as she was growing up, and then again I said, "I need to be healthy for her", and shortly after that, in 22 minutes, my workout was done! 

Too many days, we make countless excuses to not get healthy when we know that it should be the #1 thing to do. It's just way too easy to walk away from it, and pretend that we have more important things to do, and trust me, I am very guilty of this. 

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The real truth is that nothing will be of importance if we are non-existent. Our health is the biggest investment that we can ever make in ourselves, and sometimes it just takes a little reminder like looking at your kids, and not forgetting the real reason for why we are all here. 

Today I was inspired by not only my daughters, but by my fiancé, because she just flat out called me out, but not in a way that was deemed as forceful or mean, she just smiled and said, "we need to do this, so I'll go first". She is definitely a keeper! 

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Another wonderful day breathing and living in the moment. I am truly blessed to be here, and I am very thankful for that. =) TRUE STORY. 

Filipino American Expat Living in the Philippines

Hi everyone, I've been wanting to share this post for awhile now, and although most of you know that I've been living in the Philippines for a little over a year now, I have really never talked about the topic of me being a Filipino American Expat (filipino born in the USA) and how I got here, so this is what this post is all about =) I'll be making a video about this soon!

NOT ANYTHING NEW

Being an expat in the Philippines is nothing new. Just google or youtube "expat living in the Philippines" and you will see countless people from the USA and Europe living and finding love in the Philippines. Just like most of these expats, they came here because the cost of living is super cheap, and for some of them, they came here to find a partner because a lot of them could not find true love at home, or unfortunately lost a loved one and just wanted to find a place to start all over, and the Philippines is among one of the best places to retire, get lost, and get more bang for your buck. Yes, the Philippines is more expat-friendly then Thailand! 

WHAT'S SO DIFFERENT ABOUT ME?

Nothing really, I think the main difference between me and the other expats that you read or follow is the fact that I am actually a filipino. Both of my parents are from the Philippines, but I was born and raised in the USA, so I really never learned about my true culture, and didn't even learn the tagalog language. I can probably understand about 80% of the tagalog language on a good day.

If you look at me, I look just like a typical filipino, but once I open my mouth, the locals know that I am a foreigner, and they sometimes ask me why I'm speaking english, and so I have to tell them that I was born in the USA blah blah blah. You see, there is not much difference between me and the other expats. 

I DID NOT COME TO THE PHILIPPINES TO FIND SOMEONE

Not all expats including myself come here to find someone, in fact, that was the last thing on my mind. When I arrived in the Philippines as an adult for the first time in 2015, I came here to explore my roots, as well as backpack other parts of Southeast Asia. I came back a few years later to work on some video projects, and as I was traveling around Asia and going back and forth to the Philippines, that's when I ran into my now fiancé. 

We have now been together for over 2 1/2 years and are raising a little girl here in the Philippines. Did I intend to live here? Nope, not at all, but that is how my life has been the past few years, nothing planned and just going with the flow, and by doing that, I now have an amazing and simple life here in the Philippines. 

THE STRUGGLES OF BEING A FILIPINO AMERICAN EXPAT

Living in the Philippines has many benefits, but that doesn't mean sh%t does not happen. Being an American, I am accustomed to certain things, and so there are things that I have had to get used to while living here. For example, the driving etiquette can get a little crazy, and if you're an expat living here, you know what Im talking about =). I mean, shouldn't the slow drivers be on the right and the fast drivers lon the left? At least that is how it is where I'm from =). Food temperatures, restrooms, customer service, and how long I have to stay in line to use the ATM are among many challenges and differences. I'll get more on this on a video soon, but as an expat, we all have to understand that we are all guests here. This is not our country, so we have to respect the people, the culture, the differences (no matter how difficult if can be) and understand that this is not the USA or the home that we came from. It is a privilege to be here, so I try my very best to remember that =) 

HOW I EARN INCOME

Like most expats, some are living off of their retirement. Some are actually working with a company from back home, some work online and have their own projects going on. I myself work online, providing digital services to clients, and also do internet/affiliate marketing. I also make videos too, and still working on monetizing this venture. People don't come to the Philippines to look for work, most expats come here and spend their income made from where they came from. 

The average income for a Filipino is about 500 php, that's only $10 USD per day, and with this pandemic going on, the amount of days they can work are cut in half or less. Most expats that come here are living off of their retirement (repeat ha ha), work for a company that is based from where they are from, or like I mentioned before, work online and get paid in US/Euros. I am not technically retired here, but you can actually retire here with a retirement visa as early as 35 years of age. With this visa, you can be a permanent resident, own a condo, and even start a business. 

BEING FILIPINO AMERICAN

I wanted to bring this back up again because like I mentioned before, I do have a little bit of an advantage in the fact that I look just like a local. I can understand about 80% of the language because I grew up hearing my parents talk. It is those two things that give me the advantage to not get ripped off as an expat or tourist here in the Philippines =) Yes, there is a local price and a tourist price =). 

But the reality is that, I am still an expat and not a local. I cannot speak the language which can be a struggle sometimes when I need to get something done, or go somewhere and my fiancé is not with me. The good thing is that most of the country is English speaking, but this is only in most metropolitan cities. If you go to many places away from the city and into the province, things can get challenging, but still doable. The one thing that you can come to expect is that the filipino people are the nicest people on earth. If they know that you are a foreigner, more than likely they will be very kind and help you. This brings me to my side of the coin, because I do not look like a foreigner, sometimes I get treated like dirt because they think that I am just like one of them, which is sad sometimes to see how the locals treat each other, I feel it as a filipino. I do see how some of the filipinos treat the foreigners as opposed to a local (it is rare, but I do see it). So in many circumstances, I sometimes expose my voice so that they can see that I am not from here. This is one small challenge as a Filipino American Expat. 

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The one thing that I would like to see more is people like me (Filipino American Expats) coming here and learning their own culture, and giving back to the people. It's great to see the everyday expat doing these things, and it's great for the country, but I'd like to see more filipinos helping filipinos. 

There is a huge income gap in the Philippines, for the most part, you are either rich or poor. There really isn't a middle ground. I mean there is, but not much. So when expats come to the Philippines and help the economy, it is a good thing. (Most filipinos think that if you are a foreigner that you have money, because in their eyes, if you have more than them, you must be rich). 

You rarely hear or see Filipino Americans coming here to live and help the community like the other expats, or it's just not as known, or glamorized on youtube. My goal isn't really to change this, but I would like to hopefully encourage more filipinos and filipino americans/filipino europeans to join the goodness that these other expats are doing in the Philippines. I am definitely proud to be a Filipino, and also very proud to be an American, but the bottom line is that I am rooted as a Filipino, and I feel that this is where I belong, and I would love to see more Filipino American Expats here. 

The funny thing is that the western expats want to come to the east, but the people in the east prefer to go to the west. We as humans always want something different. This isn't always the case, but this is what I have seen and heard from the locals here. Everyone just wants to have a better life, and the expats coming here are seen as an opportunity for a better future. We as expats come here for a different life than our own western culture, and so this is the amazing thing about the Philippines, the country as a whole are very welcoming to foreigners. 

I will say that I am lucky to find a partner who loves her own country, and doesn't see me as a way out, and that was my main thing. I knew that this was going on in the Philippines where women are on the constant prowl to find a foreigner, and I didn't want to be seen as an OPPORTUNITY. Luckily, my partner and I prefer living in the Philippines. 

LAST WORDS

The Philippines is currently my new home, and although I cannot foretell the future, I only see this place as where I need and want to be. Although I am a world traveler (and love to see places) and American born, the Philippines will always be my fortress. Stay tuned for more Filipino American Expat Life videos to come =) 

THIS IS BUHI CAMARINES SUR

So I know that I haven't posted in awhile, but guys I assure you that I have been mega busy with some really exciting projects, and ramping up my fitness back to where it once was =)

At any rate, I had some spare time to put a quick video of Buhi Camarines Sur in Bicol Philippines. This is the place where my fiancé and my daughter Penelope was born. This place is absolutely amazing, and gives you an idea of how the real Philippines is really like....simple, with traditions still passed down from family to family.

Some of my latest projects have been documenting the distribution

of school supplies on video from friends in the USA to the kids in the Philippines

Would you like to donate school supplies? Message me!

*All donations are documented and put on film for public viewing! =) 

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If there was a place for me to build a home, I would like to build one here, and maybe one day this will happen. I just hope that the internet gets better because that is one downfall to the place for people like me who work online to make a living. Anyways, I just wanted to share this video with you, enjoy! =)

THIS IS BUHI

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Life in Cavite Philippines during the pandemic is going on almost 4 months now, and although the positive is that we are able to spend some really quality family time together, we are missing our travel adventures. It would be nice to be able to explore more of the Philippines right now, but at the moment, it is not recommended that we leave our own province, so we are staying put and just being safe. What we do have a lot of time to do is swimming. I purchased a portable pool a couple months ago, and it has been a blessing! And being in the Philippines, it can get really hot, even inside our home! So here's another quick video of us swimming and just enjoying our family time during the pandemic. Btw, our baby Pippa has been learning how to swim on her own, it's so awesome to see her dive and do things that you don't see a typical one year old to do in a pool. She may be a swimmer or surfer in the future, lets see what the future holds for her =)

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Pool Time with the Family

Anyways, thanks for visiting my blog! I'll try to post more, but until then, please be safe my friends, and stay healthy, hope to see you all soon!

Pool Time!

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My TO DO LIST Post-Lockdown

I remember one of the first things that I learned about GOAL SETTING was, "If you don't write it down, there is a slim chance that it will happen", hence the purpose for this post! =) Have you heard of this? Do you agree?

Currently based in the Philippines, we have been on a mandatory lockdown since March 14th, I can't believe that it's been that long! I totally understand the premise behind the strict rules, and if it can keep my family safe, I will most definitely listen to the EXPERTS! With that aside, I also feel that things are piling up on my TO DO LIST, and with my personality-type being very "picky" and organized, I am just getting a bit ance. =)

With that being said, I've already been thinking about all the things that need to be done post-lockdown. Some of the details on the list are things that have been delayed due to the Coronavirus Outbreak, so I'll be starting with those things first. Do you think it's a good idea to create a list for this sort of thing? =) Have you already done this?

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I posted a quick list on my facebook page about a week ago, so this is just a more detailed version. Hope you don't get too bored! Here goes:

1.  Extend my Visa - According to the Bureau of Immigration in the Philippines, all foreign nationals (like me) who were here when the lockdown started and could not leave, all fines and penalties will be waived granted that you are qualified within the said dates during the lockdown. Anyways, I have 30 days after they have lifted the lockdown to pay for my visa extension for a few months (Since April). After 30 days, fines and penalties will be implemented.

2.  Visit Bicol Philippines - After I have taken care of my Visa Extension fees, I will be going to Bicol Philippines. As most of you know, this is where my fiancé Arlene and our daughter Penelope is from. We plan to visit and make sure that Arlene's family is ok. Another reason is to help Arlene's niece prepare for high school. She normally walks to her elementary school, but her high school is much further, and from my understanding, her father is not in a place where he is able to pay for the transport costs to her school on a weekly basis. Arlene and I decided that we will purchase a bicycle for her, as well as take on the responsibility of helping her with some transport costs when biking to school is not an option due to weather etc. I would like to add that Arlene's niece is super smart, and it would be a waste if she is not able to further her education. There are a lot of children in the Philippines in this situation whereas the parents cannot afford their education and the costs that come with it, so the kids end up quitting school and working for pennies. The children go on and never reach their full potential and live in poverty for the rest of their lives, its a vicious cycle. Now I know that I cannot help everyone, but I also know that everyone can help one person, and this is how making an impact works. I see a lot of potential in Arlene's niece, and hope my decisions will ultimately help her family with a better future.

3.  Go back to the USA - Since the lockdown the economy has gone to crap. People have been struggling, businesses have gone bankrupt, and unfortunately many people have died. Almost everyone has been affected one way or the other due to this Coronavirus Outbreak, including myself. My purpose for going back to the USA is first, see my family, and secondly, work on some projects that I have missed due to the lockdown. I won't go into detail on my projects but most will be video projects. I plan to spend roughly a little over a month in the USA before heading back to the Philippines.

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4.  OCRTUBE.com - This basically is connected with my trip to the USA, but since the lockdown, I have missed many global opportunities for filming video projects for my OCRTUBE.com initiative. There have been many companies that I've worked with who have cancelled a lot of their events in 2020 because of this crisis, so the goal is to reconnect with some of the companies and see what I can do to help them get back on their feet with my video production services. This is a scary part for me as most of these events bring together masses of people together which would be impossible to follow any form of social distancing, so I will have to play this by ear, and take only projects that I feel is safe for me and my family. I may have to focus on one-on-one projects such as single athlete documentaries etc. for the time being.

5.  New Youtube Channel - I won't go into specifics on this one, but I have been in the works of a new and EXCITING youtube channel that will focus on travel exploration and giving back (two things that have been a huge priority since day one). Some of you know about my other channel "Lagalag Mafia", which focuses on my family stuff. Yes, I will continue uploading on that channel but it will not be as active on a weekly basis. The Lagalag Mafia channel was always more of a personal channel, so this new channel will be more business-focused, and not specific to my family endeavors (although my family will be with me anyways). Videos on this new channel will be uploaded multiple times per week. I plan to spend most of my time post-lockdown building this channel, so this will be my biggest project in 2020. More to come =)

My main Camera I use

6.  Arlene and Baby Pippa - Another huge priority is to start working on the paperwork to eventually bring my fiancé and daughter Penelope (we call her Pippa) to the USA. The main reason for this is for Arlene to meet the rest of my family, and for my family to finally meet Baby Pippa. But the biggest and most exciting part about all of this is to have a family reunion with two of my daughters (Lauren and Penelope) together (for the FIRST TIME) along with Arlene and I. This will be like a DREAM COME TRUE for me. This will definitely be the HIGHLIGHT of the year, and the time when you will see me really cry like a baby!

7.  Help One Person Per Month Start an Online Business - Although this is nothing new to me since I've been doing this for over 10 years now, I plan to continue doing this as a way of giving back, but on the NEXT LEVEL.  Not everyone can handle the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur, so I plan to really focus on only the serious people who qualify to a certain criteria that I have created. The reality is, I am very busy as is everyone else. My family is my number one, so I would like to spend as much time with them as possible, which means that if someone is just BS'ing me about wanting to become an entrepreneur, but not willing to do the work, it's just a huge waste of time for me. I have accumulated a lot of wisdom and online business strategies during the years, so I would like to help others get out of the rut that I was once in. If you are reading this, and you would like a new fresh start without all the BS, then feel free to message me, and let's test the waters! Join my inner-circle, message me directly here.

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8.  Stay healthy - This is easier said than done. We all would like to be happy, healthy and fit, but it does take some effort. And with the wrong people in your life, this will be even more of a struggle. It has always been about surrounding myself with the right people who support my vision, so with that....I have created a number of online groups for me to stay even more connected with like-minded people like me. You know what they say, "You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with". These are the people who will shape your future. How do you keep it simple? I recommend spending time with people who are smarter than you, have more money than you, people who challenge you and only want the best for you. This is a big part of my life, as if I am not challenged, I cannot get better. Do you agree? Would you like to be more happy, more healthy, and have more financial success? Me too! =)

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So that's it my friends! Of course there are more things in between, but I don't want to bore you ha ha. If you would like to share your list with me, feel free to message me or connect with me on facebook. Looking forward to seeing you all soon, somewhere around the world!

Arnel & Family =)