Up Close and Personal with Chris "Macca" McCormack by: Ria Cruz I was certainly surprised when Pinoy Fitness asked me to head to Under Armour Greenbelt...

Kids (and quite a number of adults) are growing up with superhero movies. And some will say that’s rather childish, but that shouldn’t dismiss the fact that there’s much to be learned from superhero movies.

Yes, you are those things: strong and independent, and they describe you perfectly. No ifs or buts. So please; drop the word “pero.” Stop attaching conditions to that phrase you tell yourself to stay motivated when you’re struggling with that last mile on the run or the last rep to that set of deadlifts, or when you’re dragging your tired body to the gym after a long day at work.

Growing up with a very heavy body weight was always a problem. I used to receive a memo from our school clinic every year that I was overweight. The heaviest that I got was about 186lbs and I was just in high school back then around 14-15 years old.

At what age should you start to discover things outside of work, pursue your passion, and spend more time with your loved ones. At what age should we start living life outside our comfort zone and become more than our labels?

When asked about one of her best realizations, Aless said that the first and most important choice you will make is either “Day 1 or one day?”

“Oh, so you’re a runner? So you’ve done a marathon? How fast can you run? What’s your longest distance? What’s your PR?”

I was always the fat/chubby child. Growing up was hard, being bullied by some random children just because I was heavy. It was very, very traumatic for a child. Worse came when I hit puberty, the mockery and ridicule was sky-high.

Wondering if you're already too old to run? Then meet Mommy Rosalinda "Linda" Ogsimer, she's now 69 years old and an ultra-marathoner.

Luckily enough for me, I was able to witness how a fellow Filipino, Mr. Noel Tillor, finished third for the half marathon with a 1:19:58 triumph.

She’d been left alone—abandoned by a man who she thought was the real deal—blankly staring at a computer screen. Chat box open, flashing brightly, and trying to figure out what to make of her then-boyfriend’s message; “It’s over. I’m sorry,”

Self-love is finding the balance. In a world where everything is trying to get your attention, it’s a good challenge to be comfortable with some quiet me-time.

Our metabolism rate slows down as we age. I wasn't aware of that until I experienced it myself.

This year marks my 10th year of running. Honestly, I never imagined myself to be running this long, but I believe that Pinoy Fitness and this community has been the key to how I was able to sustain this sport for so long.