Alden Richards eyes his first marathon
If he had it his way, Alden Richards would have taken a longer preparation time before taking the stage at the recent Bench denim and underwear show.
But after a “not-so-good holiday season,” which saw the passing of his grandfather in early January, Richards opted to take a break and spend time with his family. And that meant easing up on his usual fitness routine.
“I only had a month to prepare because I had to lie low for a while,” he told Lifestyle at a recent contract signing for the upcoming joint ventures between his multimedia company, Myriad Entertainment, and the industry giant Viva Group of Companies.
But despite his circumstances, the 33-year-old star made the most of the limited time he had by drastically ramping up his mileage and visits to the gym.
“I started running again. I worked out every day—sometimes in the wee hours of the morning—even if I had very busy schedules,” he said.
He also followed a strict meal plan with the help of his nutritionist-cousin. “I went on a calorie deficit—I ate just 1,200 kcal a day because I had a lot of catching up to do,” he pointed out.
An adult male usually requires about 2,500 kcal a day, according to Healthline.com.
That’s why his torso still had “chubby parts,” Richards jokingly said as he pointed exactly where. But who’s nitpicking? His legions of fans lost their minds the moment Richards struck a pose and peeled his top off.
“The night before, I looked at my body and was like, ‘Kaya mo ba? Sige na nga, ilaban mo na ‘yan!’” he said, laughing.
Richards opened the “Body of Work” show wearing denim overalls and a white tank—a reproduction of the same one Richard Gomez wore in an early Bench ad. And the enormity of the occasion wasn’t lost on the actor.
Tribute
“I learned about the segment I was going to appear in only the night before. And then I realized the essence of the clothes I had to wear, how important a tribute it was. That certainly added to the pressure,” he pointed out.
On the big day, excitement prevailed. “I woke up with my heart pounding. I was really looking forward to rehearsals. I met with my coach for a quick workout. I even got a haircut. It will definitely be one of this year’s personal highlights,” he said.
Richards has a lot on his plate at the moment. As part of Myriad’s partnership deal with Viva, the actor-entrepreneur will coproduce two movies this year (“OOO” and “Pee Mak”), co-mount live events and concerts (including his fourth major solo show), record a new music album, and bring his Filipino restaurant, Concha’s Garden Café, to the Viva Foods fold.
And those don’t even include his acting projects and various other engagements.
How does he unwind? “I run,” Richards said. Not only does it help him stay healthy, it has also brought him closer to his like-minded friends like Barbie Forteza, Paulo Avelino, Kim Chiu, and Kristoffer Martin.
Fun runs
“It’s great to have running as a bonding activity with people who share a common interest with you. I have nothing against partying, but there’s something nice about getting to know people while staying active, spreading positivity, and encouraging others to be more healthy,” said Richards, who can be spotted going for a morning jog during Ayala Avenue’s car-free Sundays.
He has fallen in love with running, so much so that he has actually started organizing fun runs, including one with the Movie Workers Welfare Foundation in May. “There will be 3K, 5K, 10K, and 16K categories. I will run 16K, and the goal is to have a sub-1:25 finish. Pogi pace lang!” he said.
Once he gains more experience and builds enough strength and endurance, Richards plans to run a half-marathon to mark his 15th anniversary in showbiz later this year.
“And if all goes well, I will take a shot at my first marathon in Tokyo next year,” he said.
