Saturday Morning: Brick Training and Mental Wins
It was the second week back to full training, and honestly, my schedule was bursting at the seams. Saturday morning started with a brick session—40 km cycling followed by a 7 km run. It had been more than a month since my last brick, so I was both nervous and excited to see how my body would react.
Surprisingly, my legs held up. Even more surprising? My heart rate stayed low, and I managed a negative split pace with a cadence average of 186. Numbers don’t usually make me emotional, but this time, they did. They weren’t just stats—they were proof that my body remembered, adapted, and grew stronger.
Have you ever surprised yourself by doing better than you thought you could? That moment when you realize, “Wow, I’ve actually improved”? That was me, smiling at the end of my run, sweaty but proud.
Sunday Long Run: Learning to Listen to My Body
The next day was supposed to be an even bigger push. My plan was a long run of 1 hour 40 minutes. But halfway through, my legs started screaming. The soreness from the previous day was still there, and instead of pushing through recklessly, I slowed down and eventually stopped.
Was I disappointed? A little. But when I told my coach, he reminded me something important: training is about consistency, not perfection.
Sometimes, rest is the bravest choice.
Back in May, before an important race, I caught a cold just days before because I had been overtraining and ignoring my body. The race didn’t go well. Since then, I promised myself to never repeat that mistake.
So this weekend, instead of beating myself up for not finishing my Sunday run, I celebrated the decision to protect my health.
A Weekend of Connection
The weekend wasn’t only about sweat and sore legs. It was also full of meaningful connections.
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UWC Vietnam fundraising: I had a catch-up with Edwards, the fundraising director, who’s helping us support students through scholarships.
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Brunch with Na: She’s been in my life for a very long time – our moms have been friends since their university days. Talking to her reminded me that friendships are like anchors, steadying us when life feels busy.
Sometimes, the best recovery isn’t sleep or a massage. It’s laughter with a friend over brunch.
Sharing Knowledge
Another highlight was giving a TEDx-style workshop for high school students who wanted to improve their public speaking. For an hour and a half, we talked about storytelling, stage presence, and the magic of sharing from the heart.
Their questions were sharp, their energy infectious. Watching them lean in, eager to learn, reminded me of my own high school days – curious, hungry, and maybe a little scared.
Mentoring moments like this fuel me as much as my training. Because isn’t growth about both body and mind?
Additionally, the UWC Vietnam Selection Committee hosted our first webinar, which was attended by over 200 students. I was really happy to see the students and their joy when asking man questions about the scholarship program.
Sunny Valley Work: Growing With Intention
In between all this, I sat down with my team, Kien and Dex, to review the progress of Sunny Valley content. Since July, we’ve been putting out posts consistently, and now we finally have data to analyze. Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube – the numbers are telling us what people love, what sparks engagement, and where we need to pivot.
The goal isn’t just to create content. The goal is to serve people’s lives with value. To share something that helps them, even if it’s just a small insight or a smile in their day.
Conversations That Inspire
I also got to interview Minh Anh, a UWC alum who studied at UWC Waterford and is now thriving at university. Hearing her story – her challenges, her breakthroughs – filled me with pride and gratitude.
When I look at her, I see a reflection of my own journey years ago. And I realize that life is a cycle of giving and receiving. Someone once gave me opportunities, guidance, and encouragement. Now, it’s my turn to do the same for others.
Rest, Massage, and Small Joys
Between the long runs, the catch-ups, the mentoring, and the content strategy meetings, I also made time for self-care: physiotherapy, massage, and stretching. My Sunday evening ended not with hustle, but with yoga and deep breaths.
Because balance is the secret ingredient to everything.
The Bigger Picture: Discipline and Joy
Looking back, this weekend taught me something simple but powerful: life is about weaving discipline and joy together.
Discipline got me through tough training sessions. Joy came from brunch with a lifelong friend. Growth came from mentoring students. Pride came from Sunny Valley’s progress.
And in the middle of it all, I felt deeply alive.