Eldest sibling Samiy Borlain writes that the family’s work/life balance keeps them grounded
In our family, sports play an integral part in our daily lives. As far as I can remember, the earliest part of my childhood was filled with lots of activities—running, passing the ball, dribbling, climbing trees. Little did I know that I was being prepared for a fun-filled life of sports. By 11, I had already joined taekwondo, running, swimming, and multisport competitions. I also played handball and volleyball.
Compared to others, I’ve already done a lot at my age, but I feel I can still do more. I guess that is one advantage of having a father (Ringo Borlain) for a coach who can teach any sport.
Our day will not be complete without doing any form of exercise or training. Our dad designs our training programs, meals, and recovery days, and also allows us to have time for our studies. He makes different designs—one for me who likes to swim more, one for my sister Tara who likes to run more, and another one for our youngest sister Chezka who has a well-balanced fondness for swim, bike, and run.
He makes different designs—one for me who likes to swim more, one for my sister Tara who likes to run more, and another one for our youngest sister Chezka who has a well-balanced fondness for swim, bike, and run
He makes sure we balance our sports and studies, but he always tells us that studies will always come first. He checks with our mom for any major event in school, like long tests and quarterly exams, and adjusts our training load depending on our activities. On some weekdays we run before going to school; this helps us become more attentive and proactive. After school, we normally have a bite to eat before going for our swim training.
Our weekend is more fun and exciting because we spend it with family. My mom and dad join us for training, too, which strengthens our bond. Dad says, “No one should be left behind,” and that is why everyone does the same thing every weekend.
We usually do our bike training early in the morning on the weekends, followed by a run. We go to places like MOA, UP Diliman, Rockwell, or BGC. My dad says that variety in venue is essential in keeping us excited and not bored—and yes, I do agree. There are days when we bring our dogs to jog with us.
It’s not always training for us during weekends and holidays, though. If our schedules permit, we go out to beaches and hiking trails and have fun. We love spending our time together doing outdoor activities. We do watch movies once in a while, but we have a lot of energy and would rather spend it on outdoor activities.
