Has it been that long?

Exactly one year ago Mama woke me up early for I told her the day night before that I wanted to run. My life then was then was in great chaos. There were so many issues I had to deal with. There were piles of work to accomplish. My thesis proposal needed revision but I couldn’t seem to find time to work on it. Things were very overwhelming! I knew I had to do something before I go berserk. That was when I decided to run; and the rest was history.

Today, I woke up smiling as I look at my closet door full of race bibs posted on it. It’s been a year! When I started joining fun runs in January, my goal then was just to collect 12 race bibs in 2012. But it turned out that I got hooked to running that there is not much space left in my closet door. There are upcoming races next month and it looks like I would have to use the wall in posting my race bibs.

In twelve months I have collected 16 race kits. One afternoon at the gym, my student asked me if he could have at least one of my singlets. I turned him down. It’s just that each singlet means a lot to me and each singlet has a story which reminds me of the people whom I met along the way. They are the very same people I see during races and I feel indebted to them for all the lessons they taught me.     

Some people can’t seem to understand why I run. Others would say I should stop running since I have already hit my ideal weight. Little did they know it was never really my intention to lose weight when I started running; losing weight only came as a bonus. Some ridiculed me for my skin color. Kebs! My skin color speaks so much of my strength and stamina. It speaks of the different places I’ve been to and the people I became friends with. Negrita? Who cares!?

In a conversation with my good friend Adrian, I told him that running keeps my sanity intact. Skipping my morning run makes me cranky the whole day which would eventually turn out to be a bad day. But when I run, things seem to be in place. I get to follow my schedule. More than being productive, I am very positive and enthusiastic. It is like a magnet that holds things together. Without running, everything seem to fall apart.

I guess some people will never really understand when I say I am full of energy after covering 21K. Others would even roll their eyes. I can’t blame them. I bet they haven’t tried running and have not experienced the bliss it brings. I won’t force them to understand though. But I will do my part in making them realize that running is more than a sport. It makes one not only physically strong but emotionally and spiritually strong as well. If taken seriously, it can change one’s perspective; it can change one’s life. And who doesn’t want a better life?

Today marks not only my first year in running but my 8^th week in TBR Dream Marathon training. Compared to my friends in the running community, I am considered a newbie. Nevertheless, I am determined to continue running for as long as I can. I feel indebted to it that the only way to pay it forward is lead a healthy lifestyle and be an inspiration to many.

Happy Running!