great things start from small beginnings

What a very apt title for my maiden entry in this so-called “running blog”. I never considered putting up a blog all for the purpose of showcasing running events or anything related to running. I believe running blogs are for running addicts, and I don’t consider myself as one. It might be bandwagon or maybe my innate passion for writing that thus pulled me to create RunBaboyRun. But either way, this blog is worthy of my time, and hopefully, yours.

Normally, I should be writing about how I started to love running, my first running event, and the next, and so on. But I want to break the predictability by first writing about how it feels like after 80k of running for the past five months.

Tomorrow, I’d be marking my 90th kilometer at the 34th National Milo Marathon. Of all running events, there is this strange feeling of excitement for the Milo race – well not because it is a national event but simply because, this is considered to be the pioneer race event in the country. It feels like I will be part of history or something like that. There is nothing more thrilling than being part of something reputable and time-honored.

Milo’s famous slogan and commercial chant “great things start from small beginnings..” tells much of how my first five months into running is. Because of my poor eye condition, I never got into sports when I was younger, except for dancing. Contact sports are big no-no’s for my eyes. Running, thank God, is one sport that is not part of the black list. Now that there is not much venue for me to do dancing, running was the perfect solution to bring back the pursuit to a healthier lifestyle. I am not a competitive runner. I don’t imagine myself to be one someday. I am slower than average runners, and I do not have much endurance. BUT, I was slower before. I am happy that through the course of running and increasing mileage, I was able to improve by a considerably huge amount. I may not compete with others, but I do compete with myself. Running constantly gives me that drive to do better on the next run and put more self-discipline and focus on training.

From just a mere impulse to join a much-hyped running event (The Century Tuna Superbods Race), I am now taking running seriously, but not as a sport, but rather as a way of living. I do not need to enumerate the health benefits, because obviously there are a lot. There is more to running than better health, fashionable shoes and singlet, and fancy gadgets. Running gives some sense of accomplishment and direction to people like me who are never really the athletic type. It is self-engaging, thus you don’t need to be confined within the standards of the sporty and the cutthroat.

So here I am now, facing the challenges of running, but at the same time, enjoying every minute of it. I intend to continue doing so for as long as I can. True, it wasn't love at first sight, unlike singing, writing, and dancing which are all my truest passions. But it’s worth all the time and investment, because I have been changed for good :)