I’ll admit, there are days when I question if this life is still worth living. But just like the epiphany during Ed Sheeran’s concert last March, I can’t help but thank God for keeping me sane and alive to watch RADWIMPS perform live to witness these moments. What a time indeed to be alive.
The beauty of these events lies not just in the running itself, but in the community that forms around it. You start the race with a crowd of strangers, but you finish surrounded by friends, each of you buoyed by a collective energy that makes every step worth it.
The euphoria still lingers days after the Mathematics Tour in Manila. We’ve returned to work now as if the weekend didn’t happen. Yet, amid the hustle, echoes of Ed Sheeran’s live performance still resonate in my ears, each song playing a soundtrack that has subtly shaped the narrative of this life.
While pain was greater in all women during menses, studies have also shown that those who exercise experience less pain than those sedentary women. In fact, marathon running has demonstrated positive effects on depression, impacting mood not only during the event but also throughout the broader context of marathon training.
I was already entertaining the thought of DNF. But the concern was just too difficult to dismiss. With every local asking where we began and where we will end, I was reminded how long the journey was—and that I don’t want to do it again. Hence the need to finish no matter what.
Man, I was too stunned to move at the sight of them. My mouth can’t even grasp a word out of the lyrics I have been LSS for months and years. What just happened to me?! Everyone was already rocking back and forth, screaming from the top of their lungs—yet there I was, seated like nothing happened.
“Nakakapagod na.” She continued lamenting while still dragging her feet, pushing forward, hoping to not get swept by the bus. Through our short interaction, I learned that she’s from Subic and that she purposely came to Cebu to join the Cebu City Marathon. Oh, the lengths we go to for the things that keep us sane.
I’ve followed by heart, and it led me to Mt. Pandadagsaan—to trails only heard on tales, to experiences I’ll keep for life, and to people who were so generous with their time, heart, and effort. They say it takes a village to raise a child, I say it takes a whole running community to complete a marathon, most particularly if it is a road-to-trail kind of event.
For some reason, the meaning of ‘fun’ has now evolved into a pretty much messy definition. From what used to be a chill hike – to temporarily escape the strains of mundane life – now we’re pressured with time, endless assaults, unforgiving downhells, and intense mental battles.
This blog wouldn’t last this long without you in the picture. My heart is forever grateful.
Dakilanglaagan 