Run United 2013

The first of the Run United 2013 series was held last March 17, 2013. I honestly didn't think I would be able to run last Sunday. We arrived at the race area 30 minutes after the official gun time. Would you believe that? On a Sunday morning, when everyone was supposed to be still asleep, I can't believe how dense the traffic was, going to the Mall of Asia. 

It was specified on the rules that runners are only allowed to run 15 minutes after the official start of the race. So I was thinking of the registration fee that went down the drain. I can laugh at it now, but last Sunday, I was probably still scowling inside the taxi despite the effort to put on a straight face.

Have you ever got that sinking feeling that you're too late for something?  Well, technically, we are.  Still, since we've already made the effort to go to the venue, might as well try and negotiate with the marshals to allow us to run even if we're way, way late.  When I saw the starting line, I sprinted towards it.  After all, I didn't come for a stroll in the park but to run!  My companions started running after me hehehe.  We located a race marshal and sought his permission to allow us to run.

To make the long story short, I guess since a lot of people were detained by the traffic, the marshal quickly pointed us to the official starting line and I heard the distinct beep as I stepped on the timing plates that reads the code in our timing chips.  Thank you Lord!  Normally, I would be walking and then starting to jog a bit from the starting, but not that time.  

I ran too fast too soon. It must be the remnants of the adrenaline rush.  That proved to be a rather bad thing to do because after a few meters, I was already tired.  I could already feel the heat of the sun at 6:15 am.  It was probably the tension also and the heat that made my tummy ache as I just passed by the 1 kilometer mark.  Oh no!  With 4 kilometers to go, would I be able to finish the race in that condition?  I began praying and asking God for strength to see me through the finish line.  And I did!  We all did manage to finish the race.  Just look at these happy runners.  

The praise and worship song playlist I had proved to be such a great booster as well.  You know that feeling when your energy is already spent and you are also in pain and the only thing that gets you going is faith and the willpower to go on?  This is a race I will definitely never forget.  It's not just because it's my first time to join Run United.  It was also the race I was caught up in a situation where I could definitely not rely on my own strength and it was only by the grace of God that I was able to finish it.  

Kudos to the race organizers!  The Gatorade drinks in the water stations are heaven sent to a parched and tired runner like me.  

To some, running might be something mundane.  But if you give it a chance and open up your eyes to possibilities and start challenging yourself, there is so much more to running than just setting a personal best record each time or striving to win a medal.  The best prize is when you become a better person, doing the thing that you love, and doing that with a purpose in mind.  

And I'm probably not just talking about running...but life itself...a life with a sense of purpose.


Update:  Already saw the official time on the website and I finished the race in 39 minutes and 30 seconds, ranking #800 out of 2296 runners.  It's my fastest record, I think.. and with a tummy ache to boot lol!