I've been a distance runner for the past seven years. I've ran in countless 5k's, many 10k's, and several half marathons. I've broken my femur, ankle, and tail bone as a result of running. The amount of scrapped knees I've received while running is not even in the realm of normalcy; neither are the black eyes or scratches taken to the face. I've endured long months of training and even longer track and cross country practices. I am a well seasoned runner, having had my fair share of outrageous experiences whilst hitting the pavement and trails. There was the crazy, drunk man in the woods of River Forest, Chicago. There was the crazy, drunk man who chased me in Austin. There was the time I quite literally sacrificed my own body to save my dog, which is also how I happened to break my tail bone. There was the time I got bit by a snake. There was the time I ran into a stop sign. There was the time I ran into a bicycler. There was the time I ran into a water fountain. Sadly, there was the time I actually ran into a tree. And, there was the time I got lost in the mountains of Honduras. Believe it or not, these aren't even half of the crazy stories I have from my days of running.
Although I knew that running in the Philippines would be a tad bit more difficult, there was never a question of if I would continue with it. Simply put, if I don't run, I will go crazy. And, in true accordance to my usual stubborn self, I figured that I was an experienced enough runner to handle anything that this country threw at me. I was, of course, wrong. I'm almost always wrong. But, I am constantly learning, so I thought I would share a few guidelines that have helped me along the way.
1. Always, and I do mean always, stop to absorb the beautiful scenery that surrounds you.
2. Embrace the fact that children will follow and chase after you. They will tire eventually. Unless they don't. In that case, you have a new running buddy.
3. Don't feel too defeated when the small Filipino child who's running in tsinelas is faster than you. It will happen.
4. Realize that the cars, trucks, motorcycles, and trikes will not move out of your way to avoid hitting you. Nope. Instead, they will simply honk the horn to make you aware that you are about to be hit.
5. If there's a suitable rock climbing spot, you should definitely stop and try it. You'll probably fall and look ridiculous, but it'll be fun.
6. Wear shorts that won't fall off. If your shorts do fall off, although I'm fairly certain that this kind of predicament is one that could only ever happen to me, it will be the most embarrassing moment of your life. Accept it.
7. Challenge yourself by running up the plentiful hills and mountains. It will hurt, but you'll feel like a badass afterwards. And, it makes going downhill that much better.
8. When you trip and fall, everyone within 400 meters will come out of their homes to ask if you're okay. Or, in my case, to ask if you're alive.
9. Have safe drinking water ready for post-run. If you don't, someone will offer you some, you'll ask if it's okay to drink, they'll say yes, which may be incorrect, and then you'll get amoebas. And then you'll want to die.
10. Avoid the dogs at all costs. Just trust me on this one. If you don't, make sure you're faster than they are.
11. Remember, it's more fun in the Philippines, running included!
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