Is Running Today’s “It” Sport?

Is it just me or are there a lot more features on running and races in local newspapers nowadays? It’s great that running is getting a fair share of the sports spotlight lately—although it is still a far cry from the exposure of basketball and boxing.

Yesterday, Inquirer had this on the front page of it’s Lifestyle section:

Is running today’s “IT” sport? Is it the new badminton? Yes, perhaps. So many people are getting into running with mundane reasons such as “it’s what’s in right now” to the more serious ones like weight loss and fitness. You’ll spot more runners on the road—U.P., Salcedo, High Street, Alabang—they are everywhere. Why, you’ll even see some runners on TV. Television commercials feature runners with long silky hair (tell me why a woman would even run without her hair tied up?!) or one in pain as Pacman leaves him by the wayside.

Then, the races. The number of races lined up for the year will remind one of that time when badminton courts where sprouting up like Starbucks around the metro. Oooh, there are so many races lined up for the year that one’s racing calendar is filled to the brim. One ends each run bidding his fellow runner “See you at the next race!” and that’s almost synonymous to “See you next Sunday!”

Running may be the “in” thing right now. But, honestly, the thought sends shivers from my toes through my patella and up my spine. It’s great that running is gaining in popularity but I don’t want to see running as yet another fitness trend that people discard like a fad diet. For many of us, moreso the elite and master runners, running is our life. We run because we love it. I just hope that people who try running now will fall in love with it as much as I have.

Moving on, guess who got a brief glimpse of stardom (or Inquirer-dom) on that same page! Just below the article was this box:

Can you see it? I circled it for you! Sen. Pia Cayetano mentions her favorite books and online resources on running and #6 is yup yup: The Bull Runner! (Oh, stop it with the applause I’m already blushing!)

By the way, I’m leaving for Baguio tonight so I’ll be on blogging break for five days. I’ll be thinking of all of you as I run up the hills of John Hay. I just have to figure out how to get down since running downhill can aggravate my runner’s knee. Hope you enjoy your break. Happy Easter in advance!