Rain or Shine

For many of us, running is a way of life. It’s as natural as brushing our teeth or praying before we go to sleep. It’s not a chore that we have to grumble our way through accomplishing and happily tick off our to-do list at the end of the day. Not a task we set to do only when we’re in the mood, when there’s free time, or when friends call for an invite. Running is a part of who we are; it lives in our souls and travels through our veins.

Running, for us, never stops. We run when it is sunny or stormy—out on the road, or in our hearts and minds. In good times, we run to celebrate; we fly swiftly on the roads basking under the morning sunshine and reveling in the beauty of life.

In troubled times, we use running as a refuge, an escape from the difficult, tumultuous world. When the Typhoon Ondoys of our life flood our thoughts with obstacles and fears, we run to find solutions to our problems or to release pent up emotions. For most, the run gives us a renewed strength, reminding us that we can wade through problems and survive a storm as long as we try our darndest best to reach our goals.

Typhoon Ondoy has departed, but it’s left us with devastation all around. As runners, we continue to run, but it doesn’t mean we don’t care. We continue to pray for all those affected by Ondoy, especially runner friends who are still slowly picking up the pieces: cleaning up their flooded homes, drying off their Runner’s World magazines, and washing their muddied running shoes.

Life goes on. Rain or shine, running continues…well, it never really stopped.