From One Runner to Another: A Gentle Reminder

I’m not writing this to scare you. I’m writing this as a gentle reminder: respect your body, your limits, and the sport we’ve all come to love.

Maybe you’re in that fun stage of running right now—sharing laughs on the road with friends, crossing finish lines with a smile, collecting medals and loot bags, and feeling proud because all your hard training is finally paying off. It’s a beautiful season. I’ve been there too.

But what happens when your progress starts accelerating? What if you’re improving so quickly that even you are surprised? It can feel thrilling—like you’ve found something you were truly meant to do. Especially if you’ve never really seen yourself as athletic before. And with that rush of excitement, it’s easy to keep pushing, chasing that high.

But here’s something I’ve learned: the faster you improve, the more you need to pause and check in with yourself. Always listen to your body.

It’s absolutely okay to slow down. It’s okay to progress at your own pace. It’s okay to skip a run because you overslept—there will always be more race days. And it’s okay to step off the course if something doesn’t feel right. Those moments don’t make you any less of a runner—they simply make you human.

I want to share something I came across recently that really stuck with me: “BABAE, MUNTIK NANG MA-CARDIAC ARREST DAHIL SA PAGTAKBO NG PUYAT KASABAY NG PAG-INOM NG KAPE!” What felt like “just another run” could have ended very differently. It was a wake-up call for me—and now, I hope, for you too. Pushing too hard comes with real risks.

That story reminded me that we’re not invincible. Running is powerful—but so is rest. No matter how ready you feel, your body still needs recovery time. Always.

And please—never try anything new on race day. Not a new drink, not new gear, not even a different sleep routine. Don’t fall into the mindset of “Tumakbo nga ako nang walang tulog.” Some people might get away with it, but not everyone. And that uncertainty can be dangerous.

So if you’re new to running—or if your growth has been fast and exciting—please take care of yourself. I mean it.


We’re all on our own journeys, but the goal is the same: to keep running strong, happy, and healthy for a long time.


Let’s run smart. Let’s run safe. Let’s run to be healthy.