Run in the Rain

I just love the rain. Everything about it is soothing. The sound of it, the sight of it, the feel of it. Each drop is a perfectly placed note on the orchestra of the skies. It's the kind of weather that makes you just want to curl up in bed and forget about the insanity that is life. It is, however calming, also the perfect weather for running.

Today, it rained. And I ran in it.

My 2 friends and I, after treating ourselves to a delicious lunch at Bulgogi Brothers (as well as merienda at The French Baker and milk tea at Chatime, pigs that we are), decided to go for a run. I kind of forced them into it, really. I was planning on running by myself, after having been stagnant for the past week. Being a "fitness advocate" and such a good friend (heehee), I felt it would be fun to drag them along. Better to bond losing a few pounds rather than gaining them, right? So, after getting ourselves ready, off we went.

Then it started to rain. Hard.

Now, this used to be the perfect excuse for me to skip running: you'll get all wet, you might catch a cold, yadda yadda yadda. An accidental run in the rain a few years back changed how I felt, though. During one of my jogs in UP, it started to drizzle. I was halfway done and I didn't feel like stopping yet. Moments later, that drizzle turned into hardcore rain. I was initially annoyed, having to run with wet socks and shoes (ick), but having realized that that feeling won't get me to my car faster, I just went ahead and ran. In fact, I literally went the extra mile and did more than my usual 5k; I think I did a solid 8k that night. The feeling afterwards was glorious. I didn't feel as tired. I felt pretty relaxed, too.

So, despite the downpour - and the hesitance of one of our friends - we headed up to Crocodile Park in Ma-a. For you guys who aren't familiar with the area, it's one of Davao's tourist spots well-known for its, well, crocodiles. The Park is a small entertainment center/zoo situated inside this big village named Palos Verdes; there aren't that many houses yet, though the clubhouse, restaurant, swimming pool, and indoor basketball and badminton courts are also go-to places for Davao residents. I'm really bad at descriptions, and I didn't take any pictures, so that means you guys have to visit Davao to find out for yourselves. :p

It wasn't raining that hard anymore when we began, but mid-run, it started to pour down heavy. We all kept running and thoroughly enjoyed it, especially since both of my friends were Rain Run Virgins. We did a good 30 minutes (I'd say about 4k), cooled down, and went home.

This experience is actually perfect timing given our current situation in Med School: midterms just ended and we can't say for sure if we all did well or not. It's scary, too, since we only have one term left to pull our grades up in the hopes of getting into Third Year. Despite this, you just have to keep running, head high, and brace yourselves for the showers and thunderstorms to come. What matters is you embrace experiences, learn from them, strive to do better, and never give up. 

Hope you all had good days as well. For those here in Davao, keep safe!

Also, HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!

Peace!