My First 10K: Soaked, Tired, but Happy

I’m finally back in Davao, and now that the weekend rush has settled, I can finally sit down and put this into words. Out of everything that happened over the weekend, and it was a full, back-to-back kind of weekend, this moment deserves its own space.

Running was never really on my radar. I didn’t grow up as an athlete, and I’ve always been more of a “walk when you can” type. But last April, my doctor told me straight up that I needed to start moving more. So I started running. Slowly, awkwardly at first, but I showed up anyway. And somehow that decision brought me here, to my first official 10K.

Race day itself was nothing like I imagined. The rain didn’t just show up, it poured. We were soaked even before hitting the halfway mark, shoes heavy with water, clothes sticking to skin, hair dripping. But to my surprise, it didn’t bother me. Not even a little. In fact, it made everything feel more real, more alive. I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

The week before the run, though, was rough. I barely trained. Work was relentless, meetings left and right, deadlines piled high, clients waiting. Running just didn’t fit anywhere in my schedule, and I went into the weekend worrying if I could even finish.

But as I crossed that finish line, I felt something I haven’t felt in a long time, proud. Not the loud, cheering kind of proud. Just a quiet sense of accomplishment that I stuck to something for myself, even when it would’ve been easier to back out.

So here I am, still a little sore but already thinking about what’s next. First 10K in the books. Soaked, tired, but happy. Definitely won’t be the last.