Why run?

I always wanted to be an athlete. I was 7 when i saw an olympic event on television - gymnastics. I loved the floor exercise, until i saw a track and field competition. I fell in love with it. As a kid who grew up sickly due to asthma, i was not allowed to enjoy sports. I was often left green with envy of those athletes in my class and those on television and newspapers. Because of my medications and occassional attacks, i gained weight and easily got tired and it was hard to breathe.
Come highschool, my life changed. My asthma attacks came less and less until it finally bid farewell to me. I started to go out very early in the morning to go jogging. It was dark and cold but i didn't mind at all. What was important was i could ride with the wind, taste my own sweat and hear my heart pounding for more. That's how i started running.
2006 was the year it all began - running and me.  I met a lot of roadrunners, even hard-cores at that. I've always admired them and it brought smiles to my face whenever i see them. Then i met Manung Resty and Ma'am Che Alberto. Manung Resty was the one who pushed me to go further, like a coach would say to his athlete. Ma'am Che is a distance runner who would always inform me on when and where is the next race. She's ran countless marathons and organizes events for the budding runners in my city. She would always tell me to work on my speed and do more long distance running. I tried and i did. Manung Resty is quite the opposite of the madamme. He would just say run rashel, run...swoosh! But later on he also told me that although i have already gained endurance, i needed speed and longer strides. I am still working on it.
My first half marathon came October of 2006 in San Fernando, La Union. It was hot, humid and i felt heavy. The afternoon downpour soothed my heated skin. Running in the flat was such a bore that it made me yawn.  I missed the mountains. The morning heat was excruciating that gave birth to my "wall". I pushed it and told it to go away. Then the rain came, it made me faster. I finised 3rd amongst the women. It qualified me for the national finals of the Milo Marathon, my first full course marathon. And that's how i started.
Why i run? It makes me feel good about myself. Running is my own form of meditation. The thing that keeps me sane.