A lot of Filipinos have entered their “running era” this year. You can see them out on the streets, with joggers and runners putting in the miles, and online, where more people share their daily runs and other running-related content.

Running is one of the best cardio exercises that you can do because of its many health benefits: it strengthens bones and muscles, reduces the risk of chronic diseases, and enhances mental well-being. On top of these, it’s completely free! If you’re one of those who have just recently started their running journey, give yourself a pat on the back, and follow these tips to stay consistent.

● Set targets

Running with a goal in mind can motivate you to keep going even on days when you just want to stay in bed and do nothing. As you set big goals like running a half marathon or finishing a 10K run in under 45 minutes, identify smaller targets to help you achieve these. Start by increasing your weekly mileage little by little, improving your pace, and building consistency.

● Track your progress

Seeing the result of your hard work is always satisfying, and it can also give you the confidence boost you need to work even harder. At the same time, it helps you identify areas for improvement and adjustments you should make in your running routine. Install your preferred running app on your phone or invest in a good fitness tracker/watch to track your pace and distance, map your routes, and provide other features to enhance your runs.

● Change up your routine regularly

Sometimes, people lose the desire to run because it has become repetitive and bland. To avoid this, find ways to add something exciting to your routine like buying a new pair of rubber shoes, running in a different spot or location from your usual, or upping the difficulty of your runs.

● Join running events

Fun runs and charity races are a great way to challenge yourself in a low-stakes environment. Here, you can also connect with other runners and even discover running groups that you can join. Some running events, like this year’s Run for Wellness, even have advocacies and causes that you can support through your participation.

Rise as Champions

Southstar Drug and Maxicare are bringing the 2nd leg of the 13th Run for Wellness to Naga City on September 15, 2024, to empower Filipinos to become champions of their own and for others. The event promotes physical health and well-being through running and honors national athletes representing the Philippines on the international stage.

A portion of the proceeds from the first leg of Run for Wellness, which was held recently at UP Diliman, Quezon City, and attended by 6,624 participants, totaling Php 1 million was donated to partner athletes, which helped support their journey of bringing pride to the country in the recently concluded Paris 2024 Olympics.

Southstar Drug and Maxicare are champions of health and wellness. As one of the country’s largest and most established drugstore chains, Southstar Drug provides a wide range of affordable medicines, products, and services. Maxicare, on the other hand, is the Philippines’ leading HMO, serving nearly 2 million members with a comprehensive range of healthcare plans for corporations, SMEs, individuals, and families.

Interested participants for the Naga City leg of Run for Wellness can still register here.