Running: The New Badminton

Fad, fad, fad. That's what people say about badminton before. For years, badminton had been the most famous sport in the country. Every city and every town there is a badminton place. Everyone I know was playing it.

This year, running became a hit. Every week there is a running event. Favorite running sites are The Fort in Taguig and the Mall of Asia in Pasay. People are running 3k's, 5k's, 10k's, 15k's and 21k's for the fun runs. Recently there are trail runs held in Nuvali in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. Outside Manila, there are also popular races in Cebu, Iloilo, Bacolod and Baguio. All for fitness and fun!

Popular stores are booming also because of these runs. Nike Park/stores, Runner, Second Wind, Adidas, Mizuno stores are being crowded with people. The running ovals are also full of people practicing, some even hired running coaches just to get reasdy for these fun runs. Exciting, huh!

People say that running is the new badminton, that it will soon die out with the coming of the rainy season. We shall soon see. But fad or not, what's important is how it promotes health and fitness, the cheap way!