It all started because I couldn’t play (American) football.
When I was in high school, my mom wouldn’t let me, her baby, play football because she was afraid I would get hurt. Looking back, she was probably right. Instead, I joined the cross country team, and later ran track. At the time, I wasn’t thrilled that running was my backup plan, but it ended up being one of the best things that ever happened to me.
Running stuck with me long after high school.
Like most people, life got busy between work, family, and everything else, but I always found time to run, usually early in the morning. Most of my races over the years have been 5ks. They’re just the right distance—hard enough to push yourself but short enough that you don’t have to dedicate your entire life to training. Although, I have trained for longer races over the years including the Broad Street Run 10 miler, the Hot Chocolate 15k, and the Love Run Philly Half Marathon.
These days, you’ll usually find me at local 5k beer runs.
Now, don’t let the “beer run” part fool you. I still have a competitive side. I love seeing what I can do on race day, and I’m still chasing age group awards whenever I pin on a bib. One of my favorite recent memories was traveling to Portland, Maine in 2023 and winning my age group at the Shipyard (brewery) Old Port 5k.
That competitive spark is still there. I love racing hard, but these days I also enjoy celebrating the finish with a great craft beer and good company.
Since I’ll be calling Manila home in the next few years, it felt like the perfect time to launch The Manila Beer Runner. I can’t wait to explore the city’s races, breweries, and running community—and share the journey along the way.
Run. Sip. Repeat.