Do we have a “running season” in the Philippines?

Do you prepare and train for a particular race during this supposed “running season” in the country?

Are runners and race organizers observe this supposed to be “running season” in the country?

If your answer to these questions is NO, then, we have to find out what is the appropriate “running season” for the country.

In countries where they have four seasons—spring, summer, autumn, and winter—they usually start their running season during spring time up to the end of autumn. Runners usually recover during winter time when it is hard and cold to be running with sleet and snow on the roads and trails. They usually recover, re-charge, rest, or do indoor cross-training activities just to maintain a physically fit body. So, if you observe the race schedules of popular marathon races in these countries, they are scheduled from the end of spring up to the end of autumn (Ex. Boston Marathon in April and New York City Marathon on the 1st week of November). The same is true with the popular mountain trail endurance runs and the more extreme running events (Ex. Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run on the last weekend of June and Badwater Ultramarathon on the 2nd week of July).

In the Philippines, we have only two distinct seasons–wet and dry seasons, which means that we have 6 months of wet/rainy season and another 6 months of dry/hot season. Rainy season starts in the month of June and ends on the last week of November and the Dry season starts in December and ends on the last week of May.

If you think that the 6 months of the dry season would be the appropriate “running season” for the country, you could be slightly wrong. The first 3 months (December, January, and February) are the coldest months of the year but it is followed with the very hot months of March, April, and May where Race Organizers should start their races very early in the morning.

So, based on my observation, the appropriate “running season” for the country would be the period from the first week of December up to the last week of February.

If you are a smart runner, you have to follow a “running season” where all your training and preparations are geared and focused to races (marathon, half-marathon and ultra runs) scheduled in the months of December, January, and February. Make the other scheduled races in the remaining months as part of your your training and evaluation workouts. Also, make the first three months of the rainy season (June, July, & August) as your rest & recovery months or start of your aerobic endurance phase.

On the financial side, if you are preparing for a certain race on the suggested “running season”, you will be saving a lot of unnecessary registration fees to unnecessary weekend races which are not part of your training and evaluation program for a certain race. Be smart, be simple and focused to a particular race where your target goal is realistic and attainable.

This is just a personal advise and please feel free to make your own suggestions through your comments on your thoughts about our country’s “running season”.