Chuck & Grace Dilao

Ever since I started doing morning walks, jogs, and runs, I’ve been introduced to the world of parkrun. At first, I honestly found it a bit intimidating. I saw people different ages running much faster than me, while I was out there feeling like I was running out of air after a few minutes! What amazed me most was how some people could casually talking while running, while I was just trying to survive and catch my breath.

But after my second and third run, things slowly started to feel easier. I even bumped into a workmate who was also doing the run, which made the experience more fun and encouraging.

By the 4th run, my wife decided to join me. Instead of focusing on speed, we ran together and chatted along the way. Funny enough, I am now the one talking while running something I couldn’t even imagine during my first attempt! My fastest time was around 29 minutes, but this time I’m a bit slower because I don’t want to leave my wife behind. She kept joking that she might finish last and that it would be embarrassing, but thankfully she made it through and wasn’t the last one after all.

Along the way, we also saw Peter and Toni, the very people who introduced us to parkrun in the first place. It felt nice seeing familiar faces and realizing how much more enjoyable the experience becomes once you stop worrying about pace and simply enjoy the run.

Doing the Alpha Youth series felt quite different from the regular Alpha Course. Even though the talks and content were similar, the younger crowd brought a completely different atmosphere and energy. It reminded me of when I first joined something like this myself.
Now, being in a position to lead and encourage younger people by sharing your own experiences and stories is really meaningful. You get the opportunity to help guide them in the right direction. Of course, they will still choose their own paths, but you can show them how much life can change when you surround yourself with the right people and build a deeper relationship with the One who created you.