GCash Eco Run 2025: My First Fun Run Experience

In a sort of unplanned culmination of more or less 3 months of consistent Friday jogs, I signed up for my first-ever fun run. I participated in the GCash Eco Run 2025.

It was late last year when I incorporated jogging into my fitness routine. Every Friday after work, well, almost every Friday, I would jog at Legaspi Active Park with my friends. Jogging outdoors, surrounded by trees, dogs with their pet owners and other people working out, I found it a great way to end the work week.

Jogging has a host of benefits. I found it to be a stress reliever from my work especially. It also helps me clear my mind from all the mental clutter. And of course, it helps me. lose weight. But years ago, I didn’t enjoy jogging. I used to do it intermittently with my friends. We’d jog at the open grounds of Mall of Asia or at least they did. I walked more than I jogged. I’d jog for 5-10 minutes and then I’d just walk until they’re finally done . LOL!

But now? I look forward to jogging. I suppose it’s like with me finally embracing an active lifestyle. When I first joined the gym, I only went twice and never came back. Until I signed up again and found myself hitting a fitness milestone.

Anyway, let’s talk more about my fun run experience.

All About The GCash Eco Run 2025?

I was browsing my GCash app and that was how I found out about the Gcash Eco Run happening on March 23, 2025. It’s the first-ever eco run that GCash hosted. I’m all for supporting efforts to save the environment so I found it interesting to join. Every successful registration for the run funded the planting of one Grey Mangrove tree in Negros Occidental and Gcash will match it by also planting another which doubles the impact, done In partnership with Siliman University.

I got my tree planting certificate for this.

The fun run was held at Ayala Avenue. There were 4 distance categories for the run: 10km, 5km, 3km, and 1km (dog run). My friend and I signed up for the 5km. We were only newbies at fun runs – most of us – but we had been jogging constantly so we figured the distance was a challenge we could take on.

The singlet I wore to the fun run was made from recycled materials.

How My First Fun Run with GCash Eco Run Went

I used to say fun runs are not for me. I witnessed fun runs at work because one of my clients joined an annual fun run and I would be there at the event so we could write a press release about it afterward. How can these people get themselves out of bed at the crack of dawn to go running? I often wondered. I just couldn’t wrap my head around the idea. Until I finally joined one.

Look at the sea of blue. So many people up and awake early in the morning to participate in the GCash Eco Run. I even found some dogs participating in the event which was cute.

The weather has been gloomy and raining a bit in Metro Manila for most of last week. But on Sunday, during the GCash Eco Run, the weather was better. I was able to witness the sun rising while I was out on a run. Such a beautiful sight to see!

There were water stops along the running route which I’m glad for! I worried about how I’d get hydrated in the middle of a run. At the park, every time we ran, I could wait for us to finish and I’d hydrate at the gym when we got back. It was only a 30-minute run after all. The fun run was longer.

I jogged covering most of the distance. I surprised myself to find out I could do it. It only means all those times I went jogging at the park helped me train for this fun run. But of course, there were instances I would stop to walk.

I like that there were marshalls all around the race to guide us and even cheer us on. It was an organized race.

Would I Do A Fun Run Ever Again?

I got a finisher’s medal after reaching the finish line. It felt pretty good to get one. Finishing a 5 km run was a definite achievement.

I won’t lie. I found it challenging to go to bed early and wake up early for the run. That’s what always stopped me from signing up for a fun run before. I’m happy I finally decided to try and experience it. I thought it was fun especially since the crowd’s energy was lively. Everyone around me during that whole run was having a good time running.

The overall fun run was amazing. I even got some awesome freebies from the sponsors such as a Ride Revolution discount coupon, a couple of food vouchers, and my favorite, a Nike discount coupon.

So would I go on another fun run? Absolutely! I will happily sign up for a fun run again when there’s another interesting run to participate in. But until then, I’ll continue jogging every Friday after work.