April 19, 2026. Freedom Park, Roxas, Davao City. The Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary 802nd Squadron Community Run 2026…
I was there.
Sweating.
Breathing hard.
But there.
Almost wasn’t able to go though because I woke up at around 3AM to get ready and almost immediately… my chest tightened.
I was having a full on asthma attack I think mostly from the stress of everything, the anticipation of the run, the pressure I’d been putting on myself… It’s funny how your body betrays you at the worst possible time.
I sat there in the dark for a bit, nebulizer in hand, thinking about whether I should just go back to bed and forget the whole thing.
But I didn’t.
I had been preparing for this since January.
I’ve been working out… trying to build up my cardio slowly, carefully. Trying to get my body used to moving again.
I’m trying to lose weight.
I want to reach 185 pounds by the end of the year.
I’m still on my way there… still working on it… it’s a process and I’m not giving up on it.
Why I Chose 3KM
The original plan was different.
I had this image in my head… me, my wife, my son, all three of us crossing that finish line together.
A family memory.
A “we did this” kind of moment.
I thought that would be incredibly special.
It didn’t pan out.
So I ended up running alone.
I chose the 3KM category partly because of that.
The plan was for all of us to do it together at a comfortable pace.
When it became just me, I kept the 3KM anyway.
Which honestly… was still the right call because 5KM might have actually killed me.
What Is the PCGA, Exactly?
The Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary (PCGA) is the volunteer civilian arm of the Philippine Coast Guard.
These are ordinary people who give their time and effort to support maritime safety, search and rescue operations, disaster response, and community outreach… all on a voluntary basis.
The 802nd Squadron is the unit based right here in Davao City. Their office is at Door 4, PPP Building, Purok 5, Km 10, Catalunan Pequeño, Davao City.
The key roles of the PCGA include:
- Maritime search and rescue operations
- Disaster response and relief operations
- Promoting water safety and maritime education
- Supporting law enforcement at sea
- Organizing community outreach programs… like this run
That’s why events like this matter.
It’s not just exercise.
The proceeds and the awareness generated help fund their volunteer operations. These people protect our coastlines and waterways without asking for much in return. Joining a fun run is one small way to give back.
The Run Itself: Freedom Park to Victoria and Back
The 3KM route took us from Freedom Park to Victoria and back again.
I finished the 3KM in one hour and two minutes.
I know. I know. That’s not impressive. Not even a little bit. But I am genuinely proud of it.
I was physically hampered… the asthma scare from earlier that morning didn’t fully go away. My breathing wasn’t great the whole time. But I kept moving. I walked some parts, jogged others… and I crossed that finish line.
One hour and two minutes.
It’s enough.
I’m glad I showed up.
Maybe next time, I’ll drag the whole family with me.
Maybe by then I’ll be at 185 pounds.
Maybe I’ll be wearing those Converse Run Star Motions… or that Huawei watch…
We’ll see. #PCGA802CommunityRun2026 #RunForACause #DavaoCity #PhilippineCoastGuardAuxiliary #VolunteerismInAction #DavaoBloggers #PCGA #PhilippineCoastGuard #DBSTheBest
