With an ecstatic mind and fulfilled heart, Tim Yap turned miles into smiles as he dedicated his Berlin Marathon to the children of Smile Train.
Tim Yap thinks of how serendipity has led him to start advocating for Smile Train. From how he was told to run for Team Empower to finally doing the marathon, he believes it’s a sign from the universe compelling him that he should do it.
Smile Train is a charity foundation that aims to provide corrective surgery for children with cleft lips and palates. It was when one of his friends took him to Philippine Band of Mercy where he saw children having their operations. “I saw how hard it was for them to live a normal childhood because of their condition and I saw the difference it made in the lives of the kids who undergone cleft lip and palate operation,” shares Tim. “Then I thought to myself, I am gonna help these kids smile.”
Feeling a certain kind of pressure, Tim lost his initial slot and, ironically, he felt relieved. “But somewhere along the way, something in me snapped. And so, I told myself that I won’t let that fear eat me up,” shares Tim. “I did it because I wanted to conquer that fear.”
Given the little time to prepare for the marathon, at first, he was hesitant. “Up until I started training, with five weeks to go, I didn’t think I could do it,” says Tim. Since Tim had a clear mind to run with a purpose, his preparation was all about positivity and prayer. “I would run 10k on weekdays and longer on weekends,” shares Tim. “My neighbors would even see me running during odd hours, sometimes at 1 A. M. so I could keep doing my run program.”
Known for participating in major marathons in different parts of the world, Kuya Kim Atienza ran with Tim Yap during the Berlin Marathon. In fact, he was the one who got Tim into running. “Kim invited me to join their weekday runs and, all of a sudden, I have this amazing support group of elite athletes, who has the most kind and generous souls you’ll ever meet,” Tim adds.
It took Tim six hours of non-stop running to meet the finish line and raise a finisher’s medal head-high.
“Yes, I can do it!” were the words that Tim was screaming in his mind when Javi Martinez captured his moment when he’s at his 37th kilometer with five more to go. Upon landing his feet on the finish line, he felt how his body was dead but his spirit was so alive.
Looking forward to giving help and support, Tim was surprised to share that Smile Train had surpassed $100,000 mark and earned the No.2 Fundraiser Award.
Tim learned so much about life and how to deal with obstacles and setbacks. The marathon taught him how you should purge forward and go for your goals. “That no matter how hard life becomes, just set your mind to it, focus, and you’ll get it,” Tim adds.
