At exactly 4:30 a.m. on March 30, long before the rest of Metro Manila even hit snooze on their alarms, a powerful force took over the city’s quiet streets: hundreds of women—of all shapes, ages, and backgrounds—gathered for the All Women’s Run.

But this wasn’t just any fun run.

With the theme “Run for Girls, Stand for Freedom”, the event, hosted by Women’s Fitness Asia and powered by Luminisce and Ulthera Prime, was a vibrant celebration of women’s strength, purpose, and potential. It was a movement with meaning. A fusion of fitness, advocacy, and self-love.

As a doctor trained in Preventive Medicine and Dermatology, I’ve spent my life studying how to help people not just look better, but live longer, and live well. That’s why this event struck a chord. Because running is more than exercise, it’s medicine. And when paired with the power of community and conscious self-care, it becomes a life-extending practice.

Movement is medicine: The science of running and longevity

Studies across the globe consistently show that regular aerobic exercise, like running, can add years to your life. A landmark study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that runners had a 30 percent lower risk of death from all causes and could gain up to three extra years of life compared to non-runners. Even five to 10 minutes a day of low-intensity jogging made a measurable difference.

Running improves cardiovascular health, lowers blood pressure, enhances insulin sensitivity, boosts brain function, and reduces the risk of depression and anxiety. But perhaps what’s most compelling is that running helps maintain cellular health by reducing inflammation, lowering oxidative stress, and even slowing down the shortening of telomeres, which are directly linked to aging.

It’s no surprise, then, that in many of the world’s Blue Zones—places like Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; and Nicoya, Costa Rica, where people routinely live past 100—movement is woven into the rhythm of daily life. They may not always wear sports bras and running shoes, but they walk, garden, dance, and move with purpose every single day.

And just like in the Blue Zones, it’s not just the movement itself that matters—it’s how and with whom you do it.

Sisterhood is strength: The power of community

In these same long-living regions, there’s another vital common denominator: community. Strong social ties, a sense of belonging, and meaningful relationships have been shown to reduce stress, improve immune function, and extend life expectancy. Loneliness, on the other hand, has been called the “new smoking”—with similar risks for chronic disease and early mortality.

So when I saw women cheering each other on at the finish line, stretching together, taking selfies, hugging, laughing, and proudly standing in solidarity—it reminded me that this kind of event is more than a fitness trend. It’s a return to what keeps us truly alive.

The All Women’s Run offered that rare and beautiful combination: movement, meaning, and matters of the heart.

Skin deep, soul deep: A proactive approach to aging

As a dermatologist, I also often say: prevention is the best anti-aging cream. We can’t wait until signs of stress, sun damage, or sagging set in before we act. That’s why I’m proud to have partnered with Ulthera Prime, a technology that, much like running, works beneath the surface to create long-term results.

Ulthera Prime uses micro-focused ultrasound to lift and tighten the skin naturally, by stimulating collagen production deep within. It’s non-invasive, with no downtime, making it perfect for active women who care about their appearance but don’t want to slow down for it.

One of our event hosts, Zara Carbonell, shared her own Ulthera journey on stage, speaking openly about how the treatment helped her feel more confident and empowered—without compromising her busy, purpose-driven lifestyle.

Noelle De Guzman, another All Women’s Run advocate, also shared her personal story with Radiesse—another innovative treatment that works both as a volumizer and collagen stimulator, promoting facial structure and skin quality over time.

These treatments are not about “fixing flaws.” They’re about honoring yourself—choosing interventions that align with a preventive philosophy: small, smart steps now for long-lasting strength, beauty, and grace.

A new definition of wellness

We often think of wellness as an individual pursuit—your diet, your exercise, your skincare routine. But real wellness is shared. It’s created in communities like the one I witnessed that morning—women coming together not to compete, but to uplift. Not to meet a standard, but to celebrate their own.

That’s why this event meant so much to me personally, and to all of us at Luminisce. We don’t just believe in treating the skin. We believe in nurturing the whole woman through science, education, advocacy, and sisterhood.

So to every woman who showed up at the All Women’s Run: your footsteps were more than just beats on the pavement. They were declarations. That you are alive, that you are worthy, and that you are ready to live fully, for yourself and for the girls who will follow in your path.

And that, my friends, is how we live longer—not just in years, but in joy.