Filipina in Dubai runs across 4 continents, loses over 20 lbs

A Filipina based in Dubai, UAE has successfully completed several marathons across four continents—including Asia, Europe, Middle East, and the USA—and in the process, lost more than 20lbs.
Ann Uvero, 37, said this love for running has resulted in her amazing weight loss transformation, proving that with fitness, there is no rush and that the journey is just as important as the destination.

When Uvero realized that she’s fervent about running, she showed the world the kind of fire she had. She made sure to join every marathon she could take part in, going as far as running in various continents just to fulfill her passion for this sport. Now, she’s one of the most respected runners in the Filipino community, and she has proven that fitness is something that’s supposed to be a part of you for life, not just a phase that will eventually die out.
She said that she discovered her love for this sport in a simple way, through bonding with her family.
“I started running as a family workout last 2014. It was a normal Friday at a small park, and I was bonding with family. That bonding became a weekly running habit until I registered for my first race in December 2014. I finished the Nike 10KM race without stopping for an hour and four minutes. That race ignited a fire in me because I discovered I can be more,” said Uvero.

Uvero said that while her main goal is to lose weight, as she signed up for more racing events, she started to feel a deep sense of self-fulfillment.

“I feel that deep sense of self-fulfillment as I was able to accomplish and improve my race times. It helps me defy my limits, it allows me to stay focused, disciplined, and motivated,” she added, noting that she was also able to inspire her loved ones to start a healthy lifestyle through running.

Uvero has already ran in various marathons such as the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon, the Kazbegi Marathon in Georgia, the Athens Marathon in Greece, the Istanbul Marathon in Turkey, the BMW Berlin Marathon in Germany, and the Chicago Marathon in USA—the last one of which she said was the most challenging yet the most memorable for her.

“I ran Chicago Marathon very recently, and it was memorable for me because I just finished Berlin Marathon two weeks prior. During the race, I had to endure a lot of pain and I have never run a race in so much pain before. It was also extremely cold that day which added to the challenge. Despite the many elements around me, I held on to God’s grace and my purpose why I am running,” she said.

And while Uvero already boasts major marathons all over the world under her belt, she isn’t planning to stop anytime soon. In fact, she has already signed up for another marathon race in April in Madrid, Spain.
“My dream is to complete all six world marathon majors. I already did Berlin and Chicago so my eyes is focused on New York, London, Tokyo and Boston,” she said.
Uvero said that she started running initially to lose weight, but in the process, she gained a lot of discipline and life experiences that helped change her life for the better.
“Everyone thinks that running a marathon is easy, but the edge of running over other sports is that it is physically and mentally challenging. When you run a marathon, you always discover something new about yourself,” she said.