Somewhere between the hills and the tears, I found a little peace

Daily miles: 24 miles | Total miles: 6725.1

I woke up at 6:40am today — still tired, my eyes heavy and a bit swollen from all the crying yesterday. It’s incredible how emotion can linger in the body. I made a coffee and sat down to reply to your kind messages and comments. Thank you — really. They lift me up.

I had a quiet plan in mind: to only run to Moss Vale — 24 miles away. A short day, relatively speaking. Gotta listen to the body and take it easy when needed.

I left the hotel around 8:30am. Might’ve been my latest start so far. Barry, the owner, gave me a warm wave goodbye, and I headed into a cool but not cold morning. Just my shirt and vest — it felt right.

The road led me to the Old Hume Highway, then onto a sidetrack toward Moss Vale. The hills started rolling right away — some of them brutally steep — but knowing I only had 24 miles ahead made it feel manageable. The physical effort gave me time to reflect: yesterday’s tears, the deep emotions I let out, and the feeling today — lighter, clearer, more honest. The release was real. As expected, liberating.

And yet, I know the path of learning, healing, and becoming never ends. I’ve barely scratched the surface. But I’m on the way. On my path. That’s what matters.

In the small town of Yerrinbool, I had the loveliest surprise — a group of community members gathered in a garden space, decorating and chatting. Virginia welcomed me like an old friend and introduced me to everyone. We took a photo together, and I shared a little about my journey. They were warm, encouraging, full of smiles — their energy totally made my day.

The rest of the run was mostly in solitude, but not lonely. There’s a difference.

Arriving in Moss Vale, I stopped for some groceries (more kind strangers — I love these small-town interactions) and then made my way to the hotel. The room initially had no WiFi, but Rachel, the manager, didn’t just fix it — she reset the whole system and even invited me for dinner at the pub after hearing about my world run. Just beautiful.

I’m taking it easy tonight. Letting the body rest. Letting the heart catch up.

Thanks for being here with me — on good days, hard days, and everything in between. Your support really does mean the world. Andrea