Drizzle, Cookies, and Kindness
Daily Miles: 25.11 | Total Miles: 6,888.25
My alarm rang just before 6am, and I could already hear the rain tapping on the roof. I’ll be honest—I was a bit annoyed. But I’ve learned by now: when it rains, you don’t wait for sunshine. You get up, make your coffee, take a hot shower, and go. That’s what I did.
By 7am, when I stepped out, the downpour had softened into a drizzle. I ran down the main street of Jugiong and, spotting a café open early, popped in and grabbed two cookies. I hadn’t eaten much and just knowing I had a little extra fuel on me made a surprising difference. Somehow, it’s comforting—having reserves just in case.
The road climbed steeply back up to the highway. With the buggy, that always means full-body effort. By the time I reached the top, the drizzle was still hanging around, but I was sweating under my rain jacket. That’s the tricky thing about running in the wet—you’re soaked either way.
The route offered a steady incline, manageable with the buggy, and the wind kept me thankful for the layers I was wearing. Somewhere around mile 12, a car pulled over. A kind young man stepped out—I wish I had caught his name properly—and offered me pistachio nuts and a breakfast bar. His kindness, his smile, the simple act of noticing and stopping—it stayed with me. It gave me the emotional lift I needed for the second half of the day.
The rain came and went—sometimes heavier, sometimes just a mist—and I kept going. That’s the rhythm of days like this. You don’t wait for perfect. You work with what you’ve got.
Arriving in Gundagai, soaked and chilled, I went straight to the shopping center to pick up food for the night. I had originally planned to head further south, but standing there, dripping wet and shivering, I decided to walk around the corner and ask for the cheapest room at a nearby motel.
Sai, the manager, welcomed me warmly. I asked if he could call the owner for a possible discount. He did—and came back with a really kind offer. His wife Mini helped me check in, and we ended up chatting for a while. After so many hours alone on the road, sometimes all I want is a real conversation. And this one felt like a little gift.
Later that afternoon, Mini even came by my room to hand me a donation from them both. I was deeply touched. The generosity of people like Sai and Mini reminds me of why I’m doing this. It’s not just the running. It’s the moments of connection, the unexpected warmth from strangers who turn into part of your story.
Now I’m warm, dry, and winding down. Another rainy day is ahead, but I’m not worried. Funny how the mind always tries to predict how bad something will be—and then it turns out, most of the time, it’s really not that bad. And even when it is—you still get through it.
See you tomorrow. Andrea