Slowing Down, Moving Forward

Daily miles: 35.74 | Total miles: 7998.02

My alarm rang at 6am, and by just after 7 I was ready to head out. Before leaving Kimba, I wanted to see the big galah (a giant parrot statue in town), so I made a small detour, snapped a few pictures, and then set off for the road ahead.

Only a couple of miles in, something felt wrong. I tried again and again — at least 50 times — to start running, but the pain made it impossible. Pain has a way of stopping you in your tracks, and today it did. At first, I couldn’t believe it. I thought about turning back, but then I realized: I could walk. And if I could walk, then I could move forward.

Every attempt to run only aggravated the pain, but walking worked just fine. So, I played the same mental game I once faced back in Mississippi, when pain forced me to slow down for a few days. And once again, I had to remind myself: it’s okay. Sometimes being clever and patient is far better than pushing through and making things worse.

My mind went through all the options, over and over, analyzing, doubting, rethinking. And yet the simplest answer had been there all along: just keep moving, one step at a time.

The day stretched out longer than expected. What I had hoped to cover quickly took me nearly all day. But as the sun set, I found a good spot to pitch my tent. Tonight’s menu was simple: beans, rice, avocado, and some trail mix for dessert. By the time darkness settled in, I was already falling asleep inside my little home.

Out here, my only campsite visitors so far are ants — no kangaroos, snakes, or curious animals, at least not yet. Just me, the vastness of the land, and the reminder that this journey isn’t just about speed.

It’s about patience.

It’s about trusting the process.

It’s about taking it one day at a time.

So tonight, I rest. Tomorrow will bring what it brings.