29 Miles of Challenges and Triumphs

Today’s run was an adventure right from the start! The alarm went off at 5:15 a.m., and I knew I had to pack silently since Meli was still asleep. I got my things together, but when I went to leave, the gate that was supposed to be open was locked. I had to wake up Meli to get the key. As I was about to grab my buggy from Lucio’s room, I discovered that door was also locked—so Lucio had to be woken up, too. Oh no! Thankfully, they were both understanding, and I was on my way soon after.

The early morning run out of San Martín onto Ruta 7 felt peaceful. The traffic began to pick up, but I had a hard shoulder to run on, so I felt safe. At around mile 12, the road narrowed, and the hard shoulder turned into a gravel path littered with rocks and holes. I had no choice but to run on the road itself, which was nerve-wracking with vehicles speeding by.

Just as the heat was starting to rise, with about five miles to go, the police stopped me. I explained that I needed to keep moving because it was getting hotter by the minute. They told me the tourist police would come to assist, which wasn’t exactly what I wanted to hear. The officers escorted me in their car for a while. When they handed me off to the tourist police, they continued to convoy me almost all the way to the shopping center where I planned to stop.

The officers were incredibly kind—they now follow me on Instagram and gave me their number in case I ever need help. That’s what I call good service!

When I arrived at the shopping center, the air conditioning was a welcome relief. I went straight to the sports store to buy two pairs of new shoes—having options for the upcoming mountain terrain feels like a smart move. Afterward, I treated myself to a cappuccino and took a moment to relax, soaking in the bustling atmosphere.

Stepping back outside was like walking into a heat wall. I had three more miles to run to the hotel I had just booked, but on the last mile, my buggy started to feel heavy. Sure enough, the left tire was flat. I pumped it up a few times to make it to the hotel, where I unloaded my gear and got to work fixing the tube. Since I was already in maintenance mode, I gave the buggy a little check-up.

With the clock ticking, I managed to visit a bike shop just before they closed to get what I needed. On the way back, I grabbed some fruits, bread, and a vegetarian sandwich—though I later realized it had a bit of sausage in it. Lesson learned: always double-check the ingredients!

Before calling it a day, I walked to a supermarket to stock up on fluids for tomorrow. The forecast is predicting even hotter weather, so I want to be prepared. Finally, around 9 p.m., I showered, ate, and wrapped up my day.

Despite the challenges, it was a productive and rewarding day. The kindness of the police officers, the relief of new shoes, and the satisfaction of solving buggy issues reminded me of how every day on this journey brings its own unique wins.

Good night for now—tomorrow promises to be another interesting day!