Sunshine, Laughter, and Long Miles
Daily miles: 35.69 | Total miles: 11,110.09
I got up at 6:30 a.m. Cold coffee, getting ready, easing myself into the day. At 7:30, it was still pitch dark when I started running. After carefully crossing the road, I switched on my headlamp and began the downhill stretch, the beam lighting my path as best as possible.
I felt good right from the start. Running without the buggy for a while has been very kind to my body, and today I could really feel that.
At mile 12, I had to stop—my toe was hurting. I took off my shoe and immediately saw the problem: the price tag was still inside. At the very same moment, my sister arrived with the van and pulled into the gas station right in front of me. Perfect timing. We agreed to meet again in another eight miles.
Eight miles later, she was waiting at a köfte shop, recharging all our devices while I refueled quickly and headed back out.
On the way, I noticed a man standing at a bus stop. When he saw me running past, he jokingly started running alongside me for a few steps. We laughed, exchanged a few words, and took a photo together before I continued on my way.
Not long after, a small bus stopped beside me. The sliding doors opened, and there he was again—the same man—standing inside and encouraging me to jump in. All the passengers waved me in. I laughed and told them I was good. We all laughed together, and I ran on.
The weather turned absolutely beautiful. Blue skies and sunshine all around. The warmth made me thirsty, so I stopped at a small shop and bought a cold peach drink. I chatted with the woman in the store as best I could, though the language barrier made it a bit challenging.
About five miles before our parking spot for the night, I took a right turn and ran through a university campus, then through Tekirdağ—downhill through the city, up over a hill, and finally back down toward the ocean, the Sea of Marmara.
My sister was waiting there for me. She had found a slightly different spot for the night and guided me through the final stretch, to a place where many other camper vans were parked. As I arrived, the sun was already beginning to set.
I was cold after the run and really looking forward to a shower and warming up. By now, I’ve had that shower, we’ve eaten dinner, and I’m about to fall asleep.
See you tomorrow. Andrea