Finding Rhythm in the Cold

Daily miles: 31.15 | Total miles: 11,540.56

I got up, had coffee, got dressed, and was ready. Back onto the road, heading south. It was ice-cold, dry, and just beginning to get light. I wore my headlamp—strapped on the reverse way—and stepped into the morning.

Dogs barked along the way, sharp sounds cutting through the quiet and waking me up fully. The cold air was intense, especially on my toes and fingers. After a few miles, my body began to warm, and I slowly found a walking rhythm that felt sustainable.

I passed along the outskirts of Larisa, navigating many roundabouts. At one point, I walked past a café and treated myself to a piece of sweet Greek bread before moving on. Simple pleasures matter out here.

At mile 18, my sister was waiting for me. A short stop, a cold coffee, and then I was off again.

The next stretch took me over beautiful green hills, with farming fields spreading out on both sides. In the afternoon, the sun lit up the landscape in that soft, generous way that makes everything feel calmer. I walked another ten miles before we met again—this time for a hot coffee. I was in pain by then, but there were only four miles left. I took some pain medication, which helped.

I enjoyed those last miles. The sun setting, the air cooling again, and the town of Farsala appearing in the distance, a light fog hovering above it. A quiet, gentle ending to a long day.

We parked on the outskirts of town, the sky painted in beautiful colors. A shower, dinner—salad, lentils, olives—and now it’s time to rest and recover.

See you tomorrow, Andrea