Quiet Miles and Steady Thoughts

Daily Miles: 32.47 | Total Miles: 12,869.13

I got up, made my coffee, carried my things downstairs, packed the buggy, and set off for the day. The sky was overcast, and the forecast suggested light rain—but in the end, it never really arrived. The cooler temperatures felt good after yesterday’s warmth.

Right at the start, I accidentally took a road I hadn’t planned to take. But once I was on it, I smiled and thought, Well, good morning, Andrea. Sometimes the day simply unfolds its own way.

It became a day of quiet contemplation and steady forward movement. Courage and strength were on my mind, and there was plenty of space to reflect while running. Every now and then I caught glimpses of the ocean, but most of the route led inland—nothing spectacular visually, mostly grey skies and occasional light drizzle in the air.

About seven miles before my destination, I still hadn’t heard back from the person about a room. So I stopped outside a local supermarket and made a few phone calls. After some minutes, I was relieved to hear that Marina had a place for me.

I went inside the store to recharge my phone and ended up having a lovely conversation with the cashier—her name was Andrea as well. She shared a little about her life in Croatia—about family responsibilities, the adjustments after the country switched to the Euro two years ago, and her own dreams of going on vacation someday. These small, honest exchanges always stay with me.

Afterward, I faced the final miles, stopped for groceries, and eventually ran into the town of Biograd na Moru. I continued all the way down toward the old town where I met Marina and checked into my room—upstairs, as usual.

I cooked some pasta for dinner, and now it’s time for a shower and sleep.

Thanks for checking in, Andrea