Recovery Miles Through the Mountains

Daily miles: 33.64 | Total miles: 12,976.27

After a short night, I felt tired, so the plan was an easy recovery day—with some mountains to climb.

I left just after 7 a.m. and first had to go steeply downhill to reach the main road. Since there wasn’t any store along my route for quite a while, I stopped at the closest supermarket to get food and hydration for the day. Once everything was packed, the climbing began.

For the next ten or more miles, the road led steadily up into the mountains. It was warm and calm, broken only by the sound of passing trucks and the occasional motorbike or fast-moving car racers speeding through the landscape. Most of the houses I passed were empty, and I hardly saw any people all day—definitely no real encounters. But I took my recovery day seriously and enjoyed the steady uphill walking, letting my legs move gently while my mind wandered.

There was only one gas station along the route, so I stopped for an ice-cold raspberry-flavored water. It felt like heaven. Sitting there in the sun, eating an orange, I was reminded once again how blissful something simple like fresh, juicy fruit can be after hours on the road.

I also noticed—as I often do—how much my mindset shapes the day. When I call it a recovery run in the morning, I naturally slow down, daydream, and dilly-dally along. Yesterday, during the 42-mile run, I was in a completely different mental space—focused, driven, and forward-moving. It’s fascinating how powerful intention can be.

The last miles were all downhill, leading me back toward sea level. Only then did I truly feel how high I had climbed earlier in the day, descending for such a long stretch toward the coast.

When I arrived at my apartment, I carried my things upstairs, took a shower, cooked, ate, and now I’m tired again.

Sleep well, Andrea