Foggy Miles and a Runner’s Welcome in Modena

Daily miles: 33.54 | Total miles: 13,339.95

I got up just after 6 a.m. Cold coffee, packing, getting ready for the day. At 6:45 a.m., Paula served breakfast in a small room beside the kitchen. I ate two croissants, enjoyed a good freshly brewed coffee, and had a glass of orange juice. A perfect start.

Shortly after 7 a.m., I stepped outside and began running. It was foggy and cool, but I felt great. I ran out of Revere already in a wonderful mood—greeting people along the way, stopping for a few pictures, simply enjoying the quiet of the morning.

At mile six, I stopped for a coffee, met several wonderful people, and then continued on. Soon after, I noticed a blooming tree on the side of the road. It looked so beautiful that I had to stop. Moments like these often catch me by surprise—small reminders of how beautiful the world can be. I took a few pictures.

Across the road, three men made hand signs for me to come over. Curious, I crossed. George Müller and his two friends were joking around at first, but once they understood the running project, their smiles quickly turned into encouragement. When I left, they waved and wished me well.

The morning miles were steady, cool, and easy. I felt strong and relaxed.

A little later, a woman pulled over with her car and asked about my journey. Shortly after that, a man called something from the roadside. I didn’t understand him at first, so I stopped and walked back. He told me he had been a marathon runner his whole life and was happy to hear about my run around the world.

Encounters like these always lift my spirit.

I continued running through Mirandola, where I stopped for another coffee and treated myself to a Veneziana—a pastry filled with cream and topped with almonds. Delicious.

The road toward Modena became quite narrow, and traffic sometimes had to slow down because of me. It’s always a bit funny when people almost come to a complete stop because they can’t quite believe what they are seeing.

At one point I thought, Well, it’s probably only a matter of time until the police show up after someone reports a crazy lady running down the road with a baby.

And indeed, a police car eventually appeared. The officers slowed down, looked at me for a moment—and then simply drove off again.

I stayed cautious and focused, but I truly enjoyed the final miles all the way into Modena.

Once in the city, I had to maneuver through a few streets before arriving at Julia’s place. Alessia had told her about my journey, and Julia, Pierro, and their son welcomed me warmly and offered me their couch for the night.

The moment I arrived, Julia fed me right away with a homemade bean soup and a piece of bread. Delicious.

As it turns out, I am now resting with one of Italy’s most famous running families. Julia has been running for many years and is a running coach, and Pierro coaches some of Italy’s elite marathon runners.

A little intimidating—but also deeply inspiring.

Thank you, running friends, for your hospitality. I appreciate it very much.

Thanks for checking in. Andrea