Rainy Miles into Milan

Daily Miles: 30.30 | Total Miles: 13,467.24

My alarm rang at 6 a.m. I quietly made a hot coffee, packed my things, organized the buggy, and soon I was on the road. It was definitely cooler this morning, but at least the first part of the run stayed dry. I followed a bicycle path, so most of the people I saw were cyclists and a few runners starting their day.

Just before the halfway point, my sister and my mother pulled over near a place with a house, a barn, and a few horses. We exchanged a quick good morning and agreed to meet again about two miles further down the road at a small restaurant for a coffee.

When I entered the restaurant, my family was already sitting at a table together with three men playing cards. The woman behind the counter greeted me warmly, and a small dog wearing what looked like a little leather coat barked first and then happily came over to say hello.

I ordered a cappuccino, recharged my phone, and used the bathroom. Before we left, I told Angela—the woman behind the bar—about my run around the world. She smiled kindly and told us the coffees were on the house.

By the time we stepped outside, the rain had started. I put on my rain jacket and began running again while we agreed to meet once more halfway through the remaining distance. It felt nice to have something to look forward to while running through the cold and rain.

At first it was almost fun jumping over puddles, but after a while there was simply water everywhere. My socks and shoes were completely soaked. When we met again for another coffee stop, I could warm up a little and dry out for a moment.

Then it was back into the rain. By now it was really coming down. But hey, Andrea—only eight miles to go. Just a little more than an hour out in the refreshing cold, and soon I was already steering my way toward Milan.

Running into a big city is always exciting. There is always so much to look at, so many streets to navigate, and a completely different energy compared to the quiet countryside.

After 3 p.m. I arrived at the room where my family had already warmed up. I hung up my rain jacket, took off my wet shoes, and enjoyed being inside for a moment. But soon we decided to head out again together to find something to cook for dinner.

It was still ugly outside—windy, cold, and wet—but we found some groceries that we could add to what I already had. My mother also brought my Garmin inReach with her, so in a few days I’ll be able to use it again.

Tonight we all seem a little tired. The cold weather really takes a lot out of you. Still, I’m very happy to have warm support around me during these cold and rainy miles.

Thanks for checking in.

A domani, Andrea