Alone, Yet Not Alone

Daily miles: 29.35 | Total miles: 14,162.47

I slept in one of those upper bunk beds—not my favorite, but I guess the air is better up there. In the morning, I snuck out as quietly as possible, had a lukewarm coffee, got dressed, organized the buggy, and had a nice conversation with Andrea and Lena, two other hostel guests. Then I was off, just before 8am.

It was nice and cool outside, no traffic, just me and a few others quietly starting their day. I love these quiet mornings—there’s nothing better. And I always wonder how it’s possible that there are eight billion people in the world, and yet there are moments when I feel completely alone out there. Where is everyone? Still sleeping?

A perfect start to the day.

Soon I had to run through some industrial areas—so many shops, so many places to buy things. And again, I found myself wondering: how do we possibly need all of this? So many stores, so many items. It’s beyond my understanding. I feel grateful that on this journey, I’ve only really needed food, shoes, and a few essentials.

I ran parallel to the highway for a while, but I didn’t mind it at all. In fact, I enjoyed it. Just me on a road with a good surface, little navigation needed. That kind of running feels mentally light—almost like meditation instead of constantly figuring out where to go next.

Around mile 5, still in the cool morning air, I glanced to my right and saw a small, old windmill. And there he was—a rabbit hopping in front of it, looking at me before disappearing into the bushes. Happy Easter, little bunny. He made my day and put a smile on my face.

Since I knew it would be a relatively short day, I took it easy. It’s funny how the mind works. The temperature slowly rose, and soon it became properly warm—almost hot. More rapeseed fields lined the way, and I found a steady rhythm, breathing well, enjoying the calm, letting my thoughts wander.

At mile 18, I stopped for a coffee—a strong black one—and an ice-cold water. Ahhh. Perfect. When I continued, there was a stretch with quite a bit of traffic. It’s always a bit satisfying to run past a long queue of cars stuck in traffic. I wonder what people think when they see me and read my shirt.

It was hot. I loved it.

On the way, I booked a room for the night. About four miles before the hotel, I saw a small supermarket that was open. I went in and bought some ice-cold drinks. It’s that kind of weather again where I can’t carry enough hydration.

The last miles came with a bit of headwind—just to remind me of the difference.

At the hotel, I checked in, got organized, and had a shower. Washing my hair felt like a dream.

It’s still warm now. I hope summer is here for good—or at least spring with these warm temperatures.

Thanks for checking in. See you tomorrow, Andrea