Being on the World Harmony Run in Italy

I have just returned from the European leg of the World HArmony Run,
after spending one month running through Italy, Sicily and Greece. It
has been an incredible experience from start to finish. So much takes
place in one day on the run that it feels as if I have been away for a
year rather than a month!

Italy was a spectacular country to run through. We began in the very
north, in the mountains of the South Tirol and Dolomites, and ran
through the hills of Umbria and Tuscany to Rome. From there we ran
along the coast to Naples and caught a ferry to Sicily, then (briefly)
to Malta, back to Italy and through Calabria to the Aegean, where we
set off for Greece. It is hard to think of any one place that was
outstanding, as the route took us through so many beautiful landscapes
and cities. Some of the ancient towns in the north of the country
really caught my imagination. Their perfectly preserved mediaeval
buildings, all crowded around a towering palazzo, are steeped in
history and full of architectural beauty. They sometimes sit high atop
a hill, overlooking wide, flat lowlands, are surrounded by a high stone
wall and an avenue of trees. At the town "Municipis" we would often
meet the local representatives of sport or tourism, or the Mayor who,
like many of the people we met whilst I was there, were
characteristically warm and friendly. They would often give us
refreshments at a cafe in the piazza. Occasionally tey would present us
with a huige feast of spaghetti or a giant cone of gelati to eat. I
quickly learned not to eat too much in these situations or I would soon
regret it running 5km up the next hill!

I did enjoy the hills that we ran through; they were challenging and
dramatically beautiful. The air was often cooler up high among the dark
trees, silent except for the birds wheeling in the sly and the torch
flame that was always beside me as I ran. Whilst I loved the solitude
of the road and the sky, it was also great fun to run with athletes
from local running clubs along the way. They were often very
enthusiastic; sometimes I found myself running near race-pace while
those accompanying me seemed to be taking it fairly easy!

I enjoyed the animated exuberance that the runners brought with them
and the extra energy they gave us.They always seemed so proud and happy
to carry the torch. We also met thousands of children along the way,
all of whom were thrilled that the Harmony Run had come to their
school. When we ran with them through their playground, they were
always bursting with joy and energy, which would leave us smiling as
much as they were. The Harmony Run made it clear that, as we told the
children, there are nice people everywhere!

We would leave the school with ringing ears and the momentum would
carry us on and on, to the next town or to the bright sea, wherever the
road took us. The kindness of the people we met and the power of doing
something as simple as running with the torch to connect us all
together, amazed me time and time again.

Sure, at times I missed tea and toast and knowing when I would have
dinner, but the act of running miles and miles through a country not
knowing how the next day would unfold, who we would meet or the
landscapes we would see, was an exciting and wonderful challenge.

Whilst on the Harmony Run I came to value every mile I ran, whether
alone or with others, through hills or towns along seashores or rivers,
The beauty and nature of the suroundings began to matter less than the
running itself. To run became the most comfortable way to be, even when
my legs were so stiff it was difficult to walk properly! Aches and
pains came and surprisingly enough went away again.Despite my initial
fears of injury at the end of one month I found myself having done more
running than I ever imagined possible. This proved to me in a tangible
way that our self-imposed mental limitations are not absolute. I was
happy to discover that I could do much more than I thought. When I
heard myself thinking "I'm tired and stiff, I can't run any more today"
the best thing to do was to jump out of the van and run!

Doubt and worry disappeared into thin air like magic. When you do not
know where tomorrow will take you and yesterday is already many miles
behind, the present moment is all that exists. You just had to try to
surrender to what might happen next. The whole experience was so much
more powerful and immediate when I could do this!

I enjoyed each day as a world in itself and the month I spent with the
Harmony Run as a journey never to be forgotten.