The sun rises over Victory Square. The big black obelisk casts an oblong shadow, or it would if it were not for the thick cloud covering the skies. The sun only appears to us as a little hazy pool of light in the cumulus sea. However, our inner sun is strong and we start running from the square’s eternal flame, flags held high. Our friend from yesterday, the main specialist from the ministry of sports, goes in front with our eternal flame. Minsk is a very clean city, and the buildings and streets are kept in good condition, so it is very pleasant to run through it.

Our first meeting is 138k away. Smooth and slick leapfrogging, with up to 5 runners on the road (at different places) allows us to cover the distance very fast, and even to arrive ahead of time. For a picnic this grey weather is a real drag, but for running it is very inspiring, and we are all itching to go out and run. Well, out of the car many of us spontaneously jolt off at quite fast speeds, and do very good times, many doing 7k in under 30 minutes at least once.

The running happens through vast landscapes of long highways cutting through great slowly undulating fields. The harvesting season is over and a plethora of bales of hay dot the cut golden fields. Hundreds of ravens have made makeshift homes on these fields, gushing up into the air in black clouds as lone cars drive by. Sometimes a sole raven can be seen flying towards the runner, or flying alongside him. A few horses also gallop, and several big herds of black and white cows do what they do best: eat and peruse their surroundings. At one point they create a bit of a problem for the cars as they’ve taken up grazing on the thin strip of grass in the middle of the highway, with foreseeable consequences. Some kindly honking usually solves the problem though. As they say, the grass is always greener in the middle of the highway…

Baranovichi. Our team is out with flags. Fortunately the city inhabitants are outside as well, able to see our Harmony armada traversing the roads towards the centre of the city.

The city representatives kindly greet us there and the women offer us a big bun-cake, then we are invited to lunch.

The rest of the day proposes less inspiring weather. Picture a runner on the highway, barely visible through the thick rain, his gear totally drenched adding several extra kilos to his weight. His soaked T-shirt clings heavily to his breast, making breathing a conscious effort. Squishing along as fast as possible suddenly his flame goes ablaze and near to out of control, probably from a combination of too much lamp oil and rain. He goes on, though, intent to keep the torch going. Come rain or shine, come wind or hail, no obstacles are insurmountable when you have a dream. The car at last, and a change into dry clothes.

Not all of our runners are that lucky. During the intensive leapfrogging, with the drivers changing cars, we get a bit mixed up and forget poor Jarek on the road. Before going out to run he commented how he could stand everything, but running in the rain, this he really despised. Oh dear, what happened? After running for quite sometime a random police car came and offered to pick him up from the cold rain. He kindly declined saying that we have to run all the way, although he wondered how this 7k felt so long. More time went by and now he became suspicious, “Did they forget me?” After another hour another police car came by and this time Jarek agreed to the ride. Luckily he speaks Russian, unluckily he didn’t know we’re he was headed…

The rest of us meet with a group of cheerful and very wet children near the city border of Ivatsevichi. The sight of this troop running with the torch is really quite something: all so happy and enthusiastic despite the rain. Even though most of us have already run around 20k today, many are inspired to run some more with these inspiring kids. In the centre a ceremony awaits (an indoor one thankfully).

A bright red linen background lines the back wall. Between shining white pillars the stern face of a large bust of Lenin stares at us. Someway in front brightly dressed women sing traditional songs with beautiful, strong voices. Then we are offered a meticulously decorated bun-cake. Many officials give speeches. They are very open and receptive to the World Harmony Run. Not only do their sincere, powerful and appreciative words speak to us, but also their eyes, full of light.

The city provides us with a place to sleep and some food for the evening.

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Distance: 208km

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