In the course of the day we would share the spirit of the Run with thousands of people. We began with the visit an orphanage in Sisak where the children’s boundless energy and exuberance was an ideal start for all of us.

It was a short distance of 13km to Petrinja, where just outside the town, boys and girls from the local football and handball clubs joined us for the run into the town square, where we had a nice welcome by traditional musicians.

There the mayor welcomed the Team back after the first visit the runners made with what was then known as the Peace Run in 1997. One local runner called Drago who ran with us had also run with the runners in 1997.

Mirela, one of our Croatian runners, who is from Sisak, has two hairdressing salons in Petrinja. So we visited one of the salons just around the corner from the town square, along with the children from the sports clubs. I think it’s the most customers she has ever had.

It was a change in running conditions as for the first time for a long time we ran on long straight roads towards Lekenik. This area has marshes and flat plains which stretch along the river Sava, surrounded by the gentle hills of the Petrova, Zrinska and Moslavacka mountains. Just outside Lekenik we chatted to our police motorcycle outrider who showed us some of his gadgets. Ana must have been weaving all over the road as the policeman breathalysed her - the test showed up negative though! He showed us his speed radar gun and pointed it at Mark running towards him. Mark clocked 21km/hour – well under the speed limit.

At Lekenik we visited a school where there is an abandoned children’s home. It is known as the ‘Children’s Village’. The school choir sang a brilliant arrangement of the World Harmony Run Song. We were treated to many great performances, especially the old ladies dressed in their traditional costumes and singing Croatian folk songs.

They had such strong presence and looked as though they were the real stalwarts of the community. A sweet little girl and boy presented the Team with a bag full of goodies for each runner.

Another 20km we arrived in Velika Gorica to rapturous applause - seven separate schools lined the streets with balloons and waving flags.The main square was flooded with children and we all watched more performances together.

A group of Marathon runners from the Velika Gorica Marathon Club joined us on the final 20km to Zagreb.

It was a glorious summer’s evening as we leisurely ran the final 2km along the River Sava to Matija Gubec Primary School, the First International School (IBO) where they were celebrating the arrival of the World Harmony Run and Planet Earth Day.

The ceremony included some great performances of dancing, Dalmatian choral singing, cheerleaders and the presence of some famous Croatian sportspeople.

We met Stojko Vrankovica, a basketball player who won a silver medal in the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona and is joint President of the Croatian Olympic Committee. He attended the ceremony last year when the World Harmony Run visited Zagreb, and is a great supporter of the ethos of the run. We also met Ivana Brkljacic, European and World Junior champion in the hammer, and Jurica Grabusica , the Croatian national 110m hurdler.

Inside the school there was a brilliant exhibition of Harmony pictures and where the school laid on an amazing spread of food.

We would like to express our deepest gratitude to the principal of the school Mirjana Pavlinovic Pivac and everybody who made this event possible.

So much happened today as the Team experienced some of the most memorable and moving performances. It was a sunny summer’s day of joy and smiles.

Special thanks to our fantastic Croatian organizing team of Ana Jerkunica, Mirela Malovic Vassung and Dražen Vassung.

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Distance: 73km

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