After an excellent breakfast the city officials, full of energy, saw us off with some of our running friends from yesterday. The local runners’ enthusiasm for running with us and holding the torch was such an inspiring start to the day. Many of our runners continued together out of the city for the first 7k.

It was quite a hot day. Nevertheless, many of our runners covered impressive distances. Our ultra-runners, Miso from Slovakia and Namitabha, both did over 45k. Our Ukrainian super-girl Natalya did over 50k, and at a very good pace of 4.30 min/k. The scenery consisted of great fields and happy little villages. Sellers of honey and fruit dotted the road from time to time.

In the Orlovskaya region we had many young athletes running with us for long distances at good speeds. In the Tronsnyanskiy district we received a delicious bun-bread with salt, and traditionally clad women sang a folk song for us with their powerful, ringing voices. Then a volleyball team, dressed in red, ran with us for several kilometres. In Kromskiy, district football players, and other athletes dressed in blue, ran with us for well over 10k at a very impressive speed. And again in the next district more fresh and vibrant athletes joined us.

To the border of Orel again we had the joy of running with athletic youths. We were early, which meant ice cream for everyone! During the one-hour wait some of our young bright-eyed sportsmen took the opportunity to collect autographs from us runners. The wait fulfilled, we headed into Orel. Here, a group of many runners - young and old - waited for us.

Together we ran 10k through the sun-drenched city, to the Flame for those who died in World War 2. On the way we ran by beautiful architecture, parks, and over quite a wide river. At the Flame, a few local TV stations had turned up to record the event. Here the Deputy Mayor kindly greeted us.

Many of us were astonished by the grandeur of the hotel in which the city had provided accommodations for us. Thick red decorated columns, scenic paintings of nature, and large sun-lit alcoves with greenery, gave a mystical feeling to the place. Everything was very clean, tidy, and pure. Unnatishil shouted with glee as he entered his room to find his very own bathroom. After a nice dinner here, many of us hit the town for some sightseeing, and perhaps a little shopping too.

Distance: 90km

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