Today we were joined by a Russian WHR Team who are about to run from Saint Petersburg up to Murmansk. But before they started their journey, they stayed with the international team for one day.

Today's distance of 137 km was very comfortable, and we almost had no need for 'leapfrogging (sending two runners running with a torch simultaneously)'. Groups of 3- 7 runners would cover a 5 km stretch one after another. We tried not to waste any precious time in between - each time runners arrived, new ones would immediately set off. Some of the runners didn't take a break at all and simply kept on running.

It was the same road we had been on the last days already. The straight roads and forested landscape makes one think of the Scandinavian countryside which we are looking forward to running through very soon.

We are still going further north, which means that the days keep getting longer and longer. On the 21st we will be in Finland for Juhannus - the Midsummer celebration. I think all Scandinavian Countries celebrate the longest Day in the year; I remember a friend of mine saying that its like a second Christmas...

The weather man for sure is on our side. It has been sunny and warm all the time. Some times when it's very hot, one might hope for a rain shower. As soon as there is rain the desire for warm conditions arises again.

I suppose the perfect temperature for running is somewhere between 20º - 25º C - whichh Is what we're having.

No meetings were scheduled for today, except for a small reception in Vyborg with the representative of the regions sport department. The speech she gave was very nice and after a lovely singing performance by a local ensemble she showed us the sport hall where we were to spend the night.

Olesya's father Eduard cooked us a delicious meal and after some ice cream we finally managed to watch our first football match of the World Cup: Brazil vs. Australia. Although we saw only the second half, it was a enjoyable game.

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Distance: 137km

Team Members:
Alexey Egorov (Russia), Antaraloy Aalto (Finland), Janos Derekas (Hungary),Svetlana Gorshkova (Russia),Olesya Ilyasova (Russia), Martin Leitner (Austria), Petr Machacek (Czech Republic), Peter Zuidema (Netherlands),

Harmonemail:
You can send a message to the runners or read the messages.

< Russia 17 June