From our hotel in the morning, the students aged 11-16 years of age from the National Sports High School in Constanta, joined us again.

They were in a jolly and relaxed mood and eager to run with us again. Their coach was not with them this morning so they were more relaxed and could enjoy the moment and spirit of the World Harmony Run.

As soon as we started each of the young boys were keen to hold the flags and hold aloft the torch. In the hot morning sunshine they set a brisk pace. After 5 km the national television crew, who filmed the runners, met us. It was also an opportune moment to have a group photograph. Then we ran from the outskirts of Constanta and into the city centre. The young girls instantly picked up the pace. They are some of the best athletes in the country and are destined to represent their country at international level. It was a pleasure and honour to run with them. These young runners have such a flow and balance in their running, and they are the best technical runners we have met so far on the World Harmony Run.

Running with them instantly made you want to run fast and the energy they created could be felt by all us and made us run with so much joy. The boys who clapped to the World Harmony Run music played on the van loudspeakers also generated this joy. They willingly and enthusiastically handed out leaflets about the Run to passers-by. The two 16-year-old girls proudly ran with the flags. After 20 km from Eforie Nord, we sadly had to saw farewell to these aspiring young athletes. No doubt we should see some of them perform at international level on television at a later date or represent their country at the Olympics in London in 2012.

From Constanta we headed towards Ovidiu and Mihai Viteazul. Running along the long, flat, straight tree lined roads was a joy with the openness and vastness of the fields and countryside.

We passed herds of goats, horses, birds and the usual wild dogs so common in Romania.

Also a most common sight is horse and donkey drawn carts that regularly gallop pass the runners much to the amusement of both runner and driver. Trying to race the horse or donkey cart is becoming a favourite pastime of the more speedy runners.

At Mihai Viteazul we met Elena Fidatov, former half marathon world champion (1994 and 1995) with a personal best of 1 hour 10 minutes. She competed in many cross country and road races. She retired in 2002 and is now a running coach. She accompanied us to Baia where we met children from the school. They ran with us to their school where in one of the classrooms we talked to them about the World Harmony Run.

Elena Fidatov also accompanied us to the small village of Topolog where we were met by very happy children to run to the village hall. There it seemed that all the village children had turned out to cheer us. Once inside the village hall the children put on some amazing performances for us.

The kindness of their hearts, and shared joy came through in a play the children performed where they were dressed as different animals, and the traditional folk singing in their colourful costumes.

The immense sense of strong and caring rural community spirit shone through with their generous applause for the performances and especially for our rendition of the World Harmony Run song.

Finally, the children couldn’t wait to rush out of the hall to run with the torch. Once unleashed they ran far ahead of us with a few of the children taking a tumble, but instantly getting up, thankfully unhurt.

In contrast to the energy and exuberance of the village, we were shown to a place outside the village that was all tranquillity. Underneath the scented hawthorn trees were some beautiful wild red flowers only found in Romania.

It was a time to reflect on the events of the day and to dwell on the so many pleasurable moments that children have given us today.

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Distance: 119km

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