Yesterday whilst we were running near Dover Kokila met a ultra runner called Trevor Garretson who expressed a keen interest to run with us. He contacted Atulya and he said he wanted to run a 38 mile stretch with us. So the men’s team met Trevor at Cadiz, Ohio early this morning to run to Wheeling, West Virginia and then to run to the state line of Pennsylvania.

So far this year no one, not even one of the team runner’s have run a 38 mile stretch! We were very glad to have such an inspiring runner with us and 4 of us took turns to run with him.

On the World Harmony Run some things don’t always go to plan and you have to expect the unexpected. Mark was waiting for Trevor and Dhima in a Super 8 Motel car park and apparently they didn’t see him and ran right on by and Mark didn’t see them run by. To make matters worse when Mark realized they were up ahead he tried to start the car and the battery was flat! Well, a big thank you to the staff of Super 8 Motel on Route 44 East

Wheeling who helped him jump start the car. And then just as Mark was pulling out of the car park, a car with an elderly couple pulled up and said,”Are you looking for your runner and our Trevor?” Within a few moments Trevor’s wife, along with their 3 children dropped off Trevor and Dhima. Trevor was quite tired as you can imagine and he decided that after running 34 miles he was going to call it a day. That’s the most any runner has participated with us on the run this year. His children, wife and parents were so glad to hold the torch.

Further down the road towards the state line Ed and Tracy from the Hill Billy Snack Shack held the torch. This was the point where Trevor’s wife had caught up with Trevor and Dhima and reunited them with Mark.

Although we only ran 15 miles in West Virginia on this run we received so much support and encouragement and people would just slowly drive by us and ask us questions as we were running and wish us luck and smile. I know Trevor really enjoyed the experience and we hope he runs with us next time – maybe 40 miles, eh?

Crossing the state line into Pennsylvania, the sense of history in "the Independence State" was palpable. We were blessed with an overcast sky which sheltered us from the sun and offset the high humidity somewhat.

We were running on Route 40 - scenic, historic, and with a plentiful supply of steep hills.

Nonetheless, it was a pleasure to run here alongside the neat fields and houses.

The 40 ambles its way up and down the hills through the countryside and towns as a quiet single-lane road, until at the bottom of a downhill stretch it suddenly and seemingly in an instant becomes a busy two-laner and you find yourself unexpectedly in the hustle and bustle of busy modern life once more.

As the day closed we were back to peace and quiet again at our campground. We pitched our tents under the trees to give some shelter from the impending rainstorm and cooked and ate dinner just in time before the rain began. Many thanks to Buttercup Woodlands Campground for a serene and peaceful end to our day.

– Mark and Kokila

Distance: 81 miles

Team Members:
Atulya Berube (San Diego), Drsalu Gruenstaeudel (Austria), Vladimir Salnacov (Moldova), Mark Collinson (England), Kokila Chamberlain (England), Surya Smolennikova (Russia), Kshetragna Ulanova (Russia), Dima Grygorievski (Ukraine), Sukhada Korshunova (Russia)

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