Valerie’s Reviews > SOLO: What running across mountains taught me about life > Status Update

Gosh, this book makes me want to hit the mountain trails só badly.

“Just like that, my time in the mountains had come to an end. I turned to view the snow-capped peaks and wave an almost tearful goodbye. […] I hadn’t met enough nomads, bathed in enough streams, camped under enough stars or gleefully run through trails. The truth is probably that I will never get enough of those things as long as I live.”

“It was an almost mystical place: sitting at such a high altitude, one could imagine it was a lake built in heaven.”

“Hundreds of people could run solo across Kyrgyzstan, and they would come home with hundreds of different stories, experiences and lessons. […] Adventure does not need to be measured. It just needs to be experienced.”

“Whether it’s running across Kyrgyzstan, coping through a pandemic, finishing a project or whatever you’re going through: the key is to always take manageable bites. Don’t think about the next bit until you’re there.” Don’t think of anything but arriving at the end of current stage. When a stage is finished: recover, reflect, reset, and only then begin to acknowledge the next stage.

“Eventually I climbed out of the dusty valley and into the alpine wilderness. Deep green fir trees welcomed me into the shelter of their shade. Squirrels scuttled among the branches, and the path became softer out of the dry sun.”

“Going solo comes with many dangers. Being alone with yourself is the biggest one.”

“The sky was clear and my coffee was hot - what better place in the world could there be?”