Dokkodo: Lonesome Road of Running

Today is Republic Day in Turkey. It is a major national holiday commemorating October 29, 1923, when the Grand National Assembly of Turkey declared the nation a republic and elected Mustafa Kemal Atatürk as its first president. Celebrated annually, the holiday traditionally begins at 1:00 PM on the preceding day, October 28. This year marks the 103rd anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic, with ceremonies and parades scheduled to take place across the country. With celebrations and events planned nationwide, government offices, schools, and banks will be closed or operating on reduced hours. DAY 25: I woke up at 4:30 AM. There is a light drizzle in Ezine, though it doesn’t seem too cold. Today’s destination is Küçükkuyu (I always struggle to remember the name!), located about 40 kilometers to the south. There is a mountain pass with an elevation of around 400 meters, about 30 kilometers into the route. The path involves a gradual ascent from the start, followed by a descent fo...

Day 24 began with a 4:30 AM wake-up call. It looks like another chilly, rainy day ahead. Taking two days off makes the body feel sluggish. Rather than feeling refreshed, the temptation to just say, "I’ve had enough of this hard work," starts to creep in. Still, I keep moving forward because the journey brings so many encounters, discoveries, realizations, and lessons. Today’s target is 45 kilometers. I’ll make sure I’m well-prepared for the rain and cold before I head out. I set off just before 8:00 AM, handling the self-checkout myself. Come to think of it, the owner here left for Thailand yesterday for work. After leaving the city of Çanakkale, I passed through what was essentially a continuous stretch leading into the town of Kepaz. I followed a back road along the coast for about 9 kilometers before merging onto the D550 highway. I had traveled this route by minibus two days ago to visit the ruins of Troy, so I was already familiar with the lay of the land. I managed to c...

I woke up around 6:30 AM to the sound of the *adhan* (call to prayer). Usually, I wake up around 4:00 AM, but since it was raining and I had another day off, I decided to indulge myself a little and stay in bed. I took a shower and had breakfast—or rather, a meal consisting of hot coffee, a banana, some nuts, dried fruit, and granola. Fortunately, these kinds of food items are reasonably priced in Turkey, which is a nice bonus. After getting some work done on my PC—editing my newsletter, organizing data, and checking my route for the coming days—I headed out into the town a little past 10:00 AM, amidst a light rain. The temperature was 11°C (52°F), but with the wind, it felt much colder—reminiscent of a daytime in Osaka during December. If I were running, I probably wouldn’t feel the cold as much, but looking around, I saw people bundled up in down jackets and coats. Between the rain and the wind, my body just kept getting colder. Having spent the period from last year through this spr...

*I took plenty of photos again today. You can see them in the YouTube video, but please also check out the album via the link below. On Day 22, I woke up before 5:00 AM. This is my first day off in Çanakkale. Today, I’m heading to the ruins of Troy. Embarrassingly, I never knew that the ruins of Troy were actually in Turkey. I’ve always loved Heinrich Schliemann’s *Ancient Passion* (a book about his excavations), which I read back in high school—perhaps this is some kind of destiny. Once I return home, I plan to watch the films *The Odyssey* and *Troy*. There is something about the ruins of Troy that stirs the imagination. A cat enjoying a feast of mackerel this morning. In a park by the Atatürk Bridge. Minibuses depart from beneath the Atatürk Bridge, but I arrived about an hour and a half early. I’m used to killing time, so I decided to wander around the area. I’m taking this bus to the ruins of Troy—it’s about a 30–40 minute ride from here. For me, taking buses or trains in a foreig...

Day 21—I am now in my third week of traveling through Turkey. Today, I’m covering the 30-plus kilometers from Lapseki to Çanakkale. I plan to take a rest day in Çanakkale and visit the ruins of Troy. Each day, my mind wanders to many things—sometimes I find myself trapped by the past, or anxious about the future. But I must always face the reality that I am alive, right here, right now. I must give my all to what I can do in this very moment. Just as this thought crossed my mind, the *adhan* (call to prayer) began to echo through the morning air. 111 years ago, the very place I am visiting today—Çanakkale—was the site of a fierce war. It is known as the "Gallipoli Campaign." Throughout human history, conflicts have occurred everywhere. Even today, wars are being waged across the globe—driven by religion, ethnicity, or territorial disputes. When John Lennon sang "nothing to kill or die for" in his song "Imagine," he wasn't merely expressing an ideal; he...

On Day 20, I woke up at 5:00 AM. Today’s destination is Lapseki, 25 kilometers away. The rain has cleared, and it’s a beautiful, sunny day. About 30 kilometers southwest of Çanakkale, on the hill of Hisarlık, lie the ruins of Troy. I first learned about this place in high school through Heinrich Schliemann’s *Ancient Troy* (originally titled *Passion for Antiquity*). It’s also currently in the spotlight thanks to the film *The Odyssey* (based on Homer’s epic). I’d love to visit, but… I set off at 7:40 AM, just as the sun was rising. It remained cloudy and cold all day. The D200 highway runs along the coast and offers some lovely scenery. The road features frequent, gentle ups and downs, which keeps things interesting. That said, long, gradual inclines are the most taxing on the legs and lower back. Today, I was approached by locals on two occasions. The first time was while I was taking a break, 15 kilometers outside of Lapseki. A couple pulled up in their car, struck up a conversation...