Day 8: Hike'n'Run

Seogwipo to Seongcheon

Distance: 45km (15km running)

A real bed for a change. To be honest, though, the sleep is not much different than in the tent. While the room is much more quite, the lack of familiarity (which I have in my tent) leads to a light sleep nonetheless.

Still, I get some decent rest and by six I am on the trail again. Running. The somewhat chaotic layout of the trail (Trail 7 and 7.1), won't allow a continuous thru hike. So I run trail 7.1. A different experience which turns out to be quite a wonderful one. 

Soon after starting my run, I leave the city during dawn and pass through farmland and citrus plantations before climbing Gogeunsan mountain. A steep climb up. Eventually, I reach the top with sweeping views of Hallasan. I take my time, enjoy the view and eventually run down the mountain towards the Seogwipo football stadium. It's a pleasant mix of roads, grassy trails and hiking trails (most of them covered with a carpet like cover. Like the majority of the hiking trails here. Something, which I still have to get used to. Like endless fake-wood-fences. I will write about this another time).

At the stadium, I catch a bus back to the hostel, where I shower, eat breakfast, check out and hit the trail again. Direction football stadium. This time along the coast. Being a sunny Sunday, I am not the only one out and about. I chitchat with other hikers every now and then but mainly hike by myself. While the first couple of kilometers are easy going, it's getting harder with every minute. I miss running. In general, my run this morning reminded me of home. The 'real' outdoors, the mountains, the solitude. Anyways, sometimes it's good to get out of the comfort zone, experiencing new things.

At the stadium, I have to hike my own hike to the beginning of trail 8. No markings. It's when I notice how much the markings help. Without them, navigation is challenging. 

Eventually, I make it to the trail head, follow it for a while until I find a quiet park for the night. 

Another long day. A bit too long. Tomorrow, I will take it slow. Embracing, what the Olle Trail stands for: slow idling.