A Beginning That Needed No Plan 🌿
My name is Silvija Podoreški. I’m from Croatia 🇭🇷, a mother of two girls 👧👧, working in an office 💻, and above all, a nature lover 🌲. My day often starts like many others – obligations, deadlines, thoughts racing faster than I’d like 🤯.
But what saves me and fills me from the inside is escaping to the trails. There, thoughts slow down, breathing deepens 😮💨, and steps – both in nature and in life – feel lighter 👣.
Nature has always been a safe place for me 🤍. Long walks, hiking, time among trees and hills ⛰️ – it’s not an escape from reality, but a return to myself. Trail running quietly entered my life, unassumingly, just like the best things do ✨. Recreationally, in 2022. It all started completely by chance – accompanying my child in a local winter league ❄️. I had no plan, no goal, no ambition. I was there for her, for support and shared time 💞.
But trails have a special kind of magic ✨. They slowly draw you in, without big promises. One step, then another. A little mud, a little uphill 🟤⬆️, a little fatigue – and suddenly you realize you’re smiling 😊. That you’re enjoying yourself. That you want more. What began as “just accompanying” quickly turned into a love for trail, for the hills, and for paths that always offer at least a hint of adventure 🌄. They’re not perfect, not flat, but they’re genuine. Just like this path.
Trail didn’t ask if I was ready. It just invited me to start 🚶♀️➡️🏃♀️. Regardless of pace, regardless of how I felt that day. And that’s where the real change began.
People, Mud, and Lessons That Stay 🤎
Today, I run for AK Bjelovar 🏃♀️. And no, it’s not just a club. It’s a dream team 🤍. People who make every training, every race, and every muddy trail even more fun, enjoyable, and – incredibly – easier 😄. Laughing before the start, cheering on the climbs 🙌, hugs at the finish 🫂. When you’re part of a team like this, everything makes more sense.
Trail has taught me that strength isn’t built overnight ⏳. The decision to move – regardless of pace, willpower, or how I feel that day – was one of the most important decisions I’ve ever made 💪. Running constantly reminds me that it’s all “in the mind” 🧠. The body can do far more than we think, but the mind must believe. Step by step 👣. Day by day 📆.
I don’t chase results 🕊️. I never have. I’m not after podiums or numbers on a watch ⌚. My goal is to nourish my soul and reset my mind 🔄. To explore and enjoy stunning landscapes 🌄, in moments when a view opens before you and leaves you speechless 😍. To meet people who share the same “crazy” 🤪 – those who understand why you choose the forest over asphalt and silence over noise 🌲🤍.
Trail always delivers a good feeling and fun 😌. Even when it’s hard. Even when your legs burn 🔥 and your breath is short. Because you know why you’re there. For yourself.
Simple and spontaneous 🌿 – that’s how I’d describe my approach. Honestly, I train too little 😅. I’m recreational. Lack of time means shorter runs, usually on nearby hills ⛰️. No big plans, but plenty of joy and freedom 🕊️. And that’s more than enough for me.
A Journey That Lasts and a Message That Stays ✨
Balancing work, family, and personal desires isn’t always easy ⚖️. There are days when it’s hard to start, when it feels like you have no energy or motivation 😔. But it’s precisely in those moments that trail running has the greatest value 🤍. It doesn’t need to be perfect. It doesn’t need to be fast. It doesn’t need to be far. What matters is that you start 👣.
Start for yourself 💞. For that feeling when you know you’ve done something good for yourself, even if it only lasts half an hour ⏰. In these moments, you learn to listen to your body, but even more – to your mind 🧠. You learn to accept that you’re not the same version of yourself every day. And that’s okay 🌱.
Trail has taught me patience 🕊️. It has taught me not to force, but to trust the process. Strength builds slowly. Habits form quietly. And just like in life, you don’t always see immediate results. But you feel the change ✨. In the calm you carry within. In how you view obstacles – not as walls, but as climbs ⛰️ that you conquer with one more step.
Step by step, day by day… 👣📆
Life is a journey, not a race 🛤️. The true winners aren’t those with medals 🥇, but those who know how to pause, breathe 🌬️, and enjoy every step 🤍.
And I’m still on that path. Without big plans, but with a clear reason why I started. And that is – more than enough ✨.