From Logaršče to the First Marathon 👟🔥
I’m Danilo Božič 😊, and I live in the small village of Logaršče, nestled right between the Bača Ravine and the Šentviška Plateau 🌄. So, my home is in the very birthplace of mountain running 🏔️ (the Črna prst race) and trail running (PTRF) in Slovenia.
My running journey started back when I was living and working in Idrija 🏘️. Way back in 1992, at a little over 35 years old, I laced up my running shoes for the first time 👟—and I’ve kept at it all the way into my 70s 🎉.
Originally, my goal was simply to lose a few extra pounds ⚖️ that crept up after I quit smoking 🚬❌. But soon enough, I fell in with a crowd of “oddballs” 😄 who, as people thought back then, had nothing better to do with their time than run 🏃♂️🏃♂️🏃♂️.
It wasn’t long before running hooked me completely 💥❤️, and I started entering the Primorska Cup races 🏅… but I also found myself surrounded by people dreaming of running marathons 🏃♂️💭, which quickly became my own dream, too.
As luck would have it, everything lined up just in time for me to be ready for my very first marathon at the 1st Ljubljana Marathon 🏙️🏁. A few more marathons followed 🥇, after which I switched to half-marathons and other flat road races 🛣️.
With the rise of trail running in Slovenia—and partly due to getting older ⏳—I eventually made the full switch from pavement to trails and mountains ⛰️🌲.
The Limits of the Body, the Power of Nature, and the Battle Within 🌲💪
In those early years, the most fascinating thing was discovering where the limits of the human body really lie 🤔 when you go from smoking 40 cigarettes a day 🚬🚬🚬 to running 40 kilometers 🏃♂️💨. For me, that transition was relatively fast, taking less than four years ⏱️.
Clocking a sub-3:30 time in my first marathon ⏰ was no small feat either 💪🔥, especially considering that back then, we runners mostly learned about training through word of mouth 🗣️.
I’ve always had one single motto when running 💭: to race only against myself 🧠❤️. I never cared about the competition 👀❌. And when I switched to trail running, that mindset became even clearer 🌄.
Trail running is truly something special ✨🌲. It brings a unique kind of positive energy 🌞, something you can’t quite put into words 💫. That deep connection with nature 🌳 and the mountains ⛰️… that’s what keeps me motivated 🔥, what keeps me moving forward ➡️, and what gives me the strength to press on 💪.
When you come home after a run 🏠, sit down 🪑, and reflect 🤔 on the good you’ve done for yourself ❤️ and your body 💪—how you cleared your mind 🧠✨ and had that “talk” with yourself 🙏—it gives you the drive and enthusiasm to keep going, again and again… 🔁🔥
Challenges, a New Path, and Living Life to the Fullest 🌅🌈
I have more than achieved and exceeded my running goals 🎯🏅. Today, my main goal is simply to enjoy running and being on the trails 😊🌲. Pushing my body and mind to total exhaustion in ultra-marathons was never my thing 🥵; my sweet spot has always been distances between 20 and 30 kilometers 🏃♂️📏.
Three years ago, I went through the heartbreaking loss of my partner 💔😔, which contributed to me falling ill with cancer 🎗️. But I refused to be defeated 💪. With the help of running 🏃♂️❤️—and I truly believe because of it—I managed to overcome that, too 🙏✨.
And yes, I am back to running, and still running strong 🏃♂️😊. In fact, I didn’t even take a break ⏸️❌, not even while going through radiation treatments 🏥.
My workouts now are pure enjoyment 😄🌄. A while back, I met Maja ❤️, a wonderful person 🌷 who wanted to turn her life around 🔄. I helped her swap her high heels 👠 for running shoes 👟.
We started running together—her from scratch 🔰, me fresh out of rehabilitation 🏥—and by last year, we had already completed a few trails together 🏃♂️🏃♀️🌲.
Even though our combined age is 134 years 🎉🎂, we have big goals for this year 🎯🔥, so we train regularly two to three times a week 📅. Though we don’t really call it training—we simply go for a run 🏃♂️ or head up into the mountains ⛰️😊. We mix trail running over varied terrain 🌄 with hiking 🥾, exploring our beautiful country along the way as we make the most of the trails in the broader region.
For anyone taking up running, especially later in life 👴👵, my advice is to start moderately ⚖️ without chasing times or results 🏆❌. Everyone’s true battle is only with themselves 💭💪. Moderation is also key ⚖️ to staying injury-free 🦵. In nearly 35 years of running, I’ve never suffered a serious injury 🙏. All my joints are still working flawlessly 💪😊.
My motto in life is 💬 not to dwell on what will be or what has been ⏳, but to live in this moment 🌅 and live it to the fullest ❤️🔥. Everything you want is possible ✨. You just need to keep a positive outlook 😊 and surround yourself with a positive environment 🌲🤝—which the trail running community most certainly is ❤️🏃♂️.