Running Together for a Better Croatia: My Night at the dm Ženska utrka

"Snaga žene nije u sili, nego u ustrajnosti."
"A woman’s strength lies not in force, but in perseverance."
— Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić

Last night, I ran the hot, shimmering track around Jarun lake in Zagreb in the dm Ženska utrka – a race that is so much more than just a race. It’s a celebration of women, of unity, of strength, and of a shared commitment to change. And this year, I wasn’t just there to break a sweat or test my endurance – I was there for something much deeper. I was running for myself, for my friends, and for every girl in Croatia who deserves better.

A Race That Changes Lives

The dm Ženska utrka is a beautiful symbol of female unity in Croatia. This year’s race wasn’t about finishing fast — it was about showing up for one another.

💠 With every race packet sold, dm donated two packs of sanitary pads to girls living in student dormitories across Croatia — a direct effort to fight period poverty, which affects over 30% of women and girls in Croatia.
💠 In the last ten years, this race has raised over 142,000 euros and supported more than 67,000 women and girls, donating funds to safe houses and women's organizations throughout the country.
💠 It’s a celebration of empowerment, visibility, and collective care — for women by women.

You could feel it in the air. Women ran in groups: mothers with daughters, grandmothers with granddaughters, teams of friends, coworkers, and strangers who became companions in stride. This was a Croatia that lifts as it climbs.

And I was honored to be a part of it.

My Return to Running — and to Myself

This race marked something personal, too. After going through a difficult chapter in life, I’m slowly finding my way back to things that bring me strength, clarity, and joy – and running is one of them. As I turn towards a new decade (yes, I’ll be 50 this autumn!), I’ve made myself a promise: to gift myself the Zagreb Half-Marathon in October. A milestone. A marker. A celebration of everything I’ve overcome and everything that still lies ahead.

But this post isn’t just about me. It’s about us – the women who lift each other up, who show up for one another in small and big ways. A dear friend of mine – who knew exactly what this journey back to running meant for me – bought us both race entries and invited me to run this event with her and her daughter. She didn’t just sign me up for the race. She stayed by my side for the entire 6 kilometers.

And this is no small thing.

She’s a fast runner. She could’ve sped off and finished strong. But instead, she matched her pace to mine. Cheered me on. Nudged me forward when I slowed down. “Već smo kilometar pretrčale. Evo, već smo pola prešle. Još samo malo i vidjet ćemo cilj.” She gave me courage. She helped me remember why I run – and who I run for.

And her daughter – this brilliant, compassionate young woman – did the same. Together, the three of us crossed the finish line in the scorching 30-degree Zagreb summer heat. But the heat didn’t matter. Because we weren’t just running for ourselves.

We were running for them – for every girl in Croatia living in učenički domovi (boarding schools), away from their families, many from less privileged backgrounds, many trying to carve out a future through education and perseverance. The funds raised from this race are going directly to help these girls – to support their education, their development, their well-being. It’s women helping women. It’s women changing Croatia.

And this is the Croatia I love.

Not just the Croatia of stone villages and family recipes, not just the Croatia of old memories and family stories (as precious as those are), but the Croatia of today – vibrant, evolving, full of strong women and caring communities. The Croatia of solar panels and tech startups, of cultural festivals and charity runs, of inclusion and transformation.

This is the Croatia I live in. This is the Croatia I want to share with the world.

Teaching Croatian Is About Teaching a Living, Breathing Country

When people come to me to learn Croatian, they often carry with them a kind of nostalgia – a vision of Croatia from decades ago, maybe the Croatia their parents or grandparents left behind. And while I honour and value that Croatia, I want to teach so much more than that. I want to teach the living language of today’s Croatia – and the values, energy, and vision of the country as it is now, and as it’s becoming.

Yes, we’ll learn the grammar. Yes, we’ll master the tricky pronunciation. Yes, you’ll finally understand what the famous/infamous “ć” and “č” are really about. But more than that, you’ll learn about the people, the progress, and the promise of Croatia in 2025.

You’ll learn how to speak to a barista in Split, how to understand the lyrics of a new pop hit from Zagreb, how to read a campaign for social justice in Rijeka, or talk about sustainability in Istria. You’ll become a part of today’s Croatia – not just a visitor, but a participant.

Join Me on This Journey – From Wherever You Are

That’s why I created the Croatian Foundations Self-Study Course. It’s the first step in my unique Croatian Quadrant learning system – a method I’ve designed especially for English-speaking learners who want to gain not only fluency, but connection.

This isn’t a dusty textbook course. It’s dynamic, modern, practical, and full of cultural insight. It’s designed for people who want to build a strong base in Croatian and understand how the language lives and breathes today – in families, in cafés, in politics, in pop culture, and yes, even in races like the dm Ženska utrka.

And here’s something special: if you join the Croatian Foundations course now, you’ll be prepared to enter the full Croatian Quadrant program in January – and the full cost of Foundations will be deducted from your total. That means you're not just learning Croatian; you're making a smart and affordable commitment to your future fluency.

👉 Click here to find out more about the course and start learning today.

We Don't Just Learn – We Belong

Whether you have Croatian roots or just a deep love for the country, now is the time to reconnect. Croatia isn’t standing still. It’s moving forward. And you can too.

Let this be your race. Your comeback. Your turning point.

If I can run through the heat of Zagreb with the help of incredible women by my side, you can learn this beautiful language with me by yours. Let’s walk (or run!) this journey together.

For a better Croatia. For all of us.