Running in the U.S.A.

If you had asked me, last year, if today I was going to run all the way to Malden Center and back… with a dog (my own dog)… while happily listening to a workout playlist that included Miley Cyrus… I would have looked at you like you were a crazy person. And then taken a good hard look in the mirror. Because crazy people tend to gravitate towards each other.

Ok, I admit that the Miley Cyrus part is a little insane.

Ok, a lot insane.

Even a couple of months ago when I started training, I wasn’t sure if I was really going to be able to get my mileage up to anything even remotely resembling respectable. I kindof figured my half marathon bid would end up like the main character in Run Fatboy, Run. Hobbling along the race course in the dark, battling traffic hours after they took the barricades down. But without the hordes of screaming fans and TV cameras.

Today? I blew past the turnoff for my two-mile loop and kept going. And going. I figured I’d turn around at some point, but I felt good, so I just kept running. Before I knew it, I was staring down Malden Center and wondering why I wasn’t tired yet. So, I headed home, but I kept running. And running. I walked a total of maybe 2-3 blocks, but I ran the rest of the distance, which was a little over 4 miles.

I was actually supposed to run six miles today, but my original plan was to run two with Gracie, bring her home, watch her do her area rug impression and then run/walk the rest on the treadmill.

So, even though my four+ miles was technically slacking… I’m still calling this one a victory.