Blogging 2015: 6.2 down 2008.8 to go.

So I signed up to do a 2015 miles in 2015 challenge.  Solo.  Because I am fucking stupid.  I managed to avoid registering for 153 half marathons, then entangled myself in this mess.  It averages out to 5.5 miles per day, and both running and walking count.  In fairness, I need something to keep me moving forward.  I'm basically a sloth, so whatever it takes to keep me from sleeping 20 hours a day and eating my weight in coconuts (do sloths eat coconuts?) I guess.

After work on Wednesday morning, I got in my trusty car and drove to the Twin Cities for the Polar Dash.  NYE afternoon/evening I met the fabulous Ashley from It Starts With Pie at Whitey's in Minneapolis (to quote her text "It's not as racist as it sounds") for a couple of drinks and some non-threatening chit chat.  Neither one of us is a serial killer, so that's a relief.

Afterwards I checked into my hotel and got ready for some serious relaxing.  Since Wedsnesday was my transition day, I'd been awake for about 27 hours when I got to the hotel.  A little TV and knitting and I was ready for my sweats and bed time.  Slight problem?  About 25 English/Irish rugby players and various hangers on shouting at each other the whole night.  Well, except for the 5 hours they left to go to the bar and get even more intoxicated before coming back and resuming the shouting match.

Sigh.  I can sleep through a war, but the eavesdropping was amazing.  If I'd been less tired I would've ordered up some room service popcorn and a bottle of wine and just listened to that shit go down.  It had everything.  Drunks, tears, yelling, phone calls, techno music, fights, and accents.  As it was I listened to most of it while I dozed and dreamed of rugby matches.

In the morning I got up at 7am (the ruggers were STILL shouting at each other) and grabbed a shower.  I got geared up for a cold weather race and had breakfast delivered to my room.

Just right.

Then I went and ran a 10k.  The weather was pretty good.  A few flurries early which made me happy as we don't have any snow at home.  Shitty brown Christmas followed by a shitty brown New Year.  It was nice to run through a winter landscape that didn't cause clinical depression.  The course was pretty, through a swanky neighborhood along the river.  My time was meh but I wasn't looking to PR.  1:08 or somesuch.  I got my miles in and a penguin hat.  It's a very grumpy penguin hat.

PENGUIN SMASH.

I listened to the sub-30 club (from RW-it's a FB group) playlist on Spotify during the race.  That is one interesting conglomeration of tastes.  After the race I hopped a shuttle to my car and made for home.  I overshot the 29 exit (because I was having a philosophical argument with a banana) and ended up 30 miles out of my way.  It's amazing how far afield you can get when you're going 85 and not paying very close attention.  Ah well.

The banana that made me miss my exit.  

I never did get the motherfucker open.

When I finally got home I hit the shower, had a handful of maple vanilla almonds and a few dried apricots and did a little knitting.  I wasn't much in the mood for dinner, so just had a Scotch egg.

A nod to the angry Brits that kept me up all night.

Now I'm having a cup of mint tea and fantasizing about sleeping.  My house will be preternaturally quiet in comparison to the hotel.

So, to sum up.  I made an internet friend an IRL friend (I mean, I hope I did.  That's probably presumptuous.), listened to a bunch of angry people get drunk, slept a bit, ran a 10k, and spent 8 hours in the car.  I got myself into a ridiculous distance challenge that will require me to run at least 5.5 miles every day.  I ate a bunch of random shit.

Guess I'm back for 2015.  I can feel your excitement.