This run, however, was no ordinary run. It started off at an easy pace since my goal was to run father. Like Columbus, I wanted to see and explore that mysterious land that lay beyond the end of my running map. That boundary, up until today, was Knox Street, with its concrete pylons keeping the distracted driver off the running trail, and its Lamps Plus shop on the corner.
Pleasantly surprised was I to discover that a slightly cushioned asphalt surface awaited my New Balances. Without the guidance of quarter-mile markers, I ran a little while farther, knowing that every additional step I ran away from home would of course lengthen the run doubly.
I spotted an intersection ahead as the tipping point in my run. By this point I was twenty minutes in and feeling like I could go on indefinitely. Seeing the roadsign as I drew closer prompted an ironic smile to form...Harvard Street. Though I was running side by side with Christopher and the Santa Maria was not far behind, here I'd arrived in New England, not far from Plymouth Rock, rather than the Caribbean islands.
Another trip up to the top of the parking garage treated me with a few moments of peace, watching the afternoon slip away into evening. The sun had already set, yet there's still a little magic in seeing the tail of the afternoon fade into the cool shimmer of evening. (Shimmer...did I use that word in my last post? "...fade into the mayonnaise-like embrace of evening." Yes! That's the feel I'm going for!)
But the real reason for writing this post was to document the compendium of necessities I placed into my hand-basket at World Market this evening. (For those who aren't familiar, this store is essentially a lower-priced Pier One with imported food). Despite my growing appreciation for all things British, I resisted the urge to put the $1 per ounce jar of clotted cream into the basket. But I did come home with:
- Sparkling mineral water with a hint of lemon (thank you, Susan)
- Tortellini with sun-dried tomato and tomato-basil pasta sauce for dinner
- Black currant scones, for the next time I have overnight guests
- Nutella (made with over 50 hazelnuts per jar) and McVitie's The Original Digestive Biscuits. Crazy Brits. I can't imagine any American marketer including the word "digestive" in the name of a cookie. Nestle's Peristaltic Tollhouse Morsels.
- Roasted raspberry chipotle sauce. Goes well with just about everything. Except creme brulee.
- And, the ultimate in indulgent empty carbs, Haribo Raspberries.
3 comments:
Isn't the trail north of Knox great? It's so much gentler on the knees. Ashley and I found it while we were training last fall. Unfortunately for us it wasn't until one of last long runs that we happened upon it. Also, Clay and I recommend the packaged horchata from World Market. And oh, and I like those wafer cookies... I think they're called quadratini or something like that. I'll have to try those raspberries next time.
This strikes me as a profoundly ordinary run, extraordinary only in the excessive license taken with analogies and supefluous descriptors by the runner. But I suppose I would have a difficult time keeping the kids reading about my exercise routine and shopping lists. Well I'd better stop my less-than-constructive criticism or I won't get to eat any of the ultimately indulgent gummy rasberries.
-david o
Another comment like that, buddy, is going to get your comments profoundly censored from this blog. :-)
The run was LONGER than my ordinary runs.
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