Last day of May 2026

ERA of…WTF…………………Joy and Resistance

Yesterday was rainy and cold. And in parts of eastern Massachusetts, a meteor exploded off the coast, causing a loud boom. The energy released when the meteor broke up was equivalent to about 300 tons of TNT. This is how Saturday started.

I thought about running — which is about as far as I got with physical exercise. Today is a new day. It's Sunday, the rain is gone, and the sky is blue. I need to put some miles and time on my feet since I have a half marathon to run next Sunday. And I had to run on the last day of the month.

I can't remember the last time I ran on Deer Island. This would be a good run. I can be by the water and the pods — as I call them. To get ready for the half, my goal was to run a 10k. The plan was to get up early, but I just couldn't get my body moving at 5 a.m. or 6 a.m. By 7 a.m., I was moving.

Clearly, it's a sign that my body needs some rest.

Deer Island, I know, is less than a 5k. I had planned on running further out in Winthrop. I also got some exciting news yesterday — my new Brooks Glycerin arrived. I wanted to test them out as my half marathon shoe. It was lovely, cool, and quiet running around the island. I started off running a mile before switching to 3:1 interval running. I learned quickly that I need to better fuel and hydrate myself — always the struggle. My body felt good, but my energy needed some work. And I know myself well enough to know that after the first mile I'm in a groove, though sometimes it takes at least 2 miles before my rhythm hits.

I was just taking in the views, the smells, the sounds around the water. As I ran, I thought about Tulsa. Today marks the anniversary of the two-day Tulsa Massacre, in which over 300 Black men, women, and children were killed, their homes and property destroyed and stolen. We can't ignore how racial violence is interwoven into the fabric of this country. Through my 50 states journey, being able to stand in the place of this terror — to understand what happened and acknowledge the history — is a powerful thing, especially as our current administration tries to erase or reinvent it.

I am able to run today, to take in my surroundings and move my body. I can breathe.

I didn't hit my 10k because this girl got tired — again, I need to start fueling better, starting today. But I got 5.12 miles in at a 12:14 pace in 1:02:37. I'll have time this week to do several 5ks to work out the kinks. I'm still working toward my goal of running 5 miles in an hour — and maybe I'll get to 6 miles, or close to it, for the half.