18 November 2011

Platinum No More: Final Thoughts on My Mileage Run

Finally, this morning, the final miles from my mileage run of last weekend posted to my account and my status changed over from Platinum to Diamond. Mission successfully completed.

Some observations I made about myself and mileage running:  my inability to be able to sleep on a plane is a real handicap; as long as there isn't a screaming child, obnoxious adult, or something along those lines, I like to be in an airplane; and, I like to be on-the-go enough that I don't mind being on-the-go to nowhere

The main lesson I learned is that, if I go on a pure mileage run again in the future, I'd prefer to stick to a domestic itinerary, just to avoid overnight flights.  I'm not opposed to the idea of a pure mileage run but I'm more inclined to take a trip somewhere for just a day or two instead.  I like the idea of breaking up the longer stretches of flying. Many professional mileage runners will fly to their destination and return immediately, never leaving the airport.  I actually had this option:  I could have arrived at noon and left on a flight just 45 minutes later.  When I arrived in Warsaw I was so happy I'd not tried that approach.  I may have gone crazy; crazier, that is.  I admire their endurance but it'd make me miserable.

I am glad I tried mileage running.  And, of course, I'm glad for my Diamond status and all of the extra bonus miles that are headed my way.  It was a fun experience and makes for a great story. I'm the only one I know personally who can say "I went to Seattle and then Poland for the weekend." I'm also likely the only person I know who'd even want to say such a thing!

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