Who would win in a 1000 mile race to me (their lover)?
Vanessa Carlton (A thousand miles)
Tom Higginson (Hey there Delilah)
Charles Reid/Craig Reid (I’m gonna be [500 miles])
is vanessa allowed to use the piano
Charles/Craig Reid would win if Vanessa is only walking (rather than riding her piano) as they have the march of a Scotsman to aid them as well as an upbeat song driving them along
Tom Higginson seems to have a waiting delay of 2 years imposed by the song? - and is asking you to listen to his music if you miss him which makes it sound like he’s in no hurry to get back to you- but also talks about using various vehicles to go to meet them with walking as a last ditch effort
The Reids and Vanessa are kindred spirits, they have no quarrel with each other, but Tom's a chump let's be honest
But Vanessa travels all 1000 miles, while the Reids walk 500 miles, then 500 more. They pause. They have no quarrel, because the Reids know when to admit defeat.
Two ways to think about it:
Vanessa is actually offering to walk a thousand miles "if I can just see you tonight".
Either she believes she can clear the thousand miles within a day, or she's offering to do it based on the promise of seeing her lover tonight.
The first one would absolutely win her the race, but is also physically impossible. The world record for the Mile Walk is 5 minutes, 31 seconds. At that pace, you'd only get 261 miles in 24 hours.
On the other hand, taking it to mean she'd walk a thousand miles once she's secured the meeting, this puts her at a time disadvantage against the Reids, not setting off until tonight, and a morale disadvantage, as her participation is predicated on the meeting with her lover, as opposed to the Reids, who are willing to walk "just to be the man who walked a thousands miles to fall down at your door."
