Turkey Day

I know I've been quiet here the last few days.  It's been a hectic run-up to Thanksgiving.

Speaking of running, I wanted to fit in one more race this year if I could, and it so happened that there was a 4-mile race today in Fort Wayne, which is relatively close to where my parents live.  I got up way to early on a holiday and ran with perhaps close to 3500 folks this brisk morning. 

Some dressed for the occasion, meaning Thanksgiving-related outfits or hats were donned.  (I saw one person in a turkey suit and another in a chicken outfit.)  There was even a real, live turkey available for photo ops, which you see above in all its blurry, smart phone photo glory.  That turkey was remarkably calm, especially when considering the number of people around it in the gymnasium's lobby.

The hilly route was mostly in a cemetery and enough of a challenge on this gray, foggy morning.  I felt like mostly good throughout the run and kept what I felt like was a good pace, although I'm sure it dropped off around the middle.

I was hoping to crack 44 or 45 minutes, but I finished the course in 46:46.  (Hey, I beat around 1500 participants.)  Having looked more closely at the results and the course, I see that it was a bit more than four miles long, so my 4-mile time was 45:56.  I feel pretty good about that.

I had my dad drive me to the race, and I was glad that he got to see me finish.  I don't think anyone else in my family has run in a race like this, so it meant something to me to be able to show the result of what I've been working hard to do to get in shape.  While I still have a ways to go, I can take satisfaction after a run like this one that I'm doing OK.

And while I didn't pig out at lunch, this made it easier to justify eating a little extra for Thanksgiving lunch.