Then 2 years ago, running was more of a "normal" conversation topic and some neighbors were going to either do the home-town Turkey Trot 5K or the next town over 5M. Ummm, 5M I can't do 5 Miles on Thanksgiving... in a different (prob 4 miles away) town ... and did I mention it was Thanksgiving and I host. Ok, ok, how bout in town??? Wellllllll, Come on it will be fun. Ummm, yeah, sure, I'll do it!
Whaaaat???? was the reaction of my kids. We need to get ready for Thanksgiving? You don't have time to do a race! How is this any different than kids going to a football game? It's really not!
How 'bout that snow? Slushy, wet streets. Well, I hope they plow the inch we got the night before so no one slips and falls. Yeah, I kept telling myself that until I got out there and had to dodge the puddles and little slushy snow piles.
Energized and breathing it all in, I felt accomplished before the first guest arrived. The adrenaline from that run carried me through the entire day. The peace, calmness that it brought kept all the chaos of the day at bay. And I was hooked!
The next year we had even more folks join us. These pictures are from then (last year). The hubbys were our Sherpas carrying everything we did not want to bring on the run but would need right after... like coats! They had their own methods of keeping warm while they cheered us on. It was fun! And if the house wasn't completely ready, so what! .... I mean in all logicalness (is that even a word) how much extra could I accomplish in that solitary hour that I dedicated to that race? And the health benefits of not only the run, but the calming and energized after effects far outweigh stressing in the final hour before the traditional Thanksgiving day activities.
Tomorrow will be my third Turkey Trot. Yup, I could absolutely go to the town next door and do that 5M ~ not so scary anymore ~ and maybe some day I will, but this year, we'll once again do our home town turkey trot and have a great start to a great day.
It's funny and humbling...these days, when I say I'm going on a Thanksgiving Day Run, I no longer get the incredulous stares or questioning of my sanity. It has become a given. Something I still marvel at if I give myself time to reflect...
It is a given that I run a Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving!
Huh! Wonders never cease!