Yesterday morning, we participated in the Clark County Turkey Trot. Everyone we knew was doing it, so we did it too. It took place at the Klineline park about one mile from our house. So convienent!!
The run started at 9, we got there around 8 to get a parking spot and pick up our numbers. It was drizzling when we left the house and as the day went on, that drizzle turned to rain, then pouring rain.
This event was much bigger that I expected, over 700 people came out to run or walk the 10k or 5k. The Salmon Creek path isn't really big enough to hold all those people. I knew that would make for an interesting start.
I was planning to run with our friend Trish. Her heartrate monitor was dead, so we decided we would share my heart for the run...a nice way to spend Thanksgiving morning! Our friend Doug asked Trevor what his pace was going to be and Trevor said around 8 min. miles, Doug had run every day this week and said, "I'll go find the girls". So, he came back to run with us. He's quite a bit faster, so I knew we'd be chasing him the entire time!
Start time came and off we went. It was a big traffic jam. As in every race, walkers started close to the front, so you had to dodge them. There were some people with their dogs, who did not stay to the back, had to dodge them. Then the best part of all was a husband and wife BOTH pushing strollers. They started at the back and wanted to pass everyone. The trail was packed with runners and walkers and they kept saying "on your left", like all 700 people were going to part like the sea and let them through. They were SO annoyed. People. I'll tell you!
Things thinned out a bit as we got going and by the time we got to the turn around for the 5k, things really got better. It felt like we had the whole path to ourselves! Trish runs a bit faster then me, so I was pushing my pace. I tried to keep thinking positive thoughts and just stay with her. Doug was a bit ahead of us and we knew we wouldn't catch him.
After our turn around we saw our friend Angel, who was having a shin split issue. Doug was talking with her, waiting for us. Then we all ran together, we caught up with more friends Tom and Jo and ran with them for a while.
With about a mile left, there was a girl in front of us - the back of her shirt said "commitment". Dough said, "let's catch her". Well, we picked up our pace, caught her and never slowed down. My heart rate was REALLY high. We crossed the finish line in the pouring rain!! So great to be done.
Its good to have someone push you out of your comfort zone once in a while. I need that more often. I usually just go at a comfortable pace - all the time! We circled with our friends, Doug, Ike, Jo, Tom, Trish, Jim, Sherri. So many familiar faces. We waited for others to finish up and cheered them across the line - Robin, Angel, Liz.
All of our favorite people were there (well, not everyone, we were missing a few), it was the perfect way to start Thanksgiving. I looked around and saw people I was thankful for doing something I was so thankful I was able to do.
Our finishing time was just under 1 hour. Its been a LONG time since I finished a 10k in that amount of time.
Done. Now, time for everyone to go refuel with turkey. So much to be thankful for. So. Much.
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