I love the holidays.  I love spending time with my family.  I love getting in an extra run here or there when I can.  I love that running has not only become a regular part of my life but one on which I now center a few holiday traditions.  Thanksgiving is one such holiday.  I run the Running For Kicks 4 mile Turkey Trot every year not only because it has become one of my “traditions” but also as a way to gauge my fitness level on an annual basis.  The race is always post Chicago Marathon season, in a relatively low mileage month, on the same course year after year, and at time when my fitness is decent.  Plus the weather is pretty steady usually ranging from 20-30 degrees.  All of the above factors produce decent conditions for a realistic comparison on an annual basis.  So let’s get to Turkey Trotting!!

This year was a normal year.  I was healthy.  Conditioned.  Ready.  Going in I felt fit, somewhat fast and was ready to see what I could do.  My only concern was that I had registered Aby and in my head, I was tossing around the idea of running with her.  The course is HARD.  Lots of rolling hills.  Aby is good on hills but a Thanksgiving race puts her out of her season and not anywhere near peak conditioning.  It’s the end of running season for her and the start of volleyball.   Last year since I was just coming off an injury, I ran with her and she wasn’t necessarily grateful.  We normally do not race together but rather “run our own race”.  Since that time, we made another attempt to “race together” and while it went much better, the fact of the matter is that we are different runners, have different strengths {and weakness} and to be honest, it doesn’t do either of us any good to make the effort to race together.  We don’t “need” each other and in reality we hold one another back at various points, resulting in neither of us having our best race.  So, I decided to let it fly off the start line and she would either follow, or not.  Pre-race photo while we shivered waited.  Me & Aby on the left.  F’N Runners on the Right:  Pam, Brian, Aby, Me & Nicki.

So I let it fly.  This race is different than most.  Since it’s so hilly, I have to focus on really running the straights/flats & downhill’s as fast as possible because I’m a crappy poor uphill runner.  I once described this race as a 4 mile fartlek session.  It’s a constant variation of pace due to my uphill running weakness.  So I run fast when I can, like off the start line.  My only indication of how the race goes is the finish time cuz let’s just say that running it never feels great and pace is sporadic.  Here is my “history” with this race.  I started running it in 2007 after a much more “relaxed” Turkey Trot in 2006.  I wanted more structure.  More challenge.  I found it.  And I keep coming back year after year.

• 2007 – 34:21 – I was a bit in shock over the hills.  Hardest road race to date.
• 2008 – 32:33
• 2009 – Mr. Michael arrived
• 2010 – 31:53 – Under 8 min/mi average – HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY!
• 2011 – 31:55 – Consistent, Plantar Fasciitis was at it’s height & I was preparing for time off running so happy with the result.
• 2012 – 34:29 – Recovering from torn tendon in June 2012 (damn PF!!), only been back to running for a couple months, decided to run with Aby “for fun”.

• 2013- 31:02  – Proof that fewer miles, the addition of CrossFit & regular Chiro sessions with Dr. Alexis has been a winning combination for me!

Great day that brought us an amazing run with a local food bank as the choice charity.  Great swag, several store coupons, plus lots of free stuff, mainly socks, which was pitched into the crowd while we awaited awards.  Plus, they raffled off 7-10 pair of shoes at the end of the event.  Aby happened to win a pair of the FREE shoes but in the spirit of Thanksgiving, we are sending them to a young lady who happens to need a pair.

Aby improved a lot this year too.  Last year she ran a 34:25.  This year a 33:14.  Her time was good enough for third in her age group!   Yay, Aby!!  Love to see the progress!!  I have high hopes that this will become one of her cherished Thanksgiving Day traditions too.  See you next year, in Palos Hills on Thanksgiving Day! 

** Who Runs to Eat? ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **