trotting turkeys

 Running Thanksgiving turkey trots used to be my thing.  I mean, not really, because I'm not much of a runner.  But for several of our last years in Maine, H and I would do Portland's Thanksgiving morning 4 miler with a bunch of friends (and then, per tradition, go for morning beers to prep for the rest of the day's festivities).  When we moved to Salt Lake City, one of the first things I did was find a Thanksgiving morning run (the Cold Turkey 6k).  I think this is a great race and ended up doing it nine times.  The first two we were even able to find a bar that was open early enough on Thanksgiving for us to have morning beers to prep for the rest of the day's activities; after that place closed, I just cracked my morning beer at home.  But 2018 was the last time we spent Thanksgiving in SLC and so I haven't done a turkey trot since then.  Until this year, when the weekend before we saw that Moab had a pre-Thanksgiving 5k and both of us decided to sign up for it, totally on a whim.

Medalists! lol

It was partly cloudy and in the 50s on the morning of the race as we drove over to the Aquatics Center (which is an amazing facility: indoor and outdoor pools, fitness center with weights and cardio machines, locker rooms and showers for purchase if you've been out camping in the desert for too many days in a row) for the start.  This is a very local race: only about sixty people this year (they had around 100 in 2019).  The route went south on 100 West, on the trail through the woods and past the bike skills park, north on 500 West to 400 North, through the grade school, back to 100 West and around Swanny Park to the finish line - absolutely the flattest road race I have ever done.  They did a little kids 1k around the park and then we were off.

Not bad for not having run

at all since 2018

It was a great little race, with the perfect temperatures.  My only goal was to not walk - it's been a long time since I actually ran.  I met my goal, plus was not passed by any women and came in second in my age group!  H, who hasn't run since 2018, also came in second in his age group.  The guy who beat him also took home the prize for first dog (on leash) across the finish line ... you better believe that we're doing this again next year, and with Milton!

Total turkey