For many, Thanksgiving is a holiday filled with lots of food and traditions. Over 4,000 people take part in Erie’s version of the annual Turkey Trot at the beach. This year was my second time being part of this tradition.
My friend Krysten and I have been playing Ultimate Frisbee together for a few years and have recently started to do 5Ks together. We are very good running partners. It works out well because we are both fit for the same type of workouts and have the same pace when we run. Even if we don’t start the race together, we somehow end up running with each other.
We did our first race, the Pump N Run 5K, last October. Right after that, we did our first Turkey Trot. We completed the 5K run in a relatively good time and left feeling satisfied.
This year, we decided to take it to a new level and complete the 10K race. For this being my first 10K, I was very proud of myself for completing it at all.
I didn’t train for the Turkey Trot, although I probably should have. Krysten was dragging me along and was really encouraging the whole way. We finished in just over an hour with only one super short break. Without her, I wouldn’t have completed it.
I doubt I was the only one who felt that way. There was a much smaller group of people who run the 10K versus the 5K. Just by eyeballing it, I would say about half of the people who do the 5K just do the walk. Even more are struggling just to finish the 5K while running.
By comparing that to the fact that I completed the 10K at all, even though I struggled a little bit, I feel really good about myself. I did something that I have never planned on doing in the past. Growing up I wasn’t much of a runner. It was something that I hated but I did just for the fact that I needed to work out.
Later on in the evening when I was starting to feel sore and it was time for dinner, I didn’t feel guilty at all. I ate as much as I wanted and I kept saying “I ran a 10K today, I can do what I want.” I guess that is why most people do the Turkey Trot. It gives them a good excuse to eat as much food as they can!
Pumpkin pie, pumpkin roll, turkey and stuffing aren’t the only things that people look forward to at Thanksgiving. Getting the family together to do an annual run is part of many people’s traditions.
I wish that my family has been part of this. I only have been for the past two years and did it with a friend. It would take on a whole new meaning if my family participated in it with me. Just the little things that you can do together like this can mean so much.
KAT SHINDLEDECKER
