Yes, I know it’s 2017, but I was unable to find this year’s logo. This is my third year running this low key, free, yet chip timed turkey trot. I’m sure the big ones are a ton of fun, too, but it’s just far easier for me to get in and out of a smaller race and still have a peaceful morning.
Packet Pickup
I probably need to leave a bit later than I have been. There was no one parking where I park, or very few, and it’s not a very long walk to packet pickup (which is always easy). Unfortunately City Hall continues to be closed, but I was early enough to use the porta-potty before the line formed.
Then I just took my time walking around and taking some photos. There’s cookies, banas, donuts, coffee, hot chocolate and more out before (and after) the race, but I had my Honeystinger waffle since it had been a while since breakfast and I was good (although that hot chocolate was a little tempting).
The Plan
I continued with my flow of gunning for a PR but not actually looking up what my previous PR was. I just decided to to try to keep it under an 11 minute mile for the race — and even with the big hill in mile 2, I managed to hold onto that pace — just!
So how’d that work for me?
- Mile 1: 10:39. There are some rolling hills the first mile, but I started off a bit faster this year; not quite as I had hoped for — thank you, hills.
- Mile 2: 10:59. You go up the hill. Then you turn, and continue uphill. And up . . . still faster than last year.
- Mile 3: 10:02. Ah, what goes up most come down. And a couple of seconds faster than last year — literally.
- Last .48 mile: 9:52. The only slower lap, which oddly was apparently just a tad longer than last year.
2015: 38:19
2016: 37:56
2017: 36:31
The weather & dressing
It was warmer this year, and yet I still wore my North Face Thermoball; with my Skirt Sports Wonder Wool Tee and Hearbreaker skirt (discontinued? say it ain’t so!) I felt I nailed my outfit again. Or maybe it felt warmer because I actually dressed warmer than last year — but again, I was comfortable.
Was the race well run?
I think it’s extremely well run, especially since it’s free! You can pay for a race shirt . . . or not (I never have — maybe if they ever went to sweatshirts! That’d be cool). It’s chip timed. Although there’s no starting mat and I always wonder how that works. The refreshments are pretty nice.
This year there was a drone at the start, which was fun, but I’ve no idea where that footage was posted, if it was. I know I got to wave at it, so I’d like to see it. I think!
Final Thoughts
Because it’s not crowded, you can quickly find your own running space — especially once you hit the hills. Although speedy runners come out for this, the families looking for fun do, too; they can be path hogs, but hey, it’s a holiday (there was no swearing).
It’s a challenging run. While a 127 foot hill doesn’t sound like much, trust me, it’s steep. I ran into one of those friends after the race, and I had warned her it was hilly (her first time running this race) — she likes hills — and her comment was “Holy Hills!”. But the payoff is that sweet downhill to the finish (with a few minor hills). My friend thinks this needs to be her new holiday tradition.
It’s also a ton of fun to watch the kiddie’s races, although I admit since now I do a warmup mile, I really didn’t. It’s just an all around good ole American fun way to stoke your metabolism before Thanksgiving dinner and I’m always glad I run it, despite having to hustle home and shower and change quickly and make sure everything is pretty much done the night before (although Mr. Judy helps out, of course).
This week I am joining up with Running on Happy, Suzlyfe, and Coach Debbie Runs for the Coaches’ Corner linkup
Chocolaterunsjudy 
Glad you enjoyed it. And you can’t beat another PR. Congrats.
It’s tempting but I look forward to seeing all my friends in Troy.
I am not gunning for a PR so the crowd didn’t bother me at all. Looking at all the crazy costumes was fun.
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It’s not even about the people (although there’s that), it’s just that it’s much easier for me with people coming over.
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Congrats on that PR! I love seeing you getting faster!
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Thanks, Wendy — that’s very sweet, considering how you’ve struggled this year. Wish I could send some of it your way (but of course even your slow is still way faster than I’ll ever be!).
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Wow, I am impressed that this is a free race AND it is chip timed.
I too have run races that are chip timed but no mat at the start, only at the end.
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I just wonder how they manage to get an accurate time, but I know they do because of my Garmin.
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Congrats on your PR!! Turkey Trots always look like such a fun time, I’m still bummed I didn’t get to do one this year. And the fact that it’s free is even better!
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I didn’t start doing them until 3 years ago when I started hosting Thanksgiving, which seems odd, I know. But previously we had a 2 hour drive both ways & I could never easily juggle a race with that, although I usually did run on my own.
The race just puts me in a better mood. 🙂
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Congrats on the PR! I love low-key, free races 🙂 They’re not as flashy as the big races but so much more convenient usually.
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Congrats on your PR!! It’s always fun to see how your time improves over the years.
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Sounds like a fun race! I love that’s it’s timed…and free! And, your finish times keep improving 😉
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Well, the finish times can’t ALWAYS improve, obviously. I’ve just had a good “run”. 🙂
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How did you not tell me it was a PR?! You are on FIRE this year!!!!!!!!
Sounds like a really great race, and even better that it’s free! Love it.
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Well, I was super busy & I knew you were too. And my Garmin continues to do funky things — although oddly it records it correctly for me, it’s just the site you use that it suddenly seems to have problems with. No clue.
My friend who ran it for the first time really liked it too. I wonder if she’ll bow to peer pressure & go back to the big one next year.
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Great job regardless! 🙂
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Thanks! I kind of PR’d everything in sight last year at this time of year, so I just knew for whatever reason, it’s a good time of year for me to race!
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That’s so cool that it’s free. They must have good sponsors because chip timing can be expensive! Looks like you had a great race too!
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You know, I don’t even really know who sponsors it. I mean, they do list sponsors but I never even look at it. I don’t know if they work a deal with the company that does the timing. No idea how any of that works!
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