*RECAP* Gobble Gobble Gobble 4-Miler
/Turkey Trotting on Thanksgiving morning has become a fantastic tradition in my life!
It's funny seeing as how I used to dread those cold Turkey Day mornings bundling up to watch my dad run his races. At that time I wasn't into running at all.
But look how the tables have turned!
On Thursday, I woke up to join my friend Heather for the third-consecutive year at the Gobble Gobble Gobble 4-miler in Somerville, Mass. This is a great local race that sells out year after year! Plus it is just a 10 minute drive from my house.
Heather picked me up at 8 on what ended up being an uncharacteristically warm Fall morning. I was actually regretting my long-sleeved shirt.
We were on-site a little too early, but took advantage of the time by walking around Davis Square and getting in some extra steps in on the Fitbit.
And bumping in to familiar faces. Isn't it crazy when you go to a race that has 3,000 people there and you end up seeing a bunch of friends? I love it! It makes me wicked happy. :)
With about 15 minutes to go before the race was set to begin, we made our way over to the Start area.
The course is through the streets of Somerville and offers some challenging hills during the back half.
Heather and I started running with another friend of ours Lori. It was great to get lost in catching up with friends during the start of a race. It really distracts me from what is really going on and it helps distract the others who may have been worries about it (aka my running mate). She hadn't run much since completing her first marathon at Chicago in October.
My job was to make the run as fun as possible... and I was up for the challenge! :)
Mile 1: 10:24
While the spectators were sparse along the course, the energy from the runners was electric. Plus folks were really bringing their A-game when it came to costumes.
It's an amazing feeling being surrounded by so many people getting moving before enjoying a day with family and friends.
It was great to have the sun shining, but I left my sunglasses at home which made the race a little trying. The goal is always to come out of a race in one piece. Safety first friends! :O) So I spent a good portion of Mile 2 staring at the ground. :P
Mile 2: 10:22
Once you take the right on to Central Street, it is time to prepare for the toughest portion of the course. This is about the time that Heather starts to hate me. :P She may have had some choice words for me, but I promised that she would feel differently once we hit the top.
After Heather DOMINATED the hill, it was time to remind her that there would be just one more tiny hill to combat. But the final stretch would all be downhill. See you gotta soften the blow to folks with a little happy note at the end. ;)
Mile 3: 10:38
Of course we had to celebrate beating the hill with a selfie. Heather is a great running partner and doesn't she rock at the mid-run selfie?
Darn you couldn't see my turkey hat that well so I had to grab a solo one as well.
I promise the turkey had a head! :P We were just running so fast the wind was knocking it over. ;)
Heather was doing a great job and kicking some serious butt.
We hit the 0.5 mile of the race and let gravity pull us to the Finish!
Mile 4: 10:11
Official Time: 41:35
The course was full of high-energy volunteers, ample water stops and a challenging route. It was a race that had everything you needed. I would highly recommend joining me at the Gobble Gobble Gobble 4-miler next year. Heather will be shooting for sub 40 then and I will be right by her side - snapping selfies! :)
And maybe a post-race Dunkin Donuts trip? :)
