Sigh. The pies have been eaten… leftovers put away…. and my son goes back to school tomorrow. I’m feeling a little melancholy. But, on the other hand, the Christmas tree is up and we can now throw ourselves fully into the next holiday. Onward!
I have a full Thanksgiving recap coming tomorrow (hint: it did not involve a trip to the grocery store OR a trip to urgent care!) but today is the last Friday of the month, which means I’m linking up with Marcia for Runfessions. Of course I’m also joining San and our fearless crew for NaBloPoMo… one more week, you guys!
Anyway, I really just have one big, fat runfession this week… I didn’t run a Turkey Trot yesterday! I planned to… I really thought we were going to… and then on Monday (we hadn’t signed up yet) my husband asked “Do you really want to?”
Um. Well, no. I really didn’t! I didn’t want to get up super early and go run a race, where, no matter how hard I try to tell myself it’s just for fun, I’ll be comparing my time to my faster days.
Instead, my husband and I slept until 7 am, got up leisurely and went for a run together- something we rarely get to do. It was fun!
I just listened to the recent Rich Roll podcast episode with Alexi Pappas. If you haven’t read her book, Bravey, I can’t recommend it highly enough. And I love listening to her talk- so many nuggets of wisdom in the episode. One of the things she said that stood out to me was “Lead the pack of your own running journey.”
Alexi transitioned from Olympic runner, to film director, to author, to ultra runner; she had to figure out, and she’s still figuring out, what kind of runner she wants to be. And she encourages us all to do the same with our own lives.
I’m not saying I’ll never run another road race- I’m sure I will. But right now it just doesn’t appeal to me. I want to be out on the trails, having adventures! I don’t want to run in a crowd of people and be worried about how fast (or slow) I’m going.
If you ran in a Turkey Trot yesterday, I hope you had a great time! If not.. I hope you had a great morning and a happy Thanksgiving.
Do you get sad when Thanksgiving is over?
If you celebrate Christmas, is your tree up yet? – Ours is up but not decorated- we’ll decorate it today when I get home from work.
Did you run a Turkey Trot this year?
45 Responses
It’s always hard when the big day is over. Thanksgiving is not one of my favorites so I’m not super sad when the day is over. I am, however, thinking about Monday and retuning and work and I’m quite melancholy that the break is almost over. We only have four weeks after this break until the next one, and I’m trying to hang on to that. But I’m not ready to go back to my classroom and my students and grading and everything else. Back to reality. Boo.
Oh and our tree is up and decorated. We are ready for Christmas! I love Christmas and will be sad when it’s over.
I hope tomorrow is not too hard, especially saying goodbye again to you son.
Also, can I ask how you get the photos of you running? I have been wondering this for a while. Sorry if you explained it here before…
Noemi, I get VERY sad when Christmas is over!
My husband also goes back to school on Monday and he’s not happy. He only has three weeks till the next break though- their break is early this year!
For the running photos- I have various places where I set my phone up (like fire hydrants or benches) and then I take a video. Later I’ll just take a screen shot of the video, and that’s my running photo. i don’t know it there’s a better way, but that’s how I’ve always done it.
I feel you on the road race. I didn’t turkey trot either, but I did a trail run with my college daughter, who is here until Monday. I just want to be on trails now, enjoying the earth. I could not care less about my watch, or another race medal. I met Alexi Pappas years ago at a Chicago Marathon event. She’s so inspiring. Our house is not decorated since we were at the in-laws’ yesterday. Today and tomorrow are off the leash work-wise, so I’ll get it done on Sunday. That’s the plan anyway!
Oh wow, you met Alexi! That must have been fun.
Good luck decorating! We’re doing the tree tonight.
I love that realization for you! Trail running just seems like such a good fit for you, time to adventure!
I’m so glad your Thanksgiving didn’t include urgent care! I was wondering!
Yes, all crises were avoided yesterday, luckily.
I have never run an organized anything. I did do my 4.5 miles neighborhood run yesterday. I’m glad you weren’t at urgent care. BTW I meant to comment that I did not read the book you mentioned a few days ago. I just started The Covenant of Water. It’s over 700 pages and my book club is reading it for the end of January. I hope I can finish it.
Oh, I’ve heard of Covenant of Water. You’ve got a lot of time- hopefully you can get through it!
Trail running just seems so much more pleasant (a bit like exercise and forest bathing crammed into one better activity than either alone?). I’m so happy you got to run with your husband and while it’s so sad your son is already headed back to university, the Christmas break will be here before we know it!
That’s true- he leaves tomorrow and will be back in three weeks. I can’t really complain about that.
As you know I met Alexi at the Marathon. I loved her book. My new favorite quote of hers is “Joy and performance are not mutually exclusive.”
Yes I did trot. And yes I compared it to my former self. I had fun nonetheless and glad I did it. I would have been more melancholy sitting at home and running in my neighborhood. I was wondering if I would be slow… and I was slower than I imagined LOL.
My cat is a terror but probably no tree.
I know you love racing- so a Turkey Trot is fun for you no matter what your pace is (and- you’re still winning AG awards so there’s that.)
Even when Muffin was a kitten she left the tree alone! We were sure she was going to demolish it but she didn’t.
Happy Black Friday! I remember having the same kind of epiphany when I started doing more trail running, that I did not really want to do road races (so many people! So much hard street!) and it feels so good to just do what you like. I contemplated trying to gather the family for a turkey trot, but instead had a great coffee and conversation with my Mom, then went for a short run with my Dad before doing a quick 3 mile loop through the forest on my own and coming back to the warm house to hang out, cook and play games! Life is too short for hard pavement! 🙂
Ha ha, that will be my new motto!!! And a run through the forest sounds amazing.
This was the first year in a while that I did not do an official turkey trot. I am just getting back to running and while I am covering about 4 miles on my runs, they slow run/walk and I just didn’t want to do that a race. And I am impressed you are cleaned it up bc it will take me all day at least to do . Happy Thanksgiving
I think my comment disappeared! Anyway this is the first year I have not run an official turkey trot in years. I am just getting back to running again and did not want to go out there to do a run/walk race. Anyway-impressed you are all cleaned up already! it will take me days to get everything back into it’s place!
Yes, but don’t you have like 20 people over for Thanksgiving??? It was just the four of us, so much easier to clean up.
I’ve never done a turkey trot because I’ve always been in the kitchen on Thanksgiving morning! This year I could have done one if my hamstring wasn’t broken, LOL.
My tree is not up. It goes in the same corner as my puzzle table, and I’m still working on my birthday puzzle ….
You need to finish your birthday puzzle, move the puzzle table, put the tree up, and then get a nice Christmas puzzle! I’ve suggested to the family that we do a big Christmas puzzle this year, and they agreed. Well, except for my daughter. But we can do it without her.
Yes, I trotted yesterday. No, neither of my trees are up yet (but one will be by the end of day). Also, I got all the food prepped and in the oven before my Trot, had the table set and everything ready for our 1:00 dinner, and had all the clean-up done by early evening. Ahem, I may have hugged myself afterwards 😉 Your Thanksgiving run with the husband sounds so relaxing! What a great way to start the day!
Oh wow. You ate at 1:00??????? I don’t know how you did that. You definitely deserved a hug!
I’ve never done a Turkey Trot or any road race for that matter but I always try to get out for at least a short trail run on Thanksgiving and yesterday was no different. I’m definitely with you on enjoying the vibe of trails more than roads! But your run with your husband sounds like a nice way to start the holiday!
I’m happy to still have three days off before going back to work but then I have four weeks until my next break which is two full weeks off and I’m very much looking forward to that.
i’m glad you got your trail run yesterday, AND I’m glad that you have two weeks off to look forward to! My husband also has two weeks off at Christmas.
Enjoy your weekend!
It sounds like you have really been intentional about the kind of runs you want to do, and focusing on trail running seems so great! It’s also really smart to avoid doing something that would make you potentially feel frustrated/competitive with your past self. And how fun that you and your husband got to do a run together instead.
Hope work goes smoothly today and that you have a really nice time with your son!
Yes- I know I should let it go, but if I’m going to race and have an official time, I’m going to compare. I can’t help it.
Aww, love the hubby + you pic! I don’t think I’ve ever seen the husband make an appearance here before. 🙂 So cute that you guys can run together.
I think your perspective of racing vs not-racing makes perfect sense. And I love that you are just following what feels good to you on your running journey. The reality is that it is a hobby and meant to be FUN. So it should look like whatever you want it to, not some arbitrary idea of what it “‘should” look like. If you like the trails, run the trails! 🙂
I know- at the end of the day it’s a hobby, and hobbies shouldn’t make you feel bad about yourself!
My husband makes a rare appearance here. : )
Well, that’s a great alternative to a Turkey Trot! I think I would do that too!
Well done, Jenny!
Thank you Catrina! It was a fun run.
Although I was home in the first time in forever (not counting the Pandemic) I’m with you. Even 6 years ago or so I’d get up, run my turkey trot, come home, shower, and then host Thanksgiving for around 9 people. Let’s just say my endurance is not there at the moment.
Yes, we’re all on our own running journeys. Hope you enjoyed the heck out of your Thanksgiving!
Thanks Judy, I did! And I hope your day was pleasant and relaxing.
I love that you are figuring out your path. I love the community of racing, and i don’t care about my time… maybe because I was never fast and never “good.” But that’s me.
I did trot, and I ended up walking with a friend who is going through her first holiday season without a loved one. While I was ready to run, she wasn’t feeling well, and so that decision was made.
Thanksgiving isn’t my fave, so I don’t care one way or the other. We had a great time in Charleston (although the weather could be better), and we might do a turkey dinner next weekend. Our tree is up but not decorated yet.
That sounds like a really nice way to do a Turkey Trot. I hope you enjoyed the day (although it’s not your favorite holiday.) Our tree is now decorated and it looks so cheery!
The tree is not up yet, but I want it to be up by the end of the weekend. It’s not really cold here, though, so putting up the outside lights is not going to be fun!
Oh, outside lights…. actually, some of my Halloween lights are still up (oops.) This weekend is the indoor decs and next weekend I’ll tackle the outside.
Yay your own personal trot.
Mom & I did the Delray one Saturday but that’s not a race in any shape or form. Also, not acclimated.
We did the building tree the same day and I’n the only one on the ladder, but I’m an inner grinch so I don’t enjoy it much
Ladder??? Be careful!!! I guess I do get up on a small ladder when I do the outdoor lights. Luckily I have a very tall son to do the top of our indoor tree.
In my eyes, you ran a turkey trot. It was just your own race! I can see how trail running is more enjoyable. You don’t have the comparison trap of road racing. And it’s such a chiller atmosphere!
I ran a drumstick dash yesterday. I had to drop down to a 5k and it honestly felt like such a waste to race a 5k. Like I could do that any day. I would never pay to do a 5k. I wished I could have done the 10k but it was sooo cold out that I wasn’t all that bummed that I was done after one lap of the lake.
Our Thanksgiving was such an abbreviated affair with Taco getting sick (he’s still running a fever today). I am glad Paul could stay with my parents and come back to our house later so he could suck up parent time. And I am glad my parents weren’t scared off by taco’s fever and still spent the night and morning with us. Thanksgiving is the only BIG holiday I spend with my family so I was sad to leave right after we ate but so it goes. I had to get the sick kid out of there ASAP.
Our tree has been up and decorated since last Friday and I LOVE IT! I have it programmed to be on from 6am – 9pm. I love coming down in the morning to the soft glow of the tree.
Yes, our tree is all decorated now and it looks so, so nice. I love it.
Such a bummer about Taco… and a bummer about your race. I always felt like it I was “only” going to run a 5k, I had to run it FAST. But the bottom line is… we both ran. There are lots of people who can’t run at all and would love to be able to run three miles. So, we’re lucky.
I don’t get sad after holidays, but I think if my daughter were leaving tomorrow it would make me more melancholy. Nothing better than family being all together. We don’t have our tree up yet. I’m not sure when we will get to that, but probably not this weekend. I have no real plans other than I need to go buy some foundation because I’m almost out and it is on sale.
Yes, it’s mostly the fact that my son is leaving that’s making me sad.
Enjoy your er, shopping? Foundation shopping doesn’t sound too exciting, but I guess it is if you need it and it’s on sale.
Ha! That is exactly what happend to my Turkey Trot this year… I hadn’t signed up early, I kept delaying it and then decided I didn’t want to get out into the cold (yep, it’s been in the low 40’s overnight) and decided to do the Turkey Burn Ride with my Peloton friends instead… which was of course at 7 am for us West Coasters (ok, NBD) but had been so hyped up that the servers were overloaded and lots of people couldn’t get into the LIVE class. I got in halfway through and I mostly laughed it off… but you can imagine the backlash online. Sigh. If only people would realize that they should be thankful if that was their biggest problem on day when it’s all about being thankful! 😉
I am glad you had a good Thanksgiving, a nice personal Turkey Trot with your husband and that you didn’t have to go to urgent care!
Yes, the whole day was a win-win! That is kind of funny about the Peloton class- not that people couldn’t get in- I’m sure that was frustrating- but that people were so angry about it ON THANKSGIVING. Perspective, people!
I think the weeks between Thanksgiving and winter break are the hardest for everyone – faculty, students, and families. You get just a taste of having your kids home – and they get a taste of being home again – and then back to it! Oh, and exams and final papers on top of everything. Bleah. I hope the time flies – having it be festive season will help!!
7am would not be relaxed sleeping in for me. HA.
But how great that you got to run with your husband.