Turkey Trotting

Guess what Dillypoo did this morning.

It involved freezing my fanny off on a holiday morning when I would normally be sleeping in.

And it meant I was able to eat pie this afternoon without feeling guilty.

What Dillypoo did this morning was participate in the Turkey Trot 5K!

And I not only got up early in freezing, drizzly weather to earn my pie, but I ran the entire course!

This was my third 5K event this year. I walked the first two and I planned to walk most of this one after running for the first mile or mile and a half.

I've never run longer than that before. I even studied the event route beforehand to figure out where I should stop running and begin walking.

But something happened once I got going. Being up front in the crowd with other runners was different than being in the back with the walkers. Instead of being engulfed by the chatter of hundreds of people, I was mesmerized by the sound of a thousand sneakers hitting the pavement.

I passed the point I'd planned to start walking without realizing it, and then I saw the two mile marker.

I'd run more than half the course! I was breathing OK and decided to keep going.

Could I do it? Could I run more than three miles?

As I kept pace with the other runners around me, I started to get emotional. Was I really going to do it?

I couldn't feel my thighs, but that could've been the cold. The temperature was definitely dropping. I kept repeating to myself, Keep going...You can do this!

And suddenly the course turned and I could hear the announcer, loud music and the crowd. They were cheering!

I could see the finish line! I DID IT!

I ran the entire course! And I did it in 32 minutes and 41 seconds!

I almost cried with joy but it was so cold, my tears froze before they could roll down my cheeks.