San Dimas Turkey Trot Race Report

Today, I ran my 3rd race this week and it was the most disappointing of the 3. This was the 4th year I've run the San Dimas Turkey Trot 10K and for the last 2 years, I've improved my times. Last year I did it in 54:55 and was 4th in my Age Group. I thought I might be a little slower this year but thought I would be pretty close to that time. Wishful thinking, as it turns out.

The Turkey Trot takes place in my favorite place to run - Bonelli Park. I love running there and this is a fun 10K because it's hilly, with some dirt, a stream crossing, and of course lots of trees. I always sing or think of "Over the River and Through the Woods" while doing this race. It's the perfect place to hold a Turkey Trot.

The race is also fun because they have a costume contest and encourage runners to dress as turkeys, pilgrims, or Indians. I have a costume that I wore for Halloween a couple of years ago and I decided that I would wear it today. Since I have short hair, I decided to wear the wig that came with it.

I did a 1.5 mile warm up in it and it seemed okay so I decided it was a go for the Turkey Trot. I felt good about this and ready to race!

The race started at 8 and it was already starting to feel warm. The 5K and the 10K start together but split off almost immediately so it was crowded but there was room to run. We start off on an uphill but then have a nice downhill through then next 2 miles. I think I ran an 8:50/9:00 min pace for the first 2 miles. I was still keeping up that pace when we hit the stream at mile 2.5. There wasn't very much water in it so I just plowed through instead of trying to hop rocks. After that it was an uphill to the turnaround at mile 3.5. I think this is where I started to slow. We were out of the shade of the trees and I was starting to feel hot in the wig and the dress and just losing steam.

After the turnaround, we had a little downhill and I got back some of my energy and then we hit the next big hill and I ran it but didn't have it in me to storm up it so more time slid away from me. I was carrying water and drinking it like it was going out of style but still feeling hot. Then thankfully we had a nice downhill again before the last little hill. At the top of that hill, it was mile 5 so it was just 1.2 miles to the finish and it was all downhill.

I knew I was not going to be close to last year's time but was hoping I would be under an hour. But I looked down at my garmin and it said 59 and change and I hadn't even hit the 6 mile sign yet. Though at that point my garmin already said 6.2 miles. So I crossed the finish line at 1:01:41 (6.5 miles per my garmin so 8 miles for the day) and was pretty disappointed. That was not my best run at all but at least I got a medal!

Yeah, yeah, I know I'm being hard on myself. I know that I just ran a marathon last Sunday and did my first 10 Mile race on Thanksgiving and I'm still bruised from the fall in that race but I thought I was Wonder Woman!!!

Anybody got some cheese to go with my whine? I know I should be happy that I can run at all. I should be happy that I can do as much as I've been doing without getting hurt. Well, except for when I fall. I should be happy that I'm a solid, little workhorse that gets it done. And I am. Mostly. But damn it! I want to be a thoroughbred! I want to be sleek and fast. I want it all. Why am I not getting there? Will I ever get there?

I have one week until the Death Valley Trail Marathon. I'm going to hope for a Christmas miracle. ;)