This was by far my largest mass start. I enjoyed having the opportunity to do such a big and important race, not just the lil dinky ones with the 300-500 hardcore fans. I talked to marathon runners, health walkers and joggers, sprinters trying something new, and people that were just there to pick up dudes/chicks. It was the whole smorgasboard of folk there.

My personal run was disapointing. I started off in the 7:30-8:30 pace section and (with my limited distance running experience) I found myself passing EVERYONE. This would turn out to be a mistake. I was hopping on sidewalks, punching old ladies, knocking over strollers, you get the picture. Well around mile 2 my body starts to settle into a pace that seems to match everyone around me. This is partially because I've moved up to a faster crowd and partially because after 2 miles my legs were becoming aware of their own existance.

Anyone can guess what happened next. I'm still overtaking people (but at a very slow rate) up to a little bit before Mile 5. When we get to the bridge my legs start to slow down. Its that slowdown where you physically aren't moving as fast, but your head doesn't realize it yet. Only after doing this for a few minutes do I notice a woman semi-Powerwalking ahead of me, and I'm just barely gaining on her! I was doing the Fat Man Shuffle! Oh how that ticked me off to be a shuffler. No offense to you shuffle-types, I just expect more out of myself.

Anyways the rest of the run was marked by such noticable points as me NOT USING THE PORTAJOHNS at Mile 5 since I still had delusions of a sub-10 pace and having a coversation with a girl that had the same flavor Gu as me at a water station. We laughed about it and she proceeded to take off and destroy me. Arg.

Well I won't make excuses. I hate excuses. Excuses are like anuses. Everyone's got one and they stink.

I will however note that not working out (in any way) over the last 3 weeks made this more gruelling and far slower than it should have been. Between my hurt foot after the Mud Run, my Grandma dying, wisdom teeth coming out and all these final projects I just haven't had the time to train.

I mean c'mon, the time here is almost identical to my mud run time. While the mud run was 1.8Mi shorter, it also had like 32 obstacles and we were covered in mud and ran in ARMY BOOTS. This was not my A Game in the least. I've had much better runs.

Had I performed like this at 5k or 10k or just any old race, I'd be pretty pissed about the whole thing. The saving grace here is that it was the Turkey Trot and I wasn't quite as concerned with finishing time as I was the experience, which I still regard as grand.

Train, and on a less broad note I would pee before the race and eat a breakfast that actually mirrored the task at hand. Scoring some fat-laden protein before an 8-miler wasn't the most champion thing to do.

I think I like nothing more in life than stretching after a workout. After I crossed the line I found a lil spot and stretched in ways that would make a kung fu monk blush. I was sure to drink some liquid, but not water-log myself. Talked to another student from UTD about the running/tri community at UTD (which is nonexistant). Then went home.


Relatively speaking: fuelling.

Truthfully speaking: lack of training.


I gave a 5 for both mental and physical effort level. I laid everything out on the line at the race, I just didn't have much to begin with :(

The Turkey Trot is a wonderful venue, over 25,000 participants this year! Maybe not the best competitive venue, but a great experience. I look forward to making it a tradition and I'll definately be ready for it next year!