I am thankful that I can RUN!

^Danielle, Me, and Joni right before the start


In the running community, it is tradition to participate in a Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day. In fact, some runners might consider it "breaking the law" if you don't sign-up.

Then dare I confess...? I participated in my first Turkey Trot this year.

Now that you have forgiven me, please take special note on what I have learned.

After having participated, I can understand the lure of the Thanksgiving Day race. No, I am not talking about the guiltless stuffing your face at dinner or lounging on the sofa until the last quarter of the last football game that night.

(cue the sappy music, please)

The Turkey Trot - in my case the Gobble, Gobble, Gobble 4-Miler in Somerville - is a chance to be thankful that you can run. Simple, I know. Silly, to you maybe.

Believe it or not, sometimes I take for granted the fact that I can run. I am reminded that it is gift when a lingering pain will not free itself from my body or I have to cancel my race plans due to an injury.

Luckily, this does not happen often (knock on wood). However, now you can see why my Turkey Trot meant a lot more to me than just a way to get the metabolism going.

And like the best part of Thanksgiving dinner, the whip cream on the pumpkin pie was celebrating running with my training buddies!

Happy Thanksgiving!