There’s no better way to prepare for Thanksgiving dinner than a 5K run, right?

Although we had just run the Southern Lights 5K a week before (The Big Kid finished in 20:54, Thing Two in 32:13, Thing One and I in 32:21 – actually a 5K PR for all of us! The boys & I ran together until the final stretch and we had to stop to tie three shoes along the course) we decided that since Granna & Grandad would be around, the kids would run the one-mile fun run & the grown-ups would run the 5K before consuming our turkey, dressing, sweet potatoes, etc, etc.

The one mile run was first. Thing One is sporting the blue fleece and Thing Two is in yellow.

They were the 3rd (8:54) & 4th (9:14) boys to finish!

Next up was the 5K. I’ve raced at Keeneland before, but this was my first time on this course and my first chip-timed race there. First time in a crowd this size too. I waited for the start with some friends but really should have pushed my way up farther in the crowd. There is no reason why I should have to push past strollers & dog walkers for the first half of a 5K and no reason why faster runners should have to push past me. It’s not that hard, folks!

I was really gunning for a sub-30 finish. It’s been 3.5 years since I finished the Couch to 5K plan and I’ve always felt like a loser since I’ve not been able to complete a 30 minute 5K like C25K leads runners to believe they should.

29:51

It felt really good!

The Big Kid ran 21:27, 14th in his age group. Thing One and Thing Two had been told to stick around for their awards. The bling is starting to pile up around here…