Westford Turkey Trot 10k

Phew! It's been awhile since I've posted so I have a a few races to catch up on.

I got the flu in the middle of November, which took me down HARD. I felt like I had a cold for a few days, then was basically incapable of doing anything with flu symptoms for six days, and recovered for another week. I didn't run for two weeks, and my first run/walk was less than a week before the race that I had planned to run for November. My mom definitely hinted that I shouldn't try to run, but I wasn't about to give up...it wasn't going to be my best 10k, but I was going to get it done either way. I ran on the track at work twice during the week before the race, which took place on the Saturday two full weeks after I got  really sick. I was so out of shape - I went to a BodyAttack class the Wednesday before the race and felt like I had never exercised before...

So I didn't have high hopes for the race. It was cold - really cold. Probably 20 degrees F with snowflakes floating around the air. There was a 2 mile race, which started at the same place and just ended after a little loop through the town - the 10k then continued on towards the hilly back roads of Westford, VT. I felt OK, definitely not fast, but not horribly out of shape. There was one unbelievably big hill that seemed to go on forever - not super steep, but just unending.

The descent from that hill was really steep, and I was being careful with my footing. I could hear someone coming up behind me and poised to pass, but I decided to pick it up and run with her for the last mile and a half or so of the race. She was really interesting and fun to run with - she's training for the Disneyworld Marathon in January, which will take place on the second anniversary of her quitting smoking after 25 years. She was funny and inspirational - I liked finishing the race with such a strong woman!

Official time was 1:07:28. Not my fastest, but also not my slowest. Not bad for battling the flu for awhile!