I am now a Turkey Trotter. 

Bill usually runs in the Thundercloud Subs Turkey Trot, but Thanksgiving Day logistics had deterred me from entering in previous years. But Thursday’s forecast sounded like perfect running weather (for me), and Bill and I were walking right past packet pick-up (at RunTex), and we knew that proceeds went to a good cause (Caritas of Austin)…and so we both signed up.

After putting our turkey in the oven on Thanksgiving morning, Bill and I joined the 21,000 participants behind the First Street Bridge starting line. We were politely listening to The Star Spangled Banner, when suddenly the sound system went out. Without missing a beat, the crowd jumped in and sang the rest of the national anthem. I added this to my “Why I Love Austin” memory bank.

The five-mile course circled downtown Austin, following a path inside the Capitol 10K route. Neither Bill nor I won a turkey trophy, but we did have a prize-winning turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. Fortunately turkeys can cook themselves in those little bags.