Thanksgiving 2010

This year Josh and I spent Thanksgiving with my family (unlike last year). Josh really wanted to run in the Turkey Stuffer 5K, since we had done it a few times previously and Josh wanted to prove to himself that he could do better than his past time.

I did a lot of waffling about whether I was going to join him. I go to the gym, but I don't run, and I really wanted to not embarrass myself. The other people who run in this 5K are generally high school kids on the track team, though there are some families and younger kids too. Have you even been passed by a ten year old who isn't even breaking a sweat? Embarrassing.

But then my parents said they were going to join us. In the past, the Turkey Stuffer has been something fun for my family (when we're in town) to do together before the eating. So I promised Josh I'd come too.

Here we are before the race:

I'll spare you the after picture because it is not flattering, but here are my parents after they finished walking:

The moment I hate most about being slow in a 5K is that by the time I was nearing the second mile point, people were already heading back to their cars or running the race from the end to find their family members. Pretty discouraging. 

I did meet some of my goals (to finish before my parents, who were walking, to finish before the end of my 41 1/2 minute ipod playlist) but didn't quite meet my other goals (to run the entire time, to finish at a time I wouldn't be embarrassed to tell people). I did run/jog for the first two miles, and I did pass a lot of people who had to walk because they weren't pacing themselves well. When people passed me, I just told myself "I'll pass them later when they get too tired to keep running." It was just sad to remember past Turkey Stuffers where I did run the entire time and realize how terrible I am now by comparison.

Ultimately, Josh beat me by about 9 minutes, but I beat my parents by about 15 minutes. At least I didn't come in last!

Later that day, for the Thanksgiving meal, my nephew Brad made place cards for us:

If you're having trouble reading it, is says "Best Person Ever"

Apparently I don't make this a secret.

He also made Josh a place card:

Josh says Brad should just call him Captain N

The next day, we went to the Ducks vs. Arizona game, where we premiered our yarn beards: