HAPPY THANKSGIVING and Race Recap

I hope everyone had an absolutely wonderful and safe Thanksgiving this year. I know I did. I have a lot to be thankful for, and I realize this more and more everyday. My Thanksgiving morning started very early at 6am for the Turkey Chase 10K. My wonderful boyfriend came once again to support me on this VERY COLD, drizzly, foggy morning. The race site was packed an hour before the race, and more and more people just kept on coming. I couldn’t get over all the people that were signed up for this race on Thanksgiving morning. It was such a great feeling even though part of me wanted to go home and crawl back in bed. Here I am when we just arrived- please excuse the crazy hair and bags under my eyes. It was early.

Something felt off that morning. I had tossed and turned the night before the race, and my nerves were out of control. I just didn’t feel like my heart was completely there, and my ankle was bothering me a LOT. Finally the race was about to begin, and I squeezed my way through the crazy amount of people to get to my mile pace time to start. There was a wave start since there was just under 5,000 runners. It reminded me of the Baltimore 1/2 Marathon, but actually worse. I couldn’t move at the start line.

I didn’t take many pictures this morning because it was just too cold and too wet. I just wanted to get started and be done! Here I am at the start line-can you find me?

Look deep in the middle. I’m in a purple shirt and smiling.

Finally we were off. My toes were completely numb, and I couldn’t feel them until Mile 2. The roads were tiny, and everyone was crowding together to get through. I was moving at snails pace and just wanted to get through the mobs of people to get my pace going. But I never was able to get through. There were way too many people on these tiny little streets that I just had to go with the flow and enjoy the run. I ran my best considering my ankle was hurting the entire time. Finally I had one mile to go, and people started to spread out a bit. At least with the Baltimore 1/2 I had many more miles to make up my time, but I only had 6 to do so here. So I ran that last mile with all my heart and soul and gave it all I got. I didn’t do as well as I know I could have, but I was just happy it was over. Here are my stats:

Garmin:

We immediately got in the car and headed home to get cleaned up and warmed up by the fire. My Thanksgiving had a slightly rough start, but turned into a wonderful day. Chris and I had breakfast while watching the Thanksgiving Day Parade, and then made quite a spread for lunch. Now remember it was only the 2 of us today, but we did it up big.

Pumpkin Dip with Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips

Spread of Cheeses and crackers with sweet pickles

Puff Pastries with feta and caramelized onions

And of course we had spiked Apple Cider and some Wine. Following our lunch we watched Home Alone-a classic Christmas Movie

Our Thanksgiving Dinner Prep started around 5:30 since we were so stuffed from our lunch spread. We both helped in the kitchen to make a Semi-Homemade Thanksgiving. I have to tell you, it was one of the easiest, most fun, delicious Thanksgivings I’ve ever had, and it was semi-homemade. Here was the menu:

• Top Sirloin in a beer and brown sugar sauce
• Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• Roasted and Glazed Sweet Potatoes
• Haricot vert with Olive Oil and seasoning
• Cranberry and Sage Stuffing
• Cranberry Sauce

I am not a fan of turkey so Chris and I decided to do steak instead, and it was the best decision I have ever made. All of the flavors went so well together. It was a fantastic dinner! The Steak, sweet potatoes, and green beans were home made, and everything else was made my Trader Joe’s. I loved the sweetness in the steak with the sweet potatoes and the stuffing. It was absolutely delicious!

We enjoyed our dinner with a glass of my September Wine of the Month. X Winery Red X Blend. It is big and plush and juicy, but has a soft finish with medium tannins. Perfect for sipping while cooking dinner, and the perfect pair with dinner.

We ended the night with my very favorite Christmas Movie: Miracle on 34th Street, and pumpkin pie. I made pumpkin pie ice cream by taking vanilla ice cream and adding pumpkin puree, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice and mixing it all up. I topped my warm pumpkin pie with the ice cream and had some of my favorite Harry & David Pumpkin Spice Coffee on the side.

A Perfect ending to a PERFECT Thanksgiving.

Tagged as: cranberry sage stuffing, cranberry sauce, green beans, Harry & David, mashed potatoes, steak, sweet potatoes, Trader Joe's, Turkey Chase 10K