It seems as though every area has a Turkey Trot. Some are 5ks, some are 10ks, 8ks…jealous of Laura’s half (though it probably is a good idea that I don’t run any halves anytime right now). Needless to say I’ve done the turkey trot for 3 years in a row. In my about 1 year total of being injured, I seem to not be injured during this race. Which is a okay with me.
Anyways I had no idea how this race would go. I had traveled for 16 hours, eaten pretty poorly (just high caloric travel food…sorry when a salad that will keep me full for a hot second is 13 dollars and a sandwich and chips is 6…well you see where I’m getting at.). Sitting on my butt for 1000 hours and not having the best prerace (not terrible though either) food was enough to make me question where this race would go.
So getting to the race, I already knew I had some massive (and very painful blisters on my foot). Worse than blood blisters, because they had already pealed. I was not looking forward to how disgusting my feet would become but kept it in the back of my mind (behind my foot issues). To give you a rough idea, I had my foot very taped up and it bled through the tape and also the sock.
Speaking of injuries (do blisters count as an injury?), my cyst is always in the forefront (no pun here) of my mind. After warming up for 2 miles with dad, we lined up at the start. Then I realized my chip was in the car a half a mile away..so getting that put me breathing hard at the very start of the race…great…not only was a 10k a long distance, I was already tired.
The first two miles, I got passed. A lot. I took the first mile in a 5:50. Mile 3, I held pretty steady and kind of got into a 6:30 jive. (apparently I like that pace). Mile 4, I decided that I was going to start my pretend pickup. I like to think I have a kick when I haven’t really been running the last two months. (I don’t know why because that is mostly false) I actually started passing people.
By mile 5, my blisters hurt, my foot was a little tight and the end looked like it was half way to Mexico. You have to know, the last .3 of this race is straight and flat looking straight at the finish line. So for the next 3 minutes, it looks like it’s never-ending.
I looked down at my watch and saw that I passed 6.2 in 39:45 and finished the 6.35 (for me) course in 40:37 (so average of 6:23 pace). Though who really knows how accurate Garmin and GPS watches are. I’ve heard from several people that it was a bit long but it’s not enough for me to say that I did a sub 40 minute 10k. I ended up getting 2nd in my age group out of 141 and 8th female overall. I think the field was about 2000 runners.

This race was actually enlightening because my foot was not really in pain at all. (just those stupid blisters) so I’m hoping maybe it means I’ll be able to start training again and could possibly (?) be moving running to my main workout of the day and eventually cutting out 90% of all elliptical. Though my knee has been acting wonky, which could be a combination from the cold (I had slight knee issues last fall because of the change in temperature).
Questions for you:
1. Did you run a Turkey Trot? How do you heal gross blisters?
2. Have you ever had knee problems correlating with cold?
3. For a more positive question (and not gross body issues), do you like Turkeys?
Speedy! Congrats on top 10 at a race so big!
Thanks! I must represent team #rage. We should get singlets LOL.
Girl I hope you realize how epic you did! and are proud of where you finished! truly awesome
You are faaaaaaast! I can’t even imagine running like that! I’m gonna just pretend I look like you while running 😀
congrats on the great finish!
You look so badass in those pictures in the best way possible. They look like they belong in a running magazine! And congrats…that’s a great accomplishment especially while battling an injury!
YAY, badassattitude is the best part of racing. LOL, kidding…somewhat 😉
I think blisters can totally be considered injuries! Ouch. Nice race, girl. Moving running to the main event would be so great, I hope it happens! I love that family photo 🙂 You look cute as a button….and fierce in the racing pics!
You did really well in the race, your paces are always so fast even when you’re not 100%! Congrats on your 2nd place AG finish and 8th female overall, I know we are both in difficult age groups too with so many runners! Plus the awkward family photo is awesome!
Yup you are right everyone has a turkey trot or sometimes it’s called the Gobble Wobble, haha. I did one last year but the one in my area is big (thousands of people) so I just didn’t want to do it.
Gobble Wobble, that is adorable! LOVE the name. UGH to that big of a race, I know how much you don’t care for those. I can’t imagine such a large shorter distance race, with half and full marathons everyone is so spread out but a 5k/10k it would have been pretty tight!
Holy cow, awesome job, Hollie! Great pictures, too! 🙂 My right knee sometimes gives me trouble when it’s cold outside–I had reconstructive meniscus and ACL surgery, so my knee hurts and swells up during weather changes like when it’s going to rain or when it gets really cold. I’m basically a weather woman. 😉
A) Did not run a turkey trot, I did run though in the morning. Blisters SUCK for some super gross pictures you should look here:http://abetteryeartoabetterlife.com/2012/05/14/pa-tough-mudder-recap/ B) Knee problems – yes, I played 2 seasons of co-ed soccer this year and had a few boys barrell into my knee so it comes and goes with the pain depending on how I sit, if I run, if its hot, if its cold. C) I love turkeys 🙂
AWESOME run. You are a beast.
OH geez! Yeah that is exactly how mine are but they are between my toes so constantly rubbing together. I think maybe it got too wet or something. I don’t even know how they occurred!
I have never gotten blisters there! Doesn’t sound super fun though.
look at you little speed demon coming off an injury!! can we please run a race together!? and can I please have your runners legs!
I would looooveeeeee that!
girl you are speedy, so amazed by all of this. blisters are the worse, it is so funny how minor they seem yet how painful they really are. also some killer pictures, I am amazed by this
You are so fast! It’s definitely impressive to run a time like that, sub 40 or not! I’m really just secretly (or not so secretly) obsessed with all of your running clothes, lol might as well run in style 🙂
My hometown doesn’t have a Turkey Trot of any kind, and it’s the second largest town in my state. I’ve always wanted to do one!
Wow fastie pants! Congrats!!
fastie pants. I think I nearly died a bit laughing so hard…mostly because I don’t wear pants.
You’re so fast!! Congrats!
Can I just say..you look sooo hardcore!! And super fast!! 😀
How are you not absolutely freezing in that outfit!?
It was 50 degrees…LOL.
Congrats on your awesome 10k!!
Congratulations on a super fast and awesome race. You must be thrilled with your performance, especially after everything you have been going through. It’s very impressive! BTW, I want your legs.
Awesome job!! I wanted to run a 10k sososo bad but it was full booooo!! So yes I made my own as you saw haha. NO turkey for me!!
Congrats on doing the 10km. We don’t do Turkey Trots here but I do have a Jingle Jog coming up. My knees always hurt in the cold. I went out yesterday morning at 0530 -1c and my knees just went “hell no”. xx
Dang, it sounds like you had some ROUGH blisters! You still dad amazing, as usual!
Did* haha
Girl you freaking rock – Miss speedy! I want/need your leg muscles, they are killer. 😀
ahhh blisters?! my advice is to just let them dry out. if they naturally pop while you’re out running that’s okay, but if you pop them yourself they could get nasty infected.
this was a great race for the foot!!! I’m so glad to read that it didn’t hurt! Don’t worry too much about the knee pain, unless it gets worse or continues into this week.
I hope your week is off to a great start!
xoxo!
Wahoooo second in your age group is freaking awesome! As are you, duh. And that stinking blister! I can convince everyone that it’s no small thang. Not cool at all.
Whoa, nice time! And what a race photo – I can see every muscle on your leg defined in that shot – mine just look like heaps of wibbling jelly in my race photos. Jealousy doesn’t quite cover it – you run like a gazelle and I charge like a hippo 😛
xxx
i usually pop them then put neosporin on them lol i ran my turkey trot on the 17th and by accident ran the 5k along with the 10k
Holy.wow you’re fast, girl. And you look so hardcore in those pictures! I’ve never run a Turkey Trot, but I do enjoy a good turkey; and I’m not much of a runner, but I do have the pleasure of dealing with knees that complain when it’s cold. Joy 😀
I think it’s the 10k curse — I hear that something weird happens to nearly every runner while running a 10k. Probably because it’s long enough to notice something small that you wouldn’t care about in a 5k, but something that you wouldn’t dare overlook if you were running a half. I forgot my Garmin during mine (oops!!) and had to run blind. Still ended up pushing out an official time of 40:20 (course was a little long on others’ Garmins), so I was pleased. We should race sometime. I think it’d make for a good one!! 😉
Dang girl, you are speedy! I have LOADS of experience with blisters on my hands from rowing….my mom once told me a I had man hands. But my remedy was to always to pop RIGHT after practice so they would have the whole day to dry out before the next morning. Its super painful, I’ve also used alcohol to dry them out…but be prepared to cringe! Also I avoid any type of lotion because that just seemed to increase my blister count. Hope they heal!
How do you rock races even while injured? You’re basically amazing 🙂 I agree – it definitely seemed that every town had a TUrkey Trot. I guess it’s a good thing because it encourages people to remain healthy on a day filled with gluttony!
Great race girl! Love those nike shorts too by the way.
oh my goodness, your 10k time just amazes me. It’s unreal to me your body can move that fast! I started out jogging about 12:30 min/miles and I’m just now down to around 10:30-11:00 min/mi’s. (and that’s only running about 2 miles!!!) Great blog, this really is inspirational to help me keep pushing myself to go faster! =]
AWE thanks. That means a lot and I’m glad I could. That is great just getting into running. My first ever road race about 3 years ago, I ran at a 11:00 min pace! You will def continue improve!