Gobble! Gobble! Dragging the family out for local Turkey Trots (Hillsboro 19th annual Turkey Trot and Hood To Coast Series Turkey Trot)

On Tuesday, Nov 25, 2014 The kiddos participated in the Hillsboro Turkey Trot.  

I ran with Squeakers for her 200 meter dash and she needed/wanted to be carried for half of it.  I think she just wasn't "in the mood' to run because she did great at a 400 meter kids dash last summer.  

Poor Bugaboo was caught in a rush of kids and was knocked down on her face.  She had a bloody nose, scraped up hands and knees with slight abrasions/track rash on her nose and forehead, but she got up and finished the race crying.  What else could she do?  I was behind her with Squeakers and she didn't know that and Dad was at the finish line... so she ran to her Dadda and I was oblivious to the whole ordeal until we got there.  Poor kiddo.  We talked a lot about getting up and trying again and next time I might have my mother hen instincts on mega alert and won't let her out of my eye sight...  

After some hugs and kisses she was over it, but I know she was still pretty sore the next day.  Her first bloody race bib...

Thursday, Thanksgiving day, we headed out to West Linn to participate in the Hood To Coast Series Turkey Trot Run/Walk.  

This is Hood To Coast's first year hosting smaller race events other than "The Mother Of All Relays".  As a first year event, it went off pretty well!  The event is capped at 500 and was free for everyone.  I don't think all 500 registered participants showed up and would gauge it more like 30 runners in the first wave of 8 minute mile or faster and about 200 or so in the second wave of runners and walkers.  

I wish they gave the runners and joggers a little bit more of a head start from those that intended to only walk, as the trail did seem a little narrow in some areas.... but people gladly moved to the right to let me pass, so what can i complain about?  Besides, which group would I have "ran" with?  I ended up walking half of it with my kiddos and running half of it by myself.  

The kids dash left me carrying Squeakers again for half of it and Bugaboo had no reservations or fear about running, despite her fall a couple days before.  Dad ran on the side lines just behind her so that he could keep an eye on her but she felt by herself. I was a little worried if she'd like to run again, because nearly one year to the date I had biffed it and wasn't excited about running again.

  When the second wave started, we all got into "herd mentality" and followed each other off the course and around the parking lot for a quick 0.5 mile loop.  There was no denying the announcer's annoyance as he announced we were all off course and need to stay on the path.  Follow the path and do not cross traffic cones.  I was annoyed because I never left the path, or crossed any cones... the path just sorta turned into a parking lot...  but on my next trip past the start line, I saw the fork in the road and knew which way to go.

 The course was supposed to be "short of 3 miles" but after the half mile mistake, I did 3.2 miles.  While starting my second and final loop through the park, I ran into my family again.  I had left them after our half mile "warm up" (mistake loop) and figured the kiddos wanted to stay at the start.... but they saw a family friend walking the event and decided to walk with them.

When I reached them, Bugaboo would not leave me... so I trotted ahead and she stayed close behind.  We stopped for a few selfies and I kept encouraging her forward.  This is the first time she hasn't been carried at all for a race this size.  Although she didn't complete the full 5K, she has a new distance PR of walking and running 1.8 miles.  So proud of my Bugaboo.

We finished the race, claimed our goodie bags and enjoyed the race atmosphere.  There were warm fires to sit by and warm up, vendors with lots of samples, hot and tasty coffee and a finisher's mug for everyone.

Goodie bags contained an entire pumpkin pie, bag of dinner rolls, jerky, chocolate milk, chips, and a coupon for $10 off a $10 purchase at Dicks Sporting Goods.  I spent mine on some yak trax socks and will give you a detailed review of them, I'm sure!  ;)  The kiddos wanted (pretty) Polar Water bottles.  With holiday sales going on, my $12 socks were buy-one-get-one-free so $24 worth of cushy socks for $2 and the kids fancy water bottles were $0.99.

Thanks Hood To Coast!!!!   

They also had too many treats left over after the event so they piled the extra goodie bags on several of us "back of the packers" hanging out after the event.

It was so much fun and I am so glad we went.  The girls adore their finisher's mugs and we used them during our Thanksgiving Dinner.

I'd say that was a fantastic deal for a free race.

Did you do a "Turkey Trot"?  (Thanksgiving is the most popular day for Road Races.)