The Thanksgiving Club

Waking up two hours before running 18 miles sounds nuts but an early morning visit with Dr. Advil was the only way I could imagine getting through 3.5 hours of foot pounding — eight hundred mgs and 30 ounces of water is my new “magic cure”.
The morning temp hovered in the low to mid 40’s. Vehicles loaded with determined runners flowed into the southbank parking lot. It was 6:45 and all of the 26.2 with Donna participants were ready to put body and mind toward an important test.
Just showing up is worthy of recognition.
Committing to a run that would get you from downtown Jacksonville out to the beach is especially terrific.

THANK YOU!!!!
Race Directors, runners and water handlers (unsung heroes out on the course making sure our dedicated group has the necessary hydration).

I’m not certain what time all of the running efforts wrapped up on Saturday but I bet it was close to noon.
FIVE to SIX HOURS of a Saturday morning!!!!!
How impressive. HOW UNSELFISH!!!
When individuals give of their time and build on a cause through self sacrifice we know that the work gets blessed. The larger the masses the larger the blessing.
We have some great people and this will be a great race.

At mile eight I allowed myself to begin talking out loud about food.
Eggs over easy, wheat toast, cheese grits, sausage patties and fresh squeezed OJ…
Metro Diner…
Thinking (and talking) about my breakfast reward helped the last 10 miles go a little easier. I guess this is where I could pick on Phil or Chris for messing up the directions and adding another mile (19) to the run but I won’t point fingers... cough, Chris, cough.. . The breakfast was much to good to complain about an additional mile. After Dr. Advil the best cure for what ails a runner is FOOD. Good food with good friends (that have spent 4 hours doing something that seems “nuts” to a large percentage of the world) is a marvelous way to start your day.

So, I’m running a half marathon Thanksgiving morning. Thirteen plus miles and 1.5 hours of running — it will be fast and I will be hungry! I think Mom’s turkey just might hit the spot.

Thanks for ALL the encouraging support!!