chapter 487

11/23/2017

Turkey Trotting

I came in 3th (in my age group)

Thought we were being photo pranked by the guy jumping in background but turns out he was the eventual winner of the Cohoes Turkey Trot 3.5 mile race in 19:07 minutes and that's how he warms up for the start. Eli Bashant 19, from Ballston Spa ran cross country and track in high school and is now on the Vassar cross country team.

We made our way leisurely to the back of the pack with the dogs and children after the horn sounded but then sprinted to catch up to the mob. Mostly power walked the rest of the circuit with occasional jogs. It was a cold 33 degrees but nice with the sun. Colleen's first 5K and held up well. I wasn't going to get a bib but Colleen started signing up so I did too. 

Couldn't believe they had an RFID chip in each bib and the results are more or less immediate and posted on line. Very cool. We ended up passing 83 people coming in 482 out of 567 people. It was exhilarating and a fun part of an early Thanksgiving morning.

Towards the last mile Colleen was playing the Theme from Rocky on her cell phone. A young kid runner commented on it. We encouraged him to run faster, then passed him when he slowed. He sprinted back past us, as we again caught up to pass I asked his age (11) and told him I'd brag about beating an 11 year old, trying to tweek him. I didn't notice him again but I see from the results he finished just 2 seconds behind us or just a matter of a few yards. We had been sprinting the last couple blocks and didn't look back. Apparently he had intended to nip the seniors at the finish but couldn't quite get there. Had to chuckle at that.

At the other end of the spectrum we passed a 73 yr old toward the end who had a heart valve and pacemaker. He said this was his 10th race this year and has been doing Cohoes for decades.

Cohoes is where Colleen grew up, Home of the NYS Mastodon, so we are putting it on the agenda for next year again.

Have created a Traditional Thanksgiving Day Race video to keep tabs on my mobility. Feels like there is gradual improvement.

My son was of a similar age to grandson now when I last did a 5K race, the 1981 Schenectady Stockadathon next to Mayor Duci at Proctors Theater on Broadway. I was twice as fast back then, but it's really just about participating.

Grandson would qualify for the 1/4 mile Pee Wee division.

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