Run Josh, Run!

We have an annual event here at our household.  It's the Columbus Turkey Trot.  We've done about a half dozen or so and we actually look forward to it.  It's a "guilt free" Thanksgiving dinner and that's a good thing for a habitual over eater such as myself!

The "race" is a five miler.  A five K would be more to my liking really but the extra 2 miles gives more to the guilt free-ness.  I say "race" because we're never really in it.  There are lot's of people who do treat it like a race and just fly around the course.  Not us!  We run the first mile or so then just walk it out.  Good fun.

The thing that gets me every year is the turn out.  It has to be 5,000 people.  People are all over the place!  You can't get a parking spot anywhere near the place.  (Although this year driving the jeep, I got a parking spot where no one else could park so that was cool!)  It is at the crack of dawn (ok 9am!) and it's usually cold (Thanksgiving?  November?  It was cold?  Really?) I  just can't figure out why everyone does it... but then I realize I do it every year for the same unknown reason.  Sure it's nice to get a decent start to the day but for anyone cooking or traveling that's a busy morning.  Also it's not free.  So to recap:  It's crowded, cold, inconvenient, expensive, too long and too early.  So why do it?  Tradition I guess...

So.... Josh.  One of the great things and actually the real reason we do these races, is the people watching!  It is all walks of life all level of fitness and it is just a blast getting to know the people around you.  Every year we have a few stand out characters that make our whole race.  This year the winner was young Josh.

At a bout mile 3 we came up on Josh and his brother and mother.  We learned his name because his mother kept yelling it.  "Joshy Joshy Poshy Washy Josh!"  Josh was by our best estimate 4 years old and adorable and couldn't have less of an interest in "running" this fine brisk morning.  We never really met Josh.  Instead we created a dialog for him cursing his turquoise spandexed mother.  He would lag behind, go off the track, pick up a rock, get yelled at then run back up cursing his mother the whole way.    Good luck Josh.  I think you're gonna need it.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.