I’ve spent most of the last 12 Thanksgivings running. I’ve run organized races occasionally, but I prefer to just get up and go run on Thanksgiving morning.
Most of my recent Thanksgivings were at my in-laws house in western Nebraska. They live on a three-acre lot with farm animals and are surrounded by cornfields and other farms. Every run I’ve done there has been just beautiful. The train often rumbles by, sometimes more than once depending on my run time. The engineers always wave as they go by.
The road is generally empty but everyone who passes by waves and smiles. These are friendly people, in a friendly town. The weather is generally crisp but has been downright frigid on a few occasions. There’s always one cow that hangs out on the train tracks until the train gets close, then scampers back to the grazing field for safety.
The only two things that change are the number of layers I need to wear to stay warm and my run pace. The sun peeks up over the horizon and the nearby national monument lights up. The silence is golden.
That’s a whole lot of description for a morning run but it’s consistency is what makes those memories so special. I know my Thanksgiving walk here in Florida will spark a new round of memories as I spend my second Thanksgiving in Florida, this year with our small, three person family. Regardless of where or how you’re spending your Thanksgiving, make it memorable! Happy Thanksgiving!
Maria Netherland is a Northwest Florida-based coach who is a USA Triathlon Level II Endurance and Youth & Juniors Certified Coach as well as a NASM Certified Personal Trainer and Performance Enhancement Specialist. Coach Maria loves working for athletes of all abilities, military athletes, and new triathletes as they pursue their goals. Maria is a veteran of the US Army and a United States Military Academy at West Point graduate. She can be reached at maria@teammpi.com.
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