Turkey Trot!

OK, Ya Turkeys,

Thursday morning is the big Turkey Trot, the five-mile pre-gluttony (mmm... gluttony...) tradition that is the only race, besides that thingy in February, that I can never seem to let myself miss.

A lot of us are running it, and if you're here in Austin for the holiday, there's no good reason for you not to. It's $30 at this late point, but you can opt for the $10 Thundercloud voucher over the shirt, effectively making the race $20, which is well worth it for something to lord over your fat relatives when you go back for a second pecan pie - not a second piece, mind you, but a second pie.

The race starts at 9:30. Keep in mind, this is a pretty big race - about 7,000-8,000 participants annually, I think, and it's likely growing. So, it's one where you want to allow yourself time for the bathrooms and to worm into the crowd at the start.

So, we'll meet at the corner of 12th and San Jacinto. I'll actually try to get there around 8:50, in case anyone wants to warm up and do some light drills, but we'll be back there around 9:00-9:05 to hang out before we head down at about 9:15.

As you know, the course is different this year because of that "footingball" sport that takes time away from basketball coverage on Sportscenter. It'll be easier, but not a breeze:

If you're running this for time, it'll be important to get in the right pace area, even though people are stupid and ignore that, and in the 7:00 per mile area, you'll get stuck behind a walking family of five that looks like Tech's offensive line, walking two great danes and a chihuahua, and pushing strollers. As always, don't burn up too much energy dodging people - look for clear lines through the crowd that require minimum extra travel, and if you need to get past someone, just ask nicely.

In the past, you immediately had to run up MLK, which sucked. This year, we'll be heading south on Trinity to Sixth, starting us on an uphill, but then giving us a good downhill to Sixth. Go ahead and get in as good a pace as you can on the hill without winding yourself, then be conservative going down the hill.

Sixth is going to be pretty flat, even with some slight downslopes. Get into your comfortable pace immediately. Five miles is an interesting distance, being almost smack in the middle of a 5K that you'd run hard, and a 10K, where you have to pace a little more conservatively. In terms of effort, you won't be conversational, but you won't be wheezing - your respiration rate will be up, but in a nice, steady rhythm, probably in that two steps per inhale to one step of exhale range.

The one mile mark is around San Antonio/Nueces.

You turn right on West Lynn, just after passing the mile two marker - you guys have the benefit of having run up this street more times than probably any other running group in Austin, and probably more than over 95% of the runners out there. You know what's coming, you know it's going to take some time from you. You can work just slightly harder, but don't get yourself breathing too hard - you've got three miles left, and if you get your legs burning now, you're going to have a tough time holding a good pace.

Westlynn will flatten out and even give you a little downhill relief around Galaxy Cafe, before 12th Street. You'll have it flat and easy all the way down, jagging right briefly on Niles, then hopping onto Windsor.

Take a look to your left, and think, "at least I'm not running up Rainbow, though I could kick everyone else's ass doing it, because Rob is a jerk and plans half our runs that way."

Instead, you'll run down East Windsor, the long side of our Rainbow workout. This is tricky - I think with two miles left to go, you can start cranking it up a little, but you have to remember you'll be getting a long uphill on 12th Street, from just past Lamar, all the way to Guadalupe/Lavaca - almost half a mile of rolling uphill.

So, I think you want to let the downhill here take you a little, maintaining good form, but not letting it mess with your breathing much. You'll pick up more time on Parkway all the way to 12th.

The 3 mile mark is just after the turn onto Parkway.

On 12th, you just have to dig in. Hold your form, and try to stick with the pace you've been at, which has probably been a bit faster for the last mile. Go block to block if you have to - I don't think it'll really be that bad.

Mile 4 mark is around San Antonio and Nueces.

At Lavaca, or whenever you feel the hill crest, the terrain becomes varied, so this is where you want to make the conscious choice to crank up the pace. With less than a mile to go, cut loose, but be looking ahead and anticipating - use the downhills a little for speed, and a little for recovery. You'll have a little hill going back up to Trinity - at this point, get into it - don't run it fast enough to tank you, but don't let it take much time from you.

Trinity's going to roll a little, too, but you're so close at this point, you should just be going for it.

Coming into the finish, keep those leg muscles relaxed, and focus on footspeed, not stride length - you don't want to pull a hamstring, here...

Most of all, have fun with it!

See you there,

Rob