Trotting with the turkeys

*10,000 runners
*Course Christmas carolers
*Christmas cookie and candy cane stations
*Costume prizes
*Eight packet pick-up locations (aka "a reason to go to Playmakers")
*Really cool long sleeve tech shirts

It's Turkey Trot time again! I can't remember the last time I ran this race but I've got a crew of us headed there for 09'. This used to be a family tradition when I was in college; us kids would come home from where ever we were living and drag ourselves out of bed very early to head downtown (thankfully my mom lived in Livonia at the time so we didn't have to get up THAT early-it only seemed like it). Often times we had a friend or two with us and mom was always nice enough to let our "friends without families" join us for a hard earned turkey dinner after the race.

I'm sure it has been at least 10 years since I ran through the finish line in Cobo Hall but my memory is sketchy and I think, quite possibly, that I ran in 1999 while pregnant with my daughter. It appears that it has become bigger, better and more organized. There is pre-paid guaranteed parking now and I better hurry and register so I can get a spot! Parking used to be interesting to say the least, you would find a parking lot where someone unofficial would take a $20 from you only to find out that the person didn't even own the spaces.

I have extremely fond memories of prior Thanksgiving mornings spent in downtown Detroit. To me it was part of what the holidays were all about and this was the kick-off. Back in those days Christmas music didn't start until the day after Thanksgiving and Target wasn't shoving Halloween decorations aside to fill in the shelves with Christmas items. This race brings about the true spirit of the season, post-race candy cane and all.


*I hope Vinnie can figure out how to get the turkey in the oven while I'm gone! (Or maybe I better see if our favoite Chinese restuarant is open that day.)