On this beautiful Thanksgiving morning, I found myself in the desert of Price, Utah.
It was about 29 degrees and I was about to run 8 miles. As the 2nd Annual Turkey Trot started, I looked around me and was humbled by the wonder and beauty I was surrounded in. At the end of this run, I was truly grateful for three things.
1. Mr. Teacher
This is Hotstuffs oldest brother (and three girls).
When I signed up for the Turkey Trot, I thought it was just a 5k. Then when I double checked the info, it said it was a four mile course.
"No problem!" I thought. "Four miles is just a little more than a 5k and I can do this!"
Then I got to the actual race and the race was explained at the start. The race wasn't 4 miles, it was 8! The halfway point was at four miles. The great part about this Turkey Trot was you could go at your own pace: run/walk, ride; and you could go as far as you wanted. There was no first, second or last place. This was a fun run on a Thanksgiving morning.
I decided to run the whole thing... well, technically, I ran six and walked two. But I did all eight miles. So now, you must wonder what my run and Mr. Teacher have anything to do with one another. Well, here goes:
Mr. Teacher has taught me that when you are given no limits, you can accomplish anything. I realized as I was running through the desert that if I limited myself to a certain number of miles, I was going to struggle. He came to my mind and I knew that if I just ran and listened to my body, I could accomplish anything.
I accomplished eight miles.
#2 Willis Van Gough
This amazing woman in Willis Van Gough. She is an artist, wife, mother, grandmother, runner/athlete and super awesomeness! She is the one who puts together the Turkey Trot every year and this year she became my running buddy.
(The last two photos, courtesy of Willis Van Gough)
She was a great running buddy and were are now signed up for a half marathon in March. We kept pace with one another and I made it all eight miles with her by my side.
#3 "For the Beauty of the Earth"
(Last photo courtesy of Willis Van Gough)
I believe that when God created the world, he took his time in Carbon County Utah. It is a beautiful desert, no matter how hot or cold. I found a deep appreciation for this beautiful creation, the Earth, that I have been blessed with. I love the great Northwest and all its trees. I love the beach and the way the warm sand feels on my feet. I love the desert and the mountains. The entire earth is a mystery and a wonder. This Earth a beautiful gift and I am grateful to live in it.
So after I have stuffed myself with Turkey, mashed potatoes and pie; I sat back and realized the many great gifts that I have and the many more gifts to come to be grateful for.
Happy Thanksgiving!
