Disclaimer: I received an entry to Oakland Running Festival as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!
Let’s talk Turkey… trotting that is.
I love the idea of Turkey Trots but rarely make it to an actual one due to either distance or time. I was stoked to hear that the Oakland Turkey Trot offered a virtual option. Don’t get me wrong- as race day grew closer I wished I could join the party. Everything they were posting on Instagram made me wish I could drive to Oakland on Thanksgiving. The swag, the mural painting, the fun- man, I wish I could go!
My bib and swag arrived a few days before the race. Talk about swag! I’ve run much larger races and received way less. Oakland knows how to treat their runners right!
Race morning- Thanksgiving Day
The advantage to a virtual run is I could run anytime I wanted to; for me that was around 12. Woo hoo! No early wake up call and perfect temps. Actually I overdressed as I had been sick during the week before and thought it was colder than it was. Oops.
I was going to run my normal 5k route from my house but flip the beginning and the end so I could have a nice downhill finish. Since I had been sick and this was a virtual race, I treated this more like a hard push run than a race. I walked the first 5 minutes of mile 1- crazy right? But my later start meant I was already pushing it with family plans.
From then on, it was a comfortable push tempo pace, enjoying the fall colors in my neighborhood. I added in a hill in the middle to take out a hill at the end but still had around 300 ft of elevation over the 5K. I don’t live in a flat area. I walked another block or so during mile 2 due to an off leash dog. When the lady grabbed the dog in alarm, I wasn’t taking any chances so I slowed way down until I was well past them.
All in all, I finished the 5k in 33:33 which made me laugh at the perfectness of it. It also reassured me that had I actually raced it, I would have likely subbed 30. Don’t have to worry about off leash dogs during races and I usually warm up first. 😛
I still wish I could have joined the epic party up in Oakland but I was glad I got to participate in anyway.
Did you Turkey Trot?
Slacker Runner 
Ugh! I hate when dogs are off leash. But your finishing time was pretty perfect!
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I do too! It looked friendly but then she grabbed it in a panic and I rapidly changed my mind. Walking was totally worth it. 🙂
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