Thanksgiving Day Run

My son, husband, and I flew to Austin, Texas on Monday to spend Thanksgiving with my husband’s parents and family. The entire week was wonderful – lots of time to relax, eat delicious Mexican food, and spend valuable time with my in-laws and extended family.

One of the best parts of the whole trip was that my husband and I were able to sneak away for a beautiful 8-mile Thanksgiving Day run. I can’t remember the last time we were able to run together (sans baby!). Most mornings I run before my son wakes up and we alternate running and watching our son on the weekends.

We were in Smithville, Texas, a small, rural town about an hour from Austin, and the site of numerous well known movies, including Hope Floats and The Tree of Life. I wasn’t sure what the road conditions and traffic would be like – but hoped that it would allow me to go on a couple of runs during our 3 day stay.

It could not have been more perfect. The homes in the area were all situated on large plots of land – ranging from 54 acres (where we stayed) to over 300 acres – which helped keep the vehicle traffic to a minimum as the homes were few and far between. The roads surrounding the home were a mix between gravel and pavement with light patches of grass along the edges (perfect for running). The weather was amazing all week – sunny, mild temperatures, and minimal wind.

Miles of empty road to run!

And though there wasn’t any company on the road, there was more than enough observing our workout from behind the barbed wire!!

We started the run around 930am. It was already close to 60 degrees – perfect weather for a short, relaxing recovery run (this was my first run since my 60k on Saturday!). We even had a little extra company for the first two miles as my husband’s cousin decided to join us to work up an appetite before the Thanksgiving Day feast.

My body needed a couple of miles to loosen up, stretch out, and work through some of the kinks that seemed to have lingered from the 60k last Saturday. But within 2-3 miles, I started feeling like my old self again and was able to zone out and enjoy the run. I love running along the boardwalk in Staten Island, but there was something so special about running that close to nature on Thanksgiving.

My favorite part of the run was seeing a mama Texas Longhorn nursing her baby (the simple beauty of it almost made me cry!) and Old Glory flying high at various wooden posts along the road. The two sights made me thankful for the family that I have – and grateful for those that are defending that very flag and what it stands for.

It was a perfect way to spend Thanksgiving morning! And a fantastic way to work up a hearty appetite for the feast that was to come later that afternoon!

Hope everyone had a happy, safe Thanksgiving filled with laughter, family, and lots of great food!!

Women's Running: Blogger on the Run + a Great Week of Pregnant Running (23 weeks)