Knowing that the holidays are just ahead, a throng of runners made their way to Norwood, Massachusetts last Sunday for the 38th Annual Norwood Turkey Trot to ensure the four mile run gave everyone enough justification for another piece of pie. The Norwood Turkey Trot also served as the November Grand Prix Race for the Thirsty Irish Runners so it was nice to see some familiar faces before the race and out on the course.

The morning was a nice one for running, only thing to contend with was a good headwind at certain parts of the course. The race kicks off at 11AM from Norwood High School and then brings runners through a residential four mile course of Norwood. If you aren’t familiar with the run or the area, the course is a very challenging course with a good amount of climbing mixed into the course right up until the third mile marker where the hill work then becomes painstakingly difficult thanks to a massive climb up Nichols Street followed by another sharp uphill incline heading into the finish line.

Though I have been running pretty well lately the morning was a tough one to have tight calves and I could never really loosen up out on the course. Not the best race to have tight calves for given the amount of climbing but what can you do? Not every race is going to be awesome but crossing the finish line is a better end result than those who choose to do nothing athletic, right?

I finished up this year’s Norwood Turkey Trot with a time or 36:22, good for 9:06/miles.