Tis the season … for Turkey Trots, and yesterday beheld numerous opportunities to participate in races in the area ahead of partaking in feasts to celebrate Thanksgiving. For the 3rd year in a row, I opted for the 4 Mile race in Huntington. I like this race because it benefits the local Community Chest. Yesterday was a perfect day for it! Temperatures in the low 50s, sunny, light breezes and a big crowd of a 1,000 plus runners. The Huntington race is an out and back, mostly flat, but has a few “nice” rolling hills at the half way point. The course also is along Huntington Harbor with many great vistas and an incredible maritime flavor.

This year my running buddy, Brian Feist, joined me. At the race I also met up with Mark Heyligers and his sons, Steven and Eric. Naturally, the race was attended by the many GLIRC runners and I ran into my buddies, Bill Halperin and Mike Polansky, GLIRC President. Also there was Steve Jonas and Bob Allen. Everyone had a great race and we posed for photos afterwards.

My left hamstring had been bothering me since last Sunday’s race so my goal was to take it easy and stay steady and not aggravate my hamstring. As it turned out, I was able to maintain a consistent pace. After the race and even today, my hamstring seems OK and I am relieved that it appears that there is nothing serious about it. My results were good, in fact, I came in 55 seconds faster than my previous 4 mile PR, set in July, with an overall time of 35:07 and a pace of 8:46:45.