Norwood Turkey Trot race report

Sunday marked my third year running the Norwood Turkey Trot. This year's edition--the 25th--featured a brand new course that finally moved the race start from the car dealership on Rt. 1 to the nearby Norwood High School. Consequently I knew nothing about the course layout except for the general verbal description from the sign-up sheet ("yes it's still hilly"--more or less). It was an unseasonably warm day, with temps over 60--pleasant weather for singlet running. I ran through the cemetary and down through some small neighborhoods around the high school to warm up, and returned in plenty of time to take the line.

As usual for fields that fill from the front (with competitors approaching the pack from the direction of the starting line), seeding was tricky, with early arrivals getting swept back and needing to fight upstream. I followed a guy and girl in BAA singlets onto the sidewalk and then back into the pack in the 2nd or 3rd rank.


This seemed plenty high up, but when the siren sounded I realized there were a good 50 people ahead of me. My goals for this race were: (1) PR--hopefully by a lot; (2) Come in inside the HFC top-5 (they usually bring a wicked good team to this race, so that's no joke). So I was a bit chagrined when I realized I had seeded myself about 50 people back, and a big pack of people (dotted, far ahead, by HFC singlets) was sweeping out ahead of me.

Fortunately I found a good line on the left-hand side of the road and sprinted the first 100 yards or so to get position. Then the course swept into a long downhill and, primed as I was by that sprint and the nervous energy of the start, I bombed down it. The first mile mark appeared before I knew what was happening: a 4:58 split, which is pretty damn fast for me, hill or no hill.

I tried to get my legs under me and focused on the two HFC guys ahead of me. The course stayed flat for the moment, and I felt strong; breathing in control, effortful strength flowing from my core out into my limbs. The course shot out into a parking lot and then 180'd around an island--I did my best to hit the racing line, but ended up swinging too wide.

Then it was on to the Nichols St. Hill. I took the left turn and a blast of wind hit me, for a moment almost seeming to suspend me in place. I buckled down and set to pulling up that hill for all I was worth. This did not stop someone from sling-shotting around me--a good play, as with the wind in my ears I didn't hear him coming at all.

2nd mile split passed in 10:35. 3rd mile split passed in 15:56 (a substantial net drop from the course start).

The fourth mile featured a big climb back up to Norwood HS. Well, I shouldn't call it big. Big when you're trying to run a 5:30 mile. My position was pretty well established by this point and I didn't feel anyone near me, but that was no reason to slack off. Once again I set to the work, and it was pretty stiff going by this point. I fought my way up to the top of the hill, and then almost went the wrong way around the rotary because I mistook the police officer's hand-signal. I could see the finish on my left-hand side, and tried to pick it up (though in retrospect I think I could have done more here--it was a pretty soft finish).

I saw the race clock reading 21:?? and started my kick. I knew I was going to PR, but breaking 22 minutes would be extra awesome. A final effort, and I checked my watch: 21:56!

Once I got my wind back, I walked around for a bit with a goofy smile on my face. I think I may be past the point in my running career where a PRs are truly unexpected. I know my body a bit too well, and have a pretty good idea when it's in record shape and when it isn't. Today was a day when it definitely was, and I just had to deliver.

It's been a pretty great fall season for me so far. The only thing that would cap it all would be to decisively break 17 minutes in the 5K, something I've never done, on track or road. I am racing again in 2 weeks, at the GNRCYO 5K. That will be my opportunity!