Happy Thanksgiving Internet!

Distance: 7mi

Miles to go: 1257

Image by trickofthelight via Flickr

OK… That was awesome!  The local club had a special run this morning.  We met in a nearby town that is right on the Katy Trail.  For the uninitiated, the Katy trail runs all the way across Missouri, mostly as a part of the Rails to Trails program, and is several hundred miles long.  The part of it that runs closest to us in Columbia goes right through this little town, called Rocheport.  From Rocheport it drops down and follows the Mighty Mo, the Missouri River, for quite a ways.

In this town, there is a wonderful little restaraunt called Abigail’s, that is conveniently owned by runners.  They agreed to open up on Thanksgiving morning.  Not only that, but they agreed to make us all cinnamon rolls (about 6 dozen) and coffee!!  By my estimate, they only need one more miracle to become saints…  It was beautiful…

So at 7am on a 19 degree, spectacularly clear morning, the eerie scene of dozens of spandex clad, bleary eyed runners descending on downtown Rocheport greeted me as I turned the corner on to the little main drag.  The deal was, bring a little cash to donate to the cinnamon rolly goodness, run an out and back, one hour route down the beautiful Katy.  Then return to yummy, warm, cinnamon rolls.  You coulnd’t have beaten me off of this run with a stick.

The run itself was as advertised.  We headed south out of town, and immediately joined up with the Missouri river.  So imagine a trail, clean and mostly empty, with one of the largest rivers in the United States on one side and a spectacular, 100 foot plus cliff right next to you on the other side.  It’s just not fair that everybody can’t be a part of that… heh!

For my part, I felt super.  I ran easy for the first half, talking all the way with whoever happened by.  As I made the turn I decided to see what I had this morning so I took off after the people in front of me.  I ran the last half doing fartleks to help me catch people and I ended up tracking down a half dozen or so on the way back in.  And the reward was awesome.

Now it’s time to cook the bird.  Happy Thanksgiving!!!