Turkey Trot '11

In case you aren't familiar with our family tradition, every year after finishing our Thanksgiving meal, the Huinker/Hoden families head down to whatever track is close at hand to run the "Turkey Trot" - a timed mile of gruesome competition and even physical illness. The winner has to write a press release...and, in case you were wondering, I 've never had to and I don't anticipate ever having to write one of these myself! Enjoy a few pictures too!

The Dubuque crew

Grandma Pat watched over a sleeping Gracie and Ivy.

Tara's race day t-shirt.

And this year's winner goes to...

TURKEY TROT ROOKIE SHATTERS RECORD

Its' as much a Huinker tradition as turkey. It's about the clash between perennial rivals on the track, trying to run as fast as they can, and fighting the urge to heave their favorite meal of the year. Once again, this Thanksgiving tradition was served up under bright, brisk skies on a Thursday afternoon in two different locations that measured a whopping, 1,886.2 miles apart. "Showing the Spirit" in scenic Dubuque, Iowa, this year were the Huinker/Hoden families and out in sunny Murrieta, California, stood Anthony and Tara. One could say that based on temperature, California weather might have been an advantage, but with the lower elevation on Dubuque's side, it was an even playing field.

Thirty-five minutes after eating the biggest meal he has ever cooked in his entire life, Turkey Trot rookie, Anthony Brown, scorched the competition with a time of 5 minutes and 30 seconds. "I think you are supposed to do that before you eat...ya know, run...then eat guilt free" Brown said after throwing up the delicious meal he spent 5 hour cooking. "Rookie mistake to have 2 glasses of wine and eat like I was gonna watch football."

Congratulation goes out to Tara Huinker who again took home the award for "complaining-the-most-about-a-tradition-you-claim-to-love." Despite her less than enthusiastic attitude towards the competition, she did finish in a very respectable 7 minutes and 1 second - some 50 seconds ahead of the nearest competitor.

The hardest fought race had to be between Chris Hoden and Amanda Huinker who were only 3 seconds apart at the strip. Coming in at 7 minutes 51 seconds and 7 minutes 54 seconds, it was a tough battle. Last year's winner was heard saying, "you guys don't know how hard it is to train when you have 2 kids and one on the way...it really takes a toll on your body." Amanda Huinker, who heard the remark, just shook her head and mumbled something to the effect of "you would think it was Chris who gave birth a couple of weeks ago."

Max Hoden receives the "hard-charger" award for steadily improving his time by 3 minutes from last year and not calling it quites until he did 6 laps. "My predition is that he will beat all of us in five years" said this year's winner.

Brian Huinker struggled this year claiming "Dubuque's air quality is not that of Decorah." Brian's ongoing study of the air quality and his newly onset asthma should draw to a close just in time for his research presentation at Christmas entitled "Robbed of Victory."

Best spectator award comes in as a 3-way tie between Rog Podge, Bes, and Patski. As they had their hands full with the little ones, there support is very much appreciated by all participants.

All in all, the event was a hug success. You can bet there will be trash talking throughout the year, only thickening as Thanksgiving 2012 nears. Till then...train for 2nd place!

Finish Lap 1: Chris and I were apparently still in good humor at this point...
Brian...maybe not so much.

Below: Beth comforting a crying Olivia and Mya -
Olivia because her mommy was ignoring her;
Mya because brother Max was running too fast.
Guess we know who the true competitors are going to be!