Posted on Nov. 27, 2024

The dark night sky gradually glowed the orange of a pumpkin as I crossed the Red River connecting Oklahoma to Texas on a chilly Saturday morning.

My alarm sounded at 3:30 a.m., and I had little time to spare as I packed my necessities into a tiny pink suitcase. This time, I was not traveling far, but the excitement hit the same.

Wearing my running jacket the shade of an orange highlighter, I ate half of a peanut butter sandwich and drank my cup of hot coffee, and I was ready for my day getaway to Fort Worth.

After arriving at Panther Island Pavilion, I stood among a crowd of more than 1,000 runners wearing attire ranging from tutus with layers of red, yellow, brown, and orange to knee-high socks of the same colors. Some runners even wore festive face paint and headbands.

We were all there to participate or compete in the Pumpkin Spice Half Marathon, 10K, or 5K, themed “Gourds, Guts, and Glory” by Run Project. I picked up my packet around 7 a.m. and waited for the 8:15 a.m. 5K start time.

While making conversation with a couple ladies beforehand, I discovered that they were solely there to earn the pumpkin pie medallion; I had to admit that part of my motivation to sign up was to add the medallion to my collection.

The race began near the base of a skyscraper with mirror-like windows. When the announcer said, “Ready, set, go,” my body was practically shivering, but my chills did not last long after I started running along the trails of Trinity Park.

The first sunlight of the morning shone on the still-green trees and grass outlining the concrete path. Looking up, down, and around, I took in the beauty of the city colliding with the countryside.

Taking one step at a time, we ran across the inclined bridge overlooking the river and continued our journey under an overpass beside the river.

I listened to “God & Country” by Anne Wilson on repeat for most of the race.

Over the course of the run, I was especially inspired by two people.

The first was a young woman who passed me probably four times, and each time, she stopped and then ran back to her friend. She likely ran 5 miles instead of 5 kilometers.

The second was a man running and pushing a stroller with two children, while I was sweating just carrying my phone because I forgot to buy a new running belt.

At the finish line, supporters clapped and cheered, and then we all lined up for free Alani and Celsius drinks, as well as LOVE CORN nuts, apple pumpkin spice-flavored Gogo Squeez, and a pumpkin spice pie baked by Mindy Lu’s, a family-run, Arlington-based business that is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

After freshening up, I drove 10 minutes to the Stockyards, parked at Billy Bob’s Texas, and explored the area for the first time. I saw the end of the Fort Worth Herd, walked along the cobblestone roads to see the endless Christmas decorations, including a towering Christmas tree outside the Fort Worth Livestock Exchange, and browsed through a few shops to buy Christmas presents before heading back to Oklahoma.

Now, I’m training for my Christmastime 5K, and I already ordered a new running belt. 🤩